la Tour was conversing with De Valette, and a lovely girl, who seemed an object of peculiar interest to him, when La Tour entered the room with Mr.Stanhope.
"I bring you a friend, to whose services we are much indebted," said La Tour to his lady; "and I must request your assistance, in endeavoring to render this dreary place agreeable to him." "I shall feel inclined to do all in my power, from selfish motives," returned the lady, "independently of our personal obligations to Mr.
Stanhope; and, I trust, it is unnecessary to assure him, that we shall be most happy to retain him as our guest, so long as his inclination will permit him to remain." Stanhope returned a polite answer to these civilities; but his thoughts were abstracted, and his eyes continually turned towards the young lady, whose blushing face was animated by an arch smile of peculiar meaning.
La Tour observed the slight confusion of both, but, attributing it to another cause, he said, "Allow me, Mr.Stanhope, to present you to my fair ward, Mademoiselle de Courcy, whom, I perceive, you have already identified with the priest, and page, who acted so conspicuous a part this evening." "My acquaintance with Mr.Stanhope is of a much longer date," she said, quickly, and rising to offer him her hand, with an air of frankness, which, however, could not disguise a certain consciousness, which sent the tell-tale blood to her cheeks.
"It has been far too long," said Stanhope, his countenance glowing with delight, "to suffer me to be deceived by a slight disguise, though nothing could be more unexpected to me, than the happiness of meeting with you here." "My aunt looks very inquisitive," said the young lady, withdrawing her hand; and, turning to Mad.

de la Tour, she continued, "I have been so fortunate as to recognize an old friend in Mr.Stanhope; one, with whose family my aunt Rossville was on terms of the strictest intimacy, during our short residence in England." "My sister's friends are doubly welcome to me," said Mad.

la Tour; "and I shall esteem the arrival of Mr.Stanhope particularly fortunate to us." "It is singular, indeed, that you should meet so very unexpectedly, in this obscure corner of the earth!" said De Valette, endeavouring to speak with gaiety, though he had remarked their mutual embarrassment with secret uneasiness;--"how can you account for it, Lucie ?" "I am not philosophic enough to resolve such difficult questions," she answered, smiling; "but, yonder are the musicians, waiting to sooth us with the melody of sweet sounds; we are all prepared for a dance, and here is my hand, if you will look a little more in the dancing mood,--if not, I can choose another." "Do as you like," said De Valette, carelessly; "strangers are often preferred before tried friends." "Yes, when tried friends look coldly on us," said Lucie, "as you do now,--so, fare thee well; there is a plump damsel, with an eye like Juno's, I commend her to thee for a partner." She turned quickly from him, and speaking a few words to Stanhope, they joined the dancers together.

De Valette remained standing a few moments in moody silence; but the exhilarating strains of the violin proved as irresistible as the blast of Oberon's horn, and, selecting a pretty maiden, he mingled in the dance, and was soon again the gayest of the gay..