he exclaimed warmly against it, as a violation of all engagements. He was, however, out-voted; but, like a good general, he tried to draw an advantage even from his defeat; and endeavoured, with all his eloquence, to persuade Mary to give him her hand before their return to England. Mary was not accustomed to refuse him any thing, and she answered no but faintly, looking as if she was half inclined to yield. But lord Burton and lady Anne joined in opposing it, though Charles strongly urged the pleasure his father would receive from such an arrangement, and proposed to write immediately for his If Mary had at all hesitated, the moment she heard her brother object, her resolution became fixed, and her negative decided.

consent.

Charles was at first a good deal disappointed, and somewhat inclined to sulk; but Mary was so gentle and kind, that he could not even accuse her of coldness, and was at length fain to compromise the mat

ter, by extorting from her a promise to be his, directly on their return to England, without waiting for any long forms or delays. To this Frederic cordially assented; and having spent some time at the villa, the whole party returned to Naples in high good humour.

On hearing of the arrangements that had been made, the baron de S, who was almost constantly with them, agreed to prolong his stay at Naples till they quitted it; and thence to proceed along with them to England, which country he much desired to revisit. This promise gave great pleasure to all; for though there was still an evident depression and shadow upon his mind, all reserve of manner had worn off towards them; and though not knowing the causes of his sorrow, they would sometimes touch upon subjects that seemed painfully to affect him; when this was not the case, he would be amusing, cheerful, and even gay; while lord Burton also, in his society, would

often

often seem to lose for a time, remembrance of those circumstances whose bitter traces could never be wholly obliterated from his memory.

CHAPTER II.

The parrot said, "People of former times, the sages of antiquity, have thus related.”

Tooti Nameh.

The Tale.

THERE had been a period in the life of Charles Melville, and that at no great distance of time, when the calm current of life seemed little better than monotonous vegetation; unless when the excitement of some accident or adventure lent it an unexpected interest. But now he was sated with that kind of stimulus; his feelings were changed; he had new hopes, new

objects

objects and he began to think vulgar peace and quietness very much to be wished for in this sublunary world. But with the usual perverseness of circumstances, at the very moment when he was most inclined to understand the full enjoyment of repose, adventures began to persecute him, as if to force on him the disagreeable lesson of how delightful is that very state of life which we are not suffered to taste!

Of all situations in the world, the beautiful villa, of which he had now become an inhabitant, seemed to have been the best calculated for the abode of undisturbed serenity; but it was not destined to be so. Three days had elapsed since they had taken possession of their new habitation. They had had just sufficient time to become accustomed to its novelty. They had perambulated all the groundsthey had gone through every apartment in the house, and were gradually falling

into

into their usual routine; which had been interrupted by their change of abode.

66

Oh, Frederic," said lady Mary to her brother, “I have been guilty of a most shameful piece of negligence-I am afraid you will not easily forgive me."

"Am I so very implacable then, Mary ?" asked her brother.

66

Come, make me

your confessor, and I will absolve you. Or have you written down the crimes you dare not speak in that letter you have in your hand ?"

"No," answered Mary; "this is the cause of my offence: it is a letter I promised to give you from your old philosopher, as you used to call him, of whose death I gave you an account at Rome; but I have always forgot to give you the letter."

Lord Burton took it, and glancing his eye over the first few lines" I will not read it now," said he; "it seems merely an expression of gratitude for the little kindness it was in my power to shew him,

and