to attract the notice of Miss Clavering. Do not fancy me so self-
conceited as to imagine that I should ever have presumed so high, but
for--"

"But for encouragement,--I understand! Well, she is a magnificent
creature, in her way, and I do not wonder that she drove the poor little
girl at Southampton out of your thoughts."

"Ah! but there is the sore,--I am not sure that she has done so.
Ardworth, I may trust you?"

"With everything but half-a-guinea. I would not promise to be rock
against so great a temptation!" and Ardworth turned his empty pockets
inside out.

"Tush! be serious, or I go."

"Serious! With pockets like these, the devil's in it if I am not
serious. Perge, precor."

"Ardworth, then," said Mainwaring, with great emotion, "I confide to you
the secret trouble of my heart. This girl at Southampton is Lucretia's
sister,--her half-sister; the rich relation on whose allowance she lives
is Sir Miles St. John."

"Whew! my own poor dear little cousin, by the father's side! Mainwaring,
I trust you have not deceived me; you have not amused yourself with
breaking Susan's heart? For a heart, and an honest, simple, English
girl's heart she has."