a thing, now there was peace, of which she did not despair.”  After asking leave to call on them in their retreat, and exchanging good wishes, the Spanish lady withdrew, and, as Jane had made her selection, was followed immediately by John Moseley and his sisters.  Emily, in their walk home, acquainted her brother that the companion of their Bath incognita had been at the library, and that for the first time she had learnt that their young acquaintance was, or had been, married, and her name.  John listened to his sister with the interest which the beautiful Spaniard had excited at the time they first met, and laughingly told her he could not believe their unknown friend had ever been a wife.  To satisfy this doubt, and to gratify a wish they both had to renew their acquaintance with the foreigner, they agreed to drive to the cottage the following morning, accompanied by Mrs. Wilson and Jane, if she would go; but the next day was the one appointed by Egerton for his arrival at L——­, and Jane, under a pretence of writing letters, declined the excursion.  She had carefully examined the papers since his departure; had seen his name included in the arrivals at London; and at a later day, had read an account of the review by the commander-in-chief of the regiment to which he belonged.  He had never written to any of her friends; but, judging from her own feelings, she did not in the least doubt he would be as punctual as love could make him.  Mrs. Wilson listened to her niece’s account of the unexpected interview in the library with pleasure, and cheerfully promised to accompany them in their morning’s excursion, as she had both a wish to alleviate sorrow, and a desire to better understand the character of this accidental acquaintance of Emily’s.

Mr. Benfield and the baronet had a long conversation in relation to Denbigh’s fortune the morning after their arrival; and the old man was loud in his expression of dissatisfaction at the youngster’s pride.  As the baronet, however, in the fulness of his affection and simplicity, betrayed to his uncle his expectation of a union between Denbigh and his daughter, Mr. Benfield became contented with this reward; one fit, he thought, for any services.  On the whole, “it was best, as he was to marry Emmy, he should sell out of the army; and as there would be an election soon, he would bring him into parliament—­yes—–­ yes—­it did a man so much good to sit one term in the parliament of this realm—­to study human nature.  All his own knowledge in that way was raised on the foundations laid in the House.”  To this Sir Edward cordially assented, and the gentlemen separated, happy in their arrangements to advance the welfare of two beings they so sincerely loved.