Richard Avenel seized his advantage with the promptitude of a man who had got on in America, and was therefore accustomed to make the best of things. He drew Mrs. Fairfield's arm in his, and led her into the house; but when he had got her safe into his parlor-Leonard following all the time-and the door was closed upon those three, then Richard Avenel's ire burst forth.

"You impudent, ungrateful, audacious-drab!" Yes, drab was the word. I am shocked to say it, but the duties of a historian are stern; and the word was drab.

"Drab!" faltered poor Jane Fairfield; and she clutched hold of Leonard to save herself from falling.

Sir!" cried Leonard fiercely.

You might as well have cried "sir," to a mountain torrent. Richard hurried on, for he was furi

ous.

"You nasty, dirty, dusty dowdy! How dare you come here to disgrace me in my own house and premises, after my sending you fifty pounds? To take the very time, too, when-when".

"Will you ask her pardon, Mr. Avenel?" said Leonard firmly; and he advanced towards his uncle. Richard, naturally hot and intolerant of contradiction, was then excited, not only by the angry emotions which, it must be owned, a man so mortified and in the very flush of triumph, might well experience, but by much more wine than he was in the habit of drinking; and when Leonard approached him he misinterpreted the movement into one of menace and aggression. He lifted his arm: "Come a step nearer," said he between his teeth," and I'll knock you down." Leonard advanced that forbidden step; but as Richard caught his eye, there was something in that eye-not defying, not threatening, but bold and dauntless-which Richard recognized and respected, for that something spoke the freeman. The uncle's arm mechanically fell to his side.

"You cannot strike me, Mr. Avenel," said Leonard, "for you are aware that I could not strike again my mother's brother. As her son, I once more say to you-ask her pardon.”

"Ten thousand devils! Are you mad?-or do Richard gasped for breath; and the laugh of you want to drive me mad? you insolent beggar, his guests rang in his ears, and got into his chest, fed and clothed by my charity. Ask her pardon! and choked him. Jane Fairfield drew herself up,-what for? That she has made me the object of and her tears were dried.

"I did not come to disgrace you; I came to see my boy, and"—

"Ha!" interrupted Richard,

see him."

jeer and ridicule with that d-d cotton gown, and those double-d-d thick shoes? I vow and protest they 've got nails in them! Hark ye, sir, I've been insulted by her, but I'm not to be bullied by you.

He turned to Leonard: "You have written to Come with me instantly, or I discard you not a

this woman, then?"

"No, sir, I have not." "I believe you lie."

shilling of mine shall you have as long as I live. Take your choice-be a peasant, a laborer, or""A base renegade to natural affection, a degraded "He does not lie; and he is as good as yourself, beggar indeed!" cried Leonard, his breast heavand better, Richard Avenel," exclaimed Mrs. Fair-ing, and his cheeks in a glow. "Mother, mother, field; and I won't stand here and hear him insulted-that's what I won't. And as for your fifty pounds, there are forty-five of it; and I'll work my fingers to the bone till I pay back the other five. And don't be afcard I shall disgrace you, for I'll never look on your face again; and you 're a wicked bad man-that's what you are."

The poor woman's voice was so raised, and so shrill, that any other and more remorseful feeling which Richard might have conceived was drowned in his apprehension that she would be overheard by his servants or his guests-a masculine apprehension, with which females rarely sympathize; which, on the contrary, they are inclined to consider a mean and cowardly terror on the part of their male oppressors.

come away. Never fear-I have strength and youth, and we will work together as before."

But poor Mrs. Fairfield, overcome by her excitement, had sunk down into Richard's own handsome morocco leather easy-chair, and could neither speak nor stir.

"Confound you both!" muttered Richard. "You can't be seen creeping out of my house now. Keep her here, you young viper, you; keep her till I come back; and then, if you choose to go, go and be"

Not finishing his sentence, Mr. Avenel hurried out of the room, and locked the door, putting the key into his pocket. He paused for a moment in the hall, in order to collect his thoughts-drew three or four deep breaths-gave himself a great shake-and, resolved to be faithful to his principle of doing one thing at a time, shook off in that shake all disturbing recollection of his mutinous captives. Stern as Achilles when he appeared to the Trojans, ." Richard Avenel stalked back to his lawn.

"Hush! hold your infernal squall-do!" said Mr. Avenel in a tone that he meant to be soothing. "There―sit down-and don't stir till I come back again, and can talk to you calmly. Leonard, follow me, and help to explain things to our guests." Leonard stood still, but shook his head slightly. "What do you mean, sir?" said Richard Avenel, in a very portentous growl. Shaking your head at me? Do you intend to disobey me? You had better take care!" Leonard's front rose; he drew one arm round his mother, and thus he spoke :

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Sir, you have been kind to me, and generous, and that thought alone silenced my indignation, when I heard you address such language to my mother; for I felt that, if I spoke, I should say too much. Now I speak, and it is to say shortly that"

CHAPTER XIX.

BRIEF as had been his absence, the host could see that, in the interval, a great and notable change had come over the spirit of his company. Some of those who lived in the town were evidently preparing to return home on foot; those who lived at a distance, and whose carriages (having been sent away, and ordered to return at a fixed hour) had not yet arrived, were gathered together in small knots and groups: all looked sullen and displeased, and all instinctively turned from their host as he passed them by. They felt they had been lectured, and they were more put out than Richard himself. They did not know if they might not be lectured

again. This vulgar man, of what might he not be capable?

Richard's shrewd sense comprehended in an instant all the difficulties of his position; but he walked on deliberately and directly towards Mrs. M'Catchley, who was standing near the grand marquee with the Pompleys and the dean's lady. As these personages saw him make thus boldly towards them, there was a flutter. Hang the fellow!" said the colonel, intrenching himself in his stock, "he is coming here. Low and shocking -what shall we do? Let us stroll on."

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But Richard threw himself in the way of the

"On you, and you alone. You have influence with all these people, and a word from you will effect what I desire. Mrs. M'Catchley," added Richard, with a solemnity that was actually imposing, "I flatter myself that you have some friendship for ine, which is more than I can say of any other soul in these grounds-will you do me this favor, ay or no?"

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upon an occasion which took us all a little by surprise to-day.

"Of course, you all know I am a new man-the maker of my own fortunes."

A great many heads bowed involuntarily. The words were said manfully, and there was a general feeling of respect.

Probably, too," resumed Mr. Avenel, "you may know that I am the son of very honest tradespeople. I say honest, and they are not ashamed of me-I say tradespeople, and I'm not ashamed of them. My sister married and settled at a distance. I took her son to educate and bring up. But I did not tell her where he was, nor even that I had returned from America-I wished to choose my own time for that, when I could give her the surprise, not only of a rich brother, but of a son whom I intended to make a gentleman, so far as manners and education can make one. Well, the poor dear woman has found me out sooner than I expected, and turned the tables on me by giving me a surprise of her own invention. Pray, forgive the confusion this little family scene has created; and though I own it was very laughable at the moment, and I was wrong to say otherwise, yet I am sure I don't judge ill of your good hearts when I ask you to think what brother and sister must feel who parted from each other when they were boy and girl. To me-(and Richard gave a great gulp, for he felt that a great gulp alone could swallow the abominable lie he was about to utter)-to me this has been a very happy occasion! I'm a plain man: no one can take ill what I've said. And wishing that you may be all as happy in your family as am in mine-humble though it be- I beg to drink your very good healths!"

There was an universal applause when Richard "What is it, Mr. Avenel?" asked Mrs. sat down-and so well in his plain way had he M'Catchley, much disturbed, and somewhat soft-looked the thing, and done the thing, that at least ened-for she was by no means a woman without feeling; indeed, she considered herself nervous. "Get all your friends-all the company in short -to come back into the tent for refreshments--for anything. I want to say a few words to them.”

Bless me! Mr. Avenel-a few words!" cried the widow," but that's just what they are all afraid of! You must pardon me, but you really can't ask people to a déjeûné dansant, and then scold 'em!"

half of those present-who till then had certainly
disliked and half-despised him-suddenly felt that
they were proud of his acquaintance. For however
aristocratic this country of ours may be, and how-
ever especially aristocratic be the genteeler classes
in provincial towns and coteries-there is nothing
which English folks, from the highest to the
lowest, in their hearts so respect as a man who has
risen from nothing, and owns it frankly! Sir
Compton Delaval, an old baronet, with a pedigres
as long as a Welshinan's, who had been reluctantly
decoyed to the feast by his three unmarried daugh-
ters-not one of whom, however, had hitherto con-
descended even to bow to the host-now rose.
was his right-he was the first person there in rank
and station.

It

"I'm not going to scold them," said Mr. Avenel, very seriously-" upon my honor, I'm not! I'm going to make all right, and I even hope afterwards that the dancing may go on-and that you will honor me again with your hand. I leave you to your task; and, believe me, I'm not an ungrateful man." He spoke, and bowed-not "Ladies and gentlemen," quoth Sir Compton without some dignity-and vanished within the Delaval, "I am sure that I express the feelings of breakfast division of the marquee. There he busied all present when I say that we have heard with himself in re-collecting the waiters, and directing great delight and admiration the words addressed them to rearrange the mangled remains of the table to us by our excellent host. (Applause.) And if as they best could. Mrs. M'Catchley, whose any of us, in what Mr. Avenel describes justly as the curiosity and interest were aroused, executed her surprise of the moment, were betrayed into an uncommission with all the ability and tact of a woman seeinly merriment at-at”—(the dean's lady whisof the world, and in less than a quarter of an hour pered some of the")—“some of the-some of the" the marquee was filled-the corks flew-the cham-repeated Sir Compton, puzzled, and coming to a pagne bounced and sparkled-people drank in dead lock—(“holiest sentiments," whispered the silence, munched fruits and cakes, kept up their dean's lady)—“ay, some of the holiest sentiments courage with the conscious sense of numbers, and in our nature-I beg him to accept our sincerest felt a great desire to know what was coming. Mr. apologies. I can only say, for my part, that I am Avenel, at the head of the table, suddenly rose- proud to rank Mr. Avenel amongst the gentlemen "Ladies and gentlemen," said he, "I have of the county, (here Sir Compton gave a sounding taken the liberty to invite you once more into this thump on the table,) and to thank him for one of tent, in order to ask you to sympathize with me, the most brilliant entertainments it has ever been

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my lot to witness. If he won his fortune honestly, he knows how to spend it nobly!"

Whiz went a fresh bottle of champagne. "I am not accustomed to public speaking, but I could not repress my sentiments. And I've now only to propose to you the health of our host, Richard Avenel, Esquire; and to couple with that the health of his―very interesting sister, and long life to them both!"

The sentence was half drowned in enthusiastic plaudits, and in three cheers for Richard Avenel, Esquire, and his very interesting sister.

I'm a cursed humbug," thought Richard Avenel, as he wiped his forehead; "but the world is such a humbug!"

Then he glanced towards Mrs. M'Catchley, and, to his great satisfaction, saw Mrs. M'Catchley wiping her eyes.

Now, though the fair widow might certainly have contemplated the probability of accepting Mr. Avenel as a husband, she had never before felt the least bit in love with him; and now she did. There is something in courage and candor-at a word, in manliness-that all women, the most worldly, do admire in men; and Richard Avenel, humbug though his conscience said he was, seemed to Mrs. M'Catchley like a hero.

"You're not ashamed of me, then, in spite of what has happened?"

"Ashamed of you! Why, I should be so proud of you, if I were"

Finish the sentence, and say-' your wife!'— there, it is out. My dear madam, I am rich, as you know; I love you very heartily. With your help, I think I can make a figure in a larger world than this; and that whatever my father, my grandson at least will be-But it is time enough to speak of him. What say you?-you turn away. I'll not tease you it is not tny way. I said before, ay or no; and your kindness so emboldens me that I say it again-ay or no?" But you take me so unawares-so-so—. -Lord, my dear Mr. Avenel; you are so hasty-I-I-." And the widow actually blushed, and was genuinely bashful.

46

"Those horrid Pompleys!" thought Richard, as he saw the colonel bustling up with Mrs. M'Catchley's cloak on his arm.

66

I press for your answer," continued the suitor, speaking very fast, “I shall leave this place tomorrow, if you will not give it."

Leave this place-leave me?" "Then you will be mine?"

"Ah, Mr. Avenel!" said the widow, languidly, and leaving her hand in his; "who can resist you?"

Up came Colonel Pompley; Richard took the shawl; "No hurry for that now, colonel-Mrs. M'Catchley feels already at home here."

The host saw his triumph. "Now for another dance!" said he gayly; and he was about to offer his hand to Mrs. M'Catchley, when Sir Compton Delaval, seizing it, and giving it a hearty shake, cried, "You have not yet danced with my eldest daughter; so, if you won't ask her, why, I must Ten minutes afterwards, Richard Avenel so conoffer her to you as your partner. Here-Sarah."trived that it was known by the whole company Miss Sarah Delaval, who was five feet eight, and that their host was accepted by the Honorable Mrs. as stately as she was tall, bowed her head gracious- M'Catchley. And every one said, "He is a very ly; and Mr. Avenel, before he knew where he clever man, and a very good fellow," except the was, found her leaning on his arm. But as he Pompleys-and the Pompleys were frantic. Mr. passed into the next division of the tent, he had to Richard Avenel had forced his way into the arisrun the gauntlet of all the gentlemen, who thronged tocracy of the country. The husband of an honor round to shake hands with him. Their warm able-connected with peers! English hearts could not be satisfied till they had so repaired the sin of their previous haughtiness and mockery. Richard Avenel might then have safely introduced his sister-gown, kerchief, thick shoes, and all-to the crowd; but he had no such thought. He thanked Heaven devoutly that she was safely under lock and key.

It was not till the third dance that he could secure Mrs. M'Catchley's hand, and then it was twilight. The carriages were at the door, but no one yet thought of going. People were really enjoying themselves. Mr. Avenel had had time, in the interim, to mature all his plans for completing and consummating that triumph which his tact and pluck had drawn from his momentary disgrace. Excited as he was with wine and suppressed passion, he had yet the sense to feel that, when all the halo that now surrounded him had evaporated, and Mrs. M'Catchley was redelivered up to the Pompleys, whom he felt to be the last persons his interest could desire for her advisers-the thought of his low relations would return with calm reflection. Now was the time. The iron was hotnow was the time to strike it, and forge the enduring chain.

As he led Mrs. M'Catchley after the dance, into the lawn, he therefore said tenderly

"How shall I thank you for the favor you have done me?"

"Oh!" said Mrs. M'Catchley warmly," it was no favor-and I am so glad"-She stopped.

"He will stand for our city-Vulgarian!" cried the colonel.

"And his wife will walk out before me," cried the colonel's lady-" nasty woman!" And she burst into tears.

The guests were gone; and Richard had now leisure to consider what course to pursue with re gard to his sister and her son.

His victory over his guests had in much softened his heart towards his relations; but he still felt bitterly aggrieved at Mrs. Fairfield's unseasonable intrusion, and his pride was greatly chafed by the boldness of Leonard. He had no idea of any man whom he had served, or meant to serve, having a will of his own-having a single thought in opposition to his pleasure. He began, too, to feel that words had passed between him and Leonard which could not be well forgotten by either, and would render their close connection less pleasant than heretofore. He, the great Richard Avenel, beg pardon of Mrs. Fairfield, the washerwoman! No; she and Leonard must beg his. "That must be the first step," said Richard Avenel ; " and I suppose they have come to their senses." With that expectation, he unlocked the door of his parlor, and found himself in complete solitude. The moon, lately risen, shone full into the room, and lit up every corner. He stared round, bewildered-the birds had flown. "Did they go through the keyhole' said Mr. Avenel. "Ha! I see! the window is open!" The window reached to the

ground. Mr. Avenel, in his excitement, had forgotten that easy mode of egress.

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Well," said he, throwing himself into his easychair, "I suppose I shall soon hear from them; they'll be wanting my money fast enough, I fancy." His eye caught sight of a letter, unsealed, lying on the table. He opened it, and saw bank-notes to the amount of £50-the widow's forty-five country notes, and a new note, Bank of England, that he had lately given to Leonard. With the money were these lines, written in Leonard's bold, clear writing, though a word or two here and there showed that the hand had trembled

you regarded as the object of charity. My mother and I forgive what has passed. I depart with her. You bade me make my choice, and I have made it.

"LEONARD FAIRFIELD."

The paper dropped from Richard's hand, and he remained mute and remorseful for a moment. He soon felt, however, that he had no help for it but working himself up into a rage. "Of all people in the world," cried Richard, stamping his foot on the floor, "there are none so disagreeable, insolent, and ungrateful as poor relations. I wash my hands

"I thank you for all you have done to one whom of them!"

THIS is not the least interesting of the many services which Dr. Rimbault has rendered to musical archæology; the matter of the volume having been collected with care and arranged with taste. The original authorities are given and no tampering with the forms of the old melodies has been ventured on. As an antiquarian's work, what has been done could hardly have been done better. Dr. Rimbault, however, is more than a dry antiquarian of the Pegge school. His brief notices may be consulted with pleasure by the man of letters as well as by the musician; nor will the library of English verse or of English song be henceforth complete without this volume.

moral of our remarks-we see no obstacle to "The King of France's Daughter" having been written throughout in triple rhythm; the four bars of common time introduced giving an awkward air to what seems to us a strictly symmetrical melody on a symmetrical rhythm, permitting licenses indeed, but never utterly lost.

Again, who shall vouch for the exactitude of the arrangement of the words to the notes in the MSS. of ancient music-or even for the respect for prosody on the part of the primitive composers? Some of these may have been foreigners, and have carelessly indulged in such falsities of accent as we find (to go no further) by dozens in the scores of Handel; e.g., in his "Israel"

The waters we-re gathered together, &c. &c. After them comes the incorrect copyist, who forgets a division or a direction to repeat (things of small consequence to players who play by heart, and who want the notes before them only as a reminder ;) and the result may be a crude blemish, such as has helped in more than one case to establish a reputation or to prop up some fantastic system of exceptions.

We must, however, once again offer a consideration or two, which are never adverted to by musical antiquarians, even if not wholly overlooked in their closets. Too implicit a trust seems to be put What we have here recapitulated is, of course, in the accuracy of all and sundry ancient MSS. applicable only to tunes by scientific composerswhere melodies are noted down from recitation. of which Dr. Rimbault's collection largely consists. The chronicler, unless he be sternly a musician, With regard to the origin and notation of those may readily be bewildered into the admission of a wilder melodies based on a mere cry or piece of mass of extraneous notes-wholes, halves and cadenced declamation, to which one imitator after quarters totally beside the reality, and arising another adds a scrap of rhythmn or a few grace from the feebleness or fancy of the singer, or from notes, words and music getting polished or corrupted the fashion of the time. Let, for instance, the together, and the whole liable to entire dislocation plainest of psalm tunes, such as Old Hundred or in the mouth of any untutored singer who cannot Milgrove, have been noted down in a Northumber- keep up to pitch, or who chooses to add a few land chapel of ease some twenty years ago-before flourishes-we have too often spoke our opinion Hullah was thought of-and something would have here to treat again on the subject. The remarks appeared which, taken per se, must have seemed offered already preclude specification, anecdote, or strange in its savagery and absurd in its aberra-analysis of the interesting matter gathered by Dr. tions. Remark, again, what a needless irregularity Rimbault. Possibly we may return to his " Musimay be given to a melody thoroughly regular by the noter bringing within the divisions of bars that which has been only a slackened tempo. We have emphatic instances of this in the practice of no less a man than Meyerbeer-who, resolute in denying to his singers the license of an a piacere, and objectionably careless in his notation, has thus disfigured his scores with odd bars, changes of rhythm, &c., for the most part entirely gratuitous, but which Rimbaults to come, who may arise in the New World, (when London shall have become "a hissing and a desolation,") will find it hard to unravel especially should they happen to get hold of a copy of some pirated edition. To point the

cal Illustrations" on a future day. Meanwhile, we are glad to see by a foot-note to his Introduction that he is making progress in his "Musical Hlustrations to Shakspeare's Plays."

DR. BEKE, the German traveller, has been making

long explorations on the Egyptian side of Africa. He Africa will have their centre in the region of expects that the missionary efforts for that part of Uniamesi, or" of the Moon." Among these mountains Dr. Beke saw a volcano in an active state. In the same region he found there was a vast lake named Usambiro. Some of the mountain peaks are above the snow line, glittering in perpetual whiteness.