Robert's most intimate and confidential coterie, and also two ladies, handsome, fashionable, dashing women, who were permitted to remain nameless, though some of the gentlemen were particularly introduced to Miss Clifford. Men and women appeared alike ardent politicians, plunged over head and ears in the affairs of the day, and the debate of the night. Lady Robert's work-table had been constituted into a council-board, where pamphlets and newspapers were tumbled over, notes received and despatched, and gold pencils kept busy in incessant calculation,-gay badinage mingling with serious disussion, and flippant remark with earnest deliberation, or what the ladies appeared to believe such. "Ten to one against Talbot's motion!" cried one of the ladies, whom Lady Robert, somewhat cockneyishly, as Margaret thought, named “ Mrs. A.” Lady Robert skimmed rapidly over the calculations which had led to this challenge, and raised her graceful head in triumph to the keeneyed, subtle-looking, diplomatic person, announced as Mr. Snapdragon, who leaned upon her chair, while his regards were fixed on Margaret, who had retired, as far as possible from the council-table, apparently occupied with a book. This gentleman had just come in along with a military man, whom Margaret heard sportively named in the circle, Lady Robert's Cortejo, a term supposed peculiarly applicable to an old Peninsular campaigner playing the gallant. "Who is this fine girl you have got to-day, Lady Robert ?" inquired the diplomatist in a lisping kind of voice, the tones of which grated on Margaret's ear.

"One to whom your labours of to-night may earn you an introduction," she whispered, a ward of old Holroyd's, the shire heiress,

a real God-send to me at present, the best of my ways and means for the season, and a charming girl to boot-Miss Clifford, my old schoolfellow and dearest friend." Mr. Snapdragon muttered some words of intended compliment "to the early friendship," which his tone and manner converted into a sneer. Snappy being of the amiable nature," another gentleman whispered, "that the sweetest things sent up from his heart become acrid in their progress to his tongue."

Lord Robert Anson now first made his appearance, and looked as if just out of bed, fevered and bloated. He complained of headach, and of the murderous hours of "the House." While he paid his compliments to Miss Clifford, the political deliberations were resumed in divan. They were now also joined by a pompous-like person, of great account with his party, for causes not exactly intrinsic. He was very formally introduced to Miss Clifford of the Priory, shire, as Mr. Bellwether,

member for ―shire.

The plan of action for the night was submitted to Mr. Bellwether, who took credit for what Snapdragon called his acute suggestions of a former morning, as gravely as if they had ever glanced within a thousand degrees of his slow and obtuse mind.

Of what was passing, Margaret, though a silent, could not be an inattentive observer. She noticed that as the heavy tread of Mr. Bellwether was heard, and long before he was announced, Snapdragon had whisked Mrs. A. off, through a side door, as a piece of smuggled goods not proper to be seen by every body in their society; and also marked the angry impatience with which the appearance of another important confederate was expected, who never came. Snapdragon looked to his watch a dozen times, though the time-piece glittered before him, and at last cursed himself for having attempted "to move such a dish of skim-milk to any honourable enterprise."

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One by one the party now dropped off, Lady Robert or Snapdragon sending after them those light jests and petty sarcasms which break neither bones nor squares, and which often give the bystanders a truer light into the character of the inventor of the wit than of the person at whom it is levelled. The party was reduced to seven, when the butler announced luncheon, to which Miss Clifford was conducted by the Cortejo, who, she now found, possessed the irresistible claim on a lady's sympathy of wanting an arm. The nominal luncheon turned out a sumptuous, though small dinner, such as Lady Robert, too good a diplomatist to " neglect her table,” was accustomed to give her partyfriends on field-days like this, that concoction and digestion might proceed together, without loss of time. At lunch, or dinner, the conversation became more general, gay, animated, and witty, or approached that happier something verging on wit. Enemies were not forgotten, but friends were the favourite subjects, where nobody was spared, from the most sacred interior of the Court to the mob leaders, as they were called. The minutes fled so pleasantly, that Lady Robert was compelled to remind the gentlemen of their public duties; and as she rose from table, touching her glass with her lip, she called gaily to Margaret to pledge her, country fashion, to the discomfiture of Mr. Talbot's motion. Miss Clifford unconsciously pushed back her own glass; first, looked disconcerted by the request, but afterwards still more so at the grave way in which she had taken it. One of the gentlemen whispered something about angels' prayers; and Lady Robert, with some affectation of manner, but in her most caressing tones, murmured, “Nay love, that potent Whiggess, Lady Holroyd, cannot have converted you already?— luckily, I caught you too quickly for that."

"Lady Holroyd never made an attempt that would so ill reward her trouble," said Margaret coldly.

"Miss Clifford will let her husband be politician for both sides of the House," said Lord Robert.

"As Lady Robert has done,” cried Snapdragon; and the lady so complimented reddened over brow and bosom, but affected to laugh. Margaret had learned-as in England who does not know more or less of every public affair, and the alleged causes of every public action—that Lady Robert Anson was greatly blamed for her husband having shabbily deserted his party.

"I mean Miss Clifford will permit her husband to give the law in politics," stammered Lord Robert, amending his blunder, in the usual fashion, by making it worse.

"And he will be an honest Tory," cried Snapdragon, in that sharp, brassy Irish voice, and presumptuous manner, which made him already Margaret's antipathy.

"At least, he shall be an honest man!" said Margaret, with spirit and dignity that rather surprised her friend.

"Bravo! spirit i'faith-all that English girls want to be angels ;" and turning to Lady Robert, Are we to know that to-night our guardian angel keeps watch for us-that bright eyes are upon us-that from yonder station, they still—

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"Rain influence, and judge the prize."

My heart you may be sure is with you, but I can neither leave my fair guest, nor yet

"Take her with you?"—interrupted Snapdragon, in a smothered voice. Why not-capital decoy duck-we can easily send abroad a rumour which will carry a legion of young Whiglings up to you. Talbot's majority is at most five. By Jove! you might turn it! Tête-de-fer would absolutely worship you for a stroke of female strategy, so akin to his own genius in war.'

"Too absurd!" returned Lady Robert, evidently gratified.

"Though

I do unscrupulously enjoy an election ruse, the locking-out would be going too far."

"Not a bit of it, if successfully managed; which I cannot doubt, if in your fair hands. I would send you "clever Mrs. A., and a few more of Venus's fly-traps," cried he earnestly, as the consequences of this stroke unfolded to his quick apprehension; and drawing up his shoulders, he protruded the fine-turned, but snake-like head, in which glittered the cold, clear, bright eyes; and spread abroad those eager, mobile, clutchy fingers, till they grew into the semblance of talons or fangs, before the gaze of Margaret. There now passed many eager whispers, in which were mingled such words as the Prince, the Duke, the Ambassadress. "You could, you might, if you would, out-general them all. By Styx you might !—or I bet my head for a tennis-ball to the Radicals

"Rated at its fair value, Snappy," murmured Sir R. Rawlinson, hardly aside.

"For what lesser purpose did Heaven illuminate such eyes with such a soul, such wit," continued the persevering politician-in the present instance too persevering, or too indiscreetly urgent; for the aristocratic lady, with some hauteur, said aloud: "This would be going far to serve one's friends; besides, I have infinite contempt for such rivalship."

Thus ended the conversation. Some of the gentlemen swallowed fresh exhilarating bumpers, others coffee of triple strength, and all disappeared. "A strange scene this to you, love," said Lady Robert, in her most caressing tones, and wreathing her beautiful arms round Margaret, who sat bolt upright beside her on the couch in an attitude of grave determined thought. Her sincere reply was, " At least unusual, Georgiana." "You must often have heard of Snapdragon, though, till lately, he was not of our set. He is the most talented, versatile creature in the world; full of taste and wit, independently of his great capacity as a statesman, a man of business, and a debater. The Walpoles, father and son, in one ;—and wields a plume, I promise you, like a scorpion."

“An odd combination, indeed, Lady Robert. You remember our old little books at school told us, the wasp was armed with a sting, and the toad furnished with venom. The nobler animals are endowed with no such means of offence."

"When our party get in," continued Lady Robert, pursuing the train of her own thoughts, "there is no saying to what that man may rise.— Save the Duke—and, like Bellwether, he is now rather in the past tense, there are no two men we could not better spare than Snappy.And why not pledge me to the discomfiture of Talbot, Margaret? If you knew how that man has tortured us, or the cause I have personally to abhor him,"

"You astonish me, Lady Robert," cried Margaret, colouring; "I understood Mr. Talbot to have been a great favourite with you. When I was last in London, you did all you could to make every body in love with him." The young lady laughed, and again coloured slightly.

"So I did,—and so he was then, a prodigious favourite; one on whom

Lord Robert and I quite relied, which makes his conduct the more horrid in deserting us now.”

"You shock as well as astonish me, Georgiana; a man so high-principled, of such honourable feeling as Mr. Talbot, distinguished in every way. It was quite a triumph when he carried our county; even Lady Holroyd, much as she dislikes Catholics, was delighted with Mr. Talbot getting into Parliament

“Where his first business was to attack and expose his friends. But for Talbot-ay Talbot-Lord Robert need not have lost that northern embassy, which, trifling as the emoluments are, would have been something to us, till brighter days come round,—something better than living in London in this small way,”—Lady Robert glanced with impatience and vexation round her splendid drawing room,—" small I mean to what we were accustomed to, while our friends were in office, or to what is expected from our rank.”—Lady Robert now looked extremely sensible and matronly. "I speak to you as a sincere friend, Margaret,—you who have done so much for us, and as to one sensible far beyond your years or opportunities. Our noble relatives have all so much to do with themselves. I am sure, I wish there was a law authorizing British midwives to drown two thirds, at least, of the female offspring of the nobility in China basins. They have, I said, all so much to do with themselves, that it became quite a duty to provide for us in some public way. Now, except that Lord Robert draws his full pay as colonel, of which they could not deprive him, and that we have a mere trifle from the colonial government, of which some Irish person, whom —— saddled on us, gets £300, a full fifth, for doing the duties, whatever they are, and that the reversion of mamma's pension has been secured to me,—and a terrible business it was,—we have not one farthing of income. You know to your cost, Margaret, that we were not at the first out-set the wisest of people. But what could we do? Had our friends staid in, all would have been well in a little time; and I would have had such pleasure, love, in seeing you established among us. But the Duke is so terribly self-willed,-now this is in the strictest confidence,-his cast-iron temper has been our deadliest trial; and —, the arch-traitor, knows so well how to irritate, tickle, and keep him in play. But we might still have had the embassy, even from the present set-they, blessings on them, have a sort of fellow-feeling, having little wants of their own-save for Talbot and the Radical crew, who, raising the cry of a job against us, frightened the poor dear Whigs into retrenchment.”

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Perhaps Mr. Talbot was not aware of who was to hold the appointment," said Margaret; "perhaps thought it a needless one, a burden on th country," she added very gravely;-but Lady Robert caught only at the first part of the sentence.

"O! that would have signified nothing to Mr. Patriot Talbot," she cried, laughing in angry disdain; "his virtue would have rejoiced the more in the sacrifice to his friends the reformers, had it been of his own brother, if he had had one. You can form no notion, love, of the unprincipled, daring length to which Mr. Talbot and his revolutionary friends are pushing matters this season,-of the nature of the incendiary war they almost openly wage with rank, property, and the most sacred institutions in church and state."

"Good Heavens! Georgiana, it cannot be of the Talbot I know, you speak for his mother's sake I trust he is none of those

"A leader, a chief; I assure you it is a fact, love.-Don't you read the

papers at all?-those of them worth reading I mean:-there you will learn Talbot. Let me give you a specimen :-among his motions-his vile claptraps of this year, was one about the revenues of the Irish bishops, a direct attack on church property. You have heard of my uncle, the Bishop, Margaret, and what a favourite I am with him, he was a sort of forlorn hope to us when all else failed. He has a very handsome revenue to be sure; but is it not his own?-and think of him of late years being condemned to live away from the Court where he had been so much, and from all his friends, in that horrid country for months at a time, solely from a high sense of duty. He is a delightful person, the Bishop, one who truly adorns the mitre. He lived in the handsomest style between Bath, London, and Windsor, and was constantly making us presents, and seizing the opportunities which fell in his way of doing us all manner of public kindnesses. He was a prodigious favourite with our King, [by this style Lady Robert and her female friends, at all times distinguished George IV. from his royal brother,] and was often at Windsor Castle for weeks together in the latter years of the late reign. Heigho! how times have changed! My uncle had as much to say with a certain Marchioness as proved very useful to his friends; and I assure you, Margaret, whatever ill-natured people may insinuate, no one was more capable of true friendship than that lady, where she took a fancy. My uncle possessed all those agreeable small talents for society, which at Court tell so well. He understood all the little amusing games and turns of address which the Dowager-court people enjoy so much, though to us they do seem tiresome. Forty years ago he was a first-rate Grecian, I am told; and you know the Bench is not very rich in the best blood, which has its own value in certain places. He was all that I say; and you may guess the extent of my obligations to Mr. Talbot, when I tell you, that his infamous motion gave this admirable prelate, my poor uncle, a fit of gout, which flew to his brain, or something of that sort. Sir Henry Halford never understood the case properly, though no one doubted the cause; and now, though absolutely rolling in gold, immensely rich, he has got a wild craze, that the radicals will plunder him, the funds break, and that he will die a beggar in Trim work-house, some horrid Irish place; nor would he now part with one guinea to save all our lives."

"Poor Ireland, how I enjoy thy revenge!" thought Margaret, who found some difficulty in preserving her gravity at this pitiful history. At last, she said, "The people of Ireland are so miserably poor, Lady Robert-that must be Talbot's apology; and the bulk of them are Catholics too. One could say, in thinking of them, nearly with Chateaubriand, a royalist even up to your bent: A time will come when it will not be believed, that, in a Christian land, one priest enjoyed a revenue of £20,000, while thousands of people wanted a meal.'

"Merciful, Margaret, surely you cannot be an enemy of the Church!" "Heaven forbid! Lady Robert; I hope there is nothing in what I say, that shews I am not a sincere friend of the church, its most submissive daughter. I only think, in common with tens of thousands of Church of England Christians, that its revenues are sometimes cruelly gathered, always ill divided, and too often ill bestowed."

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"I must yoke Bellwether upon you, Margaret; he did represent University," said Lady Robert, with forced gaiety; or Goulburn or Herries. They will demonstrate by figures, love, what a miserable pittance, if divided among the people, all that our rapacious Order enjoys would in reality be.--And the necessity of preserving the Second Estate, Margaret,