"Your lady will not thank you for your interference. Her chief motive in coming to this ball, as you must know, was to meet me, and if you throw any obstacles in the way you will cause her infinite disappointment."

"You are a great coxcomb, and flatter yourself all women are in love with you."

"I am vain enough to think some are not altogether indifferent to my merits, and amongst the number I may count your adorable mistress."

"If my mistress were of my mind and my spirit, she would die rather than let you know how much she cares for you."

"Luckily your mistress does not resemble you in all respects. And now, before we part, treat me to a glimpse of your face. It ought to be pretty to match such a figure."

"Pretty or not, I don't intend you to behold it. And I beg you will reserve all your fine compliments for those who heed them. They are quite wasted upon me."

"Then you are not a woman, as I deemed you?"

"You shall find I can draw a sword if you provoke me or insult my mistress, so don't presume upon my belonging to the softer sex. I am more dangerous than you think. I'll wager you what you please that I make love to Mrs. Jenyns before the evening's over;-ay, and that she listens to me."

"Pshaw! she will laugh at you."

"You are afraid to bet."

"To bet with a stripling like you would be ridiculous." "You dare not point out Mrs. Jenyns to me."

"I would do so at once, but i' faith I know not the disguise she has assumed.”

"A mere evasion. Never mind! I'll find her out without your assistance, and if she laughs at me, as you say she will, she won't laugh at my lady's brother. He shall put her to the proof." "A saucy young coxcomb!" Gage exclaimed, as the other

left him.

A general promenade now took place, but Monthermer did not care to quit his position, since it enabled him, without trouble, to scrutinise the various masks passing in review, as well as to converse with those he pleased; and he felt sure the circling stream would soon land the fair Spaniard at his feet. Ere many minutes, he perceived her slowly approaching, still leaning on the arm of the stately hidalgo, and he was preparing to step forward and address her, when Mr. Briscoe, whom he had noticed struggling through the motley crowd, succeeded in forcing his way up to him. The corpulent landlord had got terribly squeezed, and his gouty feet had been trodden upon, so that between pain and want of breath he could scarcely make himself understood.

"An' please your honour," he commenced," the tick-ticktickets Mercy on us! how my poor feet are crushed!"

"If you have anything to tell me, Briscoe-be quick!" Gage cried, impatiently.

"I beg your honour's pardon," the landlord gasped-" I was about to say--Oh! what an awful twinge!"

"Well,—well,—another time. I can't attend to you now. I've business on hand. Hobble back as fast as you can, and for your own sake keep out of the crowd."

"Your honour is very considerate. I would I had kept out of it but the mischief's done. I shall be lame for a month.

duty required me to acquaint your honour that the tickets

My

"Deuce take the tickets! Stand aside, my good fellow, or I

shall miss her. I must speak to that Spanish lady." "But I entreat your honour to hear me first."

"Out of my way, sir!"

"Ay, out of the way, huge porpoise!" a youthful voice exclaimed behind him.

Glancing over his shoulder to see who spoke, the landlord beheld the page.

"Ah! are you there, little jackanapes?" he cried.

of him, your honour. He is a cheat-an impostor."

"Beware

"Mend your speech, sirrah host," the page retorted," or I will clip off your ears."

"What!-here again, young saucebox!" Gage exclaimed. "Have you discovered her?"

demanded.

"Discovered whom?" the page "Why, Mrs. Jenyns, to be sure. Have you forgotten it already? You were to make love to her, you know-and so was your lady's

brother-ha! ha!"

"Yes, so we were,-I recollect it now," the page replied, after a moment's hesitation. "I have a very treacherous memory."

"I should think so," Mr. Briscoe remarked. "Do you chance to remember where you got your ticket?"

"What means this impertinence?" the page exclaimed. "I received my card of invitation from Mr. Monthermer, of course." "Marked, no doubt?" the landlord said.

"It might be marked for aught I know to the contrary; but what is this to the purpose ?"

"A great deal-as his honour will comprehend."

"His honour comprehends that you are a very tiresome fellow, and wishes you far enough, with all his heart," the page rejoined. "Don't you perceive you are in the way, man?"

"Your honour

"Not a word more," Gage interrupted. "She will escape me." "That for your pains, meddlesome fool," the page cried, snap

ping his fingers derisively in the landlord's face, and following Monthermer.

"And this is all the thanks I am likely to get," Briscoe groaned, as he hobbled back to the ante-chamber. "I won't interfere again, whatever happens."

XXI.

THE CARD-ROOM.

GAGE succeeded in his object. The señora graciously consented to dance with him, and contrary to what might have been expected. the jealous-looking hidalgo offered no opposition. Indeed, to judge from his courteous manner, he was rather pleased than otherwise. Our hero would fain have called for the kissing-dance; but his partner objected, as it would compel her to unmask, and this she declared she would not do at present. She preferred a countrydance-the liveliest that could be played-and her wishes were complied with.

As the orchestra struck up, all the couples who chose to join in the dance ranged themselves in two long lines, extending from top to bottom of the ball-room. Gage and his partner led off with great spirit. The latter appeared to be endowed with inexhaustible energy, considering the fatigue of the previous gavot. Gage complimented her upon her powers, but she only laughed, and bade him order the musicians to play faster. Faster and faster still! So light and nimble-footed was she that it required the utmost exertion on Monthermer's part to keep up with her.

Faster yet! the musicians as well as the dancers had a hard time of it, but they resolved not to be outdone, fiddling away furiously, and nearly cracking their lungs with blowing away at the wind instruments. Everybody had to be on the alert. If Gage contemplated a flirtation with his partner he must needs postpone it till the dance was over. Scarce a word could be uttered in the midst of such hurrying backward and forward-such rapid whirling round. Hands across change partners-down the middle-up again! Not an instant's pause. Long before he reached the bottom Gage began to flag. He was, not accustomed to such violent exercise. But his indefatigable partner urged him on, and he would not be the first to give in. Luckily, but little remained to do. Not more than a dozen couples were left, and he was working his way as well as he could through them, when, to his infinite surprise, a Spanish dame, exactly resembling his partner, offered him her hand. As he took it, he experienced a very perceptible pressure. At the same time he remarked that the stately hidalgo was there dancing with this second señora. But no time was allowed for explanation. Seeing he lingered, and guessing the reason, his partner stamped her little foot impatiently,

and hurried him on. After a few turns more, they reached the bottom, when the panting dame confessed she was quite exhausted, and must sit down.

Every sofa was occupied, so they had to proceed to the cardroom, where they found a seat.

In the centre of this salle de jeu stood an oval table, around which a multitude of punters of both sexes was collected. Indeed, we regret to say the female gamblers preponderated. Brice Banbury officiated as tailleur at the faro-table, and Jack Brassey and Nat Mist, who had arrived that very evening-quite unexpectedly, of course at the Angel, as croupiers. Every opportunity for play was here afforded. Besides faro,-hazard, piquet, French ruff, and gleek were going on at smaller tables placed in each corner.

So fearfully catching is the fever of gaming, that the fair Spaniard could not escape it. She had not been long exposed to its baneful influence before she expressed a strong desire to approach the farotable; and once within view of the tapis vert the impulse to try her luck proved irresistible. She had never played in her life before, she assured Gage in a low, earnest tone-never!-indeed, she scarcely knew one card from another-but he should instruct her.

Our hero was not the person to baulk her inclinations. Applauding her resolve, he bade her select a card, and placed a heavy stake upon it. She lost-and he renewed the stake. Again the señora was unfortunate, and as Gage's purse was now emptied, he had to apply for more money to Mr. Fairlie, who was standing in the card-room, distinguishable from the rest of the assemblage from the circumstance of being in his ordinary attire. But Gage had no immediate occasion for the funds thus obtained. Before he could join the señora, the haughty hidalgo suddenly entered, and marching up to her with an angry gesture, took her away.

Unquestionably Gage would have interfered to prevent this uncourteous proceeding had he not been withheld by Fairlie.

"Let her go, sir-let her go," the steward said. "There is some mistake. Are you not aware that two Spaniards and two Spanish dames have gained admittance to the ball? Now I feel quite sure that the don who has just left us has got the wrong doña, and consequently there will be a diverting scene between them before long. I recommend you to follow and witness it."

"One word before I go, Fairlie.

second couple of Spaniards are?"

Have you any idea who this

"Perhaps I have, sir-but it's mere conjecture-not worth mentioning. In fact, I'm scarcely at liberty to tell."

"Well, I won't press you. But I should like to know which of the two is Miss Poynings?"

"Not the lady you brought here, you may depend, sir," Fairlie rejoined.

"By Heaven! I thought not," Gage cried, reflecting how

VOL. XXXIX.

tenderly his hand had been squeezed by the second señora. "How could I be so stupid! But tell me, Fairlie, where is Mrs. Jenyns? I have not discovered her yet."

"She was here a few minutes ago, sir." "What sort of dress does she wear? dance with her without finding her out."

She declared I should

"Very likely you have done so already," the steward remarked, with a laugh.

"Why I have only danced with one person. Ha!" Gage exclaimed, a light suddenly breaking upon him-"I see it all. That Spanish dame was Mrs. Jenyns. I' faith I have been nicely tricked. But who is the hidalgo?"

"Since you have made so good a guess, sir, I must needs own that her companion is Sir Randal-and the page by whom they are attended is no other than Mrs. Jenyns's maid, Lucinda. Understanding that young Poynings and his sister were about to attend the ball, Mrs. Jenyns resolved to mystify you-and apparently she has succeeded."

"I'll have my revenge," Gage rejoined; "but I must first look after Lucy."

With this, he returned to the ball-room.

XXII.

MASQUERADE FROLICS.

By this time the real business of the evening had commenced, and the bulk of the masquers began to think it necessary to support the characters they had assumed-whether successfully or not mattered little, so that a laugh was raised. Mountebanks and jugglers performed surprising feats. Quack-doctors vaunted the wonderful merits of their nostrums. One of them, an Italian charlatan, fantastically attired in a flame-coloured robe, and having an immense pair of spectacles over his aquiline nose, ran away with all the custom. He had elixirs of long life, love-potions, and lovepowders; a collyrium made of the eyes of a black cat, that enabled you to see in the dark; an unguent that, rubbed over the lips, would compel a sleeper to answer all questions, and confess all secretsespecially useful to jealous husbands; and, above all, a precious liquid, a few drops of which in a bath would make an old woman young again. The love-potions were eagerly bought by many a sighing swain and ineffectually pressed on obdurate fair ones; but the efficacy of the elixir of youth was marvellously attested.

A phial was purchased by the antiquated dame in the tall conical hat, and she had no sooner swallowed its contents than her cloak and hat fell off as if by magic, and she appeared in the