indulged even in a heart whose vow of duty was plighted to another. But this belief, dangerous as false, was founded only in her wishes; in reason, in truth, in prudence, it had no basis, and, like the lightning's flash, it blasted while it dazzled. Imogen was still too virtuous not to feel she ought to hope her love was hopeless; but she was still too tender not to rejoice it was retarded. To virtue she was determined to sacrifice the happiness of her future life; but the transient beam of felicity which illumined the existing moment she had not the courage to exclude; the character the duke had assumed convinced her his adventures at the chateau de Montmorell were still dear to his recollection; and that the poetic fragment, addressed to him by the Novice of St. Dominick, had furnished him with the idea he had so elegantly realized.

On the following morning she arose, animated with the expectation of a crowd of complimentary visits from those who had

made her the object of their devotion the preceding night, but still more by the hope of seeing him who had been the secret object of hers. Dressed in a simple but elegant dishabille, she descended to the library and took up the poems of the French Anacreon, Ronsard; for she now seldom read, save in the intervals of expected pleasure or the languid pauses of expected society; when an uproar in the outward hall caught her attention, and she dispatched the page who waited in the anti-chamber to learn the cause in a few minutes he returned, accompanied by the steward.

"So please you, my lady," exclaimed monsieur le Brun, apparently agitated by passion, "it is those vile mechanics, who

weary out one's patience and temper in a

"manner that flesh and blood can't stand "them; so I ordered the tall Swiss porter "to turn out half a dozen of them by the shoulder, and shut the gates in their face:

"but he had to struggle with the refractory

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knaves, forsooth."

"And who are they? and what are their "demands?" asked Imogen, almost trembling as she inquired.

"Why first, my lady," replied monsieur Brun, "there was Dubois, a cross-grained "fellow as any in the kingdom, who fur"nished the hotel with wax tapers ever "since my lady arrived in Paris, for which " he never received a single sous."

"And why did he not, monsieur le "Brun?"

"Because, my lady will please to recollect, "the sum destined for him last week in

part payment was, by my lady's good or"ders, presented to monsieur de Servin, and "no money has been paid in by the tenants "since. Then there is monsieur Denis, "who has furnished my lady's table with "the choicest wines, and whose clerk now "made such an uproar about never having "being paid for a single flask, that, by the

rood, I was near chucking him into the "channel. Then there is old farmer La

Moissone, who, though never clamorous,

"is more teazing than them all, who has provided my lady's menage during the "whole winter; and who makes so much "ado about his cattle being driven for rent, "and his three fatherless grand-children, " and his brokn-hearted old wife, and the "like nonsense. And then, marry, comes "Mons. le Texier, as insolent as a duke

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forsooth, because, notwithstanding all the

money he received from my lady, he has "not been paid for the state coach. And "then there is old le Mercier, the clothier, "who furnished my lady's liveries and other "articles; and who, having become a bank"rupt, only sues for a trifle to support his "wife and children till his affairs are set"tled and then-"

"No more, no more, I intreat," exclaimed Imogen in a tone of agony; and, rising in great perturbation, she added, "You have "been greatly, greatly to blame, monsieur "le Brun, to let those debts accumulate."

"And what was my lady's poor steward to do?" demanded monsieur le Brun, with

a bow and a shrug, accompanied with the utmost sang-froid; "the money came in "slow and went out fast, and my lady "must have her house provided like that " of other people of fashion."

"In what time do you think I may ex

pect an answer from my Provençal "agent?" asked Imogen, as with a hurried step she paced the room.

Why, I think, my lady, if your courier "does not play the truant, you may ex"pect an answer in a few days."

"And in the interim, monsieur le Brun, "what is to be done with these poor people?"

"Why, so please you, my lady, I have "a friend who lends money upon interest, "and who would give you any sum you might immediately require, on your "bond."

This was a language Imogen did not understand: she begged of the steward to explain what he meant ; but even his plausive definition could not reconcile her to