Letitia Elizabeth Landon

“ Charles Bouverie was left sole heir to a fine fortune; for the elder Mr. Bouverie died just as he had realized the sum on which he meant to enjoy himself. To the best of our belief, he had seen the pleasure; for the enjoyment of spending money is nothing to that of making it. Charles gave up the ledger as he had given up Euclid ”

“ He was not left long to his meditations—his hostess and her niece re-appeared, and he was soon engaged in a very pleasant conversation.
Mrs. Langham was called suddenly away; and for a few minutes there was a pause—broken by Charles asking the young lady—"If she had any friends that were musical?"
"No," replied Caroline. "Indeed we have very few neighbours; my aunt has outlived most of her own friends, and is reluctant to make new ones. We see few strangers, excepting an acquaintance whom Horace now and then brings down—or some old companions of my uncle’s." ”

“ Charles was saved the painful necessity of a reply, by a call on his attention from the other part of the room, and hearing his friend saying, "Oh, Bouverie is a capital tredille player; he used to play it with his uncle. It is the very game for a small circle in the country."
Our hero could not deny the fact—for a fact it actually was;—but how it had reached Langham was to him matter of great surprise. Down he sat to the table with Mrs. Langham and the Major, to devote the rest of the evening to spadille, manille, and basto. ”

“ Like most young men who have always some divinity for the time being whereby to judge of "common mortals," he had his standard of perfection, and Giulietta Grisi reigned at this moment his "fancy's queen." ”

“ Well,—for I am sure you must be impatient for the story young people always like ghost stories,—I had been in bed some time. My father always insisted on our going soon to rest. You know the old proverb,
'Early to bed, early to rise,
Makes a man healthy, and wealthy, and wise.'—
I had been in bed some time. Perhaps I had gone to sleep a little later than usual; for it was a stormy night, and I never was a sound sleeper. My digestion is not good: I am therefore obliged to be very regular in my hours. ”

“ for he had divers misgivings respecting a tête-à-tête with Fanshawe, who he saw at once had that worst bump developed that can adorn the head of a bore—viz., long-story-tellativeness. ”

“ Langham, her brother, Major Fanshawe, and to Miss Langham.
"Horace," said the old lady, "you kept us waiting dinner a whole quarter of an hour."
"Yes," continued the Major, "and my rice was done to a jelly."
"It was no fault of mine," cried the nephew; "there stands the real culprit. Mr. Bouverie forgot his dressing-case, and we had to drive back for it." ”

“ My aunt unluckily has a great prejudice against strange servants; but there is a nice little country-inn close by, so yours will do very well."
The conversation was for a time very animated, for Horace knew something about every one who was anybody; and was very well inclined to tell all he knew. Anecdotes though, like other treasures, must come to an end; and Charles took advantage of a pause to ask if Mrs. Langham had any family. ”

“ Bouverie were soon announced as "the happy pair, gone during the honey-moon to Paris." The only regret heard on the subject was one expressed by Horace Langham—"Very provoking a man must not marry his aunt! Now that Caroline is so well provided for, my aunt is a speculation well worth consideration." ”

“ A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED.
"There is nothing in the papers, and nobody in the streets," said Charles Bouverie, as with a disconsolate air he flung down the 'Times,' and turned away from the window. "I may as well write to Audley-place, and say that they must kill their own partridges this year; I can't leave town." Charles went towards the table, but he had no lady-like powers of filling four sheets with nothing, and the letter was soon sealed. ”