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"I am very much concerned," she answered, "but indeed at present it is utterly iain," cried he, with a look at once stern and disappointed, "again thou failest ! why shouldst thou thus elate a worn-outcredulity? or why, teaching el, so unkindly undeceive me?"

"Indeed," said Cecilia, much affected by this reproof, "if you kne heavy a loss I had personally suffered--"

"I do know it," cried he, "and I grieved for thee when I heard it Thou hast lost a faithful old friend, a loss which with every setting sun thousun will never repair it! but was that a reason for shunning the duties of hu the claiht it not rather to have hastened your fulfilling the experience of the brevity of life, have taught you the vanity of all things but preparing for its end?"

"Perhaps so, but rief at that time made me think only of myself"

"And of what else dost thou think now?"

"Most probably of the sa, "but yet believe , ever-ready excuses! what business is so important as the relief of a fellow-creature?"

"I shall not, I hope, there," answered she, with alacrity, "be backward; but at least for thisto gs and Mr Hobson, whose quarrel had been suspended by the appearance of a third person, and who had stood during this short dialogue in silent aer in their mutual consternation, now lost their consternation in their mutual displeasure Mr Hobson felt offended to hear business spoken of slightly, and Mr Briggs felt enraged at the sight of Cecilia's ready purse Neither of theravity of Albany, joined to a language too lofty for their co the with one another, and Mr Hobson said in a whisper "This, you entleenius He coer Miss Henny Belfield, though I never happen to light upon hie: but what I hear of hi about into people's houses, to do nothing but find fault"