“There was no necessity for any alarm, for the lady very decidedly refused the honor offered her by Derwent, and what makes the matter worse, refused the solicitations of his sister also.

“I have fifty times been surprised at my own condescension, and to this moment am at a loss to know whether it was to the lady’s worth, my brother’s happiness, or the Chatterton blood, that I finally yielded.  Heigho! this Chatterton is certainly much too handsome for a man; but I forget you have never seen him.” (Here an arch smile stole over the features of the listener, as his sister continued)—­“To return to my narration, I had half a mind to send for a Miss Harris there is here, to learn the most approved fashion of a lady preferring a suit, but as fame said she was just now practising on a certain hero ycleped Captain Jarvis, heir to Sir Timo of that name, it struck me her system might be rather too abrupt, so I was fain to adopt the best plan—­that of trusting to nature and my own feelings for words.

“Nobility is certainly a very pretty thing (for those who have it), but I would defy the old Margravine of ——­ to keep up the semblance of superiority with Emily Moseley.  She is so very natural, so very beautiful, and withal at times a little arch, that one is afraid to set up any other distinctions than such as can be fairly supported.

“I commenced with hoping her determination to reject the hand of Frederick was not an unalterable one. (Yes, I called him Frederick, what I never did out of my own family before in my life.) There was a considerable tremor in the voice of Miss Moseley, as she replied, ’I now perceive, when too late, that my indiscretion has given reason to my friends to think that I have entertained intentions towards his grace, of which I entreat you to believe me, Lady Harriet, I am innocent.  Indeed—­indeed, as anything more than an agreeable acquaintance I have never allowed myself to think of your brother:’  and from my soul I believe her.  We continued our conversation for half an hour longer, and such was the ingenuousness, delicacy, and high religious feeling displayed by the charming girl, that if I entered the room with a spark of regret that I was compelled to solicit another to favor my brother’s love, I left it with a feeling that my efforts had been unsuccessful.  Yes! thou peerless sister of the more peerless Pendennyss!  I once thought of your ladyship as a wife for Derwent—­”

A glass of water was necessary to enable the reader to clear her voice, which grew husky from speaking so long.

“But I now openly avow, neither your birth, your hundred thousand pounds, nor your merit, would put you on a footing, in my estimation, with my Emily.  You may form some idea of her power to captivate, and of her indifference to her conquests, when I mention that she once refused—­but I forget, you don’t know him, and therefore cannot be a judge.  The thing is finally decided, and we shortly go into Westmoreland, and next week, the Moseleys return to Northamptonshire.  I don’t know when I shall be able to visit you, and think I may now safely invite you to Denbigh Castle, although a month ago I might have hesitated.  Love to the earl, and kind assurance to yourself of unalterable regard.