ing proportions. At lady Louisa's entrance, Miss Southwell slightly changed her position, and looked a little embarrassed-Mr. Montfort not in the least so. Pendennis, full of the occurrences of the morning, turned all attention from the circumstance, by immediately dashing into the history of the projected academy at Glenartrey, and recounting to Montfort the new impressions with which his mind was filled and delighted. All his old enthusiasm for mnemonics, languages, and the drama, had revived; and so anxious was he to arrange the plan of a life that promised such gratification to his favourite passions, that he had already, in idea, allotted the distribution of every branch of instruction." I myself," he observed, "take the grammatical and philological department: you, my dear Montfort, may have no objection to give lessons in drawing, and the use of the maps and globes; while, as for the dancing-master" Pendennis stopped, checked in his ca reer reer by the sudden, the almost-petrifying expression the countenance of his companion assumed." Excuse me, Mr. Pendennis," he coldly replied; "I agreed to second your literary views, as far as was in my power, by my talent in painting; but never, that I recollect, to be your usher in a school." Pendennis was struck dumb, while Miss Southwell and her friend looked at each other in silent surprise, on discovering that features, which, like his predecessor Guido's, might have served as the model for angels*, were, if possible, still better calculated for the conveyance of expressions of the stern and terrible kind. This circumstance led them to consider the extraordinary stranger with more attention than they had hitherto bestowed on him. There was something in the air, manner, * Guido the painter was so handsome that Louis Caracchi requested him to be his model when he had to paint an angel. SEWARD'S Biographiana. manner, and accent of Mr. Montfort, which irresistibly conveyed the opposite and contradictory impressions, that he was a foreigner, and a native of these islands. But the astonishing variety and play of his ever-interesting countenance was what most fixed and rivetted the observer. There might, by turns, be read the determined expression of one early accustomed to be placed in trying and difficult situations the suavity of a courtier-the fire of a hero, and the sweetness and benevolence of a naturally-amiable disposition, which the world had a little, and but a little, perverted. It expressed still more; but it was only for those who were permitted to read his heart, to declare all it expressed; and though his manner, to those he wished to please, was flattering and attaching in the extreme, a coat of impenetrable reserve defended the secret sentiments of that heart from the scrutiny of all but the few who had been the ob jects jects of its earliest and most unsophisticat ed emotions. When the family were retired to rest, he was still the subject of conversation be tween the young ladies." I vow and protest," Miss O'Reilly began, " I believe Mr. Montfort is something that is not right-that he is a hero in disguise, I mean, who comes storming our castle, like Mortimer, in the Wild Irish Girl. How short he answered Red Roquelaure's civil offer of making him his assistant at the new school at Glenartrey! Oh, you may depend upon it, if we don't lose sight of him entirely, we shall see something more of the disagreeable gentleman yet." "A most oracular conclusion,” replied Miss Southwell, gaily: " for my part," she continued, with assumed indifference, “I wish to know no more of him than what his manners and appearance at once announce that he is an elegant and accomplished young man, and a great relief, in the country, from the eternal wooden faces faces of my father's two insufferables, Mr. Preston and Mr. Kilmory. It would not be unamusing to turn the head of a man in whom taste seems the prevailing principle, and beauty still more a passion than a study." "Have a care!" resumed Miss O'Reilly; and taking up a book* of eastern verses and tales, that lay on the toilet, she read, in a voice of mock solemnity, the following sentence:-" Love is no trifling play the ball of Love is not to be stricken by the mace of Vanity." "What do you mean, Miss O'Reilly?" said Miss Southwell, colouring. "I don't comprehend your allusion." "It means, I suppose," returned her companion, carelessly," that the Persians understood the game of billiards, and that Miss Southwell may not understand Mr. Montfort." 66 Nay, now you hurt my pride," exclaimed Matilda, tears starting in her eyes. "Do * The Bahar Danush, or Garden of Knowledge. |