1,111 activity, for I had the pleasure of a visit from Mr. Sniggs almost imme

, Rector left me.” diately after the

"Well," said Mrs. Wells," he may be a very good whist-player—but as for a child'of mine,

-“My dear love,” said the Rector, interrupting, "we were only speaking of him as a whist-player."

The Captain, who saw that a difference of opinion as to the professional merits of Sniggs existed between his host and hostess, again said, addressing Fanny across the table with one of those teeth-showing smiles in which he rejoiced

“Are you a whist-player, Miss Wells ?”

“No," said Fanny, "I know very little of the game, and it is most disagreeable to me to think that by any mistake or indiscretion of mine I may involve my partner.".

“That's kindly felt," said Captain Cavendish Lorimer ; " if all ladies in the world thought in the same way, there would be much more happiness in society."

Fanny looked foolish, and Wells looked pleased ; and I, whose spirits were not sufficiently good to mingle in the war of words, thought it was quite time for Mrs. Wells and Fanny to retire ; for, whether it was that I was “behind the scenes," or not, I cannot say, but it appeared to me, that Wells was playing his game so coarsely and even unskilfully, that unless Captain Cavendish Lorimer happened to be extremely dull, which he evidently was not, he must soon see through the whole plot. It certainly did not appear that he was as yet conscious of any scheme or device on the part of my father-in-law, for he gave in to all his suggestions with an amiable readiness which delighted the Rector, while his appeal to Fanny upon almost every subject started, made with a respectful empressement to which she was wholly unaccustomed, satisfied her that if he were not the most delightful creature upon earth, Captain Cavendish Lorimer was certainly the best-bred, most elegant man she had ever met—"and so handsome, mamma!"

At length the parting hem was given, and the ladies prepared to unsettle themselves for the drawing-room. “Have the billiard-room lighted," added Wells to his lady's directions

we must have a rubber“If,” said Captain Cavendish Lorimer, who seemed in no degree desirous to conceal his accomplishments, “it would amuse you, Miss Wells, to look over my sketches, made in the course of two or three long tours, and you will take the trouble to order one of your servants to go over to my lodgings, my man will give him the porte-feuille."

“Oh you are so good, Captain Lorimer," said Mrs. Wells. “Oh dear,” said Fanny, " a thousand thanks."

“But in that case, I am afraid, I must give you some additional trouble,” added Captain Cavendish Lorimer; " for, in order to preserve my unfortunate performances from a general rummage, I keep the porte-feuille locked—I must therefore worry you with this ring, which -contains the key that opens

it. Saying which, he drew from one of the fingers of a hand, quite the reverse of Merman's in appearance, å ring, containing a Bramah key which presented itself on touching a spring ; in the explanation of the machinery of which, as described by the gallant officer, it struck me Fanny took a very particular interest. After two or three experimental

TI

openings and shuttings, Fanny pronounced herself a proficient, and the ladies retired; Captain Cavendish Lorimer standing with the door in his hand bowing unutterable things.

Come, Captain Lorimer,” said the Rector, as the gallant officer concluded his duty—“ let us draw round the fire and make ourselves snug, not exactly after the fashion of the worthy head of my college, who used to say-Come, boys, now then let's be jolly, and no talking.' I am extremely glad to see you, Sir; Gurney put up that claret—and then we'll have a log on the fire, and a fresh bottle on the table.”

“Charming daughter yours, Mr. Wells,” said Lorimer, filling his glass.

Oh, you are very kind,” said Wells, filling his; "they are good girls-our friend here can answer for one—the elder sister of Fanny, whom you see to-night.'

“I can indeed,” said I.

“Let's drink her health, Captain Lorimer," said the Rector, “and the young

heir of Ashmead.” This, I confess was carrying the joke a little too far. The idea of drinking the health of my poor infant as heir to a place, out of which, in all probability, we should all be turned in the course of next week, appeared absurd in the highest degree; and more particularly absurd, because if what I felt certain to occur, did happen, our ejection and abandonment of the place, would—if he chanced to recollect the present toast-go a considerable way towards exposing my flighty father-in-law's improvident mode of talking to our young cavalier.

Ashmead,” said Captain Lorimer, “ that is the extremely pretty place on the rise of the hill, just going out of the town?” “Yes," said I.

I was quite delighted with it,” said the Captain; « in summer it must be perfectly beautiful.”'

“I shall be too happy if you will do me the honour of coming to look at it,” said I--the same sickening feeling of doubt checking the earnestness of my invitation.

“I say, Gurney,” said the Rector, “let us send and ask Sniggs to come over, he will be delightful; and he really is an agreeable companion, and a dab at billiards."

I made no objection-of course the Captain made none—and a message was sent to Sniggs requesting the pleasure of his company, if he were disengaged.

If? as if under the circumstances—the reconciliatory character of the bidding, the knowledge that Captain Cavendish Lorimer dined at the Rectory, a fact of which he was sure to be informed, the opportunity of making his way, and though last, not least, the certainty of an agrecable evening, there could possibly exist the slightest doubt as to the answer-it was, in fact, a command, and accordingly was promptly cbeyed; so that before the then circulating bottle was empty, Sniggs made a fourth round the fire, and the party seemed well disposed to remain for a certain time where they were.

Wells, however, who loved snugness and conviviality, never lost sight of his great end. Comfortable as we were, I in a moment saw that" bottle more ” would close the performances in the dining-room, at least for that session. He saw that Fan had made an effect on Captain Cavendish Lorimer, and that Captain Cavendish Lorimer had in a very

one

short time gone a long way towards snperseding his gallant predecessor; so, when ordering the next bottle of claret he announced it to be the last, adding with a nudge to his guest

“We will go to the ladies after this—but it is a custom in this house, Captain Lorimer, to have a snug re-union a little later in the evening, and that is my reason for dining early; coffee-tea-chasse-a game at billiards—a rubber at whist–a little music or whatever is going on and then a little bit of snug supper-cold or hot, as the case may be; eat or not as you like; sociability is the thing; I learned it as a boy from my excellent father-all cosey-shut out the world—no servants-no fussand a small taste of what we used in my boyish days to call mixture'not such as my friend Sniggs would prescribe—but a little hot, strong, and sweet—just every one after his own fancy, and a bit of quiet chatwhat d'ye think, Captain ?”

“It seems a most admirable arrangement,” said the Captain, “and I do assure you, my dear Sir, you will find me one of the most accommodating of human beings whenever you make suggestions so exceedingly agreeable.”

I looked at my father-in-law, and the new comer, and could not help recollecting, although I certainly did not regret, the brandy-and-water which I drank in the very same room on that night which sealed my earthly destiny with my beloved Harriet.

Wells, who was in high spirits, and anxious to render himself, his house, and everything that was his, agreeable to the splendid acquisition he had made, took the lead, and went a-head of Sniggs, who, however much pleased with the olive branch which the Rector had held out in the shape of an invitation, still evidently felt that kind of awkwardness and shyness which hang over a man who has, to say the best of it, played a rather equivocal part. Wells had told us all his favourite stories, new and entertaining in the highest degree to the new arrival ; and by him received with great delight. In short, I saw that my

father-in-law had planted his first hit with great effect, and that Captain Cavendish Lorimer was, to use an expression which the late Tom Falwasser would have adopted with regard to linnets, finches, sparrows, and such small deer, “ limed;" and it must be owned that this was the “lime labor” in which Wells did mightily rejoice.

Time flew; but Mrs. Wells, who left the management of such matters as she knew were in hand at this present juncture, entirely in charge of the Rector, never ventured to send any message of summons for coffee or tea; nor was it till Wells thought the moment had arrived at which he ought to repair to the drawing-room, that he rang the bell and inquired if coffee were ready? The simple affirmative monosyllable settled the business, and after a very slight delay we proceeded to do what is called "joining the ladies.”

“Oh,” cried Fanny, as Captain Cavendish Lorimer entered the room, “I never saw such loves of drawings, Captain Lorimer, really they are perfectly beautiful.”

“They are like the places they represent," said the Captain.

" And,” said Fanny, giving him back his ring with the key in it, which she had kept cuddled up in her hand till it was quite hot,“ here is your dear beautiful little ring."

" It is very convenient,” said Captain Cavendish Lorimer, “it lies in 80 small

compass.

And then Captain Cavendish Lorimer took coffee, sipped it, and put the cup down gently upon a small mosaic table and drank no more; and then Wells looked at his wife, and made a family signal that the coffee was evidently ill-made, because Captain Cavendish Lorimer could not finish it; and then my dear mother-in-law was just on the point of going into a discussion on the art of coffee-making, and the reason why it could not be made good if the coffee-pot were not one thing, or the biggin not another thing, and so on, but a sudden check, in the way of a sharp contraction of brow on the part of her spouse, stopped thatand Captain Cavendish Lorimer slyly stealing away from the abandoned cup, sat himself on a sofa beside Fanny, and drank his chasse of Curacoa as if he had regularly qualified for it.

Sniggs and I strolled into the billiard-room, which, as I have already remarked, opened into the drawing-room, and began knocking the balls about. The Captain, attracted by the sound, left Fanny's side and joined us.

“Pshaw," said Wells, "that silly fellow Sniggs is so fond of billiards—dear me--why not have waited ? Captain Lorimer, do you take tea ?”

“None, thank you,” said Captain Cavendish Lorimer, “I am all for one game at billiards : I haven't played a game these ten months.”

And so Sniggs, as champion, was put forth to compete with the stranger.

"Fanny, dear,” said Wells, “ go and mark; make yourself useful.”

Fanny hesitatingly, but I believe “nothing loth,” proceeded to the marker's place, to which her father had consigned her, in order that she might at once evince a due degree of interest in the success of Captain Cavendish Lorimer, and exhibit the graces of her pretty figure, and the delicacy of her very white hand in the performance of a duty not in the abstract altogether feminine in its character, but with which, knowing whom I had to deal with, I dare not interfere.

The game proceeded rapidly-Sniggs went on manfully and scored a few, but all in vain ; Captain Cavendish Lorimer stretched himself outscrewed-twisted--and did everything that chalk and genius combined could possibly achieve,

“And soon all the cannons

Were Major Mac Shannons." In fact, off the balls when he once got them, did Captain Cavendish Lorimer win the game.

“ I have no chance," said Sniggs, none in the least."

“ Nobody else can have any,” said Wells ; “ for you beat everybody here : : so, come Fan, let us have a little music."

I saw Captain Cavendish Lorimer at this suggestion look rather disconcerted, and the doubting hesitation of Fanny did not, as I thought, meet with quite so much persuasion as might be expected. For the information of those who know the regular course of proceeding adopted by country Misses in such a case, it is of no use writing down an elaborate account of the screwing up or down of the creaking music-stool, the rumpling over a hundred songs as if to look out, off-hand, for something to sing, the said girl having made up her mind to sing no other than the one at which she has been thumping and screaming all the morning; humming and ha’aing during the pretended search, and talking of a cold, and declaring that she can't

really—and a thousand other little essays of rustic affectation, which I' saw affected the Captain not exactly as my father-in-law could have wished. However, at last, Fanny would sing a duet if Captain Cavendish Lorimer would take a part.

" Oh! too happy," was the answer, and out they came with the beautiful English, " Oh! Nanny wilt thou gang with me!” a bit of sweet melody which will win the heart whenever it is heard ; although, perhaps, in twenty years from this time it may never be heard at all.

Fanny sang her part well; the Captain's second was perfect; the expression he threw into the words thrilled through the poor girl's heart. I saw it, and I did not wonder, for I had never heard such amateur singing in my life. Sniggs was in raptures, and poor dear Mrs. Wells, who was far behind her spouse in worldliness, with all a mother's feeling, and wholly regardless of the object of the Captain's invitation, could not help saying to me, “ Well, I do wish dear Bessy was here !"

Sniggs after this very good-naturedly played an air, with variations, on the flute, and met with well-merited praise. Captain Cavendish Lorimer suggested to him some other subject, which he did not exactly recollect. Captain Cavendish Lorimer took up the instrument, and in explaining to our medical man what he meant, played the air he had in vain endeavoured to recal to his memory, in a tone and style so perfectly beautiful, that Fanny sat entranced as she watched him, although, it must be admitted, that the handsomest countenance that ever was formed şuffers most marvellously by the twist of the eyes and the screw of the mouth, which seem to be essential to the ejaculation of sweet sounds in such a performance. | However, the impression was that another Crichton had come to Blissfold, and we wondered and worshipped, and everything went sweetly well, until a quotation made by Captain Cavendish Lorimer gave affairs a turn infinitely more delightful to Wells, and, which I confess, startled me. The occasion was this :

“ I remember,” said Captain Cavendish Lorimer, " that air once haunted me. I heard it sung by an extremely charming girl, now dead; but I declare there was something so fascinating in it to me, that I fell desperately in love with her before she had finished it.”

What!" said Fanny, archly, but as I believe innocently, “is there really such a thing as love at first sight?"

“ This case,” said Captain Cavendish Lorimer, was one of love at first hearing; but you don't doubt, Miss Wells, the possibility of the other. Don't you know what Bruyere says upon that subject? Love,' says he, ‘ seizes on us suddenly without giving warning, and our disposition or weakness favours the surprise: one glance, one look from the fair, fixes and determines us. Friendship, on the contrary, is a long time in forming; it is of slow growth, through many trials and months of familiarity. How much wit, good-nature, indulgencies ! how many good offices and civilities are required among friends to accomplish, in some years, what a lovely face or a fair hand does in a minute!”

Fanny looked foolish-Wells was pleased, and Captain Cavendish Lorimer showed his white teeth most complacently. Mrs. Wells looked at me, as much to say, “Well, that's pretty plain;" and Sniggs, from a dark corner of the room, was reconnoitring the Captain with his

glass.

Oct.-VOL. LIV. NO. CCXIV.

M