"I cannot receive his visit to day," said Hugo's lady, for my husband is abroad. Make my apology to the reverend gentleman, and beg him to come back to-morrow. I have the highest respect for Mr. Nicolaus," said she to herself; "but he shall not, for all that, spoil the merry ride I mean to have. I wish the poney were but here! I know he must have a soft trot, and his teeth shall not deter me: he is as gentle as a lamb. Oh, I am delighted at the double pleasure I shall have in putting a trick upon my old snarler, and in trying this new sort of horsemanship."

In all the nooks and corners of the house

Her voice was quickly heard, "Come here, dear Mouse."
Leaving his half gnawed bones, as thus she cried,

The bull-dog in a trice was at her side.

Into a room he was by art allured,

The door of which the lady straight secured.

She gave him something nice (perhaps 'twas steakes).
And begg'd him not to plague her with his freaks.
She next along his back her snow-white paw,
In the most friendly guise began to draw ;
She hoped for Mouse's gratitude, of course,
And mounted him, as he had been a horse
He made wry faces now, and looked about,
As if this farce's meaning to find out:
But yet, by coaxing, he was brought to bear
The pleasing burden of the lady fair,

Though from the place he did not budge one hair.
Angelica, we may suppose, cared not

Much if he moved or did not from the spot;
She, therefore, for some moments, let him stand,
And then she gently used her leg and hand.
But all was vain that she might do or say;
These gentle hints on Mouse were thrown away;

Where now he was he sullenly would stay.
Enraged, at last "Oh what an ugly cur !"
Cried she,
"Get on, or you shall feel the spur,"
On that she thrust into his side her heel!

He growled, but moved not, as he felt the steel.
Again she used the spurs with greater force,

He, surly, bared his fangs---and things grew worse;
He now springs on---she falls extended on the ground,
His tusks tear in her lily arm a frightful wound.

The lady, thus unsaddled, first with tears bedewed the floor, and then got up indignant. The ill-natured animal, that could not understand a joke, she drove directly from the room. Towards evening, Hugo, her lord, returned, and inquired with such haste as showed jealousy, if Nicolaus had been there? "Yes, he came," replied his wife, "but he was not admitted." knight now looked with a triumphant air at Conrad, whispering in his ear, " Well, Solomon the wise, do you not now perceive that prohibitions have their use?"

The

Conrad, who had not heard a word about the change he had made in the commission, smiled and shrugged his shoulders at his lord's mistake. It was not till the knight a second time turned to his spouse, that he observed her left arm in a sling. He asked the cause. "The bull-dog bit me," answered she; " and that proceeds from you."-" From me?" said Hugo.. "Yes, from no one else," replied his spouse." Had you not sent me, by your squire, a message not to ride upon that snarling animal, I, in my days, had never thought of it." In silence and amazement our knight now hastened forth

to question Conrad, who had, it seems, retired, how that had been. “ What did you tell Angelica that she was not to do," said he. Squire Conrad readily confessed the truth. Was that what I desired of you," said Hugo in a rage. "No, certainly, it was not," said the other; "yet I think I managed well. I beg you now reflect how things had been, if I had told her what you said of Nicolaus. My lady is, I own, the jewel of her sex, one half an angel, or even more; yet still allow me, sir, to say, she is a daughter of old Eve, who seems to have bequeathed to all her female race a no small liking to forbidden fruit.

END OF VOL. I.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY T. AND J, B. FLINDALL, 67, 9T, MARTIN'9-LANE.