progress in the business, but continued for some time motionless,
endeavouring to recollect and to understand all that had passed. The
result of her reflections was the conviction that her partiality for
Clarence Hervey was greater than she ever had till this moment suspected.
"I have told my aunt Stanhope," thought she, "that the idea of Mr. Hervey
had no influence in my refusal of Sir Philip Baddely; I have said that my
affections are entirely at my own command: then why do I feel this alarm
at the discovery of Mr. Vincent's views? Why do I compare him with one
whom I thought I had forgotten?--And yet how are we to judge of character?
How can we form any estimate of what is amiable, of what will make us
happy or miserable, but by comparison? Am I to blame for perceiving
superiority? Am I to blame if one person be more agreeable, or seem to be
more agreeable, than another? Am I to blame if I cannot love Mr. Vincent?"

Before Belinda had answered these questions to her satisfaction, the
dinner-bell rang. There happened to dine this day at Mr. Percival's a
gentleman who had just arrived from Lisbon, and the conversation turned
upon the sailors' practice of stilling the waves over the bar of Lisbon by
throwing oil upon the water. Charles Percival's curiosity was excited by
this conversation, and he wished to see the experiment. In the evening his
father indulged his wishes. The children were delighted at the sight, and
little Charles insisted upon Belinda's following him to a particular spot,
where he was well convinced that she could see better than any where else
in the world. "Take care," cried Lady Anne, "or you will lead your friend
into the river, Charles." The boy paused, and soon afterwards asked his
father several questions about swimming and drowning, and bringing people
to life after they had been drowned. "Don't you remember, papa," said he,
"_that_ Mr. Hervey, who was almost drowned in the Serpentine river in
London?"--Belinda coloured at hearing unexpectedly the name of the person
of whom she was at that instant thinking, and the child continued--"I