join the Ambassador's suite, and thus conduct him to Sweden; Lady Hope
would find means to communicate with him from thence, the poor young
man would be saved from a ruined career, and the heart of the widow and
mother would bless you for ever.

Madame de Bourke was touched, but she was a prudent woman, and paused
to ask whether the youth had shown any tendency to run into temptation,
from which Lady Nithsdale wished to remove him.

'Oh no,' she answered; 'he was a perfectly good docile lad, though
high-spirited, submissive to the Earl, and a kind playfellow to her
little girls; it was his very excellence that made it so unfortunate
that he should thus be stranded in early youth in consequence of one
boyish folly.'

The Countess began to yield. She thought he might go as secretary to
her Lord, and she owned that if he was a brave young man, he would be
an addition to her little escort, which only numbered two men besides
her brother-in-law, the Abbe, who was of almost as little account as
his young nephew. 'But I should warn you, Madame,' added Madame de
Bourke, 'that it may be a very dangerous journey. I own to you, though
I would not tell my poor mother, that my heart fails me when I think of
it, and were it not for the express commands of their father, I would
not risk my poor children on it.'

'I do not think you will find Sweden otherwise than a cheerful and
pleasant abode,' said Lady Nithsdale.

'Ah! if we were only in Sweden, or with my husband, all would be well!'
replied the other lady; 'but we have to pass through the mountains, and