I knew that a few minutes would probably bring them into the drawing-room, and I felt flurried and heated as the time drew near.

At last I heard voices without--I started from the examination of a pencil drawing but partly finished, but the artist of which I could not be deceived in--I listened -- the sounds drew near--I could not distinguish who were the speakers -- the door-lock turned, and I rose to make my well-conned, but half-forgotten speech; and oh, confounded disappointment, Mrs.Herbert, the house-keeper, entered.

She started, not expecting to see me, and immediately said, "Oh! Mr.Lorrequer! then you've missed them." "Missed them!" said I; "how--when--where ?" "Did you not get a note from my lord ?" "No; when was it written ?" "Oh, dear me, that is so very unfortunate.

Why, sir, my lord sent off a servant this morning to Kilrush, in Lord Kilkee's tilbury, to request you would meet them all in Ennis this evening, where they had intended to stop for to-night; and they waited here till near four o'clock to-day, but when the servant came back with the intelligence that you were from home, and not expected to return soon, they were obliged to set out, and are not going to make any delay now, till they reach London.

The last direction, however, my lord gave, was to forward her ladyship's letter to you as soon as possible." What I thought, said, or felt, might be a good subject of confession to Father Malachi, for I fear it may be recorded among my sins, as I doubt not that the agony I suffered vented itself in no measured form of speech or conduct; but I have nothing to confess here on the subject, being so totally overwhelmed as not to know what I did or said.