1 

 
 JNlVERSiri' Ur 
 ILLINOIS LIBRARY 
 TURBANA-CHAMPAiG^' 
 "OOKSTACKS
 
 THE 
 
 OLD MAIDEN'S TALISMAN 
 
 AKD OTHER 
 
 STRANGE TALES. 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR OF 
 
 " CHARTLEY;" "THE INVISIBLE GENTLEMAN;' 
 AND " THE GENTLEMAN IN BLACK." 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. L 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 BULL AND CHURTON, HOLLES STREET, 
 
 1834.
 
 LONDON : 
 PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLFY. 
 
 Dorset Street, Fleet Street.
 
 
 THE 
 
 OLD MAIDEN'S TALISMAN. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 X
 
 THE 
 
 OLD MAIDEN'S TALISMAN, 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Lady Mary Deningford was the mer- 
 riest of merry old maids. We call her an old 
 maid, without stopping to inquire at what 
 period of life unmarried ladies ought to be 
 entitled to that name, because it was her lady- 
 ship'*s own good will and pleasure so to style 
 herself. For several years before the time at 
 which our tale begins, she had declared herself 
 to be on the wrong side of thirty, and wished 
 B 2
 
 4 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 it to be understood that her resolution was 
 fixed, and that nothing could induce her to 
 relinquish a state of single blessedness ; as 
 her rank prevented her from changing the 
 address on her cards, (as from " Miss ""* to 
 " Mrs.") she took frequent opportunities of 
 expressing this her determination, lest, as she 
 laughingly said, *^ any gentleman should in- 
 dulge in vain hopes, and reap the bitter har- 
 vest of love that meets with no return.'" 
 
 But no one attempted to dissuade Lady 
 Mary from the course which she had resolved 
 to pursue, though she went much into society, 
 and was a general favourite wherever she went ; 
 all liked her, and all spoke well of her, per- 
 haps because she was never known to speak 
 unkindly of any one. People felt themselves 
 safe with hei — and that, though a quiet and 
 unassuming recommendation, is so generally 
 appreciated in society, and, moreover, so easily
 
 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 5 
 
 to be acquired, that one cannot help wonder- 
 ing sometimes how it is that so few endeavour 
 to obtain it for themselves. 
 
 In person, Lady Mary was a trifle below 
 the middle height, and her figure exceedingly 
 good, though somewhat inclined to " embon- 
 point." In her younger days, report describes 
 her as having been remarkably beautiful, and 
 it was not difficult to credit this report ; for, 
 of an evening, when one sate at a short dis- 
 tance from her, the kind, good-humoured ex- 
 pression and vivacity of her countenance were 
 such as seldom to be equalled by any present. 
 How was it, then, that her ladyship had re- 
 mained single during the course of her earlier 
 years ? It is a question which we cannot 
 positively answer, though rather inclined to 
 think that the circumstance of her being of 
 noble birth, with an annuity of only four 
 hundred a-year, is not altogether irrelevant
 
 6 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 to the matter. Moreover, that was not only 
 all she had, but all she expected ; and ex- 
 pectations always go for something, when 
 mothers, and fathers, and spinsters, and bache- 
 lors, are in the deliberative mood. 
 
 But Lady Mary was quite contented. She 
 had, long since, so established herself and ar- 
 ranged her expenses, that her income was per- 
 fectly adequate to them ; and thus she knew 
 nothing of those embarrassments and disagree- 
 able surprises which Christmas bills often pre- 
 sent to the owners of ample fortunes. 
 
 She had spent the earlier part of the winter 
 at Bath, and was thinking of going from thence 
 to London, when, one morning, as she sate 
 alone at breakfast, she was informed that an 
 elderly gentleman wished to speak with her on 
 particular business. As the stranger entered, 
 there was something so deferential, and almost 
 reverential, in his mode of addressing her, so
 
 THE OLD MAIDEN S TALISMAN. 7 
 
 totally different to anything that she had, lat- 
 terly, experienced, as to excite in her the most 
 lively curiosity concerning who he was, and 
 what could be the nature of his important busi- 
 ness. He was a tall, spare, upright figure, clad 
 in a new suit of black, which contrasted admi- 
 rably with the silvery grey of his scattered 
 locks. He might be about seventy ; but the 
 freshness of his complexion and the firmness of 
 his step indicated a degree of vigour seldom 
 retained till that age. As he took a seat, at 
 Lady Mary's invitation, a benignant smile, and 
 a certain sparkling of the eye, proclaimed that 
 he was not the herald of ill tidings; but, a 
 moment after, he checked himself, and assum- 
 ing a serious, respectful manner, said, " Your 
 ladyship does not recollect me ?'''' 
 
 " Not exactly," she replied, " and yet — and 
 yet — it seems like a dream — I feel that we are 
 not strangers.'"
 
 8 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " No, my lady, we are not," replied the ve- 
 nerable man. " But it is nearly thirty years 
 since we have met — and then you were very 
 young. Can you recall to mind a person of the 
 name of Merington ?" 
 
 " Oh, yes, yes !" exclaimed Lady Mary, *' and 
 you are Mr. Merington ? My poor dear uncle 
 George's friend ! Oh ! it seems but yesterday ! 
 Tell me, have you heard of him lately ? I do 
 long to hear ! My late brother told me that he 
 had been unfortunate, and never liked to hear 
 his name mentioned, though I believe he re- 
 ceived from him one or two letters.*" 
 
 " Yes," said Mr. Merington, " he corre- 
 sponded for some time with the late Lord Drax- 
 
 fort— but " 
 
 "• Pray, my dear sir," exclaimed her lady- 
 ship, " tell me where he is. Is he still unfortu- 
 nate? Is there anything that I can do? My 
 means are small, but I have many friends, and
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 9 
 
 I never have asked a favour of any, as yet. 
 Remember, I was his favourite niece, and I 
 loved him dearly, and often — often have I 
 wished we might meet again." 
 
 Instead of replying, Mr. Merington leant his 
 elbow on the table, and placed his hand before 
 his eyes, as if to conceal his emotion ; but Lady 
 Mary perceived still the same benignant smile 
 about his mouth, and therefore continued 
 playfully, " And I used to be a favourite of 
 yours too, recollect. Indeed I don't take it 
 quite kind of you not to have brought he tid- 
 ings of my dear uncle before. If I had known 
 where to find you, I should have called upon 
 you long since." 
 
 " Thank God ! all is as it should be !" ex- 
 claimed Mr. Merington, casting his eyes for a 
 moment upward ; and then, as though over- 
 powered by his feelings, he threw himself back 
 in his chair. . 
 
 B a
 
 10 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " You terrify me !'' cried Lady Mary. 
 
 '* God bless you ! God bless you !" said the 
 old man, taking her hand, and pressing it fer- 
 vently. " You have made me happy ! To 
 find you what you are, is the only compensa- 
 tion — but — but — " and, dropping her hand, he 
 resumed his former respectful manner, as he 
 continued, " I forget myself, my lady. I 
 have, indeed, strange and important intelli- 
 gence to communicate to you, and must entreat 
 you to summon all your fortitude." 
 
 " Speak, Sir, I am all attention," said Lady 
 Mary. 
 
 " My friend — I may justly call him so — 
 your uncle — is — is — no more," gasped the 
 venerable old man. 
 
 Lady Mary sate for a few seconds motion- 
 less, and then, rising fiom her chair, resumed, 
 " Excuse me — I must — I must leave you 
 for a few minutes."
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 11 
 
 Mr. Merington handed her to the door, 
 and, as she passed out, added, " He died 
 happy, and your name was the last he ut- 
 tered." 
 
 Nearly half an hour had elapsed ere she 
 again made her appearance. It was evident 
 that she had been weeping ; but a sweet smile 
 overspread her countenance, as she advanced 
 toward her aged friend, and, seating herself by 
 his side, she said, 
 
 " He died happy, you tell me. Let me 
 know all ; I can bear it now. And he remem- 
 bered me, too, you say ? You are the bearer of 
 some little token, I trust ; a lock of his hair, 
 or somewhat that he was in the habit of using, 
 I hope. I know he was not rich ; but, be it 
 ever so insignificant in other people's eyes, it 
 will be inestimable in mine, for the dear do- 
 nor's sake." 
 
 " Yes, Mary," replied Mr. Merington, — " I
 
 12 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 beg your pardon, — Yes, my lady, he has re- 
 membered you." 
 
 " Call me Mary again," said her ladyship. 
 " That familiar word, and the sound of your 
 voice, reminds me vividly of the days 'when 
 he and you used to play with me, in my child- 
 hood." 
 
 *' My friend was an eccentric character," re- 
 sumed Mr. Merington. " Perhaps he might 
 not have thought himself justly used, in hav- 
 ing so small a property allotted to him, as a 
 younger son, though he scorned to complain : 
 but latterly he took the liberty of remonstrat- 
 ing, by letter, with your brother, the late 
 Lord Draxfort, on the very inadequate annuity 
 paid to your ladyship." 
 
 " I hope he did not think me discontented ?" 
 said Lady Mary ; '* I'm certain no one ever 
 heard me complain." 
 
 " Such an idea never entered his mind,"
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 13 
 
 continued Mr. Merington ; " he estimated your 
 character too correctly to fall into such an 
 error. But, to proceed — your late brother. 
 Lord Draxfort, did not feel disposed to listen 
 to his representations, and, I fear, returned 
 such an answer as to wound the sensitive feel- 
 ings of my friend : but he was a man not 
 easily to be turned aside from a purpose which 
 he had once undertaken, and after the death 
 of his nephew he wrote on the same subject 
 to his son, the present lord."" 
 
 " It was" kindly intended," observed Lady 
 Mary, " and I shall respect his memory the 
 more on that account ; but, really, had I known 
 of this before, I am afraid that I have not suf- 
 ficient humility to have endured being thus 
 made, as it were, a supplicant — a sort of 
 beggar."" 
 
 " Banish all fears on that head,"" resumed 
 Mr. Merington. " Your uncle George, on each
 
 14 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 occasion, distinctly stated that he had held no 
 communication with you, either on that sub- 
 ject or any other ; and I have good reasons for 
 believing that he avoided writing to your lady- 
 ship solely because you should not be exposed 
 to mean suspicion/' 
 
 " How considerate ! " exclaimed Lady Mary. 
 " Alas ! it is grievous to think that such a 
 heart should have been exposed to misfor- 
 tunes ! " 
 
 " My friend had his trials," continued Mr. 
 Merington, " and they were severe and endur- 
 ing ; but latterly, I am happy to tell you, for- 
 tune smiled upon him, insomuch that when his 
 last application on your behalf to Lord Drax- 
 fort failed, he was able to make arrangements 
 by which your ladyship's annuity would have 
 been increased to a thousand a-year. I per- 
 ceive your emotion, my lady ; but do not inter- 
 rupt me. I have much more to tell you, and
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 15 
 
 must again request that you will summon all 
 your fortitude to hear me to the end." 
 
 " I see it plainly," ejaculated Lady Mary. 
 " My dear uncle died before the necessary 
 documents were completed, and what he in- 
 tended for me falls into the family property. 
 I am content, and resigned." 
 
 '* Not so, my good lady," said the kind- 
 hearted old man ; " what my friend intended 
 for you during his life is your own — and more 
 — much more." 
 
 " How ! " exclaimed her ladyship. " My 
 poor uncle ! as they called him always — how 
 can this be V 
 
 " It has been observed," said Mr. Mering- 
 ton, " that we should never call a man fortu- 
 nate or unfortunate till after his death. Your 
 uncle did not die poor. Fortune seems in his 
 latter days to have delighted in making com- 
 pensation for what she had formerly caused
 
 16 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 him to suffer. He has left behind him con- 
 siderable property, and, with the exception of 
 a few legacies, has named your ladyship the 
 heiress of all that he possessed." 
 
 Lady Mary passed her hand across her fore- 
 head, as though bewildered. Till that mo- 
 ment she had conducted herself, in the presence 
 of her aged friend, most heroically. Death 
 was the common lot ; disappointment she could 
 endure ; privations she had long been accus- 
 tomed to ; but an elevation to fortune was 
 what she had never seriously contemplated, 
 and when it came upon her thus suddenly, it 
 was too much, she sobbed hysterically, and 
 burst into a flood of tears. 
 
 When her agitation had somewhat subsided, 
 Mr. Merington proceeded, guardedly and gra- 
 dually, to speak of the amount of the property. 
 The few hundreds a year and " much more," 
 the mention of which had so affected the heir-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 17 
 
 ess, formed but a very small portion of her in- 
 heritance. It appeared that her late uncle 
 (who commenced his career in India at an age 
 when others frequently return) had contracted 
 a warm friendship with one of the native 
 princes, who, in a series of those feudal con- 
 tests which it is not our province to narrate, 
 was despoiled of his hereditary possessions, and 
 reduced to a state of poverty. As Mr. De- 
 ningford had, during the struggle, advanced 
 for him the whole of his property, it perished 
 in the general wreck ; and thus he found him- 
 self thrown entirely upon his own personal re- 
 sources at a period when he had just flattered 
 himself with the idea of having surmounted 
 that first formidable barrier, which excludes 
 the poor and friendless from entering the lists 
 to compete with those who are most fortunate. 
 Many years passed in ineffectual endeavours 
 to repair the consequences of this one act of
 
 18 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 indiscreet, romantic generosity. It would be 
 Avrong to say that the means which he pursued, 
 or the line of conduct which he adopted, were 
 always such as prudence would have dictated 
 to a calculating man. Every one acknowledged 
 his abilities; many were loud in their enco- 
 miums on his disinterested friendship; and 
 those who called themselves his friends affirmed 
 they had no doubt that* in the course of time, 
 he would receive some advantageous appoint- 
 ment. None, however, exerted themselves in 
 his behalf, and he was too proud to dance 
 attendance and to flatter those who had it in 
 their power to assist him. The natural conse- 
 quences were, that as years rolled by, and the 
 persons in office with whom he was acquainted 
 returned to England, he became less and less 
 known and thought of; and, at length, he 
 was considered as the doomed son of disap- 
 pointment — a child of misfortune. Then, like
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 19 
 
 others who have drunk long and deep draughts 
 from the bitter cup of adversity, if he became 
 not a misanthrope at heart, he shunned society 
 and loved to dwell alone. This was deemed 
 eccentricity ; but it separated him from his 
 fellow men so effectually, that if any were 
 inclined to render him service, it would have 
 been necessary to force themselves upon him, a 
 task not likely to be undertaken by those whose 
 levees were thronged by petitioners. 
 
 Thus nearly twenty years had elapsed. He 
 was dwelling, with an humble appointment, at 
 a small town in the interior, when intellio^ence 
 arrived of an insurrection in favour of his 
 former friend. On that subject he had long 
 abandoned all hope, as several movements had 
 been already excited, and had been almost as 
 instantly quelled; on the present occasion, how- 
 ever, things took a different turn. The people 
 demanded the restoration of their expatriated
 
 20 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 Rajah, the British were induced to interfere, 
 and in the course of a few months the prince 
 was re-established in his dominions. When 
 he learnt that Mr. Deningford, contrary to 
 the custom of his countrymen, still remained 
 in India, his joy was excessive, and he im- 
 mediately solicited and obtained for him the 
 lucrative appointment of resident at his own 
 court. The friendship of earlier day was thus 
 renewed, and, in spite of all remonstrances, 
 he insisted on cancelling the long standing 
 debt with interest and compound interest. 
 
 It was at that period, when his fortunes had 
 so suddenly changed, that Mr. Deningford ad- 
 dressed a letter to his nephew. Lord Draxfort, 
 on the subject of Lady Mary''s annuity ; not 
 because, in reality, he felt deeply interested in 
 the matter, but, in order to discover the charac- 
 ter of the person who would inherit his increas- 
 ing riches. His lordship, who was as ignorant
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 21 
 
 of Indian affairs as any country gentleman, 
 remembered only to have heard of his uncle 
 as being a poor man, in some inferior situation 
 abroad. He therefore, unfortunately for him- 
 self, felt indignant that such a person should 
 presume to interfere in the arrangement of his 
 family affairs, and wrote a verv laconic reply. 
 By the influence of their evil genius, or Ladv 
 Mary's guardian angel, his son and heif, who 
 shortly afterwards succeeded him, happened to 
 be present while his father was thus en cracked, 
 and his lordship told him of the impertinence 
 of which a poor distant relation had been 
 guilty, adding, '- The fellow has been in 
 India long enough to have made half-a-dozen 
 fortunes, but I understand he joined some 
 rebel prince, and has hai'dly a rag to his back. 
 \\ e never speak of him, of course : but it 
 is tit that you should know there is such 
 a person, that you may be on vour s^uard
 
 22 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 against an adventurer, — a fellow living upon 
 his wits." 
 
 The young nobleman remembered this mis- 
 representation but too well ; and, some years 
 afterwards, when he received a similar letter, 
 he answered it in a style which he judged would 
 put a stop to all further correspondence : — 
 and, truly it had that effect. 
 
 In the mean while, and indeed ever since 
 the favourable change in his circumstances, Mr. 
 Deningford seems to have given up his whole 
 mind to the accumulation of riches, not, cer- 
 tainly, for the sake of present enjoyment, for 
 no man in his situation could have lived more 
 frugally. Some imagine that it was his inten- 
 tion to have returned home, and, by a display 
 of his wealth, mortified those who had offended 
 him ; be that as it may, his long experience 
 in the country, the various advantages of his 
 situation, the purse of his grateful friend
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 23 
 
 always open to assist his speculation, and all 
 the talents he possessed, were brought into 
 play for the purpose of effecting the one great 
 object. Under such circumstances, it is not 
 surprising that success crowned his exertions : 
 but no one guessed the real extent of his for- 
 tune, as he systematically contrived to keep 
 himself in the back-ground in all transactions 
 of magnitude. Enough, however, was known 
 to convince persons on the spot that he was 
 getting rich ; and a whisper of it once reach- 
 ed the table of the young Lord Draxfort, who 
 observed, that he believed there was a distant 
 relative of the family in India, of whom the 
 less that was said the better, and so the con- 
 versation was dropped. 
 
 The only person with whom Mr. George 
 Deningford had kept up an uninterrupted cor- 
 respondence, was his friend Mr. Merington, 
 whom he commissioned to ascertain the pre-
 
 24f THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 sent character of their former favourite, Lady 
 Mary : but as that gentleman had, long since, 
 retired from the gay world, to devote himself 
 to the practice of the law, the commission was 
 transferred to an individual acquainted with 
 all parties, and of whom we shall have occasion 
 to speak hereafter. The sequel of all inquiries 
 was most gratifying to the busy accumulator ; 
 and soon after he received it he made the 
 arrangement for increasing his niece's income, 
 and was preparing to return to England him- 
 self, when death suddenly put an end to his 
 future plans, whatever they might have been. 
 
 From this digression, if such it can be call- 
 ed, we return to the sm,all parlour, where Lady 
 Mary and her aged friend were sitting. He 
 informed her of the various particulars in her 
 uncle's history, and gave her to understand, at 
 first, that the fortune bequeathed to her was am- 
 ple — then, that it was what the world called 
 large.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 25 
 
 " It is impossible, my lady," said he, " at 
 present to calculate the exact amount : but you 
 may form some notion, when I tell you that my 
 friend has left me a legacy of ten thousand 
 pounds." 
 
 " The worthy man !"" exclaimed her ladyship. 
 " It could not have been better bestowed." 
 
 " I own to you, frankly," said Mr. Mering- 
 ton, " that, but for this unexpected addition 
 to my small means, I could not have flattered 
 myself with the hope of that quiet retirement 
 which advancing years render almost neces- 
 sary : but I shall receive it with still greater 
 pleasure because the sum, large as it is, is one 
 which, under present circumstances, your lady- 
 ship will scarcely miss." 
 
 As she sat down to breakfast that morn- 
 ing. Lady Mary had received a note from 
 a widow lady, declining her proposal of shar- 
 ing the expenses of a chaise and pair be- 
 
 VOL. I. C
 
 26 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 tween them to London, and had consequently, 
 just come to the decision that it would be 
 most prudent to travel by the " two-day, two- 
 horse"" stage, commonly called " The invalid's 
 coach." 
 
 Having stated thus much, we shall leave the 
 reader to imagine her feelings when, ere the 
 conference was ended, she was given to under- 
 stand that her fortune, entirely under her 
 own control, amounted, at least, to two hun- 
 dred thousand pounds. 
 
 The only request she made to Mr. Mering- 
 ton was, that he would keep the whole affair a 
 profound secret for some days ; and to this he 
 assented, observing at the same time, that such 
 an occurrence was one very difficult to conceal. 
 In this observation he was perfectly correct, as 
 the clerk he had brought from town with him 
 was at that moment divulging it in confidence 
 to an old acquaintance, who immediately re-
 
 THE OLD MAIDEN*S TALISMAN. 27 
 
 solved to avail himself of the communication 
 for his own advantage. 
 
 There had been a time when Lady Mary, 
 under such circumstances, would have instantly 
 made the round of her acquaintance, to pro- 
 claim the joyful intelligence to her dear five 
 hundred friends; but now, when she found 
 herself alone, she endeavoured to reflect and to 
 trace out some plan for the future. All her 
 previous uniform and tranquil arrangements 
 were, of course, disconcerted. She was called 
 upon to lead a new sort of life, and to practise 
 other duties, as those of frugality and economy 
 would henceforth be useless. 
 
 Regret that her uncle had not lived to return 
 home and enjoy the harvest of his toils, formed 
 no inconsiderable part of her reverie ; and she 
 pictured to herself how happy she should have 
 been to have watched over his comforts, in the 
 decline of life, and to have proved herself in 
 c 2
 
 28 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 some degree worthy of his good opinion. But 
 she would have been more or less than a human 
 being if such a sudden change of destiny had 
 not excited other and more directly personal 
 reflections; some of these were too painful to 
 be dwelt upon. There were certain periods 
 and scenes in her past life, which she was 
 conscious would have led to a very differ- 
 ent result but for the want of fortune; and, 
 when the remembrance came over her, she 
 sighed. Then, startled at her weakness and 
 apparent ingratitude, she endeavoured to turn 
 the course of her thoughts to the future; 
 and among other fancies of what the world 
 would say and how differently certain persons 
 would conduct themselves towards her, she 
 smiled at the idea that perhaps, now^ some ten- 
 der-hearted swain might endeavour to per- 
 suade her to change her resolution of leading 
 a single life.
 
 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 29 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Among the number of those who contrive to 
 mingle with society and to keep up a genteel 
 appearance with limited means, there was at 
 Bath a Major Wilburton. Lady Mary had 
 been in the habit of meeting him, for several 
 seasons, both there and in London, and as he 
 was an inveterate whist-player, and she occa- 
 sionally enjoyed a rubber, they had sometimes 
 sat at the same table. The njajor was a fine, 
 portly-looking man, about fifty, and had he 
 obtained his brevet rank some years earlier, 
 would probably have carried his point with
 
 so THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 some rich waning spinster or wealthy widow- 
 But, though he had no mean opinion of him- 
 self, he reflected that the time had arrived for 
 him to make a bold dash somewhere, and never 
 was fortune-hunter more eager on the look-out 
 than he was at the time of which we write. 
 For this eagerness there were more reasons 
 than the grey hairs which he contrived to dis- 
 guise every morning; — he was afflicted with 
 those common pests of fortune-hunters called 
 debts, and some of the claims upon him began 
 to be pressed in a manner which occasionally 
 irritated him, and sometimes made him feel 
 serious and uneasy. 
 
 On the morning when Lady Mary received 
 Mr. Merington's visit, but about two hours 
 later, the major was likewise sitting at break- 
 fast, when a professional man made his sudden 
 and rather unwelcome appearance. This per- 
 son was a Mr. Wirstall, an attorney, a little.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 31 
 
 dapper, smiling individual, who always ap- 
 peared in a bustle, and to be full of business. 
 It is not worth while to say more of his cha- 
 racter than that he did not stand very high in 
 his profession, and that his duties were con- 
 fined almost entirely to those processes in which 
 the celebrated John Doe and Richard Roe 
 figure so conspicuously. It was to those in- 
 separable friends that he had owed his first 
 introduction to the major, whose acquaintance 
 he afterwards cultivated with that avidity so 
 frequently to be observed in persons of doubtful 
 pretensions towards any one who is generally 
 received in good society. 
 
 Now Major Wilburton was a ' calculating 
 personage, and, so far from discouraging his 
 little friend, flattered his vanity by the most 
 gracious condescension, with the intent of 
 making him useful ; and the use he put him to 
 was that of obtaining certain advances of money
 
 32 . THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 from certain of his clients, by representations 
 which, whether true or false, it is not our busi- 
 ness to inquire into. For these sums the 
 major's bills were regularly given, though not 
 often regularly paid; but then they bore in- 
 terest, and so the lenders had hitherto been 
 kept tolerably quiet by Mr. WirstalPs repeated 
 assurances concerning his friend's responsibility 
 and respectability. But the most amiable of 
 creditors sometimes become weary of procrasti- 
 nation, and one of the bill-holders bluntly told 
 the little lawyer that if he did not " proceed" 
 immediately, the affair should be transferred 
 into the hands of some one who would. To 
 make this threat known to the major was one 
 of the objects of the present visit ; but another, 
 of far more importance, was behind, to be 
 revealed or not, according to circumstances ; 
 and what that was is easily explained by say- 
 ing, that the person to whom Mr. Merington's
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 33 
 
 clerk had confidentially revealed Lady Mary 
 Deningford's secret was no other than Mr. 
 Wirstall. 
 
 " Good morning, my dear sir," said the 
 major, scarcely able to conceal his vexation ; 
 *' pray take a seat. Have you breakfasted?^' 
 
 The lawyer replied in the affirmative, and 
 then, after a few common-place questions and 
 answers, by way of prelude to business, he pro- 
 ceeded to speak of the aforesaid flint-hearted 
 bill-holder, expressing his i egret and disap- 
 pointment at such obstinacy, and expatiating 
 on the difficulty of raising money on any terms, 
 in a style of tautological verbosity too weari- 
 some for detail 
 
 " Curse the pig-headed ass !" exclaimed the 
 major, pushing away his cup and saucer ; 
 " why can't he be content to wait like the 
 rest ? People shouldn't pretend to lend money 
 
 if they can't affiard to lie out of it for a little 
 c5
 
 34 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 while. Why, it was but the other day that he 
 advanced it !" 
 
 " Last winter, major," observed Mr. Wir- 
 stall, " when it was understood that you were 
 on the point of marrying the widow Wind- 
 fall." 
 
 " Pish !'' said the major ; " what should 
 such a fellow know about those matters ? Can't 
 you give him to understand that something of 
 the sort is going forward now ? Come, that 's 
 a good fellow — you understand how to manage 
 with them ; and besides I 've a lady in my eye 
 — I have, 'pon my honour." 
 
 " I am sorry for it, major," observed the 
 lawyer, smiling. 
 
 " Why so, my dear friend ?'" exclaimed the 
 desperate fortune-hunter, eagerly ; " Do ^ou 
 know of anything new? anything fresh come 
 to town.? Come, tell me, that's a good 
 fellow."
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. S5 
 
 ^' I certainly do know of something,'" re- 
 plied the la^er. ^>^ ^-^ "'- ^f mysterious 
 
 ap, - :.::."._-. :,_ . ^ :~ = . .;: re a 
 
 fortune; 1:::: I -:.::. :: — I hj.vr :: :::::. ::;r 
 fc J : . V . fiom the lawyer v : . . . 
 
 vr:[[ : session.* 
 
 •• I see i[ . I see :: at c:\ce '."' cried the major; 
 *• :t of society. e must ha^e 
 
 ~^:i m 
 
 b.. _ '-. ,_...._,._„ „. _ . 
 
 •• A divinity '"exclaiLcl :i:.z ■ What 
 
 — who is she? a cdtizoi^s widow. I s : , ' 
 
 " No — she is a smg^ lady," ars : Mr. 
 Wirstall, "and. to tell you another sc::. I 
 am assured tl: r is not any one : \ : ^ 
 
 his addresses to her. "
 
 36 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 observed Major Wilburton — " a downright 
 Gorgon ! But no matter, if she were the pig- 
 faced lady herself, with such a sum ! — Are you 
 sure you are right, Wirstall ?'"* 
 
 " Rather more than less," said the lawyer ; 
 " and as for ugliness, that 's all fancy, you 
 know ; but I have seen her, and, before I 
 knew she had any fortune, thought her really 
 handsome." 
 
 " Zounds ! Wirstall, my dear fellow," ex- 
 claimed the major, ''you'll drive me mad! 
 Where is she? what's her age? — no matter for 
 that, though; the older the better. — I must 
 see her !" 
 
 What followed between these two despicable 
 beings was too mean, paltry, and disgusting, to 
 give at full length ; suffice it to say, that the 
 lawyer would not reveal his secret till he had 
 exacted from his friend a written promise of a 
 large pecuniary recompense, in case of success.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 37 
 
 He then told all he knew, adding, that Lady- 
 Mary herself would not be in possession of the 
 secret till the following day, as Mr. Mj^rington 
 had told his clerk that in the first interview he 
 should confine himself to the event of her 
 uncle^s death, and the circumstance of his 
 having left sufficient property to increase her 
 income. Such, indeed, had been the considerate 
 old gentleman's first intention, but he was in- 
 duced to swerve from it by what he observed 
 in Lady Mary's character. 
 
 The major's toilet on that day was of course 
 an affair of more than usual importance ; but 
 he contrived to have it completed before the 
 usual hour of calling, and at two o'clock pre- 
 sented himself, with a beating heart, at the 
 door of the house in which his " intended " 
 lodged. 
 
 Lady Mary was just thinking of giving 
 orders to say that she was indisposed, and
 
 38 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 could not receive any one who might happen 
 to call; but it was too late, the major had 
 been admitted, had manfully ascended the 
 stairs, and was already at the door of her little 
 parlour. 
 
 " It is very provoking," thought she, " to 
 be intruded upon by any one on such a day ; 
 but that man of all others — what can he 
 want ?" From this it may be inferred that the 
 aspiring major was no particular favourite with 
 her ladyship. Indeed, she had never liked 
 him ; but certain brusque observations in which 
 he had permitted himself to indulge on her 
 mode of play, the last time she sat with him 
 at the whist -table, made her resolve never to 
 expose herself to anything of a similar kind 
 again. So she determined that thenceforth he 
 should not be her partner at whist; and of any 
 other sort of partnership, it is almost unne- 
 cessary to say, she had not the most distant 
 idea.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 39 
 
 After the usual every-day salutations, and 
 
 observations concerning the weather, the major 
 
 commenced his attack by alluding to this very 
 
 scene, and continued, " Your ladyship must 
 
 have thought me very rude, and I confess I 
 
 was so. You will, however, perhaps, be more 
 
 surprised when I tell you that it was not from 
 
 forgetfulness, hut purpose li/ — nay, do not look 
 
 so cruelly incredulous, I entreat ! I had heard 
 
 so much of the sweetness of your ladyship's 
 
 disposition — indeed, I had seen so much of it, 
 
 that — perhaps I was wrong, but where one 
 
 feels so deeply interested one sometimes errs 
 
 beyond the bounds of just discretion — I was 
 
 determined to put it to the proof; and I shall 
 
 never forget with what heavenly mildness you 
 
 endured the trial, nor the easy, elegant non- 
 
 chalance and generosity with which you so 
 
 adroitly turned the conversation when all eyes 
 
 were fixed upon us. Indeed, Lady Mary,
 
 40 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 your noble conduct then^ if I had never be- 
 fore looked upon you with admiration, would 
 have left an impression never to be effaced." 
 
 " What can the man mean by all this ?" 
 thought her ladyship. 
 
 *' I trust, Lady Mary," said the Major, put- 
 ting on one of his most killing smiles, " I trust 
 you will pardon me for this innocent ruse, 
 when you consider the motive. I know 1 was 
 to blame — that I must have appeared rude ; 
 but, if you could read my heart, you would 
 find nothing there but the most profound re- 
 spect—I had almost said veneration, for your 
 character and virtues, which I have long held 
 in a degree of admiration, which it is utterly 
 out of my power to express." 
 
 Here we beg permission to observe, that, 
 though our tongues are very active little mem- 
 bers, and often rattle away prodigious non- 
 sense at a prodigious rate, they can in no
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 41 
 
 wise keep pace with the rapidity of thought ; 
 consequently, while the major had been " blaz- 
 ing away "with his heavy, sesquipedalian-ver- 
 bal artillery, her ladyship had visited every 
 outpost, and each commanding elevation, and 
 thereby discerned both the plan and the cause 
 of this unexpected and furious attack upon the 
 citadel of her heart. 
 
 '' Yes," said she to herself, *' he must have 
 heard of the change in my fortune. I remem- 
 ber that he was always notorious for obtaining 
 the first intelligence on such subjects. I will 
 hear him out, however." 
 
 Perhaps there was a little of the spirit of 
 retaliation, a little spite, a little curiosity, and 
 a little feminine vanity, in this resolution, but 
 the principal actuating cause was, that innate 
 propensity to merriment, which never seemed 
 entirely to forsake Lady Mary under any cir- 
 cumstances. It is true that she had beer*
 
 42 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 weeping a few hours before, at the news of her 
 uncle's death ; but we are describing the move- 
 merits of her mind, and not her outward con- 
 duct and appearance. If any one should 
 charge her with a want of feeling for admitting 
 ideas bordering on drollery on such a day, we 
 will ask such a person, how often he has wept 
 internally, and without ceasing^ for several 
 hours, at the death of an individual whom he 
 has not seen or communicated with for nearly 
 thirty years ? The human mind is, providen- 
 tially and mercifully, so constituted that it 
 seldom has the power or the misery of long 
 confining itself intently and solely to one par- 
 ticular thought. The greater number of our 
 fancies and ideas come upon us unbidden, 
 either awakened by the influence of surround- 
 ing objects, or born of the mysterious brood- 
 ings of the spirit which dwelleth within us, and 
 whose nature we cannot comprehend.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 43 
 
 Let not Lady Mary Deningford, then, be 
 deemed unnatural for the admission of a play- 
 ful whim at such a time, considering how 
 many, even forbidden thoughts, will intrude 
 upon us poor mortals when resolved, wholly 
 and entirely, to dedicate our minds to the 
 performance of important duties. 
 
 Pardon this brief digression, gentle reader. 
 We return to our task of story-telling. 
 
 " You will forgive me, Lady Mary .^"" said 
 the Major. 
 
 " It was not worth mentioning again," she 
 replied. " You are not the only gentleman 
 whom I have known to be a little brusque 
 under the influence of ill luck ; and really, I 
 believe I played shockingly." 
 
 " Oh ! not at all, my lady !" exclaimed the 
 enamoured swain ; " the fault was entirely 
 mine. Your ladyship plays a most excellent 
 game. I have ofUn^'' (here again he strove to
 
 44 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 recall his best looks,) " very often stood be- 
 hind your chair, when you were not aware of 
 it, and remarked the exceedingly judicious 
 mode in which you have played." 
 
 "But you know I forgot where the thir- 
 teenth trump was, and led up to " 
 
 " Pardon me !'' cried the Major ; " I don't 
 precisely recollect the exact state of the game ; 
 but I am sure I played so as to mislead 
 you, and to make you suppose I held the 
 trump. I remember that perfectly, because it 
 was part of my plan. And you do, really, 
 forgive me .^" 
 
 As he uttered the last words he offered his 
 hand. 
 
 " Yes," said Lady Mary, extending her's as 
 a pledge, " I have no notion of harbouring ill- 
 will toward any one, and I trust that hence- 
 forth we shall be as good friends as before.'''' 
 
 There was a certain emphatic tone in the
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 45 
 
 conclusion of this speech, not quite to the 
 wooer''s mind, yet he resolved to proceed, as 
 such an opportunity would, probably, never 
 again occur to him, and their tete-a-tete was 
 liable, every moment, to be put an end to by 
 some other visiter. He therefore grasped and 
 pressed the proffered hand with well-dissem- 
 bled ecstasy, and ere the owner was aware of 
 his intentions, had stooped and brought it in 
 contact with his lips. Her ladyship was asto- 
 nished, for, though she had made up her mind 
 to undergo a wooing, she had not an idea that 
 the explosion would be so sudden. 
 
 " Sir! — Major! — Major Wilburton !" she ex- 
 claimed, endeavouring vainly to withdraw her 
 hand, now clasped between both his ; " I beg, 
 sir, you will *' 
 
 Ere she could utter another word, the gal- 
 lant major was on his knees, breathing forth 
 incoherent rhapsodies, at the sound of which
 
 46 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 her momentary wrath was dispelled, either by 
 curiosity or merriment, for she resolved to 
 hear him out. 
 
 " Rise, sir ! I entreat of you !" she exclaim- 
 ed. " Consider, if any one should enter the 
 room, how exceedingly ridiculous such a scene 
 would appear in persons of our age !"*' 
 
 " Then say you will listen to me ! noblest, 
 most amiable of women !" ejaculated the pro- 
 strate suitor. 
 
 " Not another word in that position," said 
 Lady Mary, firmly. " Let go my hand, which 
 you are really hurting, and take your seat, or 
 I will pull the bell." 
 
 " Then you will hear me .?" cried the major. 
 
 " Yes,'* replied Lady Mary ; and she could 
 say no more, from the absolute necessity of 
 biting her lips. 
 
 " When he had resumed his seat he con- 
 tinued: " Your ladyship is all kindness — all
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 47 
 
 goodness I and I — I have again to implore 
 your pardon for my abruptness. But, oh ! 
 Lady Mary ! the sentiments which I have long 
 cherished towards you, the feelings which I 
 have long and vainly endeavoured to smother 
 within my own breast — I cannot describe them !" 
 
 " Well, at least," thought Lady Mary, " he 
 will surely make some attempt ;" and, with the 
 assistance of a smelling-bottle and pocket-hand- 
 kerchief, she endeavoured to maintain the 
 gravity becoming a lady under such circum- 
 stances. 
 
 " I cannot describe," resumed the major — 
 " it is impossible to describe the struggles 
 which I have undergone, and the alternations 
 between hope and fear which I have suffered 
 for the last few long years ; but I resolved 
 that my secret should remain buried in my own 
 breast, and even die with me, unless some 
 favourable change in my prospects should place
 
 48 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 
 
 me in a situation to declare what I feel towards 
 the only living being on whose account I deem 
 life valuable. The period, I am rejoiced to 
 say, is at length arrived. Prudence, which 
 your ladyship will well understand when I tell 
 you that I have hitherto been obhged to exist 
 upon my half-pay, — prudence has, aloney kept 
 me silent ; but now, I am certain of promotion. 
 The last time I was in town I had little doubt 
 on the subject, from the very flattering manner 
 in which his Royal Highness the Commander- 
 in-chief was pleased to notice me, and yester- 
 day I received a letter — but I will not weary 
 your ladyship by entering into a detail of 
 military aifairs. The sum of the matter is, 
 that hereafter I shall enjoy an income, cer- 
 tainly not adequate to what I should wish to 
 throw at your ladyship's feet, but amply suffi- 
 cient to support that moderate establishment 
 which I am convinced, from long observation
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 49 
 
 of your ladyship's character, will command 
 all the conveniences and elegances which are 
 necessary for your comfort." 
 
 For a moment, Lady Mary had some diffi- 
 culty in restraining her indignation, for she 
 well knew that he had no chance of either pro- 
 motion or appointment, being considered as 
 permanently shelved on the half-pay list. She, 
 however, soon returned to her former resolu- 
 tion of hearing him out, as one who could in- 
 vent such barefaced falsities appeared to her a 
 fair object of ridicule. When he ceased speak- 
 ing, both were silent for the space of a minute, 
 during which she sat with her eyes fixed upon 
 the fire, " getting up," and preparing for, the 
 part she had resolved to act. Encouraged by 
 this symptom, the major ventured to draw his 
 chair somewhat closer, and said — 
 
 " Your ladyship, then, will permit me to 
 hope ?'" 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 50 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 "It is best," observed Lady Mary, in a 
 cold, business-like manner, which must have 
 appalled any suitor who wished to win her 
 heart alone — " It is best, sir, to be explicit on 
 such occasions. You know the amount of my 
 annuity ; it is four hundred a year. We have 
 both long since passed the years of dreams 
 about love in a cottage ; so permit me to ask, 
 what may be the amount of the appointment 
 you allude to ?" 
 
 This was so much like consent, according to 
 the axiom that " the woman who deliberates 
 is lost," that the major now was really enrap- 
 tured. With the quickness at expedients, 
 which he had learnt from long practice in the 
 art of raising the ways and means, he foresaw 
 that the fame of his being about to marry two 
 hundred thousand pounds, would easily enable 
 him to borrow an odd thousand or two, to pay 
 into the hands of an army agent. So, without
 
 the least hesitation or scruple, he affirmed, that 
 the money was all ready, the treaty for a lieu- 
 tenant-colonelcy nearly concluded, and his ap- 
 pointment to a situation in the quarter-master- 
 general's department, all but made out. 
 
 " I have been very particular in my calcula- 
 tions. Lady Mary," he continued, " as I feel 
 how serious a thing it v^^ould be, hereafter, to 
 be suspected of misrepresentation ; and I find 
 that, after deducting interest of money, which I 
 shall have to pay for a few years, there will 
 remain, clear, from a thousand to twelve hun- 
 dred a-year." 
 
 " Really !" exclaimed her ladyship ; " you 
 are very fortunate, major/' 
 
 " If your ladyship consents to share my 
 rising fortunes," said the lover, " I shall, in- 
 deed, be the happiest of men ; but if, alas ! I 
 should be disappointed in that long-looked-for 
 and fondest of my hopes ! — But, no ! I will not 
 d2 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF
 
 52 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 imagine so fearful a destiny. Your ladyship is 
 all kindness — all goodness ! You have listened 
 to me with patience, and I will not despair. 
 But, my dear Lady Mary !'' — Here he drew 
 his chair still closer, and united in his voice 
 and manner all that he deemed most insinuat- 
 ing — " My dear Lady Mary ! you have, with 
 true nobleness of character, referred to our 
 time of life, and justly observed that we have 
 passed the days of dreaming of love in a cot- 
 tage ; allow mCj then, to add, that we have 
 likewise passed the days of long and tedious 
 probationary courtship. We have known each 
 other for years ; we are both entirely free to 
 act as we please ; therefore, loveliest and most 
 amiable of women ! let me intreat of you to 
 throw aside those idle forms and ridiculous 
 prejudices which are the refuge of cold, unfeel- 
 ing, and calculating hearts. Let the natural 
 dignity and frankness of your own character
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 53 
 
 appear, and let me believe that my ardent de- 
 claration, and the constant, fervent attachment, 
 cherished for years, is not unappreciated? — 
 You do not reply. It is needless ; that elo- 
 quent silence proclaims my future happiness ! 
 Oh, noblest of thy sex ! " 
 
 Here he gave vent to a string of those 
 hyperbolical terms which most ladies have, on 
 sundry occasions, been doomed to hear. Her 
 ladyship now felt that it was time to put an 
 end to the farce, and therefore, as soon as he 
 was silent, either from want of breath or the 
 lack of a few more angelic epithets, she as- 
 sumed her usual easy, playful manner, and 
 spoke as follows : — 
 
 " Certainly, Major Wilburton, I ought to 
 feel myself very highly flattered, and grateful, 
 and so forth ; but how in the world could it 
 enter into your head, I don't say your heart, 
 because, at our age, you know, all that sort of
 
 54 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 thing is gone by, — but how could it have come 
 into your head to make love to me^ when you 
 know my resolution ? No ! My will is free, 
 my heart 's my own, and, to tell you the truth, 
 notwithstanding your display of eloquence, I 
 don't apprehend that there is any great danger 
 that either of us will die for love at our age. 
 However, should you really come to such a 
 tragical end, your exit cannot be imputed to 
 me, as you have often, for several years past, 
 heard me give fair warning to all who ven- 
 tured to treat me with the smallest particular 
 attention." 
 
 " Your raillery is charming, though cruel, 
 Lady Mary,'' sighed the poor major ; " but I 
 cannot believe that you will always persevere 
 in a resolution so unnatural, and, allow me to 
 say, so unjust to society and to yourself, — you, 
 who were born to shine at the head of a 
 family !"
 
 55 
 
 " Pray, major, do you happen to know Mr. 
 Merington ?" inquired Lady Mary, abruptly. 
 
 " No," replied the astonished wooer; and 
 this time he spoke the truth, as he had been 
 too much occupied with the thoughts of his 
 great adventure, to attend to the name when 
 mentioned by his friend Wirstall. " No, my 
 lady. I don't remember ever to have heard — 
 But, surely — surely your ladyship cannot be 
 engaged !" he exclaimed, as the fearful idea 
 rushed upon him. 
 
 At this critical moment, that which he had 
 long dreaded occurred. The door of the little 
 parlour was thrown open, and one of the most 
 inveterate gossips in Bath entered the room. 
 At first he determined to sit her out, but when 
 the accustomed limits of a morning call had 
 more than expired, her ladyship, using the 
 privilege of plain speaking, which was gene- 
 rally accorded to her, requested her female
 
 56 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 visiter to remain, as she wished to ask her 
 advice on a particular subject. 
 
 The major again pressed her hand on taking 
 leave, and learnt his doom, by her ladyship 
 observing, " I can do nothing more for the 
 person you were speaking of, major ; but I 
 hope he may be more fortunate elsewhere." 
 
 Notwithstanding this, the persevering suitor 
 called again, in the latter part of the day, but 
 her ladyship v/as " not at home." 
 
 She was sitting in her chamber, and when 
 she thought of this first consequence of her 
 wealth, she trembled at the prospect before her.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 57 
 
 CHAPTER IIT. 
 
 Rachel Bond was a thin, active, wiry, 
 shrill-voiced little body, about fifty odd, and 
 had been Lady Mary's own maid for some five- 
 and-twenty years. Her attachment to her mis- 
 tress was excessive, and the interest she took 
 in all her concerns proportionate with it. 
 Great, therefore, was her surprise when her 
 ladyship made known her intention of going to 
 London in a post chariot, hired for the occa- 
 sion, and furnished with a dickey behind for 
 old William, a grey-headed invalid, who usu- 
 ally attended upon her while at Bath, as she 
 d5
 
 58 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 kept no regular footman. Rachel expostulated 
 against this useless expense, with her long- 
 accustomed zeal and freedom of speech, but 
 her ladyship, instead of giving way, as she had 
 frequently done before, only smiled and replied, 
 
 " It must be so, Rachel. I have very par- 
 ticular reasons for not travelling by the coach 
 this time ; so let me have my own way for 
 once, that 's a good soul, and don''t say any 
 more about it." 
 
 " Particular reasons !" thought Rachel, when 
 alone ; " what can they be, I wonder ?" — and 
 she began to take a survey of all that had lat- 
 terly passed in their quiet lodgings. " Cer- 
 tainly," said she, " my lady has not been like 
 herself for the two last days, ever since that 
 old, strange gentleman in mourning came and 
 stayed so long with her — And then, there was 
 that Major Wilbram, or whatever they call 
 him, came and stayed a long while too the
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 59 
 
 same morning. Surely, surely, she a'n't going 
 to throw herself away at this time oMay, on 
 such an old figure as that ? She, that might 
 have done so well so long ago, and is a match 
 for any duke in the land, be he who he may f 
 
 Here she was interrupted by the entrance 
 of old William, who came to assist in the 
 not very formidable task of packing up ; and 
 shortly after, they were both surprised by a 
 thundering knocking and loud ringing at the 
 door, while a carriage stopped at the same 
 instant. 
 
 '* Her ladyship is indisposed," said William, 
 as he performed the functions of porter. Many 
 expressions of concern issued from the interior 
 of the splendid vehicle, and several cards were 
 handed out. 
 
 " Humph !" thought the old man, as he 
 ascended the stairs on his return ; "I came 
 just in time! — 'The Countess of B ,'
 
 60 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 ' Lady Caroline C ,' ' Lady Georgiana 
 
 C ,' ' General R / I don't remember 
 
 their ever calling before. Heard my lady was 
 going, I suppose. That 's the way with some 
 folks. Here, Mrs. Bond," he continued, enter- 
 ing the kitchen, " here 's some cards that some 
 of them as I waits upon would be glad enough 
 to have to stick up over the mantelpiece. 
 Halloo ! What ! another knocking and ring- 
 ing ! ' It never rains but it pours,' I think." 
 
 This adage was seldom more fitly applied, 
 for during the whole of that morning William 
 could find time to do little else than receive 
 cards and answer inquiries. Poor Rachel Bond 
 was more bewildered than ever, for as she car- 
 ried in the cards successively, her lady calmly 
 desired that they might be laid on the table, 
 and went on reading a book, in which she 
 appeared much interested ; so there was no 
 opening for remark or conversation, by which
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 61 
 
 the mind of the wondering handmaiden might 
 be enhghtened concerning what was going 
 forward. 
 
 It now appeared clear to Lady Mary that 
 her secret was known to the world, and most 
 probably formed the topic of general conversa- 
 tion. Accordingly, she hastened the few ne- 
 cessary preparations for her departure early on 
 the following morning, and resolved, at the 
 hour of retiring to rest, to reveal the change in 
 her circumstances to her faithful attendant, 
 whose natural garrulity she had no longer any 
 cause to dread. 
 
 On hearing the strange news, the poor crea- 
 ture sat down, and cried, and wrung her 
 hands for joy, even as though some great ca- 
 lamity had fallen upon her ; it seemed to her 
 like the realization of a fairy tale. " You de- 
 serve it all, my lady," she sobbed, " you do — 
 you do. I knew something of the sort would
 
 62 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 happen some day, I did ; I have often said so 
 to myself." 
 
 " You are a good soul, Bond," observed her 
 ladyship, smiling ; " but how was it that you 
 never said so to me? there have been times 
 when a belief in such a prophecy would have 
 cheered me much." Here a sigh escaped her 
 involuntarily. " But we must endeavour to 
 be as happy as we can, Bond," she continued ; 
 " so you must think what I can do for you." 
 
 " My lady !" exclaimed Rachel, starting up 
 as if she had been electrified, *' my lady, surely 
 — sure/j/ you don't mean to send me away ? 
 
 I 'm sure you 11 never get anybody " But 
 
 her emotion was too great to allow her to pro- 
 ceed, even in her own praise. 
 
 " No, no, Bond, I had no such idea," said 
 her ladyship, kindly ; " that is, unless it should 
 be your wish ; we have lived too long together 
 to part without some substantial reason. I
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 63 
 
 know you are attached to me ; but sometimes, 
 you know, single persons have attachments of 
 a stronger nature than those they feel towards 
 a mistress, and if there should be anything of 
 that kind '' 
 
 " Bless your dear heart !" cried Rachel. 
 " Well, you will have your jokes, my lady, 
 and I 'm glad of it ; I hope you '11 always be 
 so, though money doesn't always make people 
 merry, I know that. There's poor Lady 
 Highfield, who brought his lordship such a 
 large fortune, does nothing but cry when she 's 
 alone." 
 
 Lady Mary made no reply to this remark, 
 but there was something in it which dwelt 
 upon her mind, and kept her long awake. 
 
 On the following morning she left Bath, and 
 arrived about five in the afternoon at Speen 
 Hill, where she determined on spending the 
 night. Old William, to whom Rachel had
 
 64 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 revealed the real state of affairs, bustled about 
 with immense self-importance, and waited upon 
 her ladyship during dinner in a style of lu- 
 dicrous gravity and dignity. About half an 
 hour after the termination of that important 
 ceremony, he again entered the room, bearing 
 a card upon a silver waiter. 
 
 " A card here T exclaimed Lady Mary. 
 
 " Yes, my lady," replied William : " the 
 gentleman as it belongs to came in about an 
 hour after us, in his own carriage with post- 
 horses, and before he would get out inquired 
 particularly if your ladyship wasn't here ; and, 
 besides that, I find he 's been making the same 
 inquiry all the way along as he came from 
 Bath. He desired me to say, that if your 
 ladyship was not engaged very particularly 
 he should be happy to wait upon you, as 
 he has something very particular to say to 
 you, my lady."
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 65 
 
 The card bore the name of " Mr. Yerraway," 
 an old and wealthy East Indian, and one of 
 the very few people in the world against whom 
 her ladyship felt a decided antipathy. The 
 cause of this was not any rudeness which she 
 had herself received at his hands ; on the con- 
 trary, he had always, and more especially lat- 
 terly, treated her with a degree of marked 
 respect and attention seldom evinced by him 
 to any one else ; but she had witnessed, with 
 feelings approaching to indignation, his con- 
 temptuous and insolent demeanour towards 
 others, and more particularly towards a ne- 
 phew, who was supposed to be dependent upon 
 him. This, she argued, indicated a bad heart, 
 and she consequently avoided him as much 
 as possible, while it often appeared evident to 
 her that he watched for opportunities of throw- 
 ing himself in her way. With such sentiments 
 towards the card-sender, she was about to de-
 
 66 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 cline receiving his visit, under the plea of 
 fatigue, when a whimsical idea struck her. — 
 Could it be possible that the septuagenarian 
 invalid wished to make proposals to her ? She 
 was alone, without amusement, and the even- 
 ing would be wearisome and long ; so she 
 decided that such a farce might serve to be- 
 guile the time, and gave old William instruc- 
 tions accordingly. 
 
 When the old gentleman made his appear- 
 ance, he certainly did not present a good figure 
 for the part of a lover ; thin, even to meagre- 
 ness, with his head projected forward, as 
 though too great a burden for his frail body 
 to support, he advanced with tottering step 
 towards her ladyship, and held out his shri- 
 velled hand, saying, *' This is very kind of 
 you, my lady; I have followed you all the 
 way from Bath, and was sadly afraid I should 
 not have overtaken you to-night."
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 67 
 
 When he was seated. Lady Mary felt sorry 
 that she had admitted him. She had never 
 before so minutely examined his features and 
 the expression of his countenance, in which she 
 now read discontent, ill-humour, and misan- 
 thropy. Evil passions seemed to her to be 
 written in the deep lines of his long, narrow 
 face, the sallow hue of which was visible even 
 by candlelight, and his small eyes were half- 
 hidden by grey brov/s, beetling with an habitual 
 scowl. She was, it is true, prejudiced against 
 her visiter, but it is equally true that he was 
 far from handsome. 
 
 " I wished much for an interview with you, 
 my lady, before you went to town," said he ; 
 and then he paused, while his little eyes 
 twinkled and his mouth spread itself into a 
 smile, which made him appear to her ladyship 
 absolutely horrid. " You are wondering," he 
 continued, " I dare say, what I can wish to
 
 68 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 speak to you about. So, as you will no doubt 
 have plenty of people to talk to you on one 
 subject, 1 '11 set your mind at ease on that 
 head — I am not come to make love to you ; 
 besides, if I was, I see plainly enough that I 'm 
 not the man. I know I am no great favourite 
 of yours, my good lady, and I like you the 
 better because you have been at no pains to 
 disguise your opinions ; we shall, however, un- 
 derstand each other better ere we part. You 
 are prejudiced against me on account of my 
 behaviour to my nephew and one or two more 
 who are, I verily believe, in the habit of pra}> 
 ing for my death every night, that they may 
 enjoy what I leave behind ; but they shall fino 
 themselves mistaken." 
 
 The last words appeared to Lady Mary to 
 be vented with diabolical malignity; but, as 
 she seldom allowed an opportunity of serving 
 an injured person to pass unimproved, she ven-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 69 
 
 tured to observe that such conclusions were not 
 exactly in the spirit of Christian charity, and 
 that she believed the world judged very dif- 
 ferently of his nephew and relations. 
 
 " The world !" rejoined the old gentleman, 
 sarcastically ; " what should the world know 
 of the matter? I knoio that they are all 
 anxious for my death, but more particularly 
 that young smirking coxcomb, who is always 
 in my way, for ever pestering me with in- 
 quiries after my health and his insufferable, 
 impertinent attentions: he would fain make 
 me believe that he is solicitous about my wel- 
 fare, when nothing would rejoice him half so 
 much as to hear that I had broken my neck 
 or fallen down in an apoplectic fit. It was but 
 the other day that I urged him to return 
 to London, and resume his studies in the law, 
 to which he was bred ; but he told me that he 
 could not bear the idea of leaving me till my
 
 70 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 health was completely re-established, while his 
 real motive for tormenting me with his pre- 
 sence is, the mean and sordid fear lest some one 
 else should occupy his place and deprive him 
 of the golden harvest. He has neither respect, 
 esteem, nor affection towards me, though he is 
 eternally counterfeiting them all. This is a 
 painful truth. Lady Mary ; but I knoio it to 
 be a truth, and with that knowledge can you 
 wonder that I feel unable always to conceal my 
 disgust at his affectation of solicitude about 
 me when in pubhc, where he is constantly 
 watching and dodging me, for fear I should 
 pick up some new acquaintance who might 
 become a favourite with me to his detriment ? 
 Your ladyship is one among the number of 
 those on whom he has cast a jealous eye. Ri- 
 diculous as the idea was, he tormented himself 
 with the notion that I was about to make you 
 an offer of my hand ; and he now feels de-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 71 
 
 lighted at the increase of your fortune, solely 
 because it places you beyond the temptation of 
 accepting such a preposterous proposal, if I 
 were fool enough to make it." 
 
 . " Alas r thought Lady Mary, " if the con- 
 sequences of possessing a large fortune be to 
 make one thus suspicious of one's nearest and 
 dearest friends and relatives, far better were it 
 that I had remained in comparative poverty ! 
 Here is a man making himself wretched merely 
 because he is rich !" 
 
 " I perceive, Lady Mary," continued Mr. 
 Yerraway, " that you are judging me wrong- 
 fully ; I am not wretched merely because I am 
 rich." Here her ladyship was startled at the 
 singular coincidence between her own thoughts 
 and those of her visiter, who proceeded. " My 
 property is the fruit of my own, I may say, 
 honest industry and exertions in a distant clime, 
 and has produced me many comforts and many
 
 72 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 opportunities of doing good to others, and I 
 looked forward to derive from it ease and 
 tranquillity of mind in the decline of life. But 
 all my prospects are blasted by perceiving that 
 I am looked upon, not as a friend — not as -a 
 relative — not as a benefactor even, by those 
 who consider themselves my heirs. For me 
 they feel neither affection, friendship, nor gra- 
 titude; all is hope, delayed only by my lin- 
 gering longer in the world than suits their 
 good will and pleasure. They consider me 
 merely as a rich prize arrived from the east to 
 be wrecked here, and the sooner the wreck goes 
 to pieces so much the sooner will they have to 
 divide the spoil.'' 
 
 " No, no," said Lady Mary, " not so ; you 
 view things with a jaundiced eye. Having 
 once given way to your prejudices and sus- 
 picions, you allow them to carry you farther 
 than your better judgment, if called into action,
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 73 
 
 would permit. Your relatives may indulge 
 hopes that you will not forget them, and the 
 young will naturally calculate somewhat on 
 their future expectations ; but there is nothing 
 in all this that should necessarily exclude nobler 
 and more disinterested feelings. I am sure, if 
 my most fervent and heartfelt prayers could 
 restore my dear uncle to life, and bring him 
 home to enjoy the wealth which he has so 
 unexpectedly bequeathed to me, they should 
 not be wanting.'' 
 
 " I know it — I know it, Lady Mary," ex- 
 claimed the old man, much affected; " I know 
 the disinterestedness of your heart. You are 
 the only person to whom I have shown any 
 marked attention, since my return from India, 
 who did not eagerly and instantly strive to 
 cultivate my acquaintance and gain ray good 
 opinion, and all — all from sordid, mercenary 
 motives. Even you once thought that perhaps 
 
 VOL. 1. E
 
 74 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 I might take it into my head to leave you 
 something; but you instantly dismissed the 
 idea, in a jocular way, by saying, ' Well, I 
 would rather have the old gentleman's money 
 than his company." "" 
 
 *' Certainly, sir,'' exclaimed" Lady Mary, 
 while she felt a crimson glow in her cheeks, 
 " Certainly I never said anything of the kind ; 
 whoever told you so abused your ear and most 
 scandalously misrepresented me." 
 
 " No one told me so," replied the aged man, 
 fixing his small grey eyes intensely upon her, 
 " I alluded only to your thoughts: it was 
 at Lady Frazer's, when I availed myself of an 
 opportunity of drawing you into conversation, 
 much against your will." 
 
 " You really terrify me !" said her ladyship ; 
 " this is the second time this evening " 
 
 " That I have told you your thoughts," 
 continued Mr. Yerraway ; " do not imagine.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 75 
 
 then, that what I say of others is merely sus- 
 picion — no, I have learned their thoughts; 
 they were as clear and distinct before me as is 
 )iow the conviction that at this present moment 
 you are harbouring doubts of my sanity." 
 
 " Amazing !" almost shrieked Lady Mary ; 
 " I cannot really endure this any longer ! You 
 must excuse me, but I must leave you. I 
 know not what to think ; it may seem weak, 
 but I confess I am afraid of you."" 
 
 " Fear me not, good and gentle lady,'' said 
 the old man mildly; " I came here to render 
 you a service, and I entreat you to hear me 
 patiently. I shall no longer know what passes 
 within youT breast.'"* Here he thrust his hand 
 into his bosom and drew forth something, 
 which he concealed, and immediately deposited 
 in his coat-pocket. *' Indeed,"" he continued, 
 " I have no desire to know your ladyship's 
 thoughts — why should I ? But I will not ex- 
 e2
 
 76 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 naust your patience, as that which I have to 
 communicate will occupy some time, and will 
 require your utmost attention. In the first 
 place, I will explain to you the reasons why I 
 have so frequently, for the last twelve months, 
 sought opportunities of conversing with you. 
 I knew your uncle many years ago. He was 
 my junior considerably ; but, being much older 
 than the generality of young men who came out 
 with him, I solicited, on that account, that he 
 might be employed under me in a lucrative 
 appointment which I then held. We were 
 not long together, as his merit, abilities, and 
 the strong recommendations which he then 
 had, procured him rapid advancement. You 
 are acquainted with the disastrous consequences 
 of that rapid advancement, and therefore I 
 shall not repeat them. It is, however, ne- 
 cessary for my own justification to say, that I 
 had left India before the period of his mis-
 
 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 77 
 
 fortunes ; otherwise, as our friendship, though 
 of short duration, had been warm, I should 
 have gladly rendered him every assistance in 
 my power. What I heard of him afterwards 
 was vague and unsatisfactory ; people said 
 that he was eccentric and avoided society, but 
 that he appeared very happy in his ow^n way, 
 and seemed to have abandoned all idea of 
 realizing and returning home. In this manner 
 years rolled by, and I had long given up the 
 expectation of hearing directly from him again, 
 when, about eighteen months since, I received 
 a communication through his agent, Mr. Me- 
 rington, requesting to know if I was acquainted 
 with Lady Mary Deningford, or any of her 
 connexions. The result was that the worthy 
 old lawyer let me into the secret of your uncle's 
 intention of making your ladyship his heiress, 
 provided that your conduct and character con- 
 tinued to be as he anticipated; so you will
 
 78 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 perceive, my good lady, that when I have in- 
 truded myself upon you it was as a spy, and 
 not as a superannuated lover. Whether your 
 uncle had any suspicion of my secret I know 
 not ; but certainly he could not have deputed 
 the task of inquiry to any one capable of giving 
 him more correct information. We have since 
 exchanged letters, and I trust that the inter- 
 view which you have recently had with Mr. 
 Merington, will have convinced your ladyship 
 that the prepossession which you entertained 
 against me has not been reciprocal.^' 
 
 Never to the eyes of fair lady was any ugly 
 old gentleman more suddenly beautified than 
 was Mr. Yerraway during the course of his 
 narration ; instead of the ascetic misanthrope, 
 Lady Mary saw before her n(^w the friend of 
 her uncle and her own eulogiser and benefactor, 
 and she was eloquent in her expressions of gra- 
 titude, and of regret for having so mistaken his
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 79 
 
 character. But, when the first burst of feeling 
 was past, her mind naturally recurred to the 
 extraordinary fact of his having told her her 
 thoughts, and the allusion he had made re- 
 specting her uncle's possible suspicion of his 
 secret. What could that be.'* — she longed to 
 know, but could not summon sufficient resolu- 
 tion to inquire. The old gentleman, however, 
 soon turned the conversation to that subject 
 which, he said, was the sole cause of his follow- 
 ing and tracking her ladyship from Bath. He 
 then proceeded to tell a long East Indian tale, 
 which, if given verbatim, would occupy some- 
 what more than half a volume, and which, 
 therefore, we shall endeavour to abridge into 
 less formidable dimensions. 
 
 It seems that, like most other gentlemen who 
 have lived long " up the country," he had 
 formed an intimacy with certain bramins, &c. 
 and more especially with one, who had long
 
 been celebrated for the odour of his sanctity, 
 though, towards his latter years, he became 
 suspected of holding intercourse with beings of 
 a doubtful order. This holy man was indebted 
 for his reputation to various wearisome pilgri- 
 mages, and divers severe inflictions committed 
 on his body. Among other pious contrivances, 
 he once managed to insert a hook round one of 
 his ribs, and to suspend himself by it for 
 some uncertain length of time. So, at least, 
 ran the report, and the evidence of it was a 
 brace of scars, which he occasionally exhibited, 
 for the edification of the faithful, as demurely 
 and decently as possible. Such were his holy 
 works; but what he did to obtain the favour 
 of those spirits with which he was said to have 
 been subsequently connected, never came to 
 light. 
 
 Some few months before Mr. Yerraway's 
 return to England, this mysterious personage
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 81 
 
 called upon him to take leave, and when they 
 were about to separate for the last time, pre- 
 sented him with a small heart, curiously cut in 
 a dark garnet-coloured stone, and elaborately 
 set in pure gold. 
 
 " It is not meet," said he, " for the giver of 
 gifts to speak in their praise ; I therefore offer 
 you this token of friendly homage, and shall 
 leave it to speak for itself at some future day. 
 Do not part with it till you know its virtues by 
 experience. I say this because your jewellers 
 at home may offer you much for the stone. It 
 is of a kind which they cannot match. Many 
 and many thousand fathom deeper than your 
 deepest mines must the earth be excavated ere 
 its fellow shall be found; and the workmanship 
 of the setting, and the characters graven with- 
 in and without (which you will be able to dis- 
 cern with one of your most powerful glasses,) 
 are from the hands of such cunning and able 
 e5
 
 82 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 artists as those which built Tadmor in the 
 Desert. It is a TALISMAN. Smile not. — Yes, 
 smile and be incredulous, if you will ; but put 
 it to the proof. When you arrive in your 
 native land, cut off a lock of your hair and 
 inclose it in this small cavity ; then all will be 
 ready. Forget not to wear it suspended round 
 your neck, and near your heart, on your first 
 interview with your relations or those most 
 interested in your affairs; then, — smile if you 
 will. Farewell ! I need not say, remember 
 me, for I have given you that which, if used 
 aright, will render it impossible for you to 
 forget me. Farewell i" 
 
 Mr. Yerraway placed the trinket among his 
 other curiosities ; and had been some weeks in 
 England ere he thought of wearing it in the 
 manner indicated. We give the rest in his 
 own words : — 
 
 " The moment that I cast my eye upon it
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 83 
 
 I recollected that it should have beefi worn at 
 the first interview with my brother, who was 
 then living, and engaged in commercial pur- 
 suits. He was, however, to dine with me on 
 that day, and I expected no one else ; so I 
 suspended the talisman to a small gold chain, 
 which I threw round my neck, scarcely able to 
 refrain from laughing at my own credulity. 
 My brother was almost twenty years younger 
 than myself. He had received and welcomed 
 me home in the warmest and most affectionate 
 manner, and for the first fortnight after my 
 arrival I had resided with him and his family 
 at Camber well. I then took a ready- furnished 
 house in Baker Street, and there on the day in 
 question I waited his arrival, perhaps with a 
 little more impatience than usual, on account 
 of the trial which I was about to make of my 
 Indian friend's last gift. Although I could 
 not bring myself to believe that anything could
 
 84 
 
 result frofn my wearing one bauble rather than 
 another, I yet felt as though warned by some 
 inward monitor, to be upon my guard, and not 
 to evince surprise at what was about to take 
 place. Such was the frame of my mind when 
 my brother entered the room, sprang forward, 
 and shook me by the hand, exclaiming, that 
 he was delighted to see me looking so well. 
 There was every appearance of pleasure in his 
 countenance as he spoke, and he pressed my 
 hand fervently. Judge, then, of my surprise, 
 when I heard a voice within me as if issuing 
 from mine own heart ! It was the voice of my 
 brother ! It came up slow and distinct, and 
 said, in a cold, calculating manner, ' Jlis hand 
 is dry and feverish ; his eye is hollow ; and 
 that yellowness is a sure proof that his liver is 
 affected !' I was so astonished that I cannot at 
 all judge of my looks at the moment ; I only 
 recollect withdrawing my hand abruptly, and
 
 requesting him to be seated. I then threw 
 myself into a chair, and endeavoured to collect 
 my ideas, and be prepared for the next com- 
 munication from the wonderful talisman. I 
 had not long to wait. Again the inward voice 
 arose, and its words were : ' This is some sud- 
 den attack ! It is evident that his constitution 
 is undermined. He is my brother, to be sure, 
 but he went to India before I was old enough 
 to know him, and now he has come back with 
 notions and habits very different from mine. 
 If he should die soon, it would really be a 
 most fortunate tiling for me, just at this time, 
 when my own affairs are so sadly unprosper- 
 ous !' When the voice ceased I looked up at 
 my brother. He was gazing upon me with an 
 expression in which my eyes could discern only 
 the most affectionate solicitude and commisera- 
 tion. ' My dear Charles,' said he, ' you are 
 unwell ; pray send for a medical man." — ' No,
 
 Henry,' I replied, * it is nothing ; only a tri- 
 fling qualm that I am subject to. I am not 
 yet quite accustomed to your climate, I be- 
 lieve.' — ' I hope you have not stayed too long in 
 India, and contracted any of the troublesome 
 complaints which some bring home with them,' 
 observed my brother. ' Indeed, from your ap- 
 pearance, and the good spirits you seem gene- 
 rally to be in, I cannot believe you have ; but 
 still the germ of disease may exist, and there- 
 fore you must excuse me for urging upon you 
 the propriety of having the best medical ad- 
 vice. Even for the sake of others you should 
 not neglect yourself, for it would indeed be 
 distressing to us all to witness your well- 
 grounded expectations of a long and happy 
 life gloomily changed by continued ill health.' 
 He ceased ; and again the inward voice spake, 
 saying, ' He has stayed too long in India, it is 
 plain. Poor fellow ! I pity him ; but it would
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 87 
 
 have been better if he had died there. We 
 should never have missed him then, and not 
 have had to undergo all the tedious anxiety 
 and inquiries, and watchings of a lingering 
 illness, to say nothing of the irritability of 
 temper, and consequent change of purpose, so 
 common with persons suffering under violent 
 bilious attacks.' At this moment we were join- 
 ed by an unexpected visiter, a colonel, whom I 
 had known in India. He entered the room 
 with a gay air, and said, that he came to invite 
 himself to dinner, in order to enjoy half an 
 hour's chat afterward, about old times. The 
 talismanic voice instantly added, ^ I must talk 
 the old nabob into good humour if I can, and 
 get him to lend me five hundred, or, hang me 
 if I know what I shall do, as I promised to 
 meet Sir James to-night at Brookes's.' 
 
 " It is not necessary," continued Mr.Yerra- 
 way, " for me to weary your ladyship with the
 
 88 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 particulars of all the various deceptions and 
 schemes practised upon me, and revealed by 
 this mysterious talisman. That the voices 
 which issued from it often inflicted great 
 pain, you cannot doubt, but mark me, my 
 lady, they prevented me from losing nearly the 
 whole, perhaps even the whole of my fortune. 
 I had, already, advanced ten thousand pounds 
 to my brother, in consequence of his repre- 
 senting to me the advantageous nature of the 
 commerce in which he was engaged, and the 
 facility with which he could increase it, if in 
 possession of a larger capital. My confidence 
 in him was unbounded, and, as I intended that 
 he should inherit all I left at my death, it 
 appeared of little consequence what amount he 
 might have before. Alas ! I found all his 
 representations false ; the money that I had 
 lent him barely sufiiced to reestablish his credit. 
 He must, without it, have soon been a bank-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 89 
 
 rupt ; but still, after 1 became acquainted with 
 the real state of his affairs, he persevered in 
 affirming them to be in the most flourishing 
 condition, fearing that if I knew the truth I 
 should leave my property in the hands of other 
 guardians, for the benefit of his children, in- 
 stead of committing everything to his own 
 arrangement. You will not wonder that I 
 lived but little in London after this discovery. 
 Our subsequent communications were chiefly 
 by letter, till his death, when he left a widow 
 and young family totally unprovided for ; and 
 I found, as I expected, that what remained of 
 the ten thousand pounds was scarcely suffi- 
 cient to satisfy the claims of his creditors. Of 
 course, I took upon myself to provide for his 
 widow, and to see that the children were pro- 
 perly brought up and well educated, and my 
 nephew whom you have seen is the eldest. 
 And now, Lady Mary, you have the history of
 
 90 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN, 
 
 this small reveaier, of which I beg your ac- 
 ceptance." Here he took the talisman from 
 his pocket and laid it on the table. " Its 
 power seems to be confined to uttering the 
 thoughts of those present only when the wearer 
 is the subject of them^ or personally interested 
 in them. It has told me many things that were 
 useful, many that were painful. I wish to hear 
 no more of either. My career is rapidly draw- 
 ing to its close, and I rejoice in placing this 
 warning voice where it is so much needed. 
 Yes, young lady, for young you are in com- 
 parison with me, your path will henceforth be 
 beset with parasites, flatterers, adventurers, 
 ay, and lovers too. They will pour into your 
 ear v^^ords which will seldom accord with the 
 voice which you will hear from within. Did 
 not my own experience tell the vanity of such a 
 thought, I should wish that you might find it 
 otherwise. I see you hesitate whether or not
 
 91 
 
 to accept my gift, therefore I take my leave, 
 and beg you to consider well ere you refuse 
 what may never again be offered." Saying 
 these words, the old gentleman left the talis- 
 man on the table, and withdrew.
 
 92 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN, 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 " Can this be a dream ?" thought Lady 
 Mary, as she sate alone, after her aged visiter 
 had withdrawn. 
 
 The small, heart-shapen talisman lay upon 
 the table before her, and appeared to shoot forth 
 rays of light, as though enclosing a flame 
 within. So brilliant a stone would have at- 
 tracted her attention at any time ; and the gold- 
 work by which it was encircled was wrought 
 with inimitable delicacy, in a style which she 
 had never yet beheld. It seemed like one of 
 those ancient regal ornaments, so intrinsically
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 93 
 
 and almost incalculably precious as to endure 
 no comparison with the glittering baubles and 
 fashions of the passing day. 
 
 It remained long untouched, while her lady- 
 ship was lost in meditation, if such a term may 
 be applied to the confused state of her mind, 
 unable to decide whether it would be better to 
 accept or reject the extraordinary power now 
 placed at her disposal. She felt that her sud- 
 den elevation to fortune had deranged all her 
 former plans, and that she was without any 
 fixed purpose for the future. Still there were 
 certain consequences inevitable from her change 
 of circumstances. She must form an establish- 
 ment, and it would be necessary to place con- 
 fidence in many individuals, of whom she could 
 have but an imperfect knowledge. She would 
 have to purchase a house, and to employ trades- 
 men and workmen of all descriptions. Nothing 
 could be more desirable than to ascertain who
 
 94 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 were and who were not trustworthy, and the 
 talisman offered perfect security against impo- 
 sition. It was very tempting ! — but then, when 
 she thought of Mr. Yerraway's brother, and 
 the uncomfortable manner in which he lived 
 with his nephew, and the ill opinion that he 
 held of mankind in general, she trembled lest 
 she likewise might become a misanthrope. 
 
 On this sombre view of the picture, however, 
 she did not dwell long ; the natural bias of her 
 disposition led her to fancy that she should 
 derive much amusement in having unveiled to 
 her the real thoughts of such as would address 
 her with studied flattery and well-turned com- 
 plimentary phrases. It would have diverted 
 her greatly, she imagined, to have known what 
 passed in Major Wilburton's mind during the 
 time of his thriftless wooing. And then her 
 friends — her real friends — those who would 
 endure and be proved by the ordeal, how much
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 95 
 
 more should she love and value them! — that 
 thought was delightful ! And she was in- 
 dulging it, when the sound of footsteps at the 
 door put an end to her reflections. In an 
 instant, as though fearful of being detected in 
 the practice of sorcery, she covered the talisman 
 with her handkerchief. 
 
 " I was afraid, my lady,'' said Rachel, ad- 
 vancing, " I was afraid that you had fallen 
 asleep and would take cold. Does your lady- 
 ship know that it is almost midnight ?" 
 
 '* Midnight !'' exclaimed Lady Mary ; and 
 without saying more, she fixed her eyes in- 
 tently, with a strange expression, on the won- 
 dering old handmaiden. 
 
 " Mercy upon us ! why you Ve struck with 
 something !*" cried Rachel. *' Do speak, my 
 lady ! — What can be the matter with her .f^'' 
 
 " Nothing, my good Bond," said her lady- 
 ship, smiling, " nothing — only I did not think
 
 96 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 it had been so late ; I was lost in a reverie, I 
 believe. See that all is right in my bed-room, 
 and come again in a quarter of an hour, and 
 not sooner, that 's a good soul. 1 am perfectly 
 well, I assure you; do not look so incredu- 
 lous."" 
 
 Rachel shook her head, and muttered some- 
 thing inaudibly as she left the room. 
 
 " Yes," continued Lady Mary, " the tempta- 
 tion is irresistible ! I shall not pledge myself 
 to an acceptance of this extraordinary power 
 by putting it to the proof ; and if this faithful 
 creature, who has watched over me from my 
 youth, cannot endure the test, it will be vain 
 to make farther experiments. Better to remain 
 a dupe in blissful ignorance, than acquire 
 such painful knowledge of the truth. But 
 no — Rachel Bond will, I am sure, abide the 
 trial." 
 
 Uttering these words, or rather whispering
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 97 
 
 thus to herself, she placed the talisman in the 
 palm of her trembling hand. It immediately 
 flew open, and a small lock of grey hair un- 
 coiled itself and rolled out. At this plain in- 
 dication that the mysterious revealer had re- 
 jected its former master, and was prepared to 
 receive her in his place, Lady Mary felt a cold 
 thrill pervade her whole frame; but she soon 
 recovered her self-possession by reflecting that 
 Mr. Yerraway had most probably purposely de- 
 tached the spring. Still she hesitated. Her 
 watch lay upon the table — ten minutes had ex- 
 pired — the talisman was yet open, and the 
 small cavity within was vacant. A lock of her 
 long dark hair hung down over her cheek, 
 as though presenting itself for the sacrifice ; — 
 the scissors were in her tremulous hand — 
 twelve minutes had elapsed, and the second- 
 hand was fast beating another round ; but yet 
 the ceremony remained unperformed and the 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 charm incomplete. It wanted only a few se- 
 conds of the quarter, and already there was 
 a movement of footsteps without, when she 
 hastily severed a small portion of her hair, 
 rolled it together, and placed it within the 
 cavity. It seemed to her then that the two 
 sides of the open heart clasped themselves to- 
 gether of their own accord ; but, in the hurry 
 and agitation of the moment, she might have 
 been deceived. 
 
 There was not time to place the talisman in 
 its seat of office before Rachel made her ap- 
 pearance; and her ladyship thought it would 
 be quite as well to defer the trial till the bed- 
 curtains, drawn round her, might serve to con- 
 ceal those emotions which probably she shouW 
 experience. 
 
 During the time of undressing, her attendant 
 repeated her suspicions that something ailed 
 her mistress, and would not be convinced of
 
 THE OLD MAtDEN's TALISMAN. 99 
 
 the contrary. '' I am afraid you have taken 
 cold, my lady," she said ; " I do think the car- 
 riage was damp. I shall bie giad when you get 
 one of your own on that account ; for them 
 that they let out to hire stand about in all 
 weathers in all sorts of places, and many a 
 person has caught their death in 'em, I '<^e no 
 doubt, and never knew how. But I told Wil- 
 liam to burn some charcoal in it to-night, and 
 again to-morrow morning, unless the weather 
 was very fine, and then he '11 put it in the sun, 
 with the doors and windows open, as they always 
 used to do at Draxfort, I remember." She then 
 proceeded to recommend water-gruel, white- 
 wine whey, onion-porridge, and divers other 
 infallible remedies and preventatives against 
 colds and chills, but all her oratory was for 
 some time without any apparent effect. 
 
 At length her ladyship said, " Really, Bond, 
 your talk is almost sufficient to persuade one 
 f2
 
 100 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 that something is the matter, in spite of one's 
 own feelings. So just stay in the room a little 
 while after I am in bed, and if I fall asleep T, 
 suppose you will be convinced that all is right." 
 Soon after her ladyship had laid her head 
 upon her pillow, she disengaged the talisman 
 from the folds of her handkerchief and placed 
 it near her heart, as had been directed. All 
 remained silent for a fev/ seconds, save a violent 
 throbbing within, the result of her mental emo- 
 tions. Then, as if from the innermost recesses 
 of her own breast, a clear, distinct voice arose, 
 ^vhich, though perfectly audible to her, she 
 instantly felt could be heard by no one else. 
 It was the voice of Rachel, and it said, " I 
 hope she hasn't taken cold; a damp carriage 
 is as bad as a damp bed, and nobody knows 
 what may come of it. Bless my heart, sup- 
 pose she should be ill ! suppose she should die 
 just now, when she's come to such a fortune !
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 101 
 
 Oh, dear! I can't bear to think of that, for 
 she's been a good mistress to me, that I must 
 and will say for her, though I little expected, 
 when I first entered into her service, that we 
 should have lived in such a cooped-up manner 
 as we have done ; if I had, I shouldn't have 
 stayed with her, to a certainty, for John Jen- 
 kins, my lord's coachman, would have given his 
 eyes to have had me then; but perhaps it's 
 all for the best, for they tell me he took to 
 drinking afterward. Well, she 's got plenty of 
 money now, however, and I dare say will do 
 something for me in my old age, when I'm 
 past work; but then suppose she should be 
 carried off suddenly now, without making a 
 will? then, I suppose, all would go to that 
 good-for-nothing young Lord Draxfort; and 
 service is no inheritance, and so I might go 
 and look out for another place, or starve, for 
 anything he'd care about me. But no, no —
 
 102 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 I hope she '11 live long and be happy ; and I 
 don*"! see why she shouldn't be married, only 
 I hope she won't go and throw herself away. 
 Oh ! dear, if this fortune had but come years 
 ago, what a thing it would have been ! she 
 might have been anything she chose. There 
 was that young Lord Highfield — he was young 
 then — I know he was very fond of her, and 
 was pretty nigh making her an offer as it was, 
 and somehow or other I hardly think she would 
 have refused him. But there, I dare say it's 
 all for the best, as I look upon it he can't make 
 a very good husband, or why should Lady 
 Highfield be always a-crying when she's by 
 herself? no — he wasn't good enough for mis- 
 tress, and all 's for the best. Well, I wonder 
 what she'll make of me when we get a large 
 house ; I can't be cook and housemaid and 
 lady's maid and all then^ that 's certain. I 
 don't think she can do better than keep me for
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 103 
 
 her own woman, for I know how she likes to 
 have things, and all her ways, though I don't 
 know, perhaps she'll change them too now — 
 and, for the matter o' that, she wasn't like her- 
 self to-night; when I told her it was almost 
 twelve o'clock, she stared at me as if she didn't 
 know me. I never saw her look so before, and 
 never want to see her look so again ; if I 'd only 
 just come into her service, I should have 
 thought she suspected me of stealing some- 
 thing. I shouldn't wonder, though, if that 
 old fright of a man hadn't been putting some 
 strange fancies into her head, for his own is 
 full of them, they say. Heigho ! I hope it 
 won't be long before she goes to sleep, for I 
 want to go to bed sadly. This travelling, 
 when a body isn't used to it, makes one very 
 sleepy, and it 's going on for one o'clock. 
 Heigho! I'm not so young as I was quite, 
 neither !"
 
 104 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 As these last words were reported to her by 
 the talisman, Lady Mary perceived a slight 
 movement in one of the bed-curtains, and there- 
 fore immediately closed her eyes and feigned to 
 be asleep. Old Rachel peeped in, and after 
 making her observations withdrew without ut- 
 tering a word ; but the inward voice exclaim- 
 ed, " She is fast asleep. God bless her ! she 
 breathes sweetly. I don't think there's any- 
 thing the matter with her, after all. I dare 
 say she 's dreaming of all the fine things she 
 will have when she gets to town. Well, that 's 
 all natural; but God send she may keep a 
 merry heart ! say I ; that 's better than riches.*" 
 
 The mental soliloquy which she had heard 
 kept her ladyship long awake. It was evident 
 that her old servant was attached to her, but it 
 was also plain that she indulged in calculations 
 of future benefit as the reward of that attach- 
 ment. This Lady Mary allowed to be no
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 105 
 
 more than natural, but still, it was not a pleas- 
 ing truth to be assured of. Then, the original 
 engagement in her service had been a matter 
 of pure, cold speculation, in which the advan- 
 tages looked forward to were to have arisen 
 from her marriage or prosperity, while a know- 
 ledge of the slender income which was to be 
 allotted to her, would have prevented Rachel 
 from continuing with her. But far more pain- 
 ful than all this was the surmise respecting her 
 probable acceptance of Lord Highfield as a 
 suitor, in case he had offered himself. What- 
 ever her feelings might have been towards that 
 nobleman, they had remained concealed within 
 her own breast, and, as she hitherto believed, 
 unsuspected by any. In vain she endeavoured 
 to look back and trace her conduct, in order to 
 discover what there ^ could have been in it to 
 lead her old servant to the conclusion which 
 she had drawn. Rachel had always been her 
 f5
 
 106 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 humble friend, but she had never made her her 
 confidant in affairs of the heart, according to 
 the custom of heroines of romance or the stage, 
 and perhaps some fev/ in real life. The idea of 
 being supposed weak enough to harbour a pre- 
 dilection towards a man who had shunned her 
 society was extremely degrading, and she 
 could not help feeling that Rachel had injured 
 her by the supposition. Perhaps, if she had 
 been able without any mental reservation to 
 declare that the notion was false, she might 
 have dismissed the subject with a smile, but 
 there were certain recollections which prevented 
 her from so. doing. 
 
 There was also another expression made use 
 of by the talismanic voice, which made her 
 uneasy, and that was the denouncement of her 
 eldest nephew, now her 'natural heir, as the 
 " good-for-nothing Lord Draxfort.*" What 
 ground could there be for such an appellation ?
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 107 
 
 She had never heard anything of his lordship 
 to induce her to suppose that he merited it, 
 and yet Rachel was not accustomed to form 
 harsh opinions of any one. It was very per- 
 plexing. 
 
 Musing on these subjects, and all the various 
 reflections and recollections connected with 
 them, her ladyship passed a restless night. 
 Still, though such was the result of her first 
 experiment with the talisman, she had not 
 come to a settled resolution of returning it to 
 its former owner, when she was informed that 
 he had left the inn at break of day, and taken 
 the road towards Bath. The question was thus 
 settled for the present. 
 
 " Yes," said she, after some attempt at me- 
 ditating on the subject, " I will wear it for a 
 day or two. I shall become accustomed to its 
 extraordinary powers. I must have to confide 
 in many persons with whom I am at present
 
 108 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 unacquainted. It will guide me to select the 
 worthiest, and then, when my arrangements 
 are made, I will return it to Mr. Yerraway." 
 
 While dressing, therefore, she contrived to 
 avail herself of RachePs momentary absence, 
 and suspended the talisman to a chain that she 
 wore round her neck. Scarcely was it in its 
 place ere the aged damsel re-entered the room, 
 and immediately the inward voice began chat- 
 tering away in a most incoherent style, and at a 
 prodigious rate ; each word was as distinctly 
 uttered as on the former occasion, but all were 
 confused and unconnected. It talked much of 
 what a fine thing it would be to live in a fine 
 house in one of the squares, and how the peo- 
 ple would stare, and how the speaker would be 
 courted by the tradesfolk, but that she wouldn't 
 be cheated if she was made housekeeper, as she 
 knew how to go to market now as well as the 
 best of them. Then it spoke of John Jenkins,
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 109 
 
 the coachman, and wondered if he had got a 
 good place, as, if not, she thought he would 
 suit her mistress very well, as he was always 
 very steady, even when young, and perhaps 
 the report about his having taken to drinking 
 was all false. Then it wondered if her lady- 
 ship would hire all the servants she meant to 
 keep directly, and go to the expense of putting 
 them all in black, or whether she wouldn't 
 wait till the time of mourning for her uncle 
 was passed, and so "come out" all at once in 
 dashing: liveries. An enumeration of the men 
 and maid-servants whom it would be necessary 
 to keep, followed ; and after that came a rough 
 and strangely erroneous calculation of the 
 amount of their mourning suits, all to be 
 thrown away for no end or good, as the good 
 old gentleman, who had been dead so long ago 
 in foreign parts, would be none the better nor 
 any the wis^ for such a waste of his money.
 
 110 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 Amid all her wonderings and bewilderment, 
 .however, there were two leading features which 
 were always prominent in her mental discourse ; 
 the one was joy at her mistress' sudden eleva- 
 tion to riches, and the other was self-gratifica- 
 tion and self-approbation at having stuck to 
 her ladyship " through thick and thin ;" and 
 the latter was attended by numerous anticipa- 
 tions of cast-off gowns, bonnets, caps, pelisses, 
 shawls, &c. &c. and other contingent beneficial 
 perquisites attendant on the situation of " own 
 woman" to a titled and wealthy heiress. 
 
 Some of these things her ladyship would 
 rather not have heard, but upon the whole the 
 jumble was amusing, and she sat down to 
 breakfast in better spirits than those with 
 which she had risen. 
 
 The next person that underv^'ent the ordeal 
 was old William, who did not stand the test 
 quite so well as Rachel. It seemed to be the
 
 Ill 
 
 object of his ambition to be installed as butler 
 in her ladyship's new establishment; and his 
 reasons for selecting that post were, because, 
 in the first place, he fancied himself qualified 
 by having served for some years as waiter at 
 the York House, and secondly, (or perhaps 
 principally,) the pleasure he should experience 
 in now and then " cracking a bottle of her 
 ladyship's wine v^rith some of his old acquaint- 
 ances, in order to learn their opinion of its 
 quality." These enjoyments he purposed to 
 manage in some way by which the said bottles 
 should "never be missed." It is almost need- 
 less to say, that Lady Mary decided against 
 his subterranean promotion. 
 
 When breakfast was ended, and her carriage 
 stood waiting at the door, a waiter entered to 
 make the important announcement ; and imme- 
 diately after he had performed his duty in the 
 most respectful style, the talisman, assuming his
 
 11£ 
 
 voice, said, " Hang her ! she 's not such a bad- 
 looking piece of goods neither ; not much the 
 wrong side of thirty, I should think. She '11 
 have no need to advertise for a husband noiv, 
 I '11 warrant. ' 'Tis money makes the mare 
 go ;' many a worse than she 's gone off with a 
 precious sight less than old Bill says she 's got." 
 Here followed a coarse criticism upon her eyes, 
 complexion, figure, and ankles, which need not 
 be repeated. Her ladyship was taken so by 
 surprise that she felt the blood mount into her 
 cheeks at this insult. — " Preciously modest, 
 however," continued the voice ; " can't bear 
 to be looked at by a man ! Bless us ! not used 
 to be waited upon, I suppose, — soon will be 
 though, now she 's rich. If I was a vain fel- 
 low I '11 be hanged if I shouldn't think she was 
 in love with me by that blushing; and more 
 unlikely things than that have happened before 
 now — but I 'm married and can't come, so 
 hat 's no go, my lady."
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 113 
 
 " This is intolerable !"' thought Lady Mary, 
 putting her hand into her bosom as soon as the 
 man had withdrawn. '* I cannot submit to be 
 tormented thus with the impertinent thoughts 
 of every one ;" and she was about to remove 
 the talisman when Rachel entered the room 
 with her cloak and shawls, and frustrated her 
 purpose for the moment, as she well knew that 
 the display of a fresh article of jewellery would 
 lead to endless questions, which she should be 
 unable to answer. 
 
 As she passed to her carriage, amid the most 
 profound silence and respectful salutations of 
 the whole household, voices from within, both 
 male and female, uttered very free remarks 
 upon her person, dress, and appearance, wished 
 for half her money, and supposed some ruined 
 gamester would be glad to " snap her up " for 
 the sake of it. 
 
 When seated in the carriage, she told Rachel
 
 114 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 never in future to say anything to the people 
 at inns about her circumstances, and desired 
 her to give the same instructions to William. 
 
 " Certainly, my lady,"" replied Rachel. " To 
 be sure, I thought the bill v/as rather high ; 
 but then, you know, when gentlefolks travel in 
 their own carriage, and have the best rooms, 
 and everything of the best, they always charge 
 more than if it was a stage-coach passenger." 
 
 When she had thus spoken the inward voice 
 continued — " La ! I hope mistress isn't going 
 to be mean now she 's got so much money ! 
 They say, that the more people have of it the 
 more they love it, and grudge every farthing. 
 I suppose that Mr. Yelloway, or whatever his 
 name is, has been putting some of his notions 
 in her head, as his man says he knows every- 
 thing that goes forward in his own house, and 
 turned away his last butler for not putting a 
 bottle of wine back into the cellar, which was
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 115 
 
 brought up when he had some gentlemen to 
 dinner, but not decanted ; and sometimes, when 
 he travels with his own horses, he goes into the 
 stable himself to see the ostler measure and 
 give them their corn, for fear he should be 
 cheated of two or three pen'orth." 
 
 '* I was not alluding to the charges at the 
 inn, Bond," said Lady Mary, not quite with 
 her usual mildness ; '* why should you put 
 such an unfavourable construction on my 
 words? You know that when I was poor I 
 never grudged any expense that I could afford; 
 1 only wish to avoid being made the subject of 
 general conversation and remark among people 
 whom the state of my affairs cannot in the 
 least degree concern, so long as they are paid 
 for the services which I require at their hands. 
 I know that you and William too must have 
 been talking a great deal about my property 
 last night, and perhaps it is better to let you
 
 116 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 know at once that the consequence of your do- 
 ing so was that I was insulted ; so pray be 
 more guarded for the future/"' 
 
 Poor Rachel's indignation knew no bounds at 
 the idea of her ladyship having been insuhed ; 
 she absolutely raved, and wanted to know who 
 the person could have been that dared to be 
 guilty of such an offence — when it was com- 
 mitted, and how, and what had been said or done. 
 As her mistress did not think fit to enlighten 
 her by stating these particulars, and requested 
 that the affair should never be again men- 
 tioned, she endeavoured to appear resigned, 
 and to content herself by crying and sobbing, 
 in her intervals of vituperation against the 
 unknown offender. Still, however, the internal 
 voice was constantly jabbering to Lady Mary, 
 accusing in rotation every person about the 
 house they had left, from the landlord and land- 
 lady to the post-boys and the boots; but at
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 117 
 
 length it settled upon old Mr. Yerraway, and 
 decided that he had followed her ladyship from 
 Bath for the express purpose, and vowed to be 
 revenged upon him, in some way, on the very 
 first opportunity. Lady Mary resolved to de- 
 stroy this prejudice immediately; and there- 
 fore, resuming her usual manner, told Rachel 
 that the old gentleman had been acquainted 
 with her uncle in India, and that she felt 
 greatly obliged to him for his friendly visit and 
 the interesting particulars with which he had 
 furnished her. This information, so far from 
 quieting the internal chattering, produced a 
 fresh series of strange conjectures ; to get rid of 
 which her ladyship thought proper to enter into 
 oral conversation upon different subjects, and 
 principally on those which related to the manner 
 in which it would be best for her to live till 
 she should meet with a residence to her mind. 
 On these topics she spoke to Rachel as a
 
 118 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 friend, and asked her opinion and advice, and 
 nothing could be more humble than her replies ; 
 but again the talismanic voice interfered, and 
 showed her ladyship a very unexpected feature 
 in the old handmaiden's character, for she had 
 no sooner said, '' Oh, certainly, my lady ;" or 
 " Your ladyship is perfectly right ;" or " Your 
 ladyship knows best,"" than the internal revealer 
 added, '' I don't think that will last long/' 
 " Well, well, try it ; but I shouldn't do so if 
 I was in her place." " I know better than 
 that ; but it's no use talking, for she will have 
 her own way.'' Now and then, to be sure, by 
 way of atonement for this self-contradiction, 
 there came an affectionate expression such as 
 " Bless her ! I hope her money will make her 
 happy !" But, in spite of these. Lady Mary 
 soon became weary and disgusted with what she 
 heard, and removed the talisman to her pocket, 
 where it remained till they arrived in London.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 119 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Mr. Merington had a long interview with 
 Lady Mary, on the morning after her arrival 
 in town, and the talisman was of course em- 
 ployed on an occasion of so much importance. 
 
 The voice was not now so incessantly chat- 
 tering as when with Rachel in the carriage, 
 and sometimes there were long intervals of 
 silence, during which her ladyship concluded 
 the worthy old gentleman to be engaged in co- 
 gitations unconnected with her affairs ; such of 
 his thoughts, however, as were revealed to her 
 were perfectly satisfactory.
 
 120 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 When she consigned to him the entire ma- 
 nagement of her pecuniary affairs, and he had 
 thanked her, and appeared much affected and 
 gratified by her confidence, the talismanic 
 words which followed were, " This is exactly 
 as I wished. My worthy friend's legacy will 
 enable me to give up my practice to my chil- 
 dren, and henceforth I shall employ myself 
 solely in watching over the interests of his 
 niece; it will just be sufficient occupation for 
 me now, and no task could be more delightful 
 to my old age than that of thus evincing my 
 respect to the memory of him who has fur- 
 nished me with the meanrs of spending my 
 latter days in ease and comfort. And my dear 
 boys, too ! they may now enjoy the fruits of 
 their industry, and look forward to " 
 
 Here the voice ceased, doubtless because the 
 old gentleman's thoughts wandered from her 
 ladyship's concerns to those of his own family
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 121 
 
 circle. It appeared evident, from much that 
 transpired, that though he had long followed 
 his profession, he had not thereby succeeded in 
 enriching himself; and Lady Mary understood 
 afterward that he went by the name of '* the 
 honest lawyer,'' a title seldom bestowed on 
 those who endeavour " to make the most of 
 everything" that falls into their hands. It 
 was delightful to find herself in possession of 
 so valuable a friend, and she resolved to con- 
 fide in him implicitly, and to ask his advice 
 on every subject connected with her future 
 arrangements. The first and most important 
 affair was the purchase of a house, and she 
 requested him to make inquiry for one that 
 would be proper for the establishment which 
 lie thought she ought to keep, as she should be 
 guided by his judgment. 
 
 Mr. Merington had anticipated this commis- 
 sion, and recommended a house in Cavendish 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 122 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 Square, the lease of which was to be sold, sub- 
 ject only to a small ground-rent, for ten thou- 
 sand pounds. " If your ladyship is at leisure," 
 he continued, '' I will accompany you to see it 
 immediately." 
 
 The proposal was accepted; and when they 
 had visited the mansion, both decided that it 
 was really, as set forth in the advertisement, 
 " a most desirable residence." Even Rachel, 
 who accompanied them as a matter of course, 
 professed herself perfectly contented with it, 
 and no contradictory voice arose to shake con- 
 fidence in her professions. 
 
 They then returned to the hotel wherein 
 Lady Mary had taken up her temporary resi- 
 dence, and a note was despatched requesting 
 the immediate attendance of the agent to whom 
 the sale was intrusted, Mr. Merington still 
 remaining with her ladyship as her man of 
 business.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 123 
 
 When the house and land agent made his 
 appearance the inward voice ejaculated, in a 
 stranu:e tone : *' One doesn't have a three hun- 
 dred thousand pounder to deal with every day. 
 She got it easy enough too, and ' easy come, 
 easy go,' they say, so I '11 try to make the 
 most of her." 
 
 Mr. Merington began the conversation, in a 
 business-like way, by stating, that a consider- 
 able sum must be laid out upon the house 
 before it would be fit to receive her ladyship ; 
 that one room Avanted papering, another paint- 
 ing, and so forth ; and, when all those things 
 were taken into consideration, expressed a wish 
 to be informed of the very lowest price. 
 
 " My instructions are, ten thousand gui- 
 neas," replied the agent, " but, to be candid 
 with you, I believe pounds will be taken, and 
 that is the very lowest farthing." 
 
 The talisman hereupon said : " We should 
 g2
 
 124 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 he very glad to get nine thousand. I offered it 
 to that West Indian merchant for eight thou- 
 sand five hundred guineas, fixtures and all, 
 last week, but he wouldn't bite, though I 'm 
 sure he '11 not meet a better bargain. I 'd buy 
 it myself at that, if I had the money, and run 
 the chance of letting it." 
 
 " Pray," asked Mr. Merington seriously, 
 *' are there any fixtures to be taken, and, if so, 
 what may be the probable amount ?" 
 
 " Oh yes, certainly ;" said the agent, " in a 
 mansion of that description there are always 
 some, of course, but they are all useful and 
 good, everything of the best ; and they won't 
 come heavy. I can't say exactly how much, 
 but at a rough guess I should suppose about 
 a couple of hundred pounds." 
 
 " I '11 take pretty good care to whip 'em for 
 her up to five hundred at least," added the 
 inward voice.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 125 
 
 Lady Mary sat for some time a silent audi- 
 tor of what was spoken and thought by both 
 parties. At length she perceived that the 
 volubility of the agent had wrought so power- 
 fully upon Mr. Merington that he was about 
 to recommend her to make an offer of nine 
 thousand five hundred, exclusive of fixtures: — 
 " No," said she to herself, " I will not suffer 
 the good old man to be mortified by my refusal 
 of his first advice, nor, in spite of the ' easy^ 
 manner in which I got my fortune, will I be 
 the dupe of this low fellow. It is better for 
 me to speak at once.*** 
 
 Accordingly, to the astonishment of both her 
 hearers, and more particularly of the agent, 
 whom she addressed, she said : " I Lave listen- 
 ed very attentively to all that has passed, and 
 have made up my mind to give you eight thou- 
 sand five hundred guineas, including the whole 
 of the fixtures. It is useless to enter into any
 
 126 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 discussion on the subject ; you have now my 
 decision and my offer, and if it be not very 
 speedily accepted, I think it more than proba- 
 ble that I shall be induced to retract it." 
 
 The agent stared, and declared it to be im- 
 possible that such a price could be taken, and 
 that he really could not, conscientiously, re- 
 commend his employer to make such a sacrifice. 
 
 The talismanic voice exclaimed — " That 
 West Indian must have been blabbing, or she 
 never would have hit upon the exact sum. 
 And yet they say she only came to town last 
 night, and nobody but this old gentleman has 
 been to see her. It won't do to let her slip, 
 though, for these big houses are not every- 
 body's price, so I '11 pretend to go and consult 
 my employer." 
 
 As this was Lady Mary's first triumph, she 
 enjoyed the thing exceedingly, not so much be- 
 cause she had saved a few hundreds, as that she
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 127 
 
 had been enabled to thwart what she consi- 
 dered a roguish scheme upon her purse, and, 
 in the height of her exultation, without calcu- 
 lating upon consequences, she resolved to hu- 
 miliate the offender to the very uttermost. 
 Accordingly, when he made his proposition of 
 retiring for the purpose of consulting with his 
 employer, she observed, that possibly she 
 might change her mind before his return, but 
 certainly she should not consider herself bound 
 to abide by her offer after he quitted the room. 
 The bewildered agent remonstrated and ap- 
 pealed to Mr. Merington, who knew not what 
 to say or think, but ventured to observe, that 
 it was customary for agents to consult with 
 their principals whenever any sort of offer was 
 made, unless their instructions were perfectly 
 definite. 
 
 " Just as the gentleman pleases,"" said Lady 
 Mary ; " but remember, that our sex claim
 
 128 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 the privilege of changing our minds, and cer- 
 tainly I shall not forego my right on the pre- 
 sent occasion.*" 
 
 The old lawyer observed her laughing eye 
 and merry mood with especial wonder, and the 
 voice of his thoughts said — " Really I cannot 
 perceive where the joke lies, but, if this be a 
 specimen of the manner in which she means to 
 consult me, and to be guided by my advice, I 
 shall have very little responsibility left on my 
 shoulders." 
 
 The agent now again addressed himself to 
 the old gentleman, calculating on his influence 
 with her ladyship. He represented how un- 
 reasonable it was to expect him to take such 
 responsibility upon himself, while at the same 
 time he hinted that offers had been so rare that 
 he did not feel liimself justified in giving a 
 positive refusal to any, and probably his em- 
 ployer might be induced to agree to " divide 
 the difference."
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 129 
 
 " I hear all that passes !" exclaimed Lady 
 Mary gaily, " so, to save time and useless talk- 
 ing, there is my watch;" (and she laid it on the 
 table ;) '' I will give you five minutes, and not 
 a second more. At the end of that time the 
 house will be mine or I shall look out for 
 another.'"' 
 
 The agent attempted to argue. 
 
 " No, no,"" said her ladyship, laughing, " not 
 a word unless it be directly to the point. ' To 
 be or not to be, that is the question.' Let me 
 have plain yes or no. I am perfectly aware, as 
 you were observing, that the house is a house, 
 and as for its recommendations and conve- 
 niences, and so forth, they are, doubtless, too 
 various to be enumerated at this present sit- 
 ting, more than half of which is already 
 expired." 
 
 " I will throw you in the fixtures for ten 
 thousand," said the agent. 
 g5
 
 130 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 Lady Mary smiled, shook her head, and 
 pointed at the watch. 
 
 " I cannot bear to refuse an offer when 
 money is so scarce,*" observed the agent ; " I 
 will endeavour to meet your ladyship if possi- 
 ble : — Let us say at once, we will divide the 
 difference." 
 
 Lady Mary repeated her movement of dis- 
 sent, and added : " Four minutes are past !" 
 
 " I perceive," continued the agent, " that 
 your ladyship has been made acquainted with 
 an offer we made some time since, but I assure 
 you, on my honour, the fixtures were not in- 
 cluded, only some trifling articles ; and the 
 value of first-rate houses has much increased 
 since. My employer, too, was then much in 
 want of money, whereas now the case is quite 
 different. However, as the offer was made I '11 
 take upon me to abide by it in your ladyship's 
 case, and you may depend on having the fix- 
 tures at a fair valuation^"
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 131 
 
 The former silent negative was the only 
 reply. The eyes of all three were fixed upon 
 the regular march of the second hand. Lady 
 Mary smiled triumphantly. Mr. Merington 
 looked somewhat like a countryman just come 
 to town, watching and waiting the instant when 
 the antique figures were wont to strike the bell 
 and the hour at old St. Dunstan's church in Fleet 
 Street. It was all beyond his comprehension. 
 The agent bit his lips and writhed in his chair, 
 as though it had been a trap closed upon him ; 
 but just as the minute was about to expire 
 he exclaimed, " I agree to your ladyship's 
 proposal !" 
 
 " And now, my dear sir," said Lady Mary, 
 turning towards Mr. Merington, " I leave the 
 rest of the affair entirely to you. Do not con- 
 sider this as a specimen of the manner in which 
 I mean to consult you and to be guided by 
 your advice ; I shall leave plenty of affairs on 
 your shoulders, depend upon it."
 
 132 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " My lady !" exclaimed the old man, staring 
 with surprise at this reference to his own 
 thoughts. Her ladyship immediately perceived 
 her mistake, and looked confused in her turn, 
 but soon recovered herself and observed — 
 
 " I certainly owe you some apology for thus 
 thrusting myself forward in this affair, and it 
 is very natural for me to fear that you may 
 suppose such to be my usual line of conduct ; 
 do not, however, imagine anything of the sort ; 
 but the fact is, I was tempted ; I felt an irre- 
 sistible inclination ; I could not withstand it." 
 
 Mr. Merington begged that she would not 
 conceive any apology necessary, and congratu- 
 lated her upon the able manner in which she 
 had concluded the transaction. But when he 
 ceased speaking, the inward voice continued : — 
 " It turned out very well as it happened, but 
 these ' irresistible inclinations' of taking the 
 cudgels into her own hands and striking bar-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 133 
 
 gains for thousands in five minutes, will never 
 do. When I saw her at Bath I thought she 
 was almost too humble, and had not sufficient 
 confidence in herself, but I certainly shall not 
 entertain any fears of that kind in future." 
 
 Soon after this the worthy old gentleman 
 took his leave, in order to inspect the title- 
 deeds, and make arrangements for completing 
 the purchase. 
 
 As soon as it was known that Lady Mary 
 was in possession of a house, she was beset by 
 shoals of tradespeople, all recommending them- 
 selves very strenuously, and some strongly re- 
 commended by others. Those whom she pa- 
 tronised were often as much surprised as gra- 
 tified with their success, for they were not 
 always the most dashing or fashionable in their 
 respective lines ; but, as they were selected 
 with the assistance of the talisman, it may be 
 conjectured that they were fair-dealing persons.
 
 134 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 The assurance of having directed her expen- 
 diture into channels where it would be bene- 
 ficial to worthy individuals, could not but be 
 gratifying to a heart like her ladyship's ; and 
 the communications of the inward voice some- 
 times afforded her considerable amusement, 
 when in the presence of those who dealt largely 
 in protestations and promises which were at 
 variance with their thoughts and intentions. 
 The mode, likewise, which she sometimes adopt- 
 ed of giving orders and bespeaking articles di- 
 verted her, while it astounded those whom she 
 employed. Instead of inquiring the cost, she 
 would state the exact price that she intended to 
 give, and that, of course, was always the lowest 
 sum which the tradesman had made up his mind 
 to take. 
 
 From these transactions she gained the cha- 
 racter of being exceedingly shrewd, and an 
 excellent judge of the value of goods, and
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 135 
 
 more than once heard the complimentary 
 thought, that " it was a pity she was a lady, 
 as she would have made a capital tradesman's 
 wife." There was one description of persons, 
 however, among whom she found it hard to 
 make a choice; these were the horse-dealers. 
 To say nothing of the coarse language used by 
 the talismanic voice when they were present, 
 there were such striking points of difference 
 between its revelations and the descriptions 
 orally given of the animals for sale, as to 
 render any kind of offer a perfect lottery. 
 Those which were " warranted steady in har- 
 ness" were either naturally dull and lazy, or 
 had " done their work," and were fairly worn 
 out. Then others had spavins, windgalls, 
 splints, thrushes, and divers more ailments and 
 blemishes, the nature of which Lady Mary un- 
 derstood not, but felt that they would not be 
 so studiously concealed unless of some import-
 
 136 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 ance. Still it was absolutely necessary to have 
 horses; and she had almost come to the de- 
 cision of laying aside the talisman and taking 
 her chance, like other people, when John Jen- 
 kins, her father's old coachman, applied for 
 admission into her service. 
 
 " You can't think how he is altered, my 
 lady," said Rachel, who brought the news of 
 her old beau's re-appearance ; " I 'm sure I 
 shouldn't have known him if I 'd met him in 
 the street. But that's the way with us all in 
 the course of years ; I dare say I 'm altered a 
 little myself, though I don't know it. He says 
 he should have known me ani/where, though." 
 
 The idea of hiring an old servant of her 
 father's was exceedingly gratifying to her lady- 
 ship, and she gave orders for his admittance 
 into her presence. What recollections she had 
 of him were those of her early youth, and they 
 depicted him as a large, portly-looking man,
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 137 
 
 dressed in a splendid livery, and sitting on his 
 exalted seat of office. Consequently, when a 
 thin, pale, elderly person, tightly buttoned up 
 to the chin in a brown great coat, entered the 
 room, she was much surprised. In reply to 
 her inquiries he stated, that he had seen a 
 great deal of trouble since he left Draxfort 
 Hall, and that latterly he had not been able to 
 get into any regular place, but was employed 
 occasionally by some of the London livery- 
 stable keepers who let out job-carriages and 
 horses. 
 
 The inward voice from the talisman added, 
 " I know that a good deal I Ve suffered was 
 my own fault. But I 'm sure no man can be 
 more steady than I Ve been lately ; ard if I 
 could but get into a good place like yours once 
 more, I 'd take precious good care to keep it — 
 they must be hard masters and mistresses that 
 I didn't try to please anyhow."
 
 138 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " You can have a character, I suppose, 
 Jenkins ?" asked Lady Mary. 
 
 " I can refer your ladyship to several of the 
 livery- stable keepers,"" replied the coachman ; 
 " but the last regular master that I lived with 
 is gone abroad with his regiment."" 
 
 Lady Mary observed, that stable-keepers 
 were not exactly the sort of persons she would 
 wish to be brought in contact with more than 
 was absolutely necessary ; and then added, " I 
 forget now, Jenkins how it was that you left 
 Draxfort." 
 
 " Why, my lady,"" replied he, " after your 
 father's death, your brother, the late Lord 
 Draxfort, changed a good many of the servants, 
 and I was one among the rest. The only rea- 
 son he gave me was, that he didn't mean to 
 keep two coachmen, and had got one of his 
 own, that he hired in town before he came to 
 the title." The talisman then added, " It
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 139 
 
 won't do to tell her the truth ; but I know he 
 turned me away for an old grudge he owed me 
 because I wouldn''t let hhn drive at night; and 
 if I had, why he'd have overturned the car- 
 riage with my lord and the ladies in it, and all 
 the blame would have been laid on me, and I 
 should have been turned off for that ; that 's 
 the way with us servants. There 's no knowing 
 what to do sometimes ; serving one master pro- 
 perly, one offends another." 
 
 " Are you a good judge of horses?" asked 
 her ladyship. 
 
 " Why, for the matter o' that, my lady," 
 replied Jenkins, " it 's a bold word for any 
 man to say that he's a good judge, but I 
 haven't had so much to do with 'em without 
 learning something, and I don't think they 'd 
 take me in very easily." 
 
 '' Well, my good man," said Lady Mary, 
 " at all events you must know more than I do
 
 of such dealings, and as I must have horses 
 before a coachman will be necessary, I think 
 the best way of renewing our acquaintance will 
 be for you to buy me a pair ; observe, I shall 
 trust entirely to your judgment, and I do not 
 mind the price, provided that they be worth 
 the money and perfectly steady." 
 
 The poor fellow returned thanks in his best 
 manner, and when he had finished the inward 
 voice continued. " God bless her ! why she 's 
 just as unsuspicious as when she was a child! 
 she 's something like a mistress ! Well, this is 
 3L Godsend ! I shall get a few guineas commis- 
 sion fairly by this job ; but 1 11 take care they 
 shaVt come out of her pocket. Then I shall 
 be able to buy linen and so on, to come de- 
 cently into place, instead of being obliged to 
 borrow a great coat to button myself up in, 
 that she mightn't see how shabby I am." 
 
 He was about to leave the room, when her
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 141 
 
 ladyship thought of Rachel, and said, *' Pray, 
 Jenkins, are you married ?" 
 
 " No, my lady," was the reply ; " but I 
 have been, the worse luck for me. My wife 
 was a milliner, and so when we married we set 
 up a shop with my savings, and she was to 
 mind it ; but somehow or other, I never could 
 tell how, things went all the wrong way. I 'm 
 afraid she didn't understand the business, or 
 wasn't careful enough : — but there— poor soul ! 
 she's dead and gone, and so one shouldn't 
 speak ill of them that can't speak to defend 
 themselves ; and she always stuck to it that it 
 was none of her fault." The talismanic voice 
 then began. *' If I was to say that I had been 
 arrested for the shop-debts and thrown into 
 prison, I suppose her ladyship, in spite of all 
 her goodness, would be just like all the rest of 
 the world, and have nothing more to do with 
 me. Let but a poor fellow once see the inside
 
 142 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 of a prison, no matter for what, and everybody 
 ever afterward sets him down for a rascal all 
 the rest of his life !" 
 
 " Have you any family ?"" asked Lady 
 Mary. 
 
 " Not now, my lady," he replied, mourn- 
 fully. And the voice added, " Poor Betsy ! 
 she was but a child ; but I think she died of a 
 broken heart — I never shall forget how she 
 looked when she came to see me in prison !'*'' 
 
 Her ladyship asked no more questions, and, 
 when left alone, congratulated herself upon the 
 power which the talisman had afforded her of 
 saving a poor fellow from sinking into the 
 dregs of society. " Certainly," said she, '^ were 
 it not for his thoughts, I should not feel justi- 
 fied in admitting him into my house upon the 
 recommendation of a stable-keeper of whom I 
 know nothing. And what the voice says re- 
 specting his being arrested is but too true.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 143 
 
 Had such a report reached me, I should not 
 have dared to hire him ; I should have been 
 afraid of having him under the same roof with 
 me. The circumstance of his having been in 
 prison alone would have appeared a blemish in 
 his character, and I should not have been at 
 the trouble of investigating particulars ; I 
 should have left him to his fate, and probably 
 engaged some one not half so worthy of my 
 confidence." 
 
 In due course poor Jenkins purchased the 
 horses and was installed in his place ; and the 
 whole of her ladyship's establishment was com- 
 pletely arranged ere the period of " deep mourn- 
 ing" for her uncle had fully passed. 
 
 In the mean while, though she kept herself 
 nominally secluded from the world, it had 
 been impossible to avoid the occasional intru- 
 sion of certain persevering individuals claiming 
 the privilege of old acquaintance. Many were
 
 144 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 their congratulations, and warm were their 
 expressions of friendly delight, at the brilliant 
 change in Lady Mary's prospects ; but, alas ! 
 whenever she happened to wear the talisman in 
 their presence, she was doomed to hear far 
 other things than those which were uttered. 
 Envy was often painfully prominent on these 
 occasions; and even when the voice admitted 
 candidly that riches could not have fallen into 
 better hands, it was ever with reference to some 
 anticipated self-gratification. One looked for- 
 ward to a series of invitations and gay parties ; 
 another resolved, if possible, to become her 
 ladyship's bosom friend and adviser, but not 
 without certain mean calculations on the con- 
 tingent and eventual advantages of such a post. 
 Some trusted that she would be useful in intro- 
 ducing their daughters into society, or hoped 
 she might " take a fancy" to one or more of 
 their children ; and there were not wanting 
 a few who indulged themselves in paltry spe-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 145 
 
 culations upon her ladyship's partiality for a 
 rubber. The possessor of the talisman, how- 
 ever, was not ill pleased with the generality of 
 these interviews, and promised herself much 
 amusement in thwarting the schemes so strange- 
 ly revealed to her. They served, moreover, as 
 practice, to familiarise her with contradictions, 
 such as she w^ould too probably meet when in 
 the presence of those concerning whose cha- 
 racters she felt a deeper interest. There were 
 several persons whom she longed to subject to 
 the ordeal. The first was her most intimate 
 and oldest female friend, Lady Derwent, then 
 in Scotland, where her husband, the general, 
 had a command. The second was her nephew 
 and natural heir. Lord Draxfort, who, she 
 understood, was at Melton Mowbray, for the 
 hunting-season. The third was, perhaps, Lord 
 Highfield ; and of others she thought occa- 
 sionally. 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Henry Alwyn was what is commonly 
 called " a tall, fine, dashing-looking fellow," 
 about thirty years of age. He had dashed 
 through a very handsome fortune with rapidity 
 and edat^ but still contrived to keep his groom, 
 his hunter, and his hack, and to mingle with 
 the world. How he managed to do so, was a 
 mystery to many, but not to all; and among 
 the number of those who were, to their cost, 
 made acquainted with his ways and means, was 
 Lord Draxfort. They were " very particular 
 friends," and were sitting together at breakfast 
 one morning, when Mr. Alwyn, holding the
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 147 
 
 newspaper in his hand, exclaimed, " You must 
 really go to London, my lord, to see this aunt 
 of yours — here's her name again V 
 
 " Eh ! what has she been at now ?" inquired 
 Lord Draxfort, yawning ; " giving away some 
 more flannels, I suppose. I 'd a great mind to 
 be very angry with her about the lot she sent 
 down to Draxfort for the parson to give to the 
 poor, when they don't want anything of the 
 sort. They're all very well off, and giving 
 things only makes them discontented ; whatever 
 you give once, they fancy they've a right to 
 always." 
 
 " Well, well — they can't compel you to give, 
 that 's some comfort," said Mr. Alwyn ; " but 
 it is quite a different matter with your aunt now. 
 Here are all the particulars of her dress at the 
 Duchess of Grinsdale's grand ball, and not a 
 word about flannel in the whole affair. They 
 call her ' the charming Lady Mary Deningford,' 
 h2
 
 148 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 too; that doesn't quite accord with your de- 
 scription of her/' 
 
 " Hang her ! I hate to think of her,'' said 
 his lordship. " Such a fortune as that to slip 
 through one's fingers ! How could I possibly 
 guess that the old miser in India was so rich ? 
 If I had, I should of course have shown him 
 some attention." 
 
 " Not a doubt of it," observed Mr. Alwyn ; 
 " and yet may it please your calculating lord- 
 ship to take notice, that your ' charming' aunt 
 is little less wealthy, although unhonoured by 
 your attention." 
 
 *' Didn't I send her a letter of congratula- 
 tion ?" asked Lord Draxfort, testily. 
 
 " Why yes, that's very true," replied his 
 friend; " but one visit is worth fifty letters. I 
 know that if I had the good luck to possess such 
 an aunt, I would make the most of her." 
 
 " Yes," said Lord Draxfort, " you would
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 149 
 
 borrow a few thousands of her, just to convince 
 
 her of your ability to get rid of them, and so 
 
 lose her confidence. No, no — I 'm in no hurry 
 
 to see her. I Ve never been in the habit of 
 
 visiting her before, and if I were suddenly to 
 
 begin now, she would naturally conclude that it 
 
 was on account of her money. She thinks of 
 
 nothing else just now ; but let the novelty wear 
 
 off. She will have had plenty of flatterers and 
 
 sycophants about her, to disgust her, in a short 
 
 time, and then she will like me the better for 
 
 not having made one of the number." 
 
 "But if;" said Mr. Alwyn — " ?/," and he 
 
 began singing, 
 
 " ' Across her, meanwhile, came a tall Irish beau, 
 Who, like me, in pocket was peery,' 
 
 you might then have no great reason to congra- 
 tulate yourself on being, as was said of a cer- 
 tain volunteer-corps, so * backward in coming 
 for ward. "* "
 
 150 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " My aunt is not a fool,'' observed his lord- 
 ship, with a half-sulky air. 
 
 " ' She is a woman, therefore may be wooed ; 
 She is a woman, therefore may be won,' " 
 
 replied Mr. Alwyn. 
 
 " Pish !" ejaculated Lord Draxfort, rising 
 from table. " Do you mean to give me my 
 revenge at billiards this morning ?" 
 
 " With all my heart," was the reply, and 
 they immediately adjourned to play. 
 
 The rain fell in torrents all the morning. 
 His lordship had experienced what he called a 
 run of ill luck on the preceding evening, and 
 was consequently a trifle more irritable than 
 usual. This mood, added to the very high 
 opinion he had of his own skill and science, led 
 to the usual result — he lost ; proposed a rubber 
 of five games for " double or quits :" won the 
 first — lost the second — won the third, got into 
 better spirits — ^lost the fourth by a single hazard
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 151 
 
 — made sure of the fifth, and lost it by what 
 he pronounced to be a mere piece of luck and 
 excessive bad play on the part of his adversary, 
 who instantly admitted the fact, and in his turn 
 proposed another rubber for " double or quits." 
 This terminated much in the same manner as 
 the first. " Luck "" was against his lordship ; 
 but the infatuation was upon him, and he con- 
 tinued to double the stakes, and find fault with 
 his antagonist's play, till in the end he found 
 himself minus eight hundred pounds. He then, 
 either by accident or design, broke his fa- 
 vourite cue, and declared that he had a great 
 mind to make a vow not to play again while he 
 remained at Melton. 
 
 About a week after this match at billiards 
 between the two friends. Lady Mary was at a 
 select party of some three or four hundred 
 persons, at the mansion of a fashionable dowager 
 duchess in Grosvenor Square. She had several
 
 152 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 times observed a remarkably elegant-looking 
 man fixing his eyes upon her in a very parti- 
 cular manner. Since her acquisition of riches, 
 such kind of notice from strangers had been so 
 common, that she seldom gave herself the 
 trouble of inquiring who they were; but on 
 the present occasion she was struck with the 
 perseverance and the stealthy manner with 
 which she was scrutinized by the person in 
 question, and regretted much that the talisman 
 was not at its post. 
 
 The reason why she had left it at home was 
 one of a very simple nature, and one that she 
 wondered she had not foreseen. The first time 
 she wore it in a large party, instead of giving 
 her any information, by speaking distinctly in 
 one voice, there arose a confusion of tongues, a 
 mingled chattering and buzzing of voices, most 
 of which were unknown to her ; and what was 
 uttered by those which she at intervals re-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 153 
 
 cognised was lost in the general clamour. If 
 was thus evident that its services would be va- 
 luable only in small circles, till the novelty of 
 her altered position in society should cease to 
 attract attention. 
 
 There are always so many persons ever anx- 
 ious to make themselves useful to the rich, 
 even on the most trifling occasions, that, a few 
 minutes after Lady Mary had inquired who the 
 stranger was, she learnt that his name was 
 Alwyn, and that he was the intimate friend of 
 her nephew Lord Draxfort. 
 
 " I should like to be introduced to him," 
 said her ladyship, with her usual frankness. 
 
 The hint was sufficient — the introduction 
 almost immediately took place, and the dehght- 
 ed Mr. Alwyn soon found himself engaged in 
 familiar conversation with the person whose 
 good opinion he wished to gain beyond that of 
 all others. 
 
 H 5
 
 154 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " My nephew is fond of hunting ?" asked 
 her ladyship. 
 
 The reply was in the affirmative. 
 
 " They tell me that you are his intimate 
 friend," said Lady Mary. " Perhaps you can 
 tell me whether we are likely to see him soon 
 in town .?" 
 
 " I have the honour of his lordship's ac- 
 quaintance," replied Mr. Alwyn ; " perhaps it 
 is saying too much to call myself his intimate 
 friend ; but I have certainly taken the liberty 
 of a friend in endeavouring to persuade him to 
 leave Melton." 
 
 This was spoken in a peculiar tone and man- 
 ner, which excited her ladyship's curiosity, and 
 she inquired if he had any particular reasons 
 for urging Lord Draxfort to leave Melton. 
 
 " I hardly know how to answer the question, 
 my lady," said Mr. Alwyn ; " perhaps I have 
 no absolute reasons^ but feeling for him that
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 155 
 
 interest which one friend cannot avoid feeling 
 towards another, I could have wished him to 
 come to town, or at least, not to remain where 
 he is." 
 
 " You must have some motive for such a 
 wish,"" said her ladyship. " Be candid with me." 
 
 " None worth mentioning, probably," an- 
 swered Mr. Alwyn. " If you knew me better, 
 my lady, you would not, perhaps, attach such 
 importance to my words. The fact is, that I 
 believe I am apt to entertain prejudices and 
 suspicions somewhat uncharitably, but I have 
 been myself, in earlier days, the dupe of pro- 
 fessed friends, and I would rather that his 
 lordship should profit by my experience than 
 by his own."' 
 
 " You interest and alarm me, sir," said Lady 
 Mary. " Remember, he is the principal per- 
 son of our — of my father's house, and there- 
 fore I must take a deep interest in all that con-
 
 156 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 cerns him ; so let me in treat you to be candid 
 with me/'' 
 
 " I would wish to be so," replied Mr. Al- 
 wyn, '' but — "" and he hesitated and looked 
 round expressively. 
 
 " I understand you," said Lady Mary. 
 " This is not, perhaps, exactly the fittest place 
 for confidential communications. Will you 
 favour me with a call to-morrow morning ? 
 Come early, that we may not be interrupted ; 
 the earlier the better, as I shall feel very anx- 
 ious till I see you again." 
 
 Here her ladyship was accosted by one of 
 those persons who would fain make the world 
 believe that they are always in a state of 
 ecstasy ; and as he expressed his delight at 
 seeing her look so well, and began eulogizing 
 the lady of the mansion and the elegance and 
 purity of taste displayed in the whole arrange- 
 ments of the evening, Mr. Alwyn withdrew,
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 157 
 
 observing respectfully, that he would not neg- 
 lect her ladyship'^s commands. 
 
 " You are acquainted with that gentleman ?"" 
 asked the intruder. 
 
 " Scarcely," replied Lady Mary ; " he has 
 just been introduced to me." 
 
 " I was delighted to see him here," observed 
 the ecstatic : " her Grace's patronage may be 
 of service to him. Oh ! she is all goodness 
 and amiability ! Such a heart ! What a blaze 
 of beauty we have here to-night ! Never have 
 I seen it equalled except at your ladyship's 
 select party ; I was in raptures there. What 
 a selection you made ! Not a person who 
 would not have attracted general attention else- 
 where ; yet all content, all happy — no preten- 
 sion — sans f agon ! Ah ! that was a delightful 
 night ! What charming sylphs those three 
 Miss Pinchbacks are ! the three Graces per- 
 sonified ! Do look, too, at Lady Squash ! the
 
 158 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 very picture of happiness ! It does one good 
 to look at her." 
 
 As her would-be entertainer continued to 
 utter similar nothings. Lady Mary caught a 
 glimpse of Mr. Alwyn, in apparently earnest 
 conversation with Lord Highfield, whom she 
 had not before seen during the winter, and of 
 whose arrival in town she was not aware. At 
 the sight of him she again regretted the ab- 
 sence of her talisman, and then fell into a series 
 of youthful recollections, such as have already 
 been hinted at. His lordship looked pale, and 
 an air of melancholy overspread those features 
 which formerly were wont to glow with health 
 and vivacity. The expression of his counte- 
 nance, too, she fancied was entirely altered ; 
 the arched brow had declined into a half-frown; 
 there was an uneasy quickness in the glancing 
 of his eyes, and in his movements, that she had 
 never before observed; the change was, alto-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 159 
 
 gether, one which gave her great pain to wit- 
 ness. When Mr. Alwyn left him, he remained 
 for a considerable time alone, with his back 
 against the wall, his arms folded, and as though 
 lost in thought ; then his eyes would run scowl- 
 ingly over the gay throng moving before him, 
 and once they seemed fixed on Lady Mary : 
 they met hers, but it seemed that he did not 
 notice the circumstance ; he gave no token of 
 recognition, and shortly afterward withdrew. 
 
 Her ladyship was roused from her reverie 
 by a voice close to her ear. It was that of Mr. 
 Alwyn, who, leaning over the back of her chair, 
 said, in a low tone, " My lady, excuse this 
 apparent familiarity ; but I cannot endure the 
 idea of suffering you to remain in unnecessary 
 suspense and anxiety. I have now no reason 
 for wishing Lord Draxfort to leave Melton : 
 on the contrary, it is better that he should not 
 come to town just at present."
 
 160 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " You will tell rae why to-morrow morn- 
 ing?'' asked Lady Mary. 
 
 " I shall be proud to obey your ladyship's 
 commands in every particular," replied Mr. 
 Alwyn ; and without adding more, he moved 
 on, and was soon lost amid the crowd. 
 
 ■ Lady Mary returned home in low spirits, 
 and exceedingly perplexed. Her prepossession 
 in favour of Mr. Alwyn was such as, with all 
 her native goodness of heart, she had seldom 
 felt towards any one upon so short an acquaint- 
 ance. The interest which he had displayed in 
 the welfare of her nephew augured an innate 
 benevolence of disposition, and he was evi- 
 dently intimate with Lord Highfield. These 
 were strong recommendations ; but there was 
 another, the force of which Lady Mary did not 
 probably notice at the moment. His manners 
 were highly polished and respectful, without a 
 tint of affectation or foppery, and, with the
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 161 
 
 advantages of a remarkably fine countenance 
 and person, seldom failed to win for him the 
 good opinion of those upon whom he had any 
 design. His last brief communication wrought 
 upon her ladyship's mind precisely as he had 
 intended : instead of rendering her less anx- 
 ious, it led her to guess at what could have 
 caused his sudden change of opinion ; and when 
 she recollected his conversation with Lord 
 Highfield, and that nobleman's singular con- 
 duct afterward, she found herself embarrassed 
 with many painful surmises. Mr. Alwyn's 
 allusion to his own experience, seemed to indi- 
 cate that her nephew was exposed to the allure- 
 ments of gambling ; and it had been reported 
 to her that Lord Highfield was not unfre- 
 quently in the habit of indulging himself in 
 the practice of that fascinating and debasing 
 vice. Could it be possible that he should 
 have plunged into it so deeply as that his
 
 162 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 once frank and manly mind could plot the 
 ruin of another ? She was determined not to 
 admit the doubt, but, in spite of all her efforts, 
 was unable to dismiss it entirely, for he had 
 entered upon the downward career — he was, 
 perhaps at that moment, treading the infatu- 
 ating path of destruction. Alas ! if such were 
 his habits, it was no marvel that poor Lady 
 Highfield wept when she was alone. 
 
 After passing an uneasy night. Lady Mar}-^ 
 arose in the morning, and, arming herself with 
 the talisman, waited impatiently the arrival of 
 her new acquaintance. When he made his 
 appearance, there was a natural glow of plea- 
 sure on her countenance ; but scarcely had he 
 taken a seat ere she found it difficult indeed to 
 conceal her emotion, for the inward voice ex- 
 claimed, in a tone of triumphant self-congratu- 
 lation — " This is a devilish deal better than if 
 Draxfort had introduced me in a cold, formal
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 163 
 
 manner, as he would have done — ay, and 
 watched me pretty closely afterward, too. 
 Here we are, t^te-a-tete, at once. Her looks 
 tell that first impressions are in my favour at 
 any rate ; so, master Davy, be upon the alert, 
 and strike the iron while it is hot. Hallo ! 
 what means that change of countenance ? Oh ! 
 I see : she is afraid she has shown her plea- 
 sure at seeing me too plainly. Maiden fears — 
 that 's all. Modesty, delicacy, and all that 
 infernal stuff! Don't be afraid, my lady, 
 1 11 not shock anything of the kind — not just 
 at present, at least — can't answer for what 
 may happen afterwards, though. What in the 
 world is she thinking of, looking in the fire in 
 that strange manner? — all in a tremor, too! 
 If I was a novice, or she a widow, I should 
 think she expected a declaration slap- dash. 
 But no, that's not it — some odd whim I can't 
 guess at now ; but we shall know each other
 
 164 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 better soon, and her whims and fancies must be 
 odd indeed if I can't fall in with them/' 
 
 These thoughts were yet passing in his mind 
 while he addressed her ladyship in the most 
 respectful manner, and expressed his regret at 
 having let fall anything which might have 
 made her uneasy on her nephew's account, 
 when in reality there existed not the smallest 
 cause for anxiety. 
 
 " Be candid with me on that subject," said 
 Lady Mary, somewhat recovered from her dis- 
 agreeable susprise ; " it is better that I should 
 be needlessly alarmed than plunged into a false 
 security. You must have had some ground 
 for what you said last night, as well as for your 
 immediate change of opinion." 
 
 " Nothing more than to get a footing in 
 your good graces," observed the talismanic 
 voice ; " the appearance of warm and disin- 
 terested friendship tells well with you ladies."
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 165 
 
 At the same time Mr. Alwyn replied, " I 
 will be perfectly frank, my lady. There was a 
 person at Melton in whose society Lord Drax- 
 fort took great pleasure, and with whom, dur- 
 ing the long dull evenings, and on frosty and 
 rainy days, he sometimes was led to play rather 
 higher than his best friends could wish. I ara 
 happy to say that the individual I allude to 
 has left Melton and is now in London.**' 
 
 " Little does she think,'' added the inward 
 voice, " that the character described is now be- 
 fore her ; but I hppe her suspicions will fall on 
 Highfield, and so neutralize anything that his 
 white-livered lordship may venture to hint to 
 her respecting me. I understand they were 
 old acquaintances, if not something more ; but 
 let him take heed how he crosses my path here, 
 
 or " Here the talismanic communication 
 
 broke off abruptly, as the thoughts which fol- 
 lowed did not, perhaps, immediately concern her 
 ladyship.
 
 166 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " I ought to regret having so prematurely 
 expressed my fears," continued Mr. Alwyn. 
 " I entreat you to pardon me for having 
 caused you a moment of unnecessary anxiety ; 
 but I really cannot be such a hypocrite as to 
 affirm that it is in my power to regret a cir- 
 cumstance which has procured for me the ho- 
 nour of your ladyship's acquaintance, and, I 
 flatter myself, likewise some small degree of 
 confidence ; believe me, it will not be misplaced. 
 I am some few years older, and have seen more 
 of the world and of mankind, than my friend 
 Lord Draxfort, who has many good points 
 about him, but wants experience. The interest 
 I feel in all that concerns him is excessive, 
 and more than once I have had the gratification 
 of frustrating some deep-laid schemes planned 
 against him."*' 
 
 Here the voice observed, " Decoying the 
 pigeon from other persons'* nets to catch
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 167 
 
 him in my own — that ought to tell. But 
 what a face of stone the woman has ! — not a 
 muscle moves ! not a sign of approbation ! why 
 she seems to have no heart — no feelings — a 
 perfect statue! Thinking about her money 
 and the price of stocks, I suppose — egad, I 
 shall have a tough job of it ! Let us try a 
 little flattery." 
 
 " Your ladyship," continued ' Mr. Alwyn, 
 " will easily conceive the pleasure that I ex- 
 perienced on such occasions ; it was excessive, 
 and I fancied could scarcely be surpassed in 
 the career of friendship. But I was mistaken ; 
 that which I felt last night and still feel this 
 morning is infinitely superior. The kind, 
 amiable, and deep interest which you take 
 in his welfare makes it appear to me as though 
 a new sun had arisen above the horizon of my 
 friend's prospects — as though a guardian angel 
 were commissioned to watch over his path.
 
 168 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 Enviable indeed is his lot ! I sincerely hope he 
 may in every respect prove worthy of it." 
 
 The talisman added, "If she has a spice of 
 womankind in her composition, that ought to 
 move her." 
 
 Lady Mary smiled faintly, and then, after a 
 brief silence, said abruptly, " You are ac- 
 quainted with Lord Highfield, sir. You have 
 professed that you would be candid with me, 
 and I mean to put you to the proof. Men have 
 opportunities of knowing each other's characters 
 and habits which we have not : I ask you in 
 confidence, as the friend of my nephew, whether 
 you know any reason why he should not be in- 
 timate with Lord Highfield ?" 
 
 " It is a very delicate question to decide 
 upon, my lady," said Mr. Alwyn, " and after 
 ail it can be but a matter of personal opinion ; 
 I hardly think myself qualified to judge. Your 
 ladyship may recollect, perhaps, what I said
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 169 
 
 last night of my aptitude to frequently suspect 
 without just cause, in consequence of my having 
 been deceived by those in whom I placed im- 
 plicit trust." 
 
 Here the talisman exclaimed, " Come, this 
 is better ! confidential, eh ? Lord Highfield, 
 eh? — curse the fellow ! I thought I had my 
 revenge already for what he won of me ; but 
 here is another opportunity! — I must fight 
 shy at first, though, or it won't strike deep." 
 
 According to this resolution, Mr. Alwyn for 
 some time parried her ladyship's question ; but 
 was at length induced to declare, with much 
 seeming reluctance, that Lord Highfield was 
 one among the number of those to whom he 
 had lost considerable sums. " You will thus 
 perceive," he continued, " that I am singularly 
 and awkwardly placed when called upon to 
 give an opinion of his lordship. I have no 
 right to say that there was anything unfair in 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 170 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 the transaction to which I allude ; but it is im- 
 possible for me to divest myself entirely of a 
 certain feeling approaching to dislike against 
 all who were concerned in causing th^ embar- 
 rassments which I for many years experienced. 
 It is uncharitable, I know, and I strive to get 
 the better of it ; I forgive them with all my 
 heart. The simple fact is, that I was young, 
 rich, conceited, and thoughtless, and fell, as 
 thousands mightier have fallen under the same 
 circumstances. Perhaps, after all, if I were 
 capable of judging my own case impartially, I 
 should find that my losses were more owing to 
 my own petulance and impetuosity than to the 
 schemes of others." 
 
 The talisman added, " They like open and 
 candid confessions generally. But what a wo- 
 man it is ! I seem to make no more impression 
 upon her than if I was preaching a sermon ! 
 I thought too, last night, that she seemed to
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 171 
 
 have some feeling, and this morning, when 
 I first came, there was no doubting the ex- 
 pression of her countenance. This stoicism 
 must be assumed; and yet not a glance — not 
 a smile indicative of satisfaction! — on the 
 contrary, every now and then a pouting of the 
 lip and a sinking of the brow, as though I had 
 said something offensive. She's a confoundedly 
 capricious, ill-tempered jade, I expect; but 
 she's well worth a little trouble and study — 
 a tete-a-tete with upwards of two hundred thou- 
 sand pounds is no every-day affair." 
 
 "I am perfectly satisfied with what you 
 have thought fit to tell me," said Lady Mary ; 
 " I shall ask no more questions concerning 
 Lord Highfield. But, as it is now some years 
 since I last saw my nephew, perhaps you will 
 favour me with some general particulars of his 
 character." 
 
 The talisman instantly exclaimed, ^' Your 
 l2
 
 172 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 
 
 ladyship has an ignorant, conceited, pig-headed 
 fool for your heir, and I had almost as soon 
 wish that you would pop off and leave him 
 your fortune as take me for better or worse ; 
 for hang me if I don't think it would be easier 
 to fleece him out of it than to unriddle your 
 character." 
 
 " It is difficult, my lady," replied Mr. Al- 
 wyn, " very difficult to say what one thinks of 
 a friend in a few words; but I have no doubt 
 Lord Draxfort will become a very shining cha- 
 racter. He is extremely well informed on many 
 subjects, but his natural modesty prevents him 
 from shining so much in society as his intimate 
 friends might expect. With them, at least 
 with myself, he is all ease, openness, and can- 
 dour, though, perhaps, a little too diffident of 
 the correctness of his own opinions and the 
 strength of his judgment. His habits are pre- 
 cisely such as your ladyship must approve ; he
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 173 
 
 seldom — I may say never follows any pleasure 
 or pursuit to excess, yet enjoys them all."' 
 
 " I will tell you plainly, sir, what I most 
 dread," said I.ady Mary. " For a young man 
 of his rank in life, the greatest danger is to be 
 apprehended from a propensity to gambling, 
 or what is commonly called play. Have you 
 observed anything of the sort in him ? is he 
 fond of any particular games ?" 
 
 *' No, my lady," replied Mr. Alvvyn, '' cer- 
 tainly he is not fond of any in the sense in 
 which you put the question. He sometimes 
 joins in a quiet rubber among friends ; but I 
 don't recollect ever to have heard him bet 
 higher than a guinea, except with the person 
 to whom I before alluded. I think he seems 
 to enjoy a game at billiards, and now and then 
 I have spent an hour or two with him in that 
 way, merely for the sake of exercise ; what we 
 play for can hurt neither of us, though really
 
 174 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 we are so equally matched, that if we played 
 for thousands it would make little difference at 
 the end of the season .'"' 
 
 The talismanic voice, in the meanwhile, 
 said, " Her inquisitive ladyship would be 
 considerably shocked if she knew that her 
 booby had fitted me out for this expedition, 
 tilbury and all, and pretty nearly cleared my 
 hunting expenses. There's no danger of his 
 telling her what I won of him when we were 
 alone, for the conceited fool still thinks him- 
 self the best player, and I always let him get a 
 few games in public. He '11 boast to her of his 
 winnings, very likely, as usual, but his pride 
 will keep the rest in the back-ground. But 
 what an extraordinary being she is ! — hang 
 me if she doesn't look like a fury ! Of all the 
 capricious vixens I ever saw, she is the most 
 incomprehensible ; here have I been more than 
 half an hour, trying flattery and playing the
 
 175 
 
 amiable, without obtaining a single decently 
 encouraging look. I see there ''11 be no living 
 with her, that 's plain enough. All the better 
 — this house is large enough for two. Egad, 
 there ""s a smile at last !" 
 
 Here Mr. Alwyn said : " Your ladyship 
 smiles at the idea of our playing for thousands, 
 and neither winning nor losing ; certainly, it is 
 a superlatively ridiculous way of elucidating a 
 point, but really, though I am older, and con- 
 sequently have had more experience and prac- 
 tice in the game than Lord Draxfort, and even 
 used to consider myself a good player, his eye 
 and his judgment are so correct, that I am 
 obliged to exert myself to the very uttermost." 
 
 Lady Mary found it extremely difficult to 
 refrain from expressing her indignation ; but a 
 little reflection told her that it would be more 
 politic to let him believe that she was his dupe, 
 as an immediate breach might deprive her of
 
 176 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 future opportunities of serving her nephew. 
 Accordingly, with as much complacency as she 
 could possibly assume, she said — 
 
 " Your account, sir, of his lordship is such 
 that I feel very anxious to see him. Did he 
 talk of coming to town ?'' 
 
 " Egad !" exclaimed the talisman, " that will 
 do ! He"'s very nearly cleaned out just now, I 
 know, and if I can persuade aunty to send him 
 some money, it will be devilish convenient, as I 
 foresee a long siege, and it won't do for me to 
 frequent the clubs, or she'll hear of it. Simon 
 Pure is the part I must play, and in London 
 it is easy enough to find some corner to give 
 young numbskull his revenge, as he calls it, 
 snugly by ourselves." 
 
 The thinker, while this was passing in his 
 mind, replied : " My lady, I have, in all that 
 has been said, spoken without the least reserve. 
 The kind interest which you take in verything
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 177 
 
 that concerns my young friend does you ho- 
 nour, and I must candidly say, the effect it has 
 had on me is such that I know not how to con- 
 ceal anything from you. I have reason to be- 
 lieve that his lordship's absence from town is 
 not so much a matter of choice as of prudence, 
 excessively praiseworthy at his time of life. I 
 know that his tenantry have been somewhat 
 backward in paying their rents, and that during 
 the last year he was obliged to incur very con- 
 siderable expense in building and necessary 
 repairs. I need not tell your ladyship that a 
 winter in town for a person of his rank, is not 
 exactly an affair compatible with strict econo- 
 my. This, your ladyship will observe, is com- 
 municated to you most confidentially, for he 
 has never told me, nor even hinted, that such 
 were his reasons for remaining at Melton with 
 a small establishment ; I gather it only from 
 what I may call ' circumstantial evidence,' and 
 15
 
 178 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 the reports of some gentlemen residing in his 
 neighbourhood. My principal reason for men- 
 tioning it now is, that you may justly appre- 
 ciate the cause of his absence at a time when it 
 might possibly appear scarcely consistent with 
 the respect which he owes, and which, I am 
 persuaded, he feels towards your ladyship." 
 
 " It wonH do to go any farther,"* added the 
 talisman, " or she '11 begin to fancy he has been 
 gambling. She looks deuced suspicious al- 
 ready. Plague take her ! she 's the queerest 
 animal I ever set about pleasing in the whole 
 course of my life. They told me she was call- 
 ed ' the merry old maid." Merry indeed ! 
 There ! that 's the second thing like a smile 
 that I Ve seen about her this morning, and 
 ■why it 's there now the Lord knows. I 'm half 
 inclined to think she 's a fool, and yet she 
 talked sensibly enough last night ; perhaps 
 she 's one of those ' maids who love the moon,' 
 and whose
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 179 
 
 ' heart and looks 
 
 At noon are cold as winter brooks/ 
 
 She is in no melting mood now, that is certain. 
 Well, she is not the first whose confidence I 
 have been obliged to win by degrees, and it is 
 something to have got upon a footing of fami- 
 liarity in so short a time." 
 
 What has been related formed but a very 
 small part of the communications rapidly deli- 
 vered by the talisman to Lady Mary. There 
 were rough sketches of various embryo schemes 
 to be carried into execution with the assistance 
 of her fortune; and even the room in which 
 they were sitting was mentally appropriated to 
 certain nocturnal orgies, connected with plans 
 for the ruin of individuals, whose names, to her 
 regret, were not pronounced. All was base, 
 sordid, unfeeling, and selfish. It was the first 
 time that the heart of a gamester had been 
 opened to her ; and as she looked at her visiter, 
 and beheld his fine, manly countenance, and
 
 180 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 witnessed the warmth and apparent sincerity 
 with which he spoke of his friend, while the 
 inward voice ever arose, giving the lie to every 
 word, her heart sickened within her. At 
 length her emotion became so evident that Mr. 
 Alwyn expressed his fears that her ladyship 
 was unwell. As it would spare her the humi- 
 liation of a formal and friendly leave-taking, 
 she instantly availed herself of the plea, and 
 acknowledged that she was suffering. He ex- 
 pressed his concern with almost a lover's depth 
 of feeling. Rachel was summoned, and on her 
 appearance he respectfully withdrew, blaming 
 himself for not having observed her lad}? ship's 
 indisposition, and fearing that he might have 
 caused it by inadvertently drawing her into a 
 long conversation. Such was the tenor of the 
 words he uttered ; but the last given by the 
 talisman, as he left the room, were : " 111 
 health ! I didn't know that before : another 
 recommendation !"
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 15.1 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Lady Mary was one morning visiting an 
 acquaintance in Piccadilly, when Lord High- 
 field was announced. She was sitting with 
 several other ladies looking over some new pur- 
 chases of drawings and prints, which were 
 spread upon the table before them. Since she 
 had observed his conversation with Mr. Alwvn, 
 and his singular bearing afterward, more than 
 a week had elapsed, during which she fre- 
 quently felt surprised, and perhaps a little 
 mortified, that he had not favoured her with a 
 call, as, whether he had observed her or not,
 
 185 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 her being in town could not possibly be un- 
 known to him. On the present occasion the 
 drawing-room was large, the company present 
 were divided into several small parties, and he 
 entered at the end of the room farthest from 
 that in which she was engaged. The talisman 
 was at its post, but she listened in vain to catch 
 the tones of his voice. It was evident that he 
 was not thinking of her. But the titled and 
 wealthy heiress was not a person to be allowed 
 to remain in the back-ground, as she might 
 have done formerly, and the lady of the man- 
 sion acquainted his lordship that she was pre- 
 sent. The talisman instantly exclaimed — 
 
 '^ If I had known she was here, I certainly 
 would not have come up stairs, but now there 
 is no escape ; I 7nust speak to her." 
 
 These ungracious words were uttered in a 
 tone which rendered them less offensive than 
 perplexing. It seemed as though the speaker
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 183 
 
 was suffering. The oral reply which he made 
 to the lady of the house was inaudible ; but in 
 a few minutes he left her and moved towards 
 the table, where Lady Mary appeared to be so 
 entirely lost in contemplating a beautiful en- 
 graving as not to observe his approach ; she 
 was in truth listening to the words of her talis- 
 man, and felt grateful that she had some excuse 
 for not looking up till she should be able to 
 stifle her emotion. The tones were now plain- 
 tive ; a sigh first arose, and then the voice 
 continued : — 
 
 " How little has time changed her ! Oh, 
 how happy we might have been ! She is the 
 only woman I ever really loved ! But, money 
 — money — the cursed infatuation and desire 
 for riches, led me to shun the only path that 
 would have conducted me to real happiness ! 
 And what has been the result ? I have been 
 the prey of " Here there was a pause for
 
 184 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 a few seconds, after which the voice continued, 
 with occasional interruptions : — " A large for- 
 tune too, for the sake of which I sacrificed the 
 fondest dreams, the cherished v,ishes of youth, 
 would not have been wanting ; and it would 
 have come at a period of life when we had 
 learned to use it properly. Dare I say so 
 much of myself, being what I am ? Yes ; had 
 she been mine, my companion, my friend, 
 my guide, my counsellor, far, far differently 
 would my days have been spent ; our children 
 perhaps by this time — Ah ! that thought is in- 
 supportable. I should not now be driven from 
 my own house to seek pleasure ; — pleasure, 
 
 indeed ! is that the name for . Ah ! with 
 
 her — with her our fireside might now, indeed, 
 have been a terrestrial paradise i'"* 
 
 Here the thinker, as if unwilling to interrupt 
 the amusement of the ladies, took up a highly- 
 finished engraving of the Garden of Eden.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 185 
 
 The voice again arose, " Little does she think 
 how I have been punished ! Her mind has 
 retained all its native purity ; she finds enjoy- 
 ment in all that passes before her, vphile I, the 
 
 prey of She would not have received me 
 
 with upbraidings ; no, no, she would have had 
 no cause — bound by the ties of affection, in- 
 stead of the icy bonds of interest, I could not 
 then have erred. But the door opens, some 
 one is coming ; I must not be seen so near her. 
 Base, miserable slave that I am, to be thus 
 reduced, watched, suspected, while my heart 
 yearns towards her to render her service !" 
 
 " Lord Highfield lost in contemplating the 
 Garden of Eden !" exclaimed one of the ladies. 
 "" Well, for my part, I confess I never could 
 envy either of those two poor solitary beings, 
 picking fruit off trees, and living in an eternal 
 ttte-a-ttte for I don't know how many hun- 
 dred years. Darby and Joan, in the country,
 
 186 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 now-a-days, are far better off, for they do go to 
 market sometimes, and now and then see a 
 neighbour. It must have been very triste ; 
 but I suppose they got up lovers' quarrels 
 occasionally, by way of variety. How the 
 ancient couple would stare if they could be 
 brought to London, and taken to the Opera or 
 Almack's ! how delightful it would be to see 
 their surprise !" 
 
 " I fear they would scarcely recognise their 
 descendants," observed Lord Highfield, in an- 
 swer to this ridiculous speech. And then, 
 turning to Lady Mary, who felt obliged to 
 look up at the mention of his name, he ex- 
 pressed, in a very common-place way, the plea- 
 sure he had in seeing her in good health and 
 looking so well. The talisman added, " I dare 
 not show any extraordinary interest ; she may 
 think me heartless, forgetful, envious perhaps 
 — it must be so, at least for the present."
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 187 
 
 " I imagined you had forgotten an old ac- 
 quaintance," said Lady Mary, with assumed 
 gaiety ; " I do not recollect seeing your lord- 
 ship's card since I came to town." 
 
 Lord Highfield said something of his being 
 in London merely for a few days, on his way 
 into Devonshire, and that he had been unex- 
 pectedly detained on business. " Business," 
 added the talisman, " which, I trust, she little 
 guesses the nature of. But I must be gone; 
 the risk of remaining in conversation with her 
 is too great; the next moment may be the 
 crisis." Here his lordship pleaded an engage- 
 ment with his lawyer, and took leave somewhat 
 abruptly. 
 
 About ten minutes after his departure, as 
 Lady Mary sate ostensibly occupied with the 
 drawings and prints, but in reality musing on 
 what had been revealed to her, she was roused 
 by the talismanic voice adopting that of Mr. 
 Alwyn.
 
 188 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " Ah ! there she sits ! I saw it in his coun- 
 tenance as he walked past and affected not to 
 see me. The paltry scoundrel would not come 
 in his carriage, lest it should be seen at the 
 door ; and he promised not to call upon her 
 forsooth, but he can seek her elsewhere. This 
 is the secret of her not being at home day after 
 day when I have called ; but I will make sure 
 that he has spoken to her, and then " 
 
 Since her memorable interview with the 
 thinker, Lady Mary had several times been 
 in society where he was present, and on each 
 occasion she had endeavoured to conduct her- 
 self towards him as much as possible in her 
 wonted manner with other indifferent acquaint- 
 ances. She had even, though with some repug- 
 nance, gone so far as to express regret that she 
 happened to be out when he called ; but of 
 course had never again invited him to a parti- 
 cular and friendly conference. The talisman
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 189 
 
 told her that this conduct on her part had 
 excited a suspicion in the mind of the gambler 
 that some one had been representing his cha- 
 racter to her in its true colours ; but when it 
 came to the names of the parties suspected, 
 the voice had always stopped without pro- 
 nouncing them. It now, however, appeared 
 clearly that Lord Highfield was one of those 
 persons, and what had just passed in his breast 
 showed that he was aware of it, but why or 
 what he had to fear on that account remained 
 a secret ; and Lady Mary, like other possessors 
 of extraordinary power, felt dissatisfied with 
 it because it was not more extensive. 
 
 Mr. Alwyn very soon joined the group in 
 which she was ; he appeared to be in exces- 
 sively high spirits, and created general mirth 
 by his whimsical remarks on the various objects 
 which covered the table. The ease and levity 
 of his manners contrasted strongly with the
 
 190 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 words of the talisman, which spake at intervals 
 in the deep tone assumed by assassins and con- 
 spirators on the stage. " I will pay her no 
 particular attention ; let us see if neglect will 
 not pique her. She's as dull as usual — hang 
 her ! she 's a riddle. Everybody says she 
 used to be merry before her change of for- 
 tune; such, then, must be her natural dispo- 
 sition. Yet here she sits, in the midst of a 
 laughing circle, as dull as if hunted by duns ; 
 
 it must either be affectation or Let us see 
 
 what effect the sudden mention of a certain 
 name will have upon her; if the fellow has 
 been blabbing to her about me, it will tell." 
 
 Here Mr. Alwyn took up a landscape and 
 exclaimed, " That is Lord Highfield's place in 
 Nottinghamshire !" 
 
 " No," replied a lady ; " that is a view 
 taken in Derbyshire." 
 
 " The resemblance cannot be very strong,"
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 191 
 
 observed her neighbour ; " if it had, it must 
 have struck his lordship, who was here only a 
 few minutes since.'" 
 
 " Perhaps he didn't notice it," said Mr. 
 Alwyn, carelessly ; " indeed, I wonder how he 
 could find time this morning to look at any- 
 thing so frivolous as drawings of any kind, for 
 when I passed him just now in the street, he 
 was hurrying along, with a business-like face, 
 as if he had all the cares of the world upon 
 him, or like a tailor going to take measure of a 
 new customer." 
 
 " Or like an old customer getting out of the 
 tailor's way," added Lady Mary, laughing, but 
 scarcely looking up, for the talisman told her 
 that she was closely watched. 
 
 " Yes," said the lady who had so kindly 
 commiserated the situation of our first parents, 
 " his lordship seemed in great haste, really too 
 much so to be very remarkably amiable. I
 
 192 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 believe the Garden of Eden and Lady Mary 
 occupied the whole of his attention while he 
 was here." 
 
 '* Lady Mary and the Garden of Eden !" 
 murmured the inward voice, in a tone that 
 made her ladyship shudder: " Aha ! my lady," 
 it continued, " I Ve caught your secret at last ! 
 You stood the first mention of his name pretty 
 well, too ; but that change of countenance and 
 the tremor of that hand speak too plainly. 
 What! a married man? — This is your deli- 
 cate, refined morality ! your anxiety about 
 your nephew — your natural heir, as you styled 
 him! — No, no, that smile and affected indif- 
 ference come too late. This discovery may be 
 worth something : if I can but gain her hand, 
 what care I about her heart or her person 
 either ? Really it v;ould be a most convenient 
 match for both parties; no jealousy — different 
 tastes — Newmarket and Eden, ha ! ha !"
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 193 
 
 Even while these thoughts were passing in 
 his mind, Mr. Alwyn replied, " It must be 
 confessed that his lordship's choice of subjects 
 for admiration is most exquisite; the Garden 
 of Eden, with such an Eve as her ladyship, or 
 any one of the present company, must indeed 
 have been a delightful place. Do let me look 
 at it ! yes, there they are, just visible in their 
 sequestered bower, surrounded by a whole 
 menagerie of very grim-looking, but doubtless 
 very amiable quadrupeds, et csetera. I suppose 
 that stiff little nag is Adam's favourite hack, 
 as he is not long-reached enough for a hunter.*" 
 
 " Give me the print directly,**' exclaimed a 
 vivacious young lady, " you shall not look at 
 it any longer; I declare you talk quite pro- 
 fanely ! You know very well that there was 
 no hunting in those days."" 
 
 " Heigho ! so much the worse for poor 
 Adam,"" said Mr. Alwyn. " But come now, 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 let US be a little sentimental, and talk ration- 
 ally. Don't be offended, but pray tell me, 
 frankly and honestly, do you think Eve 
 could be perfectly contented with only one 
 admirer ?" 
 
 " Certainly,'' replied the thoughtless young 
 lady, quickly—" to be sure, when he was her 
 husband and the man of her choice." 
 
 " Pick and choose out of one," observed Mr. 
 Alwyn, laughing with boy-like glee, " that is 
 excellent ! But I apprehend you fair damsels 
 of modern days would not be exceedingly gra- 
 tified by the offer of so splendid a selection." 
 
 '' If all men were like Adam," said the 
 young lady, a little confused, " perhaps we 
 might." 
 
 '' No,'' replied Mr. Alwyn; " the love of 
 admiration is natural to the sex. I do not say 
 it is a fault or a failing, far from it ; what 
 would the most perfect female be in society if
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 195 
 
 she strove to please but one ? say even that he 
 was the real, sole object of her choice. But as 
 for thatj not one man and woman in ten thou- 
 sand are so situated ; marriages are usually the 
 result of the advice of friends, prudence, the 
 desire of settling, or of liberty." 
 
 " Of liberty !" exclaimed a lady. 
 
 " Yes, of liberty," replied Mr. Alwyn, appa- 
 rently excited with the subject. " A single 
 lady can scarcely be intimate with a male friend 
 without being the topic of busy gossiping; 
 must not be seen alone in public — can neither 
 walk, ride, nor even visit, unless under the ' pro- 
 tection," as it is called, of some one who is pro- 
 bably an insufferable bore ; whereas, once mar- 
 ried, unless united to a jealous fool, she is 
 perfect mistress of her own actions. Perhaps 
 this is in a great measure our fault, but we are 
 all the children of habit, and cannot get the 
 better of existing prejudices. For my own 
 k2
 
 196 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 part, I confess, that if I were endeavouring to 
 win, or even supposing I had gained the affec- 
 tions of a lady, I should not like to see her 
 very intimate with any other gentleman, be- 
 cause it might make me doubt of eventual 
 success, but, after we were married, nothing 
 would afford me greater pleasure than to see 
 that she took delight in the company of my 
 friends, and chose others of her own, male or 
 female, without consulting me ; in short, she' 
 would be perfectly at liberty^ as I said before, 
 for I have no idea of AwZ/'-confidence, and have 
 not a spark of jealousy in my whole com- 
 position." 
 
 " I don't think I should like a husband at 
 all the better for that," said one of the ladies. 
 " I remember reading somewhere that jealousy 
 was a certain proof of affection." 
 
 " No doubt," replied Mr. Alwyn : " take 
 Shakspeare's * Othello' as a specimen. It may
 
 197 
 
 even be tolerated in private life, when all other 
 proof is wanting, but otherwise it is never 
 necessary, and always somewhat more than 
 inconvenient to both parties ; to say nothing 
 worse, it makes them ridiculous, and that, 
 according to the spirit of the times, is far from 
 being an enviable distinction. ' No, i'faith, 1 11 
 none of it !' Give me perfect confidence V 
 
 " That will do for the present," said the 
 talisman ; " it won't do here to defend Italian 
 customs, I shall find an opportunity for that 
 when she supposes herself unobserved ; not 
 that I can really flatter myself with any very 
 sanguine hopes, but drops of water, continually 
 falling, wear holes in stone. Positively, I have 
 set myself such a task ; she is more like stone 
 than flesh and blood. But such a fortune ! 
 Zounds ! And then, the splendid start I made ! 
 I'd have backed myself against the field. If 
 I did but know exactly what degree of interest
 
 J 98 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 she feels toward Highfield — Yes ; that might 
 do ! Generosity tells well. But how can I, 
 when she is never at home ? I must think of 
 this. We must have plot and counterplot, and 
 play a deep game, for it is well worth trying 
 hard for." 
 
 Such were the gamester''s thoughts, while, 
 abruptly quitting the subject of jealousy as 
 too dry and serious, he continued to chatter 
 with much fluency and perfect apparent 
 thoughtlessness, on the trivial topics of the day. 
 
 '' I will admit him," thought Lady Mary. 
 " He now connects Lord Highfield's name so 
 much with mine that I shall probably learn 
 what his lordship has to fear." 
 
 Shortly after she had come to this decision 
 Mr. Alwyn had the honour of handing her to 
 her carriage, and took the opportunity of ex- 
 pressing his regret that he had always called 
 during her ladyship's absence.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 199 
 
 " You should come earlier," observed Lady 
 Mary gaily ; " I have really so many visits to 
 pay myself that they occupy the whole of the 
 morning." 
 
 " Ah ! that sounds vt^ell !" exclaimed the 
 talisman. '' Let me once get upon a familiar 
 footing, and she is not a woman if Harry Al- 
 wyn will not make his way." 
 
 " Your ladyship is most condescending," 
 said he ; "I will avail myself of your per- 
 mission to-morrow morning, as I hope in the 
 mean while to receive a letter from Lord 
 Draxfort." 
 
 " Oh ! you are a dear little gift !" exclaimed 
 Lady Mary, apostrophising the talisman, as 
 her carriage drove off. " It shall be ' plot and 
 counterplot.' You will guide me aright, and 
 enable me to rescue the only man for whom I 
 
 ever " Here she could not express her 
 
 thoughts, for they crowded too tumultuously
 
 200 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 upon her. She fell into a reverie, during 
 which past scenes, some previously almost for- 
 gotten, flashed vividly upon her recollection, 
 and all bore strong evidence of the truth of 
 what had been revealed to her that morning. 
 It was a wild mingling of pain and pleasure 
 that she experienced, but was too fascinating to 
 be abandoned, and therefore, on her arrival at 
 home, she retired to her boudoir to enjoy the 
 luxury of silent reflection. Had Lord High- 
 field spoken what the talisman had uttered, or 
 could she have listened to such a declaration, 
 she felt that both would have been degraded, 
 but now she had become possessed of his secret 
 in a manner perfectly innocent. His conduct 
 had been the same as that of thousands of 
 young persons under similar circumstances. 
 Dazzled by the ghtter of wealth, or perhaps 
 compelled by a sense of filial duty, he had 
 quitted the path in which alone he felt certain
 
 201 
 
 of finding happiness, to tread that which still 
 promised fairly. It seemed that he had been 
 disappointed, and she sincerely pitied him. 
 The approximation of such a feeling to others 
 of a warmer nature has often been repeated. 
 Her imagination wandered from the memory of 
 the past to visionary dreams of what might 
 have been had they contentedly retired for a 
 few years on their comparatively humble means, 
 or had fortune earlier interfered in her favour. 
 There might be weakness in indulging such 
 fancies, but there could be nothing wrong, so 
 she gave herself up to their guidance, and was 
 wafted away amid the ideal creations of her al- 
 most unconscious spirit. 
 
 Few minds are purer than was that of Lady 
 Mary ; but who can control the wanderings of 
 imagination ? She was suddenly aroused from 
 her trance-like enjoyment. Her mind had in- 
 deed wandered from the past and what might 
 K5
 
 SOS THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 have been ; it had strayed onward into the 
 future, which fancy was busily engaged in 
 painting with brilliant colours, when she started 
 from her seat, pressed her hand upon her fore- 
 head, and exclaimed : " Is it possible that I 
 can harbour such thoughts !" She was shocked 
 at herself. The recollection of Lady High- 
 field's ill health had crept unperceived into the 
 midst of her musings, and, suffice it to say, a 
 charitable wish for her recovery was not that 
 which alarmed Lady Mary. 
 
 If the momentary admission of improper 
 thoughts or hopes be a flaw in her character, 
 let it be remembered that she had just learned 
 how much she had been and still was beloved 
 by the person to whom alone she could make a 
 return of affection. 
 
 " It is the knowledge of his secret thoughts 
 that has led me to this," she murmured ; " bet- 
 ter were it that I had remained in ignorance !
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 203 
 
 I fear — I fear this power may not be for 
 good. Whence it comes, or how it was 
 obtained by its first possessor, I know not. 
 It rendered Mr. Yerra way miserable ; — it has 
 not made me happy. I wish I had refused 
 it; and yet, if properly made use of, it may 
 enable me to render important services — to 
 warn the unwary — to thwart the schemes of 
 the designer.*" 
 
 Her ladyship had yet to learn how difficult, 
 and perhaps impossible, it is for human beings 
 to make proper use of superhuman knowledge 
 or power. It is well that such gifts are not 
 common among mortals, as they would be like 
 fire or sharp-edged tools in the hands of chil- 
 dren, dangerous and destructive to themselves 
 and others. It is painful and even humiliating 
 to reflect how often extraordinary natural gifts 
 are wasted or misapplied ; how frequently ge- 
 nius and splendid talents take the lead in the
 
 204 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 headlong career of vice, cheered by the clamor- 
 ous applause of admiring ignorance and folly. 
 Fearful, then, would be the possession of any 
 supernatural gift among us inferior beings, en- 
 veloped in the clouds of prejudice, stimulated 
 by our mortal passions, and surrounded by 
 temptation ! It can be no marvel that, in their 
 day, sorcerers and necromancers were looked 
 upon with superstitious dread and abhorrence. 
 Some such reflections pressed, rather unplea- 
 santly, on Lady Mary. 
 
 " If the world knew of my secret," thought 
 she, " I should be universally shunned ; what 
 friend even would submit to the presence of a 
 mental spy ? How often have I heard breath- 
 ings which I rashly concluded to proceed from 
 an envious heart, and afterwards discovered 
 that that heart harboured nothing but kind- 
 ness and goodwill toward me ! The whisper 
 revealed to me was but a passing, thoughtless
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 205 
 
 wish to be as fortunate as I am, and not to de- 
 prive me of anything I possessed. Yes, I have 
 often been misled ; I have occasionally been 
 uncharitable. I think I may say that I was 
 not formerly wont to be so. And this secret of 
 another's breast which I have learnt this morn-, 
 ing, what strange dreams has it conducted me 
 to ! No ; the talisman is a dangerous posses- 
 sion : I will endeavour to use it well while I 
 retain it, but it shall be returned to its former 
 owner as soon as Lord Highfield is released 
 from his difficulties, and I have had one inter- 
 view with my nephew.'' 
 
 Here she was interrupted by a well-known 
 tap at the door. " Come in, Rachel," she said ; 
 and as her handmaiden entered, the talisman 
 murmured, 
 
 " I do think, as far as I can learn, she's 
 been sitting pretty nigh an hour moping by 
 herself; it didn't use to be so when we lived in
 
 206 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 
 
 lodgings. I almost wish she was poor again ; 
 but I think I 've got something to tell her that 
 she '11 be pleased with." 
 
 Here Rachel began, in her own way, to tell 
 a somewhat roundabout story, beginning with 
 the items of sundry articles which she wanted 
 to purchase for the house and for herself. She 
 then stated that she had been recommended to 
 buy them in the city, and therefore visited 
 Ludgate Hill and Fleet Street, and thence 
 came into the Strand, where she was walking 
 along very quietly, now and then, stopping to 
 look in at the shop windows, when all of a sud- 
 den she was laid hold of by a very handsome 
 young gentleman, who called her by her name, 
 and inquired after her mistress. " T couldn't 
 think who he was," she continued, " so I asked 
 him ; and, instead of answering, he burst out a 
 laughing, and said, * What ! don't you know 
 me?' ' No,' says I, ' I don't;' and I couldn't
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 207 
 
 tell what to make of it. I thought it was some 
 one as wanted to make fun of me; so I said, 
 ' If you know my lady, sir, you 'd best call on 
 her all in the reg'lar way, and leave your card, 
 and not stop folks in the street, for I 've got no 
 time to spare gossiping, I can tell you that." 
 Well — I shall never forget it — what do you 
 think he did?" 
 
 " I am sure I can't guess," replied Lady 
 Mary, smiling. 
 
 " Well, my lady, I '11 tell you," continued 
 Rachel ; " he cried out, ' What ! is my aunt 
 in town, then ?' ' Your aunt !' says I ; and 
 then I looked at him again, and for all that he 
 is so altered, I knew him again directly — it was 
 Master George, that we haven't seen so long, 
 never since he went away to sea, and was quite 
 a boy. Oh, I was so glad ! it was as much as 
 ever I could do not to begin kissing him, as I 
 used to do when he was a little fellow — La, how
 
 208 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 I used to love him ! Well, he 's just the same, 
 only a great deal bigger, and a good deal sun- 
 burnt, which I like all the better in a man. 
 So I told him you were very rich now, and 
 what do you think he said, my lady ? — I 
 shall never forget it ! You won't be offended 
 I know, so I '11 tell you. He said, ' Rich or 
 poor, no matter for that. Tell the old girl 
 I '11 come and see her to-morrow ; and mind, if 
 she asks me to dine, try if you can't knock up 
 one of your old sort of Yorkshire puddings.' 
 He said he'd have come home directly with 
 me, only he was obliged to dine with his 
 captain, and had not a moment to spare, and 
 couldn't come early to-morrow, because he has 
 got to go to Somerset House about a lieu- 
 tenant, I think he said. La, I 'm as glad 
 as if anybody had given me I don't know 
 what ! He was always a favourite of mine ; 
 he was so "
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 209 
 
 Here she checked herself, and the talis- 
 man added, '' So different from all the rest 
 of the family ; but I don't mean you, my 
 lady, exactly,''''
 
 ^10 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 On the following morning Lady Mary was 
 surprised by an early visit from her nephew 
 Lord Draxfort. His lordship had been in- 
 formed that his friend Alwyn had become 
 acquainted with her, and called frequently in 
 Cavendish Square. This was rather alarming 
 intelligence for her heir expectant, as he knew 
 enough of Mr. Alwyn to calculate that he was 
 not likely to be very particular in his atten- 
 tions to any one, unless with some interested 
 motive. A journey to London was the imme- 
 diate consequence.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 211 
 
 Lady Mary entered the room in which he 
 was sitting by a side-door concealed from his 
 view by a skreen, and no sooner had she passed 
 the threshold than the talismanic voice ex- 
 claimed, " She has no idea of hoarding her 
 money, I see; the furniture of this house 
 must have cost her an immense sum ! Traps 
 to catch a husband, I suppose. Your old 
 maids are never safe till they 're under ground." 
 
 Here her ladyship turned the corner of the 
 skreen, and her nephew rushed forward, and 
 expressed, with much apparent warmth, his 
 delight at seeing her look so well. At the same 
 time the inward voice continued, " A con- 
 founded deal too well ! I wish she was in a 
 consumption; but there's no chance of that, 
 I 'm afraid. Hang her ! she 's not so very 
 much older than I am, and not so very ill- 
 looking neither. It is a pity that there is a 
 law against marrying one's aunt, or hang me
 
 2\^ THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 if I wouldn'*t have her myself ; such a fortune 
 might make one put up with one^s grand- 
 mother !" 
 
 " My dear aunt," said his lordship, " I beg 
 now to repeat, in person, what I wrote to you 
 some time since: I do sincerely congratulate 
 you on your accession of fortune. I have very 
 often previously thought of your straitened 
 circumstances, and indeed had made arrange- 
 ments for increasing your annuity in a year or 
 two ; but ever since I came to the title I assure 
 you it has been quite as much as I could do to 
 support it decently. To tell you the truth, it 
 would not very well have suited me to have 
 spent the winter in town ; and as it is, I must 
 make only a flying visit, as I Ve let the house 
 in Park Lane for the season." 
 
 " So I understood," observed Lady Mary, 
 " and I trust you will pardon my frankness in 
 saying, that I am sorry for it; neither my
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 213 
 
 father nor yours would have approved of such 
 a step." 
 
 " Confound her impudence !" exclaimed the 
 talisman, " I suppose she thinks her money 
 gives her the right to lecture me." 
 
 His lordship replied, that the offer made to 
 him was too tempting to be resisted under the 
 circumstances in which he found himself at the 
 moment. The talisman added : — 
 
 " I suppose she'd be outrageous if she knew 
 that I pitted the use of the house and furniture 
 against a thousand, and all but won it. If she 
 has any generosity about her, she will offer me 
 apartments here during my stay." 
 
 Such had been her ladyship's intention, but 
 what she had already heard caused her to 
 hesitate. 
 
 " What is she biting her lips about, I won- 
 der ?" continued the inward voice ; " I suppose 
 she is thinking whether she shall offer me any
 
 214 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 money. It won't do to ask her at our first in- 
 terview, but before I leave town 1 11 get some- 
 thing out of her if possible. It 's evident she 
 has got her share of family pride, or she 
 wouldn't think so much about my letting the 
 house : that must be my cue ; and I '11 get up 
 some tale to mortify her, though, if she knew 
 exactly how things stand with me just now, 
 there would be quite enough perhaps, without 
 any invention. By heavens ! I can hardly en- 
 dure the thought that she, an old maid, who 
 was nobody yesterday, should be rolling in 
 wealth, and not knowing what to do with it, 
 while I, the head of the family, to whom it 
 ouo-ht by right to belong, am hampered and 
 pestered by duns. How she contrived to curry 
 favour with the old East Indian I can't con- 
 ceive ; my father too, must have been a con- 
 founded " 
 
 Here occurred one of those frequent pauses
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 215 
 
 by which the talisman gave its possessor to un- 
 derstand that she was not the subject of the 
 thinker's thoughts. Enough, however, had 
 been revealed to convince her that the memory 
 of her brother was not held in very high 
 respect by the present " head of the family ;"" 
 and as for what concerned herself, she felt it 
 not so much at the moment as afterwards, when 
 she reflected that such v/as really the station 
 which he filled in society. 
 
 " I know something of the family property," 
 said her ladyship, " and feel some degree of 
 surprise, as well as much regret, that you 
 should have found yourself under the necessity 
 of not only curtailing your expenses, but of 
 augmenting your income in such a singular 
 manner. I have not visited at the house, 
 though Mrs. Hazard called upon me ; I merely 
 left a card, for I could not bear the idea of 
 seeing the old family paintings, and various
 
 216 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 articles of substantial furniture, so familiar to 
 me from my childhood, and awakening so many 
 recollections, in the possession of strangers." 
 
 '' My dear aunt !" exclaimed Lord Draxfort, 
 " if I had imagined that it would have hurt 
 your feelings, I certainly would not have let the 
 house on any consideration ; but after all, what 
 can it signify ? In a few months it will be in 
 my own hands again, not a penny the worse, 
 for, before I came to terms, I made particular 
 inquiry into the habits of my tenant, and have 
 every reason to be satisfied." 
 
 " Your lordship has displayed a talent for 
 finance in your arrangement for the rent," ob- 
 served Lady Mary : " I understand that it was 
 paid beforehand ; that, no doubt, was the great 
 inducement, and must have relieved you from 
 any little pecuniary embarrassments that you 
 were under at the moment." 
 
 " Surely Hazard has not been bragging !"
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 217 
 
 exclaimed the talisman ; " he gave me his word 
 of honour that the affair should be kept a pro- 
 found secret. But his wife has called here, it 
 seems ; that looks suspicious : when women 
 get together, all comes out, they say ; if so, the 
 purse-proud minx is quizzing me ; but I '11 be 
 on my guard with her, and have no confessions 
 
 till I 've seen Hazard, and " 
 
 " My dear aunt,"" replied his lordship, " on 
 your account only I regret having let the 
 house. Certainly, I have been obliged to at- 
 tend a little to what you term finance, as my 
 father left a great many debts and incum- 
 brances on the estate ; but I trust, after a few 
 years I shall be able to get all clear. But 
 really I don't see why I should annoy you with 
 my affairs. Is there anything that I can do for 
 you ? if so, pray consider me entirely at your 
 disposal ; it will give me infinite pleasure to be 
 of service to you, I assure you." 
 VOL. I. L
 
 218 
 
 " I am not aware of anything likely to re- 
 quire your lordship's assistance,*" said Lady 
 Mary coldly ; for, besides the difference between 
 his words and thoughts, her nephew expressed 
 himself, perhaps from habit, with a patronizing 
 air which was somewhat offensive to her under 
 existing circumstances. 
 
 " This fortune has made her as proud as 
 Lucifer !" exclaimed the talisman. " Some 
 months ago she would have been thankful for 
 any particular notice I might have taken of 
 her ; egad ! that was the time, if I could but 
 have known what would happen. Well, I 
 must keep her in good humour, if possible, 
 though hang me if I know how, for I 'm tired 
 of her company already. What a bore an aunt 
 is !" At the same time his lordship repeated 
 the delight he should experience if he could in 
 any way be of service to his dear aunt, and 
 added a hope that she would pay the old Hall
 
 a visit in the summer. " You shall have it all 
 your own way," he continued ; " do just as 
 you please, and consider yourself as the mis- 
 tress of the place as long as you choose to stay. 
 I was thinking of some modern alterations in 
 the grounds, but I shall not suffer anything to 
 be done till your arrival, for I don''t profess 
 to understand such matters, and I know your 
 ladyship has a most exquisite taste. For in- 
 stance, that sweet little cottage in the home 
 park, that still goes by your name ; the beau- 
 tiful simplicity of the plan, and the charming 
 situation you chose for it, excite the admiration 
 of every one." 
 
 Now, as the said rustic edifice had been the 
 scene of many of Lady Mary's earlier plea- 
 sures ; the very mention of it awakened a 
 multitude of bygone recollections. It had been 
 the refuge of her solitary hours, and there she 
 had, in the wild gaiety and joy of youth, con- 
 l2
 
 220 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 ducted her chosen friends and companions. 
 She had selected the spot and watched the pro- 
 gress of the building ; many of the shrubs 
 with which it was environed were planted by 
 her own hands, and all under her direction. 
 It had been what is commonly termed her 
 " hobby," and she was not a little proud 
 of it : consequently, when her nephew spake 
 in such flattering terms, her eyes glistened, 
 and she was deciding that such respect for her 
 favourite retreat might compensate for a multi- 
 tude of faults, when the talisman exclaimed — 
 
 " Egad ! it 's a good thing I took Smith's 
 advice, and let him make a tool-house of it in- 
 stead of pulling it down. Of all the tasteless, 
 senseless things I ever saw, Lady Mary's Folly 
 is the most ridiculous. We must have that 
 name changed before she comes down. I see 
 the bait takes. But what now ? she looks as 
 black as thunder all of a sudden ; one would
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 221 
 
 think she saw the cottage full of tools and rub- 
 bish, with an old sow and a litter of pigs in one 
 corner: that is about the present state of 
 things, I guess ; — but your ladyship may de- 
 pend upon having all set in visitable order, out 
 of due respect to the founder's money/' 
 
 Lady Mary sighed, and informed his lord- 
 ship that she had not yet made her arrange- 
 ments for the summer, and could not enter into 
 any positive engagement at present. 
 
 " Consult your own convenience entirely, my 
 lady," said he ; "but depend upon it, I shalj 
 suffer nothing to be done till you favour me 
 with your opinions." 
 
 " Keep your word respecting the cottage in 
 that particular," rejoined Lady Mary, forget- 
 ting herself at the moment. 
 
 " Confusion !" exclaimed the talisman ; " is 
 it possible she can know its present condition ? 
 Yes ; she 's been gossiping with the servants ;
 
 222 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 that cursed old woman of hers, that used to 
 live with her at Draxfort, corresponds with 
 some of my people, I \e no doubt." 
 
 " Most assuredly I will, my dear aunt," said 
 his lordship, " but I hope you won't think of 
 making any alteration there; I don't think I 
 could consent to that ; it is such a charming 
 object at a distance ! I have not been into it 
 since last spring, as I was travelling in the 
 autumn, but I have no doubt that it is kept 
 in excellent order, as I was veri/ particular in 
 giving instructions to that effect." 
 
 The subject was then dropped, and they 
 talked on indifferent matters till Mr. Alwyn 
 was announced. 
 
 " Confound the fellow !" exclaimed the talis- 
 man ; " call upon her and gain admittance at 
 this early hour ! He has made good use of 
 his time." 
 
 *' I used to meet a gentleman of that name 
 at Melton," observed Lord Draxfort, vacantly.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. S23 
 
 " It is the same," said Lady Mary ; " I 
 made his acquaintance in consequence of under- 
 standing that he was your particular friend." 
 
 '* The scoundrel !" cried the talisman ; " so 
 he has made me the stepping-stone to gain an 
 introduction to her." 
 
 Here Mr. Alwyn entered, and the inward 
 monitor, assuming the tone of his voice, ex- 
 claimed — 
 
 " Draxfort here ! by all that 's unlucky ! 
 Curse the fool ! I wish he had broken his neck. 
 He 's just got brains and love of money enough 
 to be afraid of any one's paying attention to 
 his aunt." 
 
 Scarcely were these words uttered ere Mr. 
 Alwyn, having respectfully saluted her lady- 
 ship, sprang towards his friend, and with well- 
 dissembled joy, expressed his surprise and gra- 
 tification at their unexpected meeting. 
 
 *' It was only yesterday," he continued, 
 " that I was telling Lady Mary I expected
 
 ^224} THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 a letter from you this morning.'" Here his 
 lordship's brow became overcast. Mr. Alvvyn 
 enjoyed the sight, and proceeded : — " Indeed, 
 it was to have your news that her ladyship 
 gave me permission to call, for whenever I 
 have had the pleasure of a few minutes conver- 
 sation with her, which has been veri/ seldom, 
 your lordship has formed the sole engrossing 
 topic.'' 
 
 " I have told some tolerable round lies about 
 your abilities and good qualities," said the 
 talisman, " but I 'm not afraid of the conse- 
 quences, for she is no fool, and will, soon find 
 out what you really are, and set down my 
 account of you to the blindness of friendship. 
 What an ass the fellow is ! I do believe by 
 his frowning that he thought I was going to 
 ask him before his aunt for the odd hundred he 
 promised to send by the post." 
 
 What followed between the two friends was
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 225 
 
 rendered extremely perplexing to Lady Mary 
 by the frequent pauses of the talismanic voice. 
 From what she learned, it seemed, Mr. Alwyn 
 took it for granted that his lordship, having 
 let his own house, would remain under the 
 roof where they were, and thus afford him 
 opportunities of calling frequently ; he there- 
 fore resolved not to risk awakening the ne- 
 phew's suspicions by any marked attention to 
 the aunt in his presence, and at one of the 
 pauses her ladyship fancied she descried an 
 intention of letting him win back some of his 
 losings, in order to keep him in good humour. 
 
 His lordship did not often think of her, but 
 when he did it was solely with reference to her 
 property : — 
 
 " It ought to have been mine, by rights,?' 
 
 said the talisman in his voice : "it is very hard 
 
 that an old maid should have it, when I am the 
 
 head of the family. What 's the use of it to 
 
 l5
 
 226 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 her ? I hope she won"'t live long, at any rate, 
 as it must come to me after her death ; that is, 
 if she doesn't marry. Ay, there 's the rub ! 
 I '11 look sharp after her, however. As for 
 Alwyn, I 've been told that his father, or 
 grandfather, or some one of his relations, was 
 a tailor ; when she hears that, it will settle his 
 business." 
 
 At length Lord Highfield was spoken of, 
 and it was well for her ladyship that she re- 
 ceived internal warning that he was about to 
 become the topic of conversation, as his name 
 was introduced in a manner well calculated to 
 try what degree of interest she felt for his 
 lordship. 
 
 " Talking of Melton, and the people there," 
 said Mr. Alwyn, " that reminds me of some- 
 thing I heard last night ; I hope it is not all 
 true ; but if there be any foundation for half 
 that is said, it is quite enough to account for
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 227 
 
 the change in the poor fellow's manner and 
 appearance. Your ladyship, doubtless, recol- 
 lects what was remarked yesterday about Lord 
 Highfield seeming to have all the cares of the 
 world upon him. Well, report says, he is a 
 ruined man."'' 
 
 The preparation which Lady Mary had re- 
 ceived prevented her from believing this report 
 to its full extent, and consequently she replied, 
 with just as much emotion as suited her words — 
 
 " I sincerely hope the report is false, for I 
 have known his lordship many years, and feel a 
 high respect for him. What can he have been 
 doing to injure his fortune .?" 
 
 " Oh, my lady," answered Mr. Alwyn, " it 
 is the old story : those infatuating cards and 
 dice. When a man once begins to be fond of 
 them, whatever may be his resolution and good 
 sense on other points, they soon become a 
 necessity ; he can't exist without them. I
 
 22S THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 knew by report, for I never trust myself in 
 such places, that his lordship was in the habit 
 of frequenting a club-house not far from St. 
 Jameses Street, and took the liberty of warning 
 him against certain individuals who are con- 
 stantly to be found there. It is a thankless 
 office, that of giving advice. I am afraid he 
 judged of others by himself; and, from what 
 I know of him, I should think him just the 
 amiable, good-natured, unsuspecting person 
 likely to be made a dupe of. Oh ! that hateful 
 feeling, suspicion ! the necessity of being upon 
 one's guard when with those who style themselves 
 friends is the most painful truth impressed 
 upon us by experience — it is so repugnant to 
 one's nature ! For my own part, I am resolved 
 never to associate intimately with any person 
 in whom I cannot place the most implicit con- 
 fidence : I firmly believe Lord Highfield to be 
 worthy of the utmost, and, such being my
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 229 
 
 opinion of him, I feel much more than I can 
 express on the present occasion." 
 
 *' Perhaps it isn't so bad as they represent 
 it/' said Lord Draxfort ; '' reports of that 
 kind always grow, like snowballs, by rolling. 
 They got hold of it at Melton that you and 
 I played at billiards for hundreds, when, you 
 know, we never played above guineas, and 
 once or twice five pound matches." As the 
 hopeful nephew said this, he contrived to get 
 behind his aunt, and winked significantly at 
 the person whom he addressed. 
 
 " Yes," observed Mr. Alwyn, carelessly, ••' I 
 was telling her ladyship the other day that we 
 sometimes amused ourselves in that way for 
 the sake of exercise in unfavourable weather : it 
 is an agreeable relaxation when one is tired of 
 reading. The only danger of that game is in 
 public, where lookers-on are excited to bet 
 upon the players ; but we avoided that by
 
 S30 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 having the room to ourselves ; and as for our 
 stakes — I was trying the other day to make 
 out whether I had won or lost in the course of 
 the season. Does your lordship happen to 
 recollect ? I know you are very exact in your 
 accounts." 
 
 " Why, I rather think," replied Lord Drax- 
 fort, " that upon the whole I had the best of 
 it, somewhat about five guineas." 
 
 " Capital that !" added the taUsman ; " that 's 
 devilish generous of him to make aunty believe 
 that I'm exact in my accounts. I do think 
 he 's a good fellow, in spite of what they said 
 of him at Melton after he was gone ; for if he 
 had any designs here, he wouldn't try to make 
 her think better of me." 
 
 At the same time the inward voice, speaking 
 for Mr. Alwyn, said, " That won't have the 
 effect upon her that he flatters himself with; 
 I can see by her looks that she imagines I
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 2ol 
 
 spoke ironically; that's of no great conse- 
 quence, though, for the moment, I wish I 
 could make out her sentiments toward Lord 
 Highfield. Positively I have discovered no- 
 thing this morning, though what I told her 
 ought to have excited her, if anything could ; 
 and yet, what I observed yesterday — yes, that 
 sudden and violent emotion came from the 
 heart — I cannot be mistaken there. She must 
 have got up her part for this morning — and 
 yet why ? Perhaps she had the report pre- 
 viously — can he have been with her? Egad ! 
 if she will but give him the use of her purse, it 
 would save a confounded deal of trouble : yes, 
 his lordship and her noodle of a nephew will 
 make excellent blanks for the transfer of pro- 
 perty. I must not forget to tell the blockhead 
 what I said to her about his tenants and their 
 farms. She cannot very well refuse him a loan ; 
 and if he should hesitate about asking her "
 
 2o2 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 Here the internal reporter stopped short, leav- 
 ing her ladyship to guess at the sequel, which 
 did not concern her personally. 
 
 At length the two friends took leave, and 
 went away together, the one congratulating 
 himself on having attained a familiar footing in 
 the house, the other pronouncing it an into- 
 lerable bore to have to worship an old maiden 
 aunt. 
 
 " Alas !" thought Lady Mary, " these are 
 cruel truths which I learn so strangely ! What 
 avails it to know that I am the object of dislike 
 and envy, or that my property is the subject of 
 a ruined gambler's speculations? And Lord 
 Highfield — I know his secret, and therefore 
 feel more intensely interested in all that con- 
 cerns him. Yet what can I do to serve him ? 
 I am aware that he is threatened, but cannot 
 discern in what manner with sufficient precision 
 to enable me to warn him, if indeed it be not
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 233 
 
 already too late. And my nephew — I must 
 ever henceforth think of him with pain, and 
 view his conduct with suspicion. But for the 
 knowledge of his secret thoughts, I might have 
 imagined him to be a very different character, 
 and felt happy in supposing myself respected. 
 I should never have reproached him with his 
 past neglect, knowing the innumerable calls 
 and attractions of pleasure that await a young 
 man of his rank and fortune ; it was not natural 
 for him to seek the society of a person of my 
 age. Perhaps I am unjust towards him now ; 
 there is much to be said in his behalf. He was 
 the eldest and favourite child both of his father 
 and mother, and it must be confessed that she 
 was always a very weak woman, and indulged 
 him in every caprice : I hope he treats her 
 kindly." 
 
 Here her cogitations were interrupted by the 
 sudden entrance of her French cook, a poor
 
 2S4< THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 fellow whom she had engaged, with the assist- 
 ance of the talisman, from motives of compas- 
 sion. He came now to complain of Rachel, 
 who, according to his account, had stolen a 
 piece of beef and divers kitchen utensils, and 
 carried them off to her own apartment. 
 
 " She want all my fire before," he continued, 
 " but I tell her no, and den she save herself 
 wid de rotsbeef what I want for my lady. I 
 not love to make 'plaints, but it is a ting in- 
 conceivable whey dey steal de meat. I ask her 
 what for, and all she say is, I not know how to 
 make a Yockish boudden." 
 
 " I believe you must forgive her for this 
 time, Louis," said her ladyship, smiling ; " you 
 may calculate on having both the beef and the 
 pudding ready at the hour of dinner." 
 
 '' Ver well, miladi, ver well," replied Louis, 
 with a shrug, " I wash my hands. If he is not 
 ready, it shall not be my faut; but I hope 
 that shall not arrive often."
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 235 
 
 The talisman added : '* Ah, miladi ! you 
 spile dat Httel old woman what not love me, 
 and turn up de nose meme at de turkey aux 
 truffes. Why you not get pretty French maid, 
 what will dress you better ? It is a horror to 
 see you sometime ; it makes me pain to see 
 you look so triste. Ah I une jolie jeune Fran- 
 ^aise will soon change all dat. You are not 
 old nor ugly ; what for, den, you dress so 
 vilaine ? You must go to Paris." 
 
 " Don't alarm yourself, Louis," said Lady 
 Mary ; " it is not likely that anything of the 
 kind will happen again. Be so good, when you 
 go down stairs, as to teU Jenkins to let me have 
 the chariot at the door as soon as possible." 
 
 "Certainement, miladi," replied Louis, and he 
 bowed himself out of the room, while the talis- 
 man reported him to be perfectly contented 
 with his mistress and his situation, and deter- 
 mined to keep it if possible.
 
 236 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 This little incident turned the current of her 
 ladyship''s thoughts : — " Yes," said she, " that 
 poor fellow's altered condition is a proof that 
 my gift is valuable, if rightly used. He was 
 miserable and starving in a strange land, and 
 now he is secured from want, and contented. 
 And my coachman likewise: what might his 
 fate have been but for me ? It is melancholy 
 to conjecture. I have saved them both from 
 misery, perhaps from guilt, and maybe I shall 
 be able — yes, I must — I must be in the pre- 
 sence of Lord Highfield : I may learn some- 
 thing of his difficulties. With the sentiments 
 towards me which he indulges, it is impossible 
 that he can refuse my assistance, if necessary." 
 
 With such feelings Lady Mary entered her 
 carriage, and called at every house where she 
 thought there was a chance of meeting his 
 lordship. All was in vain. She met him not ; 
 and what appeared more singular was, that she
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 237 
 
 heard not a word of his ruin. She therefore 
 comforted herself by hoping that it was an 
 invention of Mr. Alwyn's. 
 
 The only result of her round of morning 
 calls was, that immediately she left any house 
 the general remark was, " How much Lady 
 Mary Deningford is altered !"'
 
 238 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 " My dear aunt ! I can't tell you how glad 
 I am to see you !" exclaimed George Dening- 
 ford, embracing her ladyship, as he was wont 
 formerly, when a boy. " Why, you stare as if 
 you didn't know me. God bless your good- 
 humoured face ! I 've often thought of you 
 since we parted, and should have found you 
 out somehow, if I hadn't met Rachel. But I 
 came to town only the night before last, with 
 my captain, and he would scarcely suffer me to 
 go out of his sight till after the examination. 
 Well, that 's over now, and I 'm all ready to be
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 239 
 
 made a lieutenant : I don't know when, though. 
 Well, never mind — take my chance. But, 
 come, tell me how you 've been for these last 
 six years, and all about yourself? Rachel 
 says you Ve very rich ; — so much the better, 
 for I 'm very poor, and shall want to borrow 
 some money of you, to pay for rigging me out 
 here, till I 'm of age : that'll be in two months, 
 and then I '11 pay you again ; so don't begin to 
 look blue about it, old lady. I shall have 
 some prize-money to receive too, so you won't 
 have to take me in tow long. But what 's the 
 meaning of your living in this great house, and 
 such a lot of servants ? You got a prize in 
 the lottery, I suppose, or how was it ? Come, 
 tell me, that 's a good soul." 
 
 Never since the possession of her talisman 
 had Lady Mary been so delighted, for its words 
 were perfectly in accordance with those spoken 
 by her nephew, whose personal appearance
 
 240 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 struck her with surprise and admiration. She 
 had been fond of noticing him in earlier days, 
 because she knew that he was neglected at 
 home, and it was a pleasure to see him conduct 
 himself towards her with a degree of ease and 
 freedom which he never exhibited in the pre- 
 sence of his parents. But though she thus 
 became partial to him, she never imagined him 
 to be endowed with any very shining qualities, 
 and when he left England there was nothing in 
 his appearance to indicate that he would ever 
 become the sort of person whom she now saw 
 before her. A good figure and handsome 
 countenance are said to be equivalent to a letter 
 of recommendation, but, in addition, those of 
 the young sailor appeared to her to resemble 
 strongly a portrait of her late uncle, in the 
 gallery at Draxfort. This likeness alone would 
 have prepossessed her in his favour, even though 
 they had not been previously acquainted, but
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 241 
 
 its influence, acting with the avowal of sin- 
 cerity on the part of the talisman, composed a 
 charm which was inexpressibly grateful and 
 cheering, perhaps more so in consequence of 
 the recent interview with Lord Draxfort and 
 his friend. 
 
 Lady Mary informed her nephew of every 
 particular that he desired to know, and listened 
 with interest to his account of where he had 
 been and in what actions engaged. When he 
 spoke of the latter, it was with a rapid modesty 
 that pleased her much, and during the progress 
 of a conversation of two hours, she felt her 
 heart gradually warm and open towards him, 
 with a fulness of confidence which she had not 
 experienced towards any one since the com- 
 mencement of her days of prosperity. 
 
 *' I have a month's leave of absence certain,"" 
 said he, " and as my captain knows when I 
 shall be of age, I have no doubt that it will be 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 242 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 extended till then. I mean to take a run down 
 to have a look at the old place, but shall wait 
 till my brother goes back. He is at Melton 
 now, I find, as I called early yesterday morn- 
 ing in Park Lane, where some friend of his, I 
 suppose, is living ; so I wrote last night to let 
 him know I was here." 
 
 " Where are you living, George?'' asked 
 Lady Mary. 
 
 " At the Hungerford Coffee-house in the 
 Strand," was the reply. '' Your dashing hotels 
 hereabouts won't do for poor middies ; but I 
 shall try to get a lodging in this neighbour- 
 hood now I have found you, for I know nobody 
 else in town, and mean to make the most of 
 you. By the by, now you 're so rich, I 
 shouldn't wonder if you could lend me a horse; 
 do, if you can, for I want one very particu- 
 larly." 
 
 '• That is quite a sailor's whim," observed
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 243 
 
 her ladyship, smiling ; " I can lend you a car- 
 riage ; will not that do as well ?" 
 
 " No, aunt," replied the young seaman, 
 *' that would be quite out of character — coach- 
 man, and all that — for I donH think I should 
 make any great hand of steering myself in this 
 great place. But never mind, I can hire one, 
 I dare say."" 
 
 " No, no, don't do anything of the kind," 
 said his aunt ; " if you must have a horse, my 
 coachman shall look out for one for you, but 
 you had better be contented with a hackney- 
 coach, if you cannot accept my offer of a 
 chariot." 
 
 " But it is to go out of town with," observed 
 George, " and there 's nothing like a horse for 
 that, as one can make him fast to a post or a 
 tree, or put him into a berth at a stable, and so 
 be one's own master, and stop as long as one 
 pleases. 
 
 M 2
 
 244 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " It will hardly do to tell her where I want 
 to go," said the talisman, " and yet I Ve a 
 great mind ; I 'm sure she would like Sarah 
 and her mother too ; but then, I 'm afraid a 
 rich acquaintance in their circumstances might 
 be humiliating — heigho ! If the old nabob had 
 but left me some of his money, instead of giv- 
 ing it all to my aunt — Gently — avast there ! 
 Let us have no envy ; she knows how to take 
 care of it better than I do. But what af glorious 
 thing it would have been !" 
 
 " I thought you told me just now," observed 
 her ladyship, " that you had no acquaintances 
 here, but I suppose you mean to call upon 
 somebody, when you talk of tying your horse 
 to a post?" 
 
 " Ah, my dear aunt," replied George, " I 
 see by that arch look of yours that you 've got 
 something in your head ; you women are so 
 cunning and suspicious, there is no hiding
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 245 
 
 anything from you. I don't know any one in 
 London, but there are two — passengers whom 
 we brought home in our ship from Naples, 
 who have taken lodgings at Hammersmith, 
 and so, as I promised to call upon them if I 
 could find time, I thought it would be a good 
 opportunity of taking a ride, and mean to go 
 to-morrow morning." 
 
 " Well, George,*" said Lady Mary, smiling, 
 " you need not fear being at a loss for a con- 
 veyance, as there are stages at all hours ; but I 
 have a proposition to make to you, on which I 
 must insist. You see that I have a large house 
 here, much larger than is necessary for me, 
 therefore you will oblige me by considering it 
 as your home during your stay in town ; come 
 and go just as you please, as if you were in an 
 hotel; and as for your friends, I am sure I 
 shall be happy to make their acquaintance for 
 your sake. I have that confidence in you, that
 
 246 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 I feel certain you would not form any improper 
 connexions : they are two young officers, like 
 yourself, no doubt ?" 
 
 " My dear aunt !" exclaimed George ; " this 
 is kind indeed ! I do not know how to thank 
 you as I ought ; but I do love you dearly, and 
 always did." Here, as if forgetting that he 
 •was no longer a boy, he sprang forward, threw 
 himself upon Lady Mary's neck, and kissed 
 her. " Yes," he continued, " you were always 
 like a second mother to me." 
 
 " More," murmured the talisman ; " my 
 mother never treated me with the same kind- 
 ness as my aunt did ; and she is not at all 
 altered in consequence of her riches. No, I 
 will have no secrets ; I will tell her all ; she 
 shall know exactly how the land lies, and she 
 will instruct me how to steer." 
 
 " Well, well, that is enough," said her lady- 
 ship, gently pushing him from her. " You
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 247 
 
 know — you may easily perceive that your being 
 here cannot put me to the smallest inconve- 
 nience ; so that point is settled ; and if either 
 or both of your young friends would like to 
 spend a few days in town, we can find beds for 
 them." 
 
 " You are too good, too good, my dear 
 aunt," murmured the grateful youth. 
 
 '\ Would you like to have them here, 
 George ?" asked Lady Mary, as demurely as 
 possible. 
 
 " Would I !" exclaimed her nephew ; '* why, 
 that would be heaven upon earth ! In the 
 same house ! — but — no, no ; it can't be. Look 
 ye, aunt ; I won't deceive you ; but the fact is, 
 they are — they are — not two young gentlemen." 
 
 " Not gentlemen /" ejaculated her ladyship, 
 affecting to misunderstand him. " I hope, my 
 dear boy, that you have been careful of not 
 forming any improper acquaintance. But I
 
 248 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 beg your pardon, perhaps they are a couple of 
 good, honest jack tars, and in that case my 
 kitchen is open to theui. Yet, you said some- 
 thing about its being like heaven upon earth to 
 be in the same house with them ; I do not 
 exactly understand that." 
 
 " It would be very odd if you did,'' replied 
 the nephew. " No ; they are no more like a 
 brace of able-bodied seamen than a jib boom is 
 like a stern lantern ; if they had, they wouldn't 
 have wanted our help when that tub of a 
 felucca was yawning about off Cape Campa- 
 nella, while her lubberly crew were all hands 
 praying to the saints instead of working the 
 pumps. No, my dear aunt, the person I allude 
 to is a widow lady, who lost her husband in 
 Sicily, and was making her way to Naples 
 when we met with her. T happened to have 
 the command of the boat that went to their 
 assistance, and that is the way our acquaintance
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 249 
 
 began. Our ship was very soon after ordered 
 home to refit, and she was glad to obtain a 
 passage. She is, I think, somewhat older than 
 you ; but I am sure, if you knew her, you would 
 like her exceedingly." 
 
 " Very possibly,"" observed Lady Mary, 
 carelessly. "But she is only one; I under- 
 stood you before that there were two per- 
 sons." 
 
 " The other is her daughter," replied George,^ 
 affecting to speak with the same sang froid as 
 her ladyship, and somewhat annoyed by feel- 
 ing a glowing tint in his cheeks, which made 
 him apprehensive that he had not entirely 
 succeeded. 
 
 " Who has nothing very particular about 
 her, I suppose,'"* observed his aunt ; " as other- 
 wise you doubtless would not have forgotten 
 to mention her."" 
 
 Instead of making an immediate reply, the 
 M 5
 
 250 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 young sailor started up, and began striding to 
 and fro across the room, uttering a sort of half- 
 whistle, while Lady Mary, who had not been 
 very jocular of late, enjoyed his embarrassment 
 somewhat more, perhaps, on that account. 
 
 " Egad, she's got the weather-gage!" ex- 
 claimed the talisman — ''what shall I say? 
 Precious work I shall make of a description 
 of such a masterpiece of Nature's handywork ! 
 — no, 'tis impossible ! Besides, if I could do 
 it properly, she 'd only laugh at me, and she 's 
 pretty near ready to do so as it is; no — she 
 carries too many guns for me. It's all true, 
 as the old forecastle song has it." Here George 
 took to humming a sort of tune, which the 
 inward voice accompanied, by saying, 
 
 *' ' Britannia's sons, d'ye see, 
 They never strike afloat ; 
 But when they come ashoie 
 Tliey strike to petticoat. 
 
 Tol, tol,' &c.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 251 
 
 Yes, I must either strike, or cut and run. But 
 why do that? — no, no, the old girl has got a 
 good heart of her own, so here goes." And the 
 nephew threw himself again into his chair, and 
 replied, " Look ye, my dear aunt, there are 
 some kinds of persons whom one can't very well 
 describe ; and that 's the case with Miss Wain- 
 fleet. You must see her to know anything 
 about her; for there is something so inex- 
 pressibly — so indescribably fascinating — so 
 different from other people, that, upon my 
 
 soul, it is impossible not to What was I 
 
 going to say ? There now, you are laughing 
 — I see you don't believe me; but if you had 
 been with me yesterday morning " 
 
 " Yesterday morning !"* exclaimed Lady 
 Mary ; " then you have contrived to find 
 your way to Hammersmith already without 
 a horse." 
 
 " Why yes, aunt," replied George ; " the
 
 252 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 fact is, that when I called and found nobody 
 in Park Lane, I thought I might as well go on 
 and inquire how our passengers reached home, 
 as it is a fortnight since we put them ashore 
 at Portsmouth — remember that I didn't know 
 you were in town." 
 
 " If you had, I do not suppose you would 
 have acted otherwise," said his aunt ; " so be 
 frank and honest with me, my dear boy, and 
 tell me all you know about these individuals to 
 whom you appear to be so much attached : not 
 now, as I perceive it wants but a few minutes 
 of the dinner hour. We shall be alone after- 
 wards; and then, if you are disposed to make 
 me your confidential friend, as you were wont 
 formerly, I think I may venture to promise 
 that you shall have no cause to repent. No, 
 no, do not attempt to make a speech ; I can 
 read your thoughts — you agree to the compact, 
 that is sufficient ; and henceforth plain, open 
 sincerity is established between us.*"
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. ^53 
 
 In reply George articulated something which, 
 though differently expressed, amounted to much 
 the same as the words uttered by the talisman 
 as her ladyship was leaving the room; and 
 those were, " God bless the old girl ! why 
 she's kinder than ever! with such hearts they 
 must all three love one another. — I 'm a lucky 
 dog!" 
 
 Lady Mary's toilet on that day was a very 
 brief affair, and was rendered more so than it 
 otherwise would have been, in consequence of 
 Rachel's anxiety about what might possibly 
 occur to the Yorkshire pudding during her 
 absence. According to the report of the talis- 
 man, her mistress had no idea of the nicety 
 and care requisite in such an important case ; 
 and the old handmaiden's mind was visited 
 with tormenting apprehensions of coals jump- 
 ing out of the fire, and of the beef falling from 
 the vertical jack, to which, for want of a 
 kitchen-range and spit in her own room, she
 
 254f THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 had been obliged to suspend it. Either of 
 these accidents would be fatal to the savoury 
 dish which she had, in the pride and gladness 
 of her heart, prepared for " the dear boy ;" 
 and so poor Rachel was of very little service to 
 her mistress, who therefore dismissed her as 
 soon as possible to watch over the object of her 
 care, which was eventually turned out of hand 
 in a style perfectly satisfactory to all parties. 
 
 In the mean while Lady Mary, while alone, 
 was annoyed by one of those impertinent and 
 thankless ifs which are ever intruding upon 
 poor mortals to prevent them from enjoying 
 present good: it was suggested by certain 
 " family" feelings. She was perfectly satisfied 
 with her nephew, and believed herself grateful 
 that she had discovered sincerity in so near 
 a relation ; but, while she acknowledged this, 
 she could not help sighing, " If he had but 
 been the eldest son !" Her thoughts then re-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. ^55 
 
 curred to Lord Draxfort and the earlier part 
 of the morning, and she decided that to consti- 
 tute him her heir would be but to elevate him 
 as a surer mark for the aim of designing vil- 
 lany. From this it may be inferred that she 
 had already formed some indistinct plans for 
 the future benefit of her young sailor. 
 
 The story that she heard after dinner in no 
 degree lessened the warmth of her feelings to- 
 wards him, although he concealed the most 
 important circumstance, v/hich was, that in 
 rescuing the two females from their peril, he 
 had risked his own life. " It would only 
 make her uneasy if I told her that," said 
 the talisman ; " she would be fancying that 
 one is always in danger." 
 
 It seemed that, after the ladies were received 
 on board his Majesty's ship, young George 
 Deningford found various opportunities of con- 
 versing with Miss Sarah Wainfleet, and her
 
 ^56 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 mother felt not the smallest degree of alarm at 
 their intimacy. Being the widow of a brave 
 officer, she respected the brave, and Mr. De- 
 ningford had proved himself to be of their 
 number ; moreover, the debt of gratitude which 
 they both owed to him entitled him to more 
 than ordinary attention. So her mind w^as 
 perfectly easy till she heard that he bore the 
 epithet of " honourable" before his name, and 
 then she became alarmed, and spoke to her 
 daughter, and said many wise and true things, 
 dictated by affection, experience, and observa- 
 tion, concerning unequal marriages; but they 
 came too late, for Sarah had already made 
 George a present of her heart, no doubt be- 
 cause she could not think of any better way of 
 recompensing him for past services. However, 
 she dutifully promised to be guided hereafter 
 entirely by the counsel of her mother, and to 
 do nothing without her consent ; upon which
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 257 
 
 her mother kissed her, and sought an opportu- 
 nity of speaking to the midshipman, who can- 
 didly confessed he was the son of a lord, 
 but that what he expected on that account 
 would not, he apprehended, *' alter the trim of 
 a yawl." He understood, he said, he was 
 to have something when he came of age, but 
 he had no idea of what sum, as his father had 
 .^ied since he left England, and his brother, 
 who very seldom wrote to him, never men- 
 tioned such matters in his letters. 
 
 From that time the good mother satisfied 
 herself by always making a third whenever the 
 two young people entered into conversation, 
 and nothing more was said in a serious way till 
 their arrival at Portsmouth. George then con- 
 trived to obtain their address at the house of 
 a friend at Hammersmith, where they pro- 
 posed remaining till they could meet with a 
 suitable residence. On his recent call, he had
 
 25S THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 been directed to snug lodgings which they had 
 already taken, and where he read his welcome 
 in the sparkling eyes of the daughter, and in 
 a grateful pressure given by the hand of her 
 mother. 
 
 It is not to be supposed that George was 
 thus brief in giving the particulars of his amour 
 to his aunt ; neither, when speaking of his mis- 
 tress, did he exhibit that eloquence so common 
 among the more practised and therefore less 
 warm-hearted admirers of beauty. Sarah was 
 his first love, the idol enshrined in the inner- 
 most sanctuary of his heart, to be worshipped 
 in secret, with a sincerity and intenseness of 
 respect and affection that rendered it impossible 
 for him to make her the subject of common- 
 place conversation. Even on the present occa- 
 sion, as her name passed his lips, they qui- 
 vered ; but, to be sure, it was his first confes- 
 sion, and he could not help feeling that his
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 259 
 
 aunt might, if she thought proper, remove 
 every obstacle to his happiness. 
 
 Lady Mary listened attentively both to what 
 he said and to the report of the talisman, and 
 found no reason to be dissatisfied with either, 
 though the latter was sometimes flighty and 
 hyperbolical. The first object that the lover 
 had in view appeared to be to induce her to 
 drive down to Hammersmith and call upon the 
 ladies; but that, she felt, was quite out of the 
 question till she could learn somewhat more 
 about them ; for George could not even tell 
 her the mother's maiden name, nor to what re- 
 giment her husband had belonged. 
 
 " My dear boy," she said, after having heard 
 him to the end, " you have been somewhat 
 rash in this affair ; but instead of blaming you, 
 since what is past cannot be recalled, I will 
 hope all may prove agreeable to your wishes 
 and belief. If so, I will be your friend ; but
 
 260 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 you must allow me to make inquiry ; I am 
 well acquainted with several officers high in 
 the service, and do not apprehend any diffi- 
 culty. In the mean while it will be most pru- 
 dent for you not to visit Hammersmith, as, if 
 it should be necessary " 
 
 " My dear aunt," exclaimed the lover, inter- 
 rupting her, " that is impossible, as I promised 
 to let them know when I had passed my ex- 
 amination, and should have run down this 
 evening if I hadn't learnt that you were in 
 town." 
 
 " You can send a note ; that will be quite 
 sufficient," said his aunt. 
 
 " Yes," observed George, " I might do that, 
 certainly." 
 
 " Quite sufficient !" exclaimed the talismanic 
 voice. " I wonder if my aunt was ever in 
 love ; she talks of writing a note as if it was to 
 send an order to a tradesman. But there's
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 261 
 
 some sense in what she says too about making 
 inquiry; it's all very natural in her, because 
 she has not seen them. Well, well, let her in- 
 quire — I'm not afraid of that; but to stay 
 away from Hammersmith till she gets a report 
 from a set of old invalids, hang me if I can 
 promise that ! they '11 perhaps take as much 
 time about it as the Prize-court." 
 
 " Well, my dear George,'' said Lady Mary, 
 '* write your note this evening, and promise to 
 breakfast with me to-morrow morning ; I exact 
 nothing farther at present. Remember only that 
 Rachel has got your room ready, and won't be 
 satisfied unless you take possession of it to- 
 night : cannot you contrive to do so ? It is 
 now only ten o'clock ; you will have plenty of 
 time to go to the Strand and arrange your 
 affairs there and return here. At all events, 
 you must excuse me for running away from 
 you ; you know our compact is that there is to
 
 262 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 be no ceremony between us, and I must show 
 myself this evening at a party in the neighbour- 
 hood." 
 
 This abrupt termination of their interview 
 was occasioned by the fear of delay expressed 
 by the talisman. Her ladyship felt almost 
 certain of meeting a general who was said, in 
 common parlance, to know everybody in the 
 army, and she hoped to gain from him some 
 information respecting the late Major Wain- 
 fleet, and thus have it in her power to speak 
 more decidedly to her nephew on the following 
 morning at breakfast. 
 
 " Poor fellow !" thought she ; *' if he has 
 placed his affections imprudently, I must en- 
 deavour to get him appointed on some foreign 
 station ; and yet it will grieve me to part with 
 him." 
 
 On her arrival at a large mansion in Port- 
 land Square, she, after some difficulty, descried
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 26S 
 
 the general seated, with two other veterans and 
 a foreign nobleman, at a whist table, which 
 was thrust into a corner of the room for their 
 accommodation. They were surrounded, or 
 rather hemmed in by beauty and gaiety. The 
 rooms were crowded ; all was brilliancy and 
 elegance ; a party of young people were dan- 
 cing a quadrille within a few yards of them ; 
 yet there they sat, apparently unconscious, and 
 each determined to withhold his attention from 
 all that was passing, and to fix it on the game, 
 the silent science, which, oddly enough, many 
 of its votaries love to practise most in the 
 midst of noise and confusion. Here was a trial 
 of patience for Lady Mary. A man would 
 probably have postponed the inquiry till an- 
 other opportunity ; but, as the Grand Sultan 
 (after making light of the threats of various 
 kings) said, on hearing that the Empress Cathe- 
 rine intended to make war against him, " That
 
 264 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 is different, when a woman takes a thing in 
 hand it is time for us to put our trust in Allah 
 and the Prophet i*" so her ladyship seated her- 
 self beside the general, at first simply for the 
 purpose of cutting off his retreat ; but she had 
 not sate long ere it struck her, that as there 
 were two other military men present, the intro- 
 duction of Major Wainfleet's name could not 
 be better timed than between the deals. 
 
 " Wainfleet ! Wainfleet !" muttered the gene- 
 ral, " yes, I know the name. What regiment, 
 my lady ?" 
 
 " Really I cannot inform you," was the 
 reply. 
 
 " That 's unlucky," said the veteran, " be- 
 cause — clubs trumps ; — you see, my lady, in 
 the army — ifs your lead. Baron — all depends 
 upon that. I knew a lieutenant of the name in 
 
 the • many years ago ; most likely it is the 
 
 same — our first trick.""
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 265 
 
 '' Mind your cards, general," said Lady 
 Mary; " you can tell me what you know of 
 him afterwards ; I am in no hurry." 
 
 " Exactly so," observed the veteran, " and 
 in the mean while I '11 endeavour to recollect. 
 I 'm sure I know something particular about 
 him." 
 
 The talisman here informed her ladyship 
 that the foreigner did not like to see ladies 
 sitting in such a position as to overlook the 
 cards. 
 
 " Al^the better," was her mental reply ; '* I 
 shall therefore remain where I am, to induce 
 him to leave off playing somewhat sooner." 
 
 When the cards were out, the general, after 
 taking a huge pinch of snuff, turned towards 
 her, and in a low voice said — 
 
 " I don't know \ohy you ask me about that 
 person, my lady, but he is not one of us. No, 
 no, you must not have anything to say to him ; 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 266 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 that is, unless he is very greatly altered, and I 
 
 do not think that likely, as he married 1 
 
 wish they would have done with that squeaking 
 violin ! I cannot conceive why people come 
 into society to dance ! Such a noise and con- 
 fusion ! It 's impossible to hear oneself speak ! 
 It puts a stop to all conversation — There's my 
 card — I never keep anybody waiting. But 
 you are quick in sorting your cards, Sir 
 Thomas/' 
 
 " Rather," drawled his adversary. 
 
 Here the baron let one of his cards fall 
 under the table, and as he stooped to recover 
 it the talisman, speaking for him, said — 
 
 " Let us see where miladi's feet are." 
 
 Her ladyship could not avoid smiling, for, as 
 he was the general's partner, the only person 
 with whom she could have held any pedal com- 
 munication to his injury was a prodigiously 
 heavy, fierce-looking colonel of heavy dra-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 267 
 
 goons, in whose gruff tones the talisman almost 
 immediately growled — 
 
 " What does the woman mean by intruding 
 upon us in this way ? I suppose she thinks 
 her money entitles her to commit any imperti- 
 nence. If she wasn^t the general's friend, I 'd 
 soon send her about her business. Zounds ! 
 can't one have a single rubber in peace and 
 quietness without being plagued with the 
 women .'*" . 
 
 " I would begin to talk to him immediately,"" 
 thought Lady Mary, " but poor George ! I 've 
 no heart for raillery now. This marriage ! 
 what can the general allude to V^ 
 
 There was no alternative, so she patiently 
 sate out the rubber, and then, to her dismay, 
 there was a talk of a second, with a change of 
 partners; but the talisman informed her that 
 the heavy dragoon did not choose to run the 
 risk of being associated with the general till she 
 n2
 
 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 
 
 should decamp ; therefore she kept her ground 
 firmly, and was soon relieved by the appear- 
 ance of a livel}^, high-spirited young lady, 
 who, rushing forward as though upon an affair 
 of the utmost importance, seized upon the 
 foreigner, and exclaimed — 
 
 " Mon cher baron ! I 'm delighted to see 
 that you have done with those odious cards ! 
 You must come with me directly, to settle a 
 dispute about whether monsieur should be pro- 
 nounced mooshoo or moonshoo. Nothing less 
 than your authority will suffice. So, allons ! 
 donnez moy la braw. That is properly pro- 
 nounced, isn't it ?" 
 
 " Parfaitement, pour une Anglaise, admira- 
 ble !*" said the baron, suppressing a smile while 
 rising and proffering his arm, by which he was 
 instantly seized and carried off in triumph. 
 
 Here the thoughts of the heavy colonel, as 
 reported to her ladyship, were excessively dis-
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 269 
 
 respectful to the ladies in general, and to her- 
 self and the dashing deportress of the baron in 
 particular. But the general was now at liberty, 
 and therefore she felt no disposition to attend 
 to any other person's thoughts or words. In 
 reply to her inquiry he again commenced : — 
 
 " Not being acquainted with your ladyship's 
 reasons for asking after such a person, I hardly 
 know what to say." 
 
 " As he is now no more," said Lady Mary, 
 it is not so much concerning him that I wish 
 for information (though I shall be glad to 
 obtain any you can furnish me with) as con- 
 cerning his widow ; I am very anxious to know 
 something of her past character and conduct."' 
 
 " Ah ! I see," said the talisman, " her lady- 
 ship is disposed to be charitable to the widow 
 of an officer. Well, I must be charitable too 
 It won't do to tell her of things that happened 
 nearly twenty years ago : why should I ? Time
 
 270 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 changes us all, and perhaps — But I must be 
 candid with her to a certain extent, for I have 
 too much respect for her to allow her to com- 
 mit herself by anything like intimacy with one 
 who has been in such a degraded situation." 
 
 " I cannot speak very decidedly to that 
 point, my lady," replied the general. " As for 
 the poor fellow himself, he was one of those who 
 are said to be no man's enemy but their own ; 
 and certainly he did contrive to injure himself 
 in every possible way and shape. Has your 
 ladyship seen the widow ?" 
 " No," was the faint reply. 
 " It is quite as well not," resumed the vete- 
 ran ; " she was reckoned a fine, dashing wo- 
 man, but — I dare say she is much changed. 
 They said, she lived very unhappily with her 
 husband, and, indeed, it would have been sur- 
 prising had it been otherwise, for the poor 
 fellow was, no doubt, forced into the match by
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 271 
 
 the consequences resulting from his previous 
 misconduct. They had one child though, a 
 daughter, if I recollect right. Poor things ! 
 they must be badly off, I fear, for he was very 
 unlikely to make any provision for their sup- 
 port. I should therefore judge, that your 
 ladyship's hountij could not be bestowed any- 
 where where it would be more acceptable." 
 
 The talismanic voice added : — 
 
 " I suppose the unfortunate creature has run 
 the usual downward course, and, hearing of 
 your large fortune, has humbled herself to 
 become a petitioner." 
 
 Lady Mary had heard more than enough to 
 alarm her seriously on her nephew's account, 
 and she sate for some minutes entirely absorbed 
 by her own feelings and unconscious of all 
 around. The kind-hearted general was asto- 
 nished at the effect of his communication, and 
 said something of the probability that time
 
 ^TS THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 might have wrought a change in the characters 
 of the parties, and promised to make inquiry ; 
 but her ladyship shook her head, and begged 
 that he would not give himself the trouble. 
 
 Here the talisman, speaking for the heavy 
 colonel, who had not stirred from his chair, 
 said, " She seems to have got a poser for her 
 pains in coming here to break up our table. 
 I 'm heartily glad of it ; it serves her perfectly 
 right." 
 
 As Lady Mary passed through the brilliant 
 saloons to her carriage, a murmuring, as of a 
 multitude within, told her that her altered 
 manners and appearance rendered her the ob- 
 ject of general astonishment.
 
 THE OLD MAIDEN*S TALISMAN. 273 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 A WEEK had elapsed, and the young mid- 
 shipman was constant in his -visits to Hammer- 
 smith, though he still remained under Lady 
 Mary's roof. Each morning at breakfast the 
 subject of his misplaced affection was renewed ; 
 but all the aunt's rhetoric was unavailing. 
 " Do but see them once^'' said he, " and you 
 will be undeceived." 
 
 The talisman added, " I wish she would 
 
 speak out, and say exactly what she has heard, 
 
 and who told her ; then one might sift the 
 
 matter to the bottom : but I expect it is no- 
 
 N 5
 
 274 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 thing more than our family pride. She need 
 not know how often I visit them ; but I will 
 not be such a hypocrite as to pretend that I 
 will give up the acquaintance." 
 
 *' It was my intention, George," said Lady 
 Mary, " to have introduced you to a gentleman 
 from whom you may learn some particulars of 
 the late major and his lady ; but unfortunately 
 he has been out of town for the last week — he 
 is expected to return daily. Let me prevail 
 upon you not to repeat your visits to Hammer- 
 smith till you have seen him. Surely that is 
 not too great a sacrifice for me to ask ! If you 
 knew how deeply I feel interested in your 
 welfare, you would not refuse me so trifling 
 a request." 
 
 " Do not talk so, aunt," said the young 
 seaman ; " you know how highly I appreciate 
 your kindness. But really, to abandon one's 
 friends — to break with those whom one esteems,
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 215 
 
 merely because some gossiping person has 
 misrepresented them to you, appears to me 
 absolutely base and cowardly. Besides, they 
 know that you are prejudiced against them, 
 for we have no secrets ; and if I were to change 
 my conduct, they would suppose it was to 
 curry favour with you, on account of your for- 
 tune, and that suspicion I could not endure." 
 
 " No," said the talisman, " not for all you 
 possess would I risk the loss of their esteem.'" 
 
 After a few more vain endeavours to carry 
 her point, Lady Mary succeeded in exacting 
 from him a promise that matters should go no 
 farther between him and Miss Wainfleet with- 
 out her being apprised of it beforehand. 
 
 " Do not suppose, my dear aunt," added he, 
 '' that there is any great merit in my making 
 you this promise, for I must wait till I am of 
 age, if not somewhat longer, as Draxfort says 
 there is some hitch in the lawyers' proceedings,
 
 276 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 and so he can't tell, exactly when my five thou- 
 sand pounds will be forthcoming. I told Mrs. 
 Wainfleet that that was all I had or ever ex- 
 pected, and I do think she likes me the better 
 since she knows I 'm not rich. I do wish you 
 knew her, aunt ; I 'm sure you would love one 
 another, and we should all be so happy !" 
 
 '* Had I not been able to discern the ge- 
 neral's thoughts," said Lady Mary to herself, 
 " I might have supposed her guilty of poverty 
 alone, a great crime in the eyes of the world, 
 though none in mine, and so, in all probability, 
 1 should have fallen into the snare as well as 
 this dear boy ; but I will endeavour to save 
 him, though the means be painful to us both." 
 
 After the incorrigible young lover had gone 
 his way, she sate down, and was ruminating on 
 what step it would be most prudent first to 
 take, when the chimes of a small clock remind- 
 ed her of another and more pressing duty 
 which she had resolved to perform.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 277 
 
 For' some few previous days the reports re- 
 specting Lord Highfield were so general, that 
 it became impossible not to believe his affairs 
 to be in a state of dreadful embarrassment. 
 Lady Mary took the magnanimous resolution 
 of relieving him from it, and, having fixed 
 upon Mr. Merington as the most proper agent 
 in so delicate an affair, had summoned the old 
 gentleman to wait upon her on that day at 
 twelve o'clock. She was not aware it was so 
 late, but it now wanted only a quarter to that 
 hour, and that quarter passed rapidly away. 
 Poor George and his affairs were entirely lost 
 sight of; she was about to pay what seemed a 
 debt of affection — to awaken joy and gladness 
 in the melancholy, lacerated heart of him whose 
 secret thoughts and regrets had been so 
 strangely revealed to her. The anticipation 
 was delightful ; and she indulged herself in 
 imagining his feelings of gratitude and the 
 pleasure he must experience, feeling towards
 
 278 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 her as he did, at discovering that she took 
 so deep an interest in his welfare. 
 
 Her venerable agent was punctual to the 
 hour, and listened, with no small degree of 
 surprise and embarrassment, to the extraordi- 
 nary commission, while the talisman, speaking 
 for him, expressed a wish that he had been 
 able to obtain mortgages to tie up the whole of 
 his client's property. 
 
 " Your ladyship will pardon me, I hope," 
 said the old gentleman, " if I speak my 
 thoughts too freely. I know that Lord High- 
 field is an old acquaintance of your family; 
 I remember him as a boy when I used to visit 
 at Draxfort with my late respected friend 
 your uncle : but times are changed since then. 
 His lordship married the daughter of a rich 
 banker in the city, and in consequence of that 
 connexion, I am acquainted with many par- 
 ticulars concerning his affairs, which, I am
 
 sorry to say, are of an unpleasant nature. Of 
 course I must obey your ladyship's commands ; 
 but, if I might advise " 
 
 " Why, as for that," observed Lady Mary, 
 affecting gaiety, " my dear sir, this is not 
 exactly a matter of business; if it were, per- 
 haps one might obtain better security. It 
 is rather an affair of honour and secresy be- 
 tween old friends, or, more properly, a can- 
 celling of former obligations ; for I have heard 
 that the late Lord Highfield befriended my 
 father and brother on more than one occasion ; 
 so you will observe, my dear sir, there can be 
 no question of bonds or securities between us. 
 If his lordship can but be induced to take the 
 money, that is all I wish ; he will be at liberty 
 to return it to me when it best suits his conve- 
 nience." 
 
 *' Return it to her when it suits his conve- 
 nience !" exclaimed the talisman ; " poor good
 
 280 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 lady! she judges of others by herself! What 
 obligations can her father and brother have 
 incurred to induce her to take this rash step ? 
 An affair of honour and secresy indeed ! Ah, 
 my lady ! a gamester's honour is not the sort 
 of security in which your uncle would have 
 liked to see his property invested."" 
 
 While such thoughts were passing in his 
 mind Mr. Merington strove to moderate her 
 ladyship's generosity, and persuade her to con- 
 fine her offer to a small amount ; but all was 
 in vain ; she resolutely persisted in relieving 
 Lord Highfield from his difficulties, even if it 
 were necessary to advance the half of her for- 
 tune for the purpose ; and at length the good 
 old gentleman went away with a heavy heart, 
 to fulfil his extraordinary mission. 
 
 When he was gone, Lady Mary was troubled 
 with a thousand fears and fancies. Sometimes 
 she thought it would have been better, and
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 581 
 
 more delicate, if she had tendered her assist- 
 ance through the medium of a third person, 
 keeping herself entirely out of sight. Then 
 she trembled lest her offer should arrive too 
 late, or be refused. Perhaps, likewise, his 
 lordship's affairs might not be in the state 
 reported, and he might take umbrage at her 
 interference ; and even if he were in difficulties 
 he might imagine them to be unknown to the 
 world, and so she would have inflicted pain in- 
 stead of affording relief. 
 
 While her mind was in this state of confu- 
 sion she was surprised by a visit from her 
 friend Lady Derwent, whom she had not seen 
 since the change in her fortune, and whom she 
 had often longed to subject to the ordeal of the 
 talisman. The meeting was, apparently, affec- 
 tionate on both sides, but scarcely had her 
 visiter taken a seat ere the secret voice mur- 
 mured —
 
 282 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " It is as I thought it would be ! she is 
 dreadfully altered ! She is not fit to be the 
 mistress of a large fortune ; v/hat a pity that it 
 is so thrown away ! She was happy and con- 
 tented with her slender income, and now she is 
 the picture of care and anxiety." 
 
 Lady Derwent in the mean while informed 
 her dear friend that she had left Edinburgh at 
 a few hours' notice, to accompany Sir William 
 her husband to London, where he had been 
 called on some military business. 
 
 " We arrived last night," she continued, 
 " and this of course is my first call, so I know 
 nothing of what is going forward, and shall 
 look to you for all sorts of information. It is 
 four years since I was last in town, and I sup- 
 pose everything is changed. What a wonder- 
 ful alteration a few years makes in some people ! 
 I declare I was quite shocked yesterday at St. 
 Albans, where we met Lord Highfield, posting
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 2SS 
 
 away to his place, somewhere in the north. 
 He looks like a person of seventy at least, and 
 has such a wild, staring way with him, that I 
 hardly knew him. But what 's the matter with 
 you, my dear ? — how pale you are !" 
 
 " Nothing, nothing," replied Lady Mary; 
 '* that is — nothing of any importance. But I 
 have not been very well this morning ; a trifling 
 headache, that 's all — " 
 
 *' I'm afraid you have been raking — living 
 a little too gaily," said Lady Derwent. 
 
 " It was at the mention of Lord Highfield's 
 name," murmured the talisman ; " I thought 
 she had long since forgotten the penchant 
 which, I have often felt convinced, she once 
 entertained towards him. But riches — riches ! 
 When all our desires are gratified save one, 
 that one becomes intolerable : surely there can 
 be nothing wrong between them ! No, no, that 
 cannot be ! — and yet, why then this strange
 
 284 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 emotion ? We used to speak of him formerly, 
 and I never perceived anything of the kind." 
 
 Lady Mary felt so indignant at this un- 
 worthy suspicion that she was unable to con- 
 tinue the conversation with the frankness and 
 friendly ease with which it had commenced, 
 and the talisman soon informed her that the 
 change in her manner was noticed, and had 
 made a deep, and not favourable impression on 
 the mind of her visiter. 
 
 Time thus flew not away so rapidly as it is 
 wont when two friends meet after a long sepa- 
 ration ; and when they parted, notwithstanding 
 mutual expressions of attachment, each felt 
 that the other was changed. 
 
 " I am sorry that I cannot accompany you 
 this morning," said Lady Mary, ''but I have 
 some very urgent business in hand, and expect 
 my agent here every moment."' 
 
 " Pray make no apology, my dear,'" replied
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 285 
 
 Lady Derwent ; *' you will call upon us when 
 you are at leisure ; Sir William will be de- 
 lighted to see you." 
 
 The talisman simultaneously observed — 
 
 " There was a time when she would have 
 told me the nature of her ' very urgent busi- 
 ness,' and been glad to ask my advice." 
 
 " I fear," thought Lady Mary when alone, 
 " I very much fear, that my friend has not 
 moved in the most select society latterly, or 
 such an idea could never have entered into' her 
 imagination. But it is well that my extraordi- 
 nary gift has warned me of it ; I shall be on 
 my guard in future. Lord Highfield gone into 
 the country! — looking old — harassed, — per- 
 haps at this moment giving way to despair ? 
 Why did I procrastinate? — Yes — I must — 
 there is no other way — I will write to him." 
 
 As she was forming this resolution Mr. Me- 
 rington came to announce his lordship's ab-
 
 286 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 sence, and was somewhat pleased, as well as 
 surprised, at the coolness with which her lady- 
 ship received the intelligence. 
 
 " She has had time to think of what I said," 
 observed the talisman ; " I hope she has altered 
 her mind, for the present at least, and I '11 take 
 care to lock up her money, so that she can 
 touch nothing but the interest in future, with- 
 out giving six months' notice ; that 's the only 
 way of securing her from the consequences of 
 her romantic generosity." 
 
 The worthy lawyer's reflections were here 
 interrupted, in a very unpleasant and startling 
 manner, by his client, who said, " We can do 
 nothing more in this affair at present ; but you 
 will please to let me have twenty thousand 
 pounds, in bank notes, to-morrow." 
 
 " My lady !" exclaimed Mr. Merington. 
 
 '' What can she mean ? what can she want 
 with such a sum ? what will she do with it .»*"
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 287 
 
 cried the talisman. *' Surely she hasn't lost so 
 much at cards !" 
 
 " I must have it," Lady Mary said, faintly 
 smiling at the old gentleman's astonishment; 
 " when I part with it, you shall know where it 
 is gone." 
 
 '' It will be impossible to let you have it to- 
 morrow," observed Mr. Merington, " as it is a 
 holiday at the Bank." 
 
 " That will give her time to think," said the 
 talisman. 
 
 " Well," replied Lady Mary, " let it be the 
 next day, then ; but do not disappoint me, on 
 any account." 
 
 " Had I not better pay it into your lady- 
 ship's bankers' ?" asked the old gentleman ; 
 " you can draw checks then for whatever sums 
 you may happen to want, and it will be much 
 safer.'' 
 
 " No," she replied, " I must have it by me 
 in bank notes ; I have a particular reason."
 
 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 
 
 As there was no arguing against a mistress 
 of property entirely at her own disposal, Mr. 
 Merington was obliged to submit; but the 
 talisman protested vehemently against such 
 extraordinary drafts, and added, " Nine more 
 whims like this, and she must return to her 
 lodgings and her pension. She must think 
 sometimes — it is impossible to suppose her 
 deficient in intellect ; and yet I cannot under- 
 stand her character." 
 
 " It would be strange if he could,"" thought 
 Lady Mary, as he left the room ; " I am a 
 subject of astonishment to myself. What a 
 wondrous change this fortune and the pos- 
 session of this talisman have wrought in my 
 pursuits, my duties, and my character ! But 
 a few months since, and I was — no, I was not 
 selfish, but my thoughts, my wishes, my pro- 
 spects were bounded. I wished well to all ; 
 but I felt that my wishes were all that I could 
 give them. The secrets of others troubled me
 
 THE OLD MAIDENS TALISMAN. 
 
 not, and I was happy — yes, those were happier 
 days than I have since known. O that I 
 had not accepted this mysterious power ! But 
 the die is cast: it has revealed to me things 
 which I could nevtr otherwise have known ; it 
 has opened to my view unthought-of duties. 
 I will not shrink — they shall be performed: 
 that generous, unsuspecting youth shall be 
 snatched from the snares of a designing wo- 
 man, — and, yes — the letter! I must write that 
 first." 
 
 The task of writing a note to Lord High- 
 field was not quite so easy as her ladyship 
 fancied when she sat down to her escrutoire. 
 The first she penned appeared too formal ; the 
 second too familiar, considering the length of 
 time since their intimacy had ceased ; and for 
 other i-easons she threw aside several more, 
 after penning a few lines. At length she com- 
 pleted one, which she resolved to send, not 
 
 VOL. I. O
 
 290 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 because she was satisfied with it, but because 
 that, without mentioning his embarrassments, 
 it appeared to her sufficiently explicit not to be 
 misunderstood. It ran thus: — 
 
 " My dear Lord, 
 " Why did you not keep your promise, and 
 call upon me before you left town ? if you had, 
 much needless anxiety would have been avoided 
 for both of us. I wished very much to have 
 seen you, and now beg of you, on your return, 
 to call upon me the very first thing after your 
 arrival. Do not, on any account, disappoint 
 me, and in the mean while continue to be- 
 lieve me 
 
 " Yours very sincerely, 
 
 " M. Deningford. 
 " P. S. I hope you have not, like many 
 others, taken it into your head that I am 
 changed. No ; I may appear so to the world,
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 291 
 
 and perhaps really may be so to some ; but 
 our friendship is not one of yesterday. I add 
 no more than that I shall re/y upon your call- 
 ing, and then whatever mystery may appear in 
 this will be cleared up by a few minutes' con- 
 versation, which is better than all the letter- 
 writing in the world. So fail not, at your perils 
 and — Adieu !'' 
 
 An hour after this important epistle was 
 despatched, her ladyship was closeted with 
 an old admiral high in office, to whom she 
 related her uneasiness on her nephew's ac- 
 count. 
 
 '•' Ah !'' said the veteran, " boys will be 
 boys, my lady, and there are always some of 
 your sex ready to bring up a young fellow of 
 family and fortune. Had like to have been 
 hooked in myself many years ago; thought it 
 confoundedly hard to be ordered off, I re-
 
 member. Soon got the better of it, though : 
 nothing like duty. He's a promising young 
 fellow, I understand. Had some talk with 
 his captain yesterday about him — never forget 
 old acquaintance, Lady Mary. But where 's 
 the dowager? she ought to exert her au- 
 thority." 
 
 " We understood that she was in Edin- 
 burgh," replied her ladyship, " and he wrote 
 to her on his arrival ; but I am told now that 
 she is visiting somewhere in the north of Scot- 
 land. At all events, she has not replied to his 
 letter, and I cannot learn her address ; and in 
 the mean while this affair is becoming serious." 
 
 " Ay, ay,'* observed the admiral, " daily 
 visits — nothing else to do; I understand it all. 
 Fall in love with my granny under such cir- 
 cumstances, if there was nobody else, a young 
 rogue ! Well, well, my lady, it is very kind 
 of you to interest yourself about him ; he '11 
 thank you for it by and by." ^
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 293 
 
 '' I do feel intensely interested in his wel- 
 fare," said Lady Mary ; " I would do anything, 
 or make any sacrifice, to advance his prospects. 
 Indeed it will be no small sacrifice that I make 
 in parting from him, for I love him — yes, as 
 though he were my own son ; he is so good, so 
 open-hearted ! there is not a particle of guile 
 in his composition.*" 
 
 " Great thing to say that, my lady,*" ob- 
 served the veteran. 
 
 " Suppose she means to make him her heir,? 
 said the talisman. *' Hope she hasn't told him 
 so; young fellows never do so well as when 
 they think they 've nothing to look to but their 
 profession." 
 
 '' Well, well," continued the admiral, " he's 
 past his examination ; seen some service in the 
 Mediterranean — had a taste of the boat service 
 there, I find. That will make something of 
 'em, if anything will — keep 'em awake; better 
 than yawning about on the quarter-deck. 
 o5
 
 294 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 Showed himself a Briton on two or three oc- 
 casions, I hear; don't think you'll need to be 
 ashamed of him some day. See what we can 
 do for him, my lady ; must contrive to get him 
 out of the way of these land-sharks somehow/' 
 
 Lady Mary, in returning thanks, expressed 
 a wish that her interference might be concealed, 
 as, though she felt perfectly justified in the 
 step she had taken, she could not bear the idea 
 of being exposed to poor George's probable 
 reproaches. 
 
 " Make your mind easy on that head," said 
 the admiral ; " he v/ears a blue jacket, and be- 
 longs to his Majesty. A pretty thing it would 
 be if officers were to require to know why and 
 wherefore they are chosen on any particular 
 service !" 
 
 " No, no," added the talisman, " you ladies 
 must always possess a certain degree of influ- 
 ence as long as men are men, no matter whether
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 295 
 
 it be in the cockpit or at the board ; but we 
 don't hoist the petticoat at the fore, neither — 
 that would never do !" 
 
 The consequences of this interview appeared 
 much sooner than her ladyship had anticipated, 
 for at dinner George received a note requiring 
 his attendance at the Admiralty on the folio w> 
 ing morning at ten o'clock. 
 
 " What can they want with me ?" exclaimed 
 the unsuspecting youth ; " surely they are not 
 going to make me lieutenant already ! no, that 
 would be hardly fair, considering the number 
 o^ poor fellows there are upon the list. And 
 yet I don't know, for my captain said he had 
 spoken for me to one of the lords, who was 
 acquainted with our family, and it is not every 
 one that thinks so lightly of the title of Ho- 
 nourable as — I know who. 
 
 His aunt, -with considerable difficulty and 
 evident emotion, expressed a wish that, what-
 
 296 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 ever the business might be, it might be favour- 
 able to his interests. 
 
 *' God bless the old girl !" exclaimed the 
 talisman, " I know she wishes me well. I only 
 wish she was not so confoundedly obstinate 
 about not going to Hammersmith ; but never 
 mind, they 11 meet some day, and then all will 
 be right." 
 
 " As for that, my dear aunt," replied George, 
 " a summons to the Admiralty is always an 
 advantage, provided a fellow has done nothing 
 to merit censure. On second thoughts, I dare 
 say it is only to spin a long yarn about tl^e 
 boat-service with some of the old laced jackets. 
 My captain told me that they asked him more 
 questions than he could answer on the subject ; 
 and for my part, I 'd a tolerably fair allowance 
 of that duty — we were sometimes in action 
 three or four days in the week." 
 
 Lady Mary trembled at the idea that she
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 297 
 
 had perhaps doomed him to be again employed 
 in so perilous a service; but used every en- 
 deavour to conceal her emotion and support 
 a conversation. At length, finding her efforts 
 vain, she pleaded indisposition, and retired 
 early to her room, but not to rest. 
 
 " I cannot endure to take leave of him, poor 
 fellow," thought she ; " and yet, if I go from 
 home, Lord Highfield may return." 
 
 After some reflection, she decided on a plan 
 which seemed likely to answer every purpose, 
 and desired Rachel to inform her nephew that 
 she was under the necessity of going into the 
 country on the morrow, and probably should 
 not return till the following day. 
 
 Matters being thus arranged, she sought 
 repose; but sleep long fled from her eyelids. 
 Her spirit was depressed with a presentiment 
 of coming evil, which she endeavoured vainly 
 to banish by the thought that she had per-
 
 formed her duty ; and when exhausted nature 
 gave way to slumber, strange and fearful 
 dreams haunted her imagination, and horrid 
 phantoms, which seemed to be mysteriously 
 connected with the talisman, pursued her till 
 she awoke. Never had the dawn been more 
 welcome than after that wretched night. " I 
 would not — I could not endure such another !" 
 she exclaimed. But she was mistaken ; that 
 was but as a passing, feathery cloud when 
 compared with the utter gloom of many which 
 were to follow. 
 
 George had breakfasted in his own room, 
 and was gone to the Admiralty, when her 
 ladyship entered her carriage, and desired to 
 be driven to Mr. Merington's office in the city. 
 There a considerable delay took place. The 
 good man represented the impossibility of real- 
 izing from the funds on a holiday ; but Lady 
 Mary insisted, with a feverish impatience quite
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 299 
 
 at variance with what he had previously sup- 
 posed to be her character; and at length he 
 proposed to apply to her bankers, who had 
 nearly half the requisite amount in their hands. 
 To the bankers accordingly they went, and 
 the state of her ladyship's affairs caused her 
 strange request to be immediately complied 
 with ; but thus the transaction which she had 
 wished to keep secret became known to many. 
 The avidity with which she seized the notes 
 was like that of a miser, and excited the sur- 
 prise of all present. Many things were uttered 
 by the talismanic voice, which she heeded not, 
 but, proceeding directly to her carriage, or- 
 dered the coachman to drive home. This was 
 for the purpose of preventing her nephew from 
 tracing her through the medium of Mr. Me- 
 rington, for, when she judged herself to be 
 beyond his observation, she pulled the check- 
 string, and changed her course for Barnet,
 
 300 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 where she desired to be conveyed in as short 
 a time as possible. 
 
 On her arrival there, she left her coachman 
 and horses, and posted to St. Alban''s, where 
 she alighted at the Sun, mentioned by Lady 
 Derwent. There she decided, to the astonish- 
 ment of the only servant she had brought with 
 her, on remaining for the night. 
 
 " Just as you please, my lady,"" said he ; 
 '* but, if you will allow me to speak, you will 
 find yourself much more comfortable at the 
 next stage ; that is, if your ladyship is going 
 farther on, or there's time enough to reach 
 Woburn." 
 
 " It is very odd that she should be so close 
 about where she's going,'' said the talisman, 
 " and not even bring her own maid with her ; 
 one would think she was going to run away." 
 
 " No, John," replied her ladyship, " I shall 
 remain here. I have heard a good account of
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 301 
 
 the house from some friends of mine, who 
 stopped here the other day.'' 
 
 " This is one of the inconveniences of riches," 
 thought she : " the other day I might have 
 travelled in a stage coach, or as I pleased, and 
 no one would have concerned himself about 
 my route or my motives." 
 
 It then first occurred to her ladyship that 
 there was a certain degree of awkwardness in 
 inquiring, alone as she was, for Lord Highfield ; 
 but a moment's reflection on the importance of 
 her business with him, and, more than all, the 
 feeling of self-approbation, soon caused her to 
 dismiss every scruple. The landlady, in reply 
 to her questions, informed her that his lordship 
 always changed horses there, and that when he 
 went through last he said he should be back 
 in a day or two. Lady Mary then requested, 
 that if he arrived while she was in the house he 
 should be informed that she wished to speak 
 with him, and added: — 
 
 VOL. I. P
 
 302 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 " No matter at what hour, let me have 
 notice immediately/' 
 
 Having given this order, she endeavoured 
 to compose her ruffled spirits, and to calculate 
 calmly on the probability of seeing his lordship. 
 
 *' He will have received my letter some hours 
 since,'' she thought : " if he has interpreted it 
 aright, and means to avail himself of my assist- 
 ance, he will return to town immediately." 
 
 She then referred to a book of roads, and 
 endeavoured to beguile the time by calculating 
 how long it would take to perform the different 
 stages, but ever and anon the recollection of 
 poor George burst upon her, and when she 
 thought of what he was at that moment suffer- 
 ing, and would have hereafter to endure, she 
 more than once shed tears : the only relief she 
 experienced was in the firm conviction that 
 she had performed, and was still performing 
 her duty.
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. oOo 
 
 At the hour of retiring to rest, on missing 
 the services of Rachel, her ladyship endea- 
 voured to picture to herself what might be 
 passing in Cavendish Square. 
 
 " Yes," said she, " the faithful creature will 
 leave nothing undone that can contribute to the 
 poor fellow's comfort. His wardrobe is com- 
 plete, and he has ample means to make any 
 purchases that may be necessary. At this mo- 
 ment, perhaps, she is occupied in preparing for 
 his departure. Yes, I did well to leave her ; 
 it will be a satisfaction to me hereafter; and 
 she will tell me how he bore his disappoint- 
 ment, and whether he suspected me to be con- 
 cerned in his abrupt removal, for he is too 
 open-hearted to conceal anything. How happy 
 might we have been had he placed his affec- 
 tions worthily ! I must ever be grateful for 
 the talisman, were it only for revealing to me 
 the sterling value of his character. Yes, the
 
 304 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 
 
 gift is valuable, and must be for good, if used 
 with prudence and purity of intention ; and 
 surely my motives will endure the strictest in- 
 vestigation. Yet, those horrid dreams of last 
 night ! that strange foreboding of ill, which 
 is, even now, again gathering over my spirit ! 
 Whence come they ? Can I, by making use of 
 this secret, mysterious power, be acting under 
 the influence of evil genii ? No, no ; this 
 is mere nervous weakness. Let me arouse 
 myself." 
 
 In the dead of night, when all else was silent, 
 the people of the house frequently heard Lady 
 Mary walking to and fro in her chamber. 
 
 What she had represented to herself of 
 RachePs occupation was nearly tlie truth, as 
 her nephew had received instructions to repair 
 to Portsmouth, to join a vessel which was then 
 lying at Spithead. After the official communi- 
 cation had been made to him, the old admiral
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. S05 
 
 before mentioned took an opportunity of speak- 
 ing to him in private. 
 
 " I knew your grandfather, my good fellow,'" 
 said he, " and his brother George, your name- 
 sake, was an intimate friend of mine when we 
 were about your age. He was a fine, noble- 
 hearted fellow : pity that he hadn't been 
 brought up for the sea. Well, well, I sha'n't 
 forget you for his sake. Glad to find you like- 
 ly to keep up the credit of the name. If it lies 
 in my way to serve you, I will ; remember that. 
 One word 's as good as a hundred. Write to 
 me as a friend ; only mind, and let us have no 
 skulking, or I 'm off the bargain ; and harkye, 
 my lad, you may take that dirk abroad with 
 you, but between you and me, I don't think 
 your money will be thrown away if you were to 
 buy a sword and et caeteras. So there, there 's 
 my hand ! God bless you ! — shaVt keep you 
 any longer. Dare say you Ve got some odd
 
 306 THE OLD MAIDEN S TALISMAN. 
 
 things to stow away. Be on board at sunset 
 to-morrow, remember.'^ 
 
 Had George never beheld Sarah Wainfleet, 
 that would have been a glorious day, but even 
 the assurance of promotion could avail little in 
 allaying the bitterness of parting ; that was a 
 scene which must be left to the reader's imagi- 
 nation. But while it was in progress, another 
 was being enacted, of a pathetico-ludicrous de- 
 scription, in Cavendish Square, where the lover 
 had hastily called to order his apparel to be 
 packed up, and then immediately departed for 
 Hammersmith, not, however, forgetting to call 
 on the way, and give orders that the lieute- 
 nant's sword and et caeteras should be sent 
 home that night. 
 
 Poor Rachel toiled, and scolded, and cried 
 by turns; wished her mistress at home at one 
 moment, and was glad she was absent the next; 
 insisted on making a batch of plum cakes, such
 
 THE OLD maiden's TALISMAN. 307 
 
 as her young master used to like when he was 
 a boy — quarreled with the French cook for 
 interfering ; then with the baker for burning 
 some odd half dozen — and, in short, appeared 
 scarcely to know what she did. 
 
 George returned home late, was engaged 
 during the greater part of the night in making 
 his arrangements and writing a letter of thanks 
 and farewell to his aunt, and started at five 
 o'clock in the morning, when Rachel, in spite 
 of his being grown up to man's estate, threw 
 herself upon his neck and kissed him, and when 
 he was gone sat down and cried like a child. 
 
 liND OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLE'r, 
 
 Dorset Street, Fleet Street. 
 
 221 
 
 11/97 
 
 35056
 
 mifm^mmmm^mmm^mmmm^mmm^mmmm^^
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOI9-URBANA 
 
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