CHAPTER III.

A VISIT TO TEXTON.

BUT Mountiford did go to Texton next day. "I've begun to twist the rope," he said, as he got into the carriage after me,-which I took to be an allusion to hanging, with an unpleasant comparison to Miss Duchesne ; but his mother happily appeared not to understand it.

As we went up the avenue at Texton, we saw another carriage coming down towards

us.

"Who is this?" exclaimed Lady Crawdour; "do, Mountiford, look out and see?" My cousin, who was sitting with his back to the horses, turned round and inspected the approaching equipage.

"It's Lady Lesham," he said.

"Dear, dear," said Lady Crawdour, "how

provoking that she should have been before us! It is very easy to know what she comes here for!"

"Shocking thing fortune hunting is! ain't it, Lilla?" said my cousin, with a grin at me, which I would not notice.

The carriages passed. Lady Crawdour bent forward, and bowed and smiled and kissed her hand; the Countess of Lesham did the same; nothing could be more cordial.

"John Randolph is with her!" said Lady Crawdour; "I knew him, though he leant back as far as he could! Now, to think of that, after all the way she went on about the Duchesnes when they first came! But she can bring down her pride when she wants their money."

Mountiford.

"But the

Duchesnes can't fail to see

through her," said his mother.

"Well; they would not require double magnifying glasses to do it," said my cousin; "I wonder whether they will bring them to bear upon us now."

"It's a totally different thing," said Lady Crawdour, reddening.

"Is it?" said her son.

"Why, you know it is."

"I'm afraid I was not aware."

"I do wish you would be discreet, Mountiford," said Lady Crawdour; "remember, Lilla is here."

"O Lilla, I forgot you were here," said my cousin. "I beg your pardon; I hope I didn't hurt your feelings?"

"Not in the slightest degree, I assure you."

"This jesting is most unseemly," said Lady Crawdour, angrily; seeing, at last, that her son was laughing at her.

"Indeed it is," said Mountiford, assuming

an expression of deep gloom; "Miss Duchesne is quite too serious a matter to be joked about. John Randolph looked as if he were quite ready for the axe and the basket,and we all know there's not very much squeamishness about him."

After having beguiled the way with this cheerful conversation, we arrived at Texton Lodge.

Now, Mountiford, my dear boy, do behave well," said Lady Crawdour, imploringly, while the footman knocked.

What do you call behaving well?" said her son. "I'll promise not to kiss Miss Duchesne, if that's all;" and then we alighted.

"Mr. Duchesne received me with his usual objectionable empressement; but there was a marked difference in his daughter's reception of my cousin. She tossed her head at him, and shrugged her shoulders, and objected to forget how long he had

VOL. II.

D

been

away;

and when reminded, laughed, and said she had not thought it had been a quarter that time; and wondered why he had cared to leave so gay and agreeable a city as Cork for Cork for stupid North Longshire, which could have "no attraction for him ;" though Lord John Randolph,-who had just been calling, said it was the pleasantest place he had ever been in; and he would like nothing better than to spend the rest of his life there!

Poor Lady Crawdour looked very uncomfortable at this by no means promising beginning; but the visit turned out, after all

much better than might have been expected, from such a commencement. For Mountiford did behave well. Of course he had been perfectly aware of his mother's meaning, and knew very well that she had not been at all afraid of his taking any improper freedoms with Miss Duchesne; and he most