to confess her present situation; and suggested that as that lady, from whatever motives, had received us into her family, and testified towards us a thousand civilities with great apparent hospitality and kindness, she had reason to be not a little offended at the want of confidence and cordiality this secrecy betrayed; besides common report would soon render all further concealment

useless, and deprive Fanny of an opportunity of paying her the compliment of confidence.
She intreated me to undertake this commission for her. It was not an agreeable one; but as to Fanny it would perhaps have been still more awkward, I consented.
Good heavens! cried Mrs. Hindon, as soon as I had hinted •he connection which was likely soon to place my sister among the list of her relations—married to my brother! Miss Fanny to be my brother's wife! Well I declare he is extremely sly, for I could have laid a bet that you were his favorite of the two. He is a bold man however, to think of incumbering himself with a wife and family in his present circumstances. I wish them happy with all my heart; but I plainly perceive he had his own private reasons for regarding my poor nephew's proposals with so much disapprobation.

Well, every one for themselves in this world; but I always suspect some self-interested motive at bottom when I hear such a piece of work made about sentiment, and so many professions of disinterested friendship; I think besides, since matters were so far advanced, that Mr. Hindon and myself might have been sooner made acquainted with a love affair that was going on under our own roof.
I pleaded Fanny's diffidence as an apology; but my excuse was in fact extremely lame, and was not easily admitted. Mrs. Hindon could with difficulty prevail on herself to pardon the disrespect. But this story had gone in all points so contrary to her plans and wishes, that I could forgive a little ill humour occasioned by chagrin, and found it not on the whole so hard to reconcile her to it as I had feared. A marriage, tho' even not of her own negociating, afforded some

speculation for her active mind to work on; and so fond is she of being officiously busy, that she has set off to-day, accompanied by Fanny, to assist with the utmost cordiality and eagerness in the purchase of some bridal apparatus.
SIX IN THE EVENING.
I had hardly laid down my pen this morning, when Mr. Roatsley was announced. The sight of him, so wholly unprepared as I was for the interview,