Mr. Scarborough's Family

ad then told herself that she had no right to demand from others one so exalted. She had erected nothing. Nor did she know that she attempted to live by grand rules. Sh

lly unjust; confidence may be weak, and purity insipid. Here it was that the strength of Florence Mountjoy asserted itself. She knew well what was due to herself, though she would not cla

When she spoke a peculiar melody struck the hearer's ears. Her voice was soft and low and sweet, and full at all times of harmonious words; but when she laughed it was like soft winds playing among countle

peculiarity of chiselled features. Had you taken her face and measured it by certain rules, you would have found that her mouth was too large and her nose irregular. Of her teeth she showed but little, and in her complexion there was none of that pellucid clearness in which men ordinarily delight. But her eyes were more than ordinarily bright, and when she laughed there seemed to stream from them some heavenly delight. When she did laugh it was as though some spring had been opened from which ran for the time a stream of sweetest intimacy. For the time you wou

to be peculiarly attractive. "No," said another,-"no. But, by George! I shouldn't like to have the altering of her." It was thus that men g

s proposed to her suddenly to change everything in life, to go altogether away and place herself under the custody of a new master, to find for herself a new home, new pursuits

he had considered it to be almost a duty to yield. More than once the word had been all but spoken; but the word had never been spoken. She had been subjected to what might be called cruel pressure. In season and out of season her mother had represented as a duty this marriage with her cousin. Why should she not marry her cousin? It must be understood that these questions had been asked before any of the terrible facts of Captain Scarborough's life had been made known to her. Because, it may be said, she did not love him. But in these days she had loved no man, and was inclined to think so little of herself as to mak

e felt it. And when it came to pass that tidings of his debts at last reached her, she felt that she was glad of an excuse, though she knew that the excuse would not have prevailed with her had she liked him. Then came his debts, and with the knowledge of them a keener perception of his imperiousness. She could consent to become the wife of the man who had squandered his property and wasted his estate; but not of one who before his marriage demanded of her that submission which, as she thought, should be given by her freely after her marriage. Harry Annesley glided into her heart after a ma

t he had disappeared from the face of the earth, Mrs. Mountjoy did not altogether give him up. She partly

hich even in that case might make crooked things smooth. Augustus, whom she had regarded always as quite a Mountjoy, because of his talent, and appearance, and habit of command, had whispered to her a word. Why should not Florence be transferred with the remainder of the property? There was something to Mrs. Mountjoy's feelings base in the idea at the first blush of it. She did not like to be untrue to her gallant nephew. But as she came to turn it in her mind there were certain circumstances which recommended the change to her-should the change be necessary. Florence certainly had expressed an unintelligible objection to th

of the family, we should retire for a while into private life." This occurred on the very day o

it all,-that the private life was intended altogether to exclude Harry, but

which I mean. Your

ir William says

d then poor Mountjoy has disappeared. I think that we should see no one till the myst

ours," said Florence, who had no desire

t to be-oh, something so very different-is too horrible

e are not impl

Mountjoy is my nephew,-or at any rate was. Poor

ly pleased at finding that

y Harry Annesley. "Augustus has always proved himself to be affectionate and respectful to his elder brother, that is, to his brother who is-is older than himself," added Mrs. Mountjoy, feeling that there was a difficul

ily can have any honor left

so of late than ever. I don't mean quite of late, but since Tretton became of so much importance. Now, I'll tell you what

he does no

say that? How

sides, how could that be retiring into private life? Sir M

ing. And then he is our nearest relative,-our nearest, at least, since my own brother has m

e up her mind. Before that day was over she succeeded in making her daughter understand that she was to be taken to Bruss

e that she was almost as popular as her husband; but the opinion of the world at Brussels on this subject was a good deal divided. There were those who declared that Lady Mountjoy was of all women the most overbearing and impertinent. But they were generally English residents at Brussels, who had come to live there as a place at which education for their children would be cheaper than at home. Of these Lady Mountjoy had been heard to declare that she saw no reason why, because she was the minister's wife, she should be expected to entertain all the second-class world of London. This, of course, must be understood with a good deal of allowance, as the English world at Brussels was much too large to expect to be so received; but there were certain ladies living on the confines of high society who thought that they had a right to be admitted, and who grievously

ng somewhat older, whom it was a difficulty to place on horseback, but who, when there, looked remarkably well. He rarely rose to a trot during his two hours of exercise, which to the two attaché's who were told off for the duty of accompanying him was the hardest

walking off with Mrs. Mountjoy

ink anythin

e her painting, looked cross and ill-natured. "At any r

acious!

nd over again, and something was said about this

you not

turns up at last. She's a very good kind of a wom

with Anderson." Anderson was o

Magnus. "At any rate they must come. They have never tr

at is all this ab

ing her broth

ure of that?" sai

g, and can'

he papers for an entire month were full of him. What would you do if he were to turn up here? The girl was engaged to him, you know, and has on

ow, and the interest was not always paid with extreme punctuality. To give Mrs. Mountjoy her due, it must be said that this had not entered into her consideration when she had written to her brother-in-law; but it was a burden to Sir Magnus, and had always tended to produce from him a reiteration of

d Sir Magnus, who was beginning to be

ers are twice more troubl

on with her painting, while he himself undertook the unwonted task of writing an affectionate letter to his sister-in-law. It should be here explained that Sir Magnus had no children of his

Sir Magnus wrot

u and my niece at the British Ministry on the 1st of October, and hope that you w

S MOU

from Sir Magnus," said Mr

does h

dy to start in about a week's time, because I know that he gets home from his autumn holiday by

her, mamma?"

oman, and looks to be quite good-natured; but Sir Magnus has always lived abroad, and e

m but that once

she and her mother were t