"Dear creature!" exclaimed Miss Matilda in a whisper, with another affectionate pressure of the arm; "tell me every thing then!"

And you will never say a word about it to mamma, nor to your sister either?"

"No! not for the whole world, my dearest Patty."

"Let us lean out of the window, then," said Miss O'Donagough, " and I will tell you the history of the only real lover I ever had, that was worth talking about."

With arms still interlaced, and heads projected, as if gazing on the beautiful effects of the moonbeams on the sea, the two friends there stood together, till Patty had poured forth the whole history of Jack's tender attentions during the whole voyage from Sydney; his escape from drowning-his recovery from death on her lap; and lastly, the parting kiss, by which, as she said, she well knew he meant to pledge his troth to her for life.

"But my darling girl, do you mean that he was a common sailor?" demanded the confidant, in an accent of considerable surprise.

"A common sailor, indeed!-Good gracious !-no, Matilda. Before he went on shore, mamma found out that he was certainly somebody of very great consequence in disguise."

"Good heavens! my dear, you don't say so! What a complete adventure! And you so young, too! Oh, you lucky girl!"

"Ain't I, Matilda? But when shall I see him again, dear? Do you think he will ever come to look for me?"

"You may depend upon it, Patty," &c. &c. &c.

And so the conversation went on, deepening in its tone of affectionate confidence, till two or three more officers came into the room, and then Miss Matilda was summoned to her well-loved place at the tea-table. But this did not happen till a very broad and lasting foundation of friendship had been laid between Miss Matilda Perkins, and Miss Martha O'Donagough-a friendship which was not without a lasting influence on the happiness of both.

CHAP. XV.

AN ARRIVAL-AFFECTIONATE GREETINGS AMIDST LATENT FEARSTHE DISCLOSURE-MANLY DIGNITY, AND FEMALE VENGEANCEDETERMINED COURAGE-A TRIAL OF STRENGTH.

"HERE'S aunt Betsy!-here's aunt Betsy!" burst from the little Emily, as she stood at the drawing-room windows the day after General Hubert, his wife, and daughter, returned to Brighton; and the words were accompanied with such gay clapping of the hands, and such joyous skippings and boundings, as left no doubt of the sort of welcome the great-great-aunt was likely to receive.

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"She is come, indeed, mamma!" cried Elizabeth, throwing aside the book she was reading, and exhibiting very nearly as much childish glee her sister. young May I run down to meet her?" "No, no, Elizabeth, let me go first and take her into the parlour," replied Mrs. Hubert; " she may be tired by her journey, dear, and may wish to be a little quiet at first."

"Mamma! mamma! Compton is come too! Compton is handing aunt Betsy out!" cried Emily, who still kept her post at the window. This was intelligence that seemed naturally, and of necessity to break down all restraints, whether of ceremony or prudence, and mother and daughters very nearly vied with each other in the velocity with which they descended the stairs. The old lady and her young attendant were, however, in the hall by the time they reached it; and the presence of the young man proved to be of considerable utility, occupying his two sisters so completely for a minute or two, as to give Mrs. Hubert the power of leading her venerable aunt quietly to an arm-chair in the parlour, and hearing her declare that she had enjoyed the journey exceedingly, and was all the better for it. Mrs. Elizabeth Compton, as she was of course called by all the world, save the Hubert family, was at this time somewhat past seventy; but never was the allotted three score years and ten borne with less consciousness of their weight than by this fragile-looking little spinster. She was as thin as it was well possible to be, her delicate little hand literally permitting light to be visible athwart its slight integuments; but all there was of her seemed imperishable; hardly partaking of the materials on which the wear and tear of time takes hold, and with an unquenched spirit in her eye that shot forth the same intellectual vigour it had ever done.

"My dearest aunt!" cried Mrs. Hubert, fondly hanging over her, and looking into the cheerful face that smiled upon her, with truly filial affection," my dearest aunt, how delightful it is to see you thus so completely yourself, so perfectly well and unwearied, after your long journey!"

"No very long journey, dearest Agnes! You see how I am accompanied and I suppose you guess that I arrived in London the day before yesterday, and waited till my application to the Stephensons to run away with my young squire, from their river abode at Richmond to your marine abode here, could be forwarded and granted. Do you think the general will be very angry with me for stealing a week or two from the mathematics ?"

"Not past forgiveness, aunt Betsy !" replied Mrs. Hubert, now stepping towards the door by which her son was entering, and offering, with successful rivalry, a mother's arms to draw him from those of his sister's, which still encompassed him.

"Is he not grown, mamma?" said Elizabeth. "Did you ever see any thing so tall?"

"Rarely at sixteen, minus four months," replied his mother, looking at him with irresistible admiration. "I only hope he does not mean to grow any taller."

“I shall not answer that till I have measured myself with my father," said the boy, drawing himself up, and exhibiting as fine a face and person as nature ever bestowed. "My intention is to be exactly as tall as General Hubert; for, as it is my full purpose and resolution to be a General Hubert myself, I really think the best thing I can do is to take him for my model. But do not talk of my being tall, Elizabeth is a perfect giantess! Thank Heaven! however, I do not think she is quite so ugly as she was-what do you think about it, aunt Betsy?"

Altogether there never was a happier family-meeting, every heart was overflowing with love and joy; and had it not been that the recollection of the O'Donagough family once or twice mantled the cheeks of Agnes with a blush which the old lady saw, but could by no means understand, every one of the little party might have been said to be in a state of perfect enjoyment.

In about an hour after Mrs. Compton's arrival, and when she was comfortably installed in the drawing-room, General Hubert returned from his ride, and again all the pleasure of the meeting was renewed. He was almost as fond of the eccentric old lady, as Agnes herself, and felt a degree of pleasure from her society, and from the whimsical, but shrewd spirit of her conversation, which is rarely communicated by persons of her age. But in the midst of their lively talk, there were moments when the brave general looked almost as embarrassed as his fair lady, upon recollecting the nature of the family news he had undertaken to communicate, and not even the sight of his noble-looking boy, whom he had not seen since he left him at Sandhurst some months before, could drive Mrs. O'Donagough and her family from his head for ten minutes together. At length, suddenly coming to the conviction, like Macbeth, that,

"If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly."

He stopped his son Compton short in a very animated description, which he was addressing to his mother and sisters of a royal review of which he had been recently a spectator, and saying, laughingly, " Aides-decamps-chargers-dukes-marquises-firing and charging!"

"Mercy on me, Compton! you are like a magazine of powder in the very act of ignition. Do explode, for the especial advantage of Elizabeth and Emily, in the dining-room, will you-for I really want to converse a little with your aunt.'

The gay young trio started up, and made their exit, while the face of their mother, who perfectly comprehended the motive of the manœuvre, instantly became of a very bright "celestial rosy red," and she had actually the cowardice to walk to the other end of the room for her work-box, in order to have something on which to fix her eyes, that she might avoid the danger of encountering those of aunt Betsy.

"He-hem!" said the general.

"Are you going to work, dear Agnes?" said the old lady. "Don't go to work yet, love! I have not looked at you half enough."

"My dear aunt!" began the general, and paused.

My dear general!" returned the old lady, gaily, with her head a little on one side, and her bright eyes twinkling in his face, with a look of exceeding pleasure; for there was nothing she liked better than to be called "aunt" by General Hubert.

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My dear aunt, we have some news to tell you," he resumed; "and I am sorry to say that I am not quite sure you will like them.”

"Indeed!-what can that be, I wonder? Montague is not ill, is he?

I have seen all the rest of you-pooh! nonsense, general !-tell us your news, I do assure you I am not the least afraid to hear them."

"Aunt Betsy!-Mrs. O'Donagough and her family are come to England."

A most perfect silence, which lasted for at least two minutes followed this announcement, and then the old lady said, in a sort of lively tone, peculiar to herself, quite indescribable, but exceedingly expressive of a little internal méchanceté" Mrs. O'Donagough and her family, arrived in England? Well, General Hubert!-I really cannot conceive why you should imagine this news would not be agreeable to me. All persons, I believe, rather like to have their prophecies come true. member what that keen observer, the Dean of St. Patrick said,

'He'd rather that his friend should die

Than his prediction prove a lie.'

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"Then why, my dear sir, should you entertain any doubt of my heartfelt participation of your joy on this occasion. Look up, my dear Mrs. Hubert!-never mind your carpet-work for a few minutes. Let me wish you joy, my dear! You are now about to reap the reward of all your unwearied and unceasing attentions to these amiable relatives! How you must enjoy the idea of it! And the general too-just as his young family are growing up! What an advantage for them! Elizabeth in particular; I should think the young ladies must be nearly of the same age, and I cannot doubt that my niece, your aunt, Mrs. O'Donagough, formerly the widow Barnaby, keeping in mind the many proofs of affectionate remembrance which you have bestowed on her during the whole period of her absence, will indulge Miss Hubert with her daughter's company both in town and country as much as you could possibly desire. I really wish you, heartily, joy of this most happy family reunion. It is, as indeed you well know, no more than I was quite sure would happen ; but as you never appeared to agree with me in this opinion, the circumstance must come upon you with all the additional delight of being unexpected.-I wish you joy, General Hubert, heartily."

General Hubert looked half angry at some parts of this harangue; but before it was ended he had perfectly recovered his good-humour, and said with a laugh, that was at least half genuine,

"Come, come, aunt Betsy! As you are great, be merciful-you certainly appear to have seen further into futurity, than either Agnes or myself I freely confess that I never thought these good people would return to England, and I will freely confess also, that I should have been quite as well pleased if they had not. But jesting apart, their arrival cannot in reality be matter of any very serious uneasiness to us, and I confess I feel not in the least degree doubtful but that I shall be able to guard my stronghold, wife, daughter, and all, against all the attacks which the O'Donagough faction may be able to bring against it.

The flexible and speaking features of the little old lady's expressive face, changed as she listened to these words, from a sort of gaieté maligne to a look of lamb-like gentleness and submission.

"Oh! dear me, General Hubert! How can you for a moment suppose I doubt it. Don't mind me, or any thing I say. It is only my foolish joking way, you know. I should behave better if you had not all, young and old, conspired to spoil me. But do not fancy for a moment that I am not aware of the utter impossibility that you should blunder in any way."

Agnes looked up at her aunt from the corner of her eye, and shook Sept.-VOL. LVII. NO. CCXXV.

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her head, though almost imperceptibly, as she listened to her; but the unsuspicious general walked across the room to the venerable mystifier, and taking her hand, replied, "Thank you, dear madam, for your confidence in me. Even Agnes must know by this time that it is impossible to pass through life without finding ourselves occasionally obliged to associate with persons extremely far from agreeable; and the great secret I believe is, to learn how this may be done without jostling against them."

"I dare say it is," said Mrs. Compton, in the same gentle tone; "and you must have had so much experience in the course of your varied and busy career, that it cannot be doubted but you must understand this better than most people-or at any rate, better than a poor old recluse like me."

"Perhaps I do know something about such mysteries,"replied General Hubert, smiling, land dropping into a chair close beside the old lady; "and therefore I flatter myself that you will let me keep watch and ward over you all, and guard you from all social perils, let them come in what shape they may."

Happy are those so guarded!" responded Mrs. Elizabeth Compton, solemnly.

Here again Mrs. Hubert looked into the face of her aunt; but this time she did not shake her head, appearing on the contrary, well satisfied at its expression, and looking herself more comfortable and at her ease than she had done since the discussion began.

"Perhaps," said General Hubert, now fearlessly resuming the theme, -"perhaps, under any other circumstances, I should be disposed to shake off the acquaintaince of this O'Donagough family altogether, and so get rid of the inconvenience as you would do, my dear lady, at But I confess, after our long correspondence, it strikes me that there would be something very pusillanimous in this, and that it would look vastly as if we were conscious of not having tact and savoir faire enough to take care of ourselves."

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"A soldier, and afraid?" cried Mrs. Compton, briskly. "Nay, then my dear general, if such be your feeling, who can wonder at your scorning what none but an old woman, perhaps, would deem the better part of valour ? But tell me, dears, in what part of England do our recovered relatives take up their abode ?"

General Hubert and his wife exchanged a furtive glance; but the gentleman answered boldly, "I really do not know, dear aunt, where they mean to live; but at this moment, I believe, they are at Brighton."

The old lady was engaged in neatly folding a silk scarf she had taken from her shoulders; but, on hearing these words, she stopped short in the middle of the operation, and remained for about a minute as still as if she had been shot; and then, having taken rather a long breath, she resumed her employment, and pronounced very tranquilly the monosyllable, "OH !"

It was precisely at this moment that a servant entered the drawingroom, and putting a visiting-card into the hands of Mrs. Hubert, said, "Are you at home, ma'am?"

This discreet individual was the old butler, who, although he had received no orders to deny his mistress, felt doubtful whether the re