I rung the bell, and soon learned from a servant, whose face I had not seen before, that the family had gone to Paris about a month before, with the intention of spending the winter there.

I need not say how grievously this piece of intelligence disappointed me, and for a minute or two I could not collect my thoughts.

At last the servant said: "If you have any thing very particular, sir, that my Lord's lawyer can do, I can give you his address." "No, thank you--nothing;" at the same time I muttered to myself, "I'll have some occupation for him though ere long.

The family were all quite well, didn't you say ?" "Yes sir, perfectly well.

My Lord had only a slight cold," "Ah--yes--and there address is 'Meurice;' very well." So saying I turned from the door, and with slower steps than I had come, returned to my hotel.
My immediate resolve was to set out for Paris; my second was to visit my uncle, Sir Guy Lorrequer, first, and having explained to him the nature of my position, and the advantageous prospects before me, endeavour to induce him to make some settlement on Lady Jane, in the event of my obtaining her family's consent to our marriage.