the same quiet remark-" Well! come back? Ha! wants about a quarter to six."

Soon after her marriage, she had the pleasure of welcoming aunt Letty to her new home. And it was a pleasure, not only because she really loved her, but because she felt that in future she would be independent of her, and we always like people better when we no longer fear them. Aunt Letty could never again exert her authority over her; for she was now married. There was no fear of the Countess of Montgomery being sent to bed sooner than she liked, or made to practise an additional hour on the harp, or forbidden to read any book she chose. No! Aunt Letty would, in future, be a friend, and not a governess; and as for her gloom and reserve, and occasional fits of bad temper, Helen was too much accustomed to them, to mind them.

Aunt Letty and Lord Montgomery got on tolerable well together, upon the whole; that is, neither of them, from morning till night, ever interfered with, or gave the slightest annoyance to, the other; excepting, indeed, when he volunteered to tell her what o'clock it was; a peculiar habit of his, and one which not a little disturbed her equanimity. If any one entered the room, immediately, out would come his

watch, and he would tell them exactly the hour. If any one by chance fixed their eyes upon his countenance, he imagined they could have but one reason-a desire to know what o'clock it was, and he instantly informed them. Friends, relations, guests, it was the same with all. Of him it could not be said that

"He took no note of time But from its loss."

for he was a living, breathing, time-piece. No one need carry a watch about in his house; it was a completely useless article: one was very sure not to be allowed to forget the flight of time. Helen did not mind his singular habit in the least. At first indeed, she thought it rather odd, but as she was particularly giddy, and apt to forget the time herself, especially when agreeably occupied, she imagined he did it out of kindness to her, in order to correct her of this defect, and she soon began to find it extremely convenient, to be constantly reminded of the hour; for it saved her not only from the chance of forgetting any engagement, but also from the trouble of trying to remember it. But Mrs. Gardner, was not so easily pleased. She had no idea of relinquishing the habit of forty years' standing, of carrying about her own large

old-fashioned warming-pan; and still less of looking at it for herself; and when, on her entrance into the drawing-room, Lord Montgomery almost always assailed her with" It is just half-past eleven, ma'am," or, "It has just struck two;" she could rarely refrain, though she well knew it was useless, from a somewhat peevish, "Really, Lord Montgomery, it does not signify to me; it may be six for anything I care."

Another of Lord Montgomery's peculiarities, was an insuperable aversion to any companion when he walked out, which he generally did once or twice a day. There was no exception to this rule; not even Helen herself. He never made the slightest objection to driving out with her in the pony chaise or phaeton, but he would not allow her to accompany him in his walks; and when, by dint of entreaty, she did persuade him once or twice to let her go, he was so evidently uncomfortable, that she determined never to press him on the point again.. No one could discover the reason of this strange fancy; nor did he seem to know it himself. In vain Helen inquired whether it was that she walked too slow or too fast, or whether he disliked to be talked to whilst he was out, or preferred her not taking his arm;—he could not tell; she might

do just as she liked, but he preferred walking by himself, and walk by himself he consequently did; for she thought it her duty to let him have his own way in all things where he had a preference, which was not often. And she soon found too, that the kindest thing was to avoid meeting him during these solitary walks, for, if he ever perceived any one at a distance, he always turned sharp round, and hastened back the way he came, or darted into some side path, with an evident desire to elude observation; and he had always a frightened, scared look, as though he suspected some one to be laying in wait to surprise or to observe him. This strange fancy had excited many curious surmises; but, as there seemed no foundation for any of them, it is more than probable, that it was nothing but one of those remarkable eccentricities to which he was subject, as the rest of his family had been before him.

Singular in most things, he was singular also as a lover. He rarely said anything tender or affectionate to Helen, and seldom professed any regard for her; but he would sit, sometimes for hours together, with his eyes fixed upon her countenance, whilst his own still retained the same vacant expression; and if, after a time, she happened to look up and to smile upon him, as

she often did, he would mutter in a low husky voice, which had something like emotion in it, "Have every thing you like. Do just as you choose," and then continue gazing as before. This was the strongest proof of his love,-for she was the only person he ever looked at. Whether from shyness or some other cause, he never could endure to meet the eye of any human being; he would quail under the glance, even of a servant, as though he had been guilty of some crime. Notwithstanding these eccentricities, his establishment was by no means ill-managed, as might have been expected; every thing went on with the same dull unwearied regularity, day after day, for he could not endure change of any kind, and he was wonderfully quick in perceiving any omission or alteration in things which came under his notice. Nothing could induce him, however, to speak to a servant himself. When he had orders to give, he always wrote them down, and gave them in silence to the steward, who afterwards delivered them to the others. Any complaint, any change, any dismissal, was made in this way; and if there were any answer, it was also given in writing by one of the upper servants.

With such great singularities, it was no wonder that Lord Montgomery was believed by