of the other. But his horses had been some time announced, and he set out upon his ride to Millbank House. "Do you know, I begin to think Mr. Lyndsay really quite handsome, and his manners extremely pleasing," said Mrs. Major, with an air as though her approbation set the seal to him at once. "He sits his horse remarkably well," said the Major; “I wonder whether he ever was in the dra goons?" "Do you walk to-day, Lady Rossville?" demanded Colonel Delmour abruptly. As the expedition to Bellevue was now given up, Gertrude answered in the affirmative, and invited Mrs. Waddell to be of the party. 66 O, you must first get my lord and master's leave for that. Major, what would you think of my taking a walk to-day?" looking very archly to the rest of the company. The Major looked distressed. "Why, you know, Isabella, the very last time you walked was to see Lord Fairacre's new pinery, and' you certainly caught cold, for you may remember. Lady Fairacre remarked, next morning, how heavy your eyes were, and I think you look a little pale today, my love." "There now! I knew how it would be. You see how completely I am under orders: However, I beg I mayn't prevent you from indulging your taste in a rural stroll with your beau," added she, in a whisper, to Lady Rossville, who, ashamed and wearied of such intolerable folly, rose and went to prepare for a walk, at the same time, in a general way, inviting such of the party as chose to accompany her. On returning, she found the party was to consist of herself and the two gentlemen. Lady Betty and Mrs. St. Clair (like Mrs. Waddell) never walked when they could help it, and Miss Pratt had attached herself so assiduously to the nabobess, and had so much to tell and to say, that, contrary to her usual practice, she was a fixture for the day. "Major Waddell," cried Mrs. St. Clair, in her most authoritative manner, as they were leaving the room, "remember I commit Lady Rossville solely to your care-Gertrude, you will be at pains to point out to Major Waddell the beauties of Rossville, and get his opinion of the improvements you have begun." "You see what you have brought upon yourself, Major, by your care of me, cried his lady, not much delighted with this arrangement, which she thought was rather interfering with her privileges. Lady Rossville and Colonel Delmour were too much annoyed at this appendage to say any thing; the latter indeed, was revolving in his own mind how to dismiss him the moment they were out of sight, and the Countess was hesitating whether she should do more than merely take a single turn before the house under such guardianship, when, as they crossed the hall, Mrs. Waddell's voice was heard loudly calling the Major back, and the lady herself presently appeared in great agitation. "Now, Major, is it possible you were really going out without your cloak, when you know very well. you was so hoarse this morning that I could scarcely hear what you said?" "Well for Heaven's sake, compose yourself, my dear girl," said the Major, in a whisper. "Now, Major, that is impossible, unless you put on your cloak." 66 But, I assure you, I am much more likely to catch cold with my cloak than without it. Why, this is almost like a day in Bengal. I do assure you my cloak would be quite overcoming." "Now, Major "Well, well, my dear, don't say any more. Do, I beseech you, compose yourself-but this cloak is so confoundedly heavy-do just feel it." "Now, Major" "Well, no matter, my dear; any thing to make you easy;" and the poor Major buckled on his apparatus, while the lady set up the collar, clasped the brooch, and drew the voluminous folds close round his person, already bursting at every pore. "Now, Major, be sure you keep it close round you, and, for any sake, don't open your collar-Do you promise?" "But, my dear Bell- "Well, well," gasped the poor Major, "that is enough." "There now, I feel quite comfortable," said the lady, as she completed her operations. "It is more than I do," thought the Major, as he slowly sallied forth, and caught a glimpse of Lady Rossville and Colonel Delmour, who had taken advantage of this conjugal delay to make their escape. "So my companions have got the start of me ;" and he footed away as fast as his short legs and ponderous cloak permitted. But, in vain, like panting Time, did he toil after the fugitives, whose light figures and elastic steps mocked his utmost exertions to overtake them; and the provoking part of it was, that while he was puffing, and blowing, and sawing the air with his arms, without ever gaining a single step upon them, they had the appearance of sauntering along quite at their ease, and deaf to his repeated calls. L 2 CHAPTER XX. Oh! sooner shall the rose of May, LALLA ROOKH. MEANWHILE the lovers had much to say to each other; but, for a time, the eloquence and the vehe mence of Colonel Delmour bore down the softer accents of the Countess, as he pleaded his suit in all the energy of passion, and appealed to herself, as a witness of the injurious treatment he met with from Mrs. St. Clair. But when he proceeded to urge im mediate union, as the only means of putting an end to the machinations against him, she stopped him by saying, “Do not renew that subject again for years to come, as you love me-I have promised my mother, that I will enter into no engagement till I am . twenty-one, but I promise you then" "Then," interrupted Delmour, impetuously,"that is a mere mockery. Gertrude, if you loved as I do, you would not talk so calmly of what may be years hence-every day seems to me an eternity, until you are mine beyond the power of fate to separate us. Years! better tell me at once that I have nothing to hope; despair itself would be almost a blessing compared to this intolerable agony of suspense." "Ah! Delmour, why should you be so unjust to yourself and me as to talk thus I have no doubts of your faith and constancy, why should you have any of mine?" "Because no one can love as I do to distraction, without inquietude-passion without passion is an anomaly I cannot comprehend." "And love without confidence in the person beloved seems to me still more inconceivable; I have no more doubt of your fidelity than I have of my own." "But every thing will be done to destroy your confidence in me-your mother is ambitious, Gertrude, she wants a more splendid alliance for you; she thinks I am unworthy of you, and perhaps she is right." "But in that, I must choose for myself, and she knows my choice is made," said the Countess with a blush. "But not confirmed-Ah! Gertrude, would to God you loved as I do!-that you could conceive the miseries of separation-the worse than death it will be to me to part from you." "But we shall see each other frequently, you must give up the army-you must not go abroad againindeed, you must not-and then two years will soon pass away." "And in that time, what may not be effected by the misrepresentations of your mother, and the artful insinuations of that cold-blooded stoic, Lyndsay?" "You wrong your cousin, indeed, you do, by such a supposition-he is far above any thing of the kind." "Has he never once said any thing that had a tendancy to injure me in your estimation?" demanded Colonel Delmour, turning his eyes full upon her. "If he had, he has certainly been very unsuccessful," said the Countess, with a smile; "but, indeed, Edward is incapable of meanly insinuating” "What, he spoke out, then!" exclaimed Delmour, passionately; he told you of the follies, and the extravagances of my boyish-days, in which, however, he himself went hand in hand-and exaggerated them into vices-and warned you to beware |