eupboards. I must have the house cleared out, bag and baggage, the first thing-and all I find I'll keep."

The wrath caused by the thought that the heirs were waiting so impa tiently for her demise, gave a very alarming turn to Miss Hibbert's illness. She seemed changed into a new being. She summoned the law. yer from the village-she instructed him to write a will, leaving all she possessed to Susannah; for she concluded the story of the lover was a

Harry Millard was sitting at the open window of the coffee-room, in the Aylward Arms, on the day of the funeral, wondering if Dr Aylward would take any notice of his letter, or if Susannah had taken offence; and fifty other suppositions were flitting through his brain, without leaving any very distinct impression, when a gentleman in deep mourning stopped as he was passing, and said, "so, I've found you Harry."

"My dear, sir, I'm so glad to see you," cried Harry, rushing out of the window" Ah, now, I'm sure of a friend."

"Yes you are-but you may save yourself a long story. Dr Aylward has told me all, and as far as I am concerned, I withdraw all opposition."

"Well, poor or not; for it can't be much, as I have been told on very good authority, Mr Augustus Ty""Ahem!"

"What is the meaning, my dear sir, of all that coughing?"

"Something sticks in my throat, that's all. But an hour or two will, perhaps, explain every thing. Have you ever seen Dr Aylward ?" "No."

"Then come up to the parsonage: I'll introduce you."

"Shall I see her?" enquired Harry. "Ahem!--but my cough's growing troublesome again. Come along."

calumny of our friend Augustus. Susannah, the servants, the lawyer, his clerk, were called into the room to witness her signature. She took the pen and dipt it in the ink; but her strength gave way, her hand shook convulsively-"I can't do it!" she said, and threw away the pen. When they went closer to the pillow they found that the effort had been too much for her-and Willerdon Hall was the property of Mr Augustus Tyem.

VII.

In Dr Aylward's library a deep consultation was held. Harry and the gentleman in deep mourning were very active members of the council; and it was finally decided that Harry should go on an embassy to the Hall, and invite Mr Tyem senior and Mr Augustus to attend the further sitting of the conclave.

Those two worthy gentlemen were at the summit of their wishes. They were sitting in the dining-room enjoying their wine, after a hurried dinner; but Augustus was every now and then looking round with an air of proprietorship, which, somehow or other, did not altogether please his progenitor.

"You might make it the thousand, Gusty."

"Can't, upon my soul, old boy; should be happy, but can't afford it. I shall cut the shop, of course; and that's a loss'

"High time to cut it, my boy, for it is just on the point of cutting you; but you'll be famously off without it.

A week or two will put you into full possession; for we can easily go to the Old Bailey, and get two or three witnesses to the death of Elizabeth Hibbert"

"Subornation-eh? it will cost

something."

"Lord bless you! I'll get two most respectable gentlemen-one the clergyman of the town, and the other the surgeon of the parish-to make oath that she died of yellow fever, after two hours' illness, in any part of the world, for half-a-crown. I took the precaution, twelve years ago, to put her death in the papers, so my Old Bailey friends will have no difficulty. Fine girl, 'pon my soul: I remember her well.'

"Selby died at the same time-did he?"

"Oh yes; at the same time and same price too. However, seriously,

there can be no doubt on the point. We must advertise for six months or a year, I forget which; but it's all the same. They are gone, depend on it, or the annuity would have been claimed every year. At the Foreign Office, they believe Selby died immediately on his appointment; and all we have to fear is the casting up of some next of kin, and an enquiry into the savings. Old Hibbert, or even his wife, is sure to have had relations." "Did you ever hear what their mother's name was?"

"Never."

Mr Augustus slapped his forehead, as if he had hit on a prodigious discovery. "Father, I'll bet you ten crowns to one, it was Jones, and this girl has been sent to look after her own interests."

"In that case," said the father, "we had better lose no time in rummaging the house. She was such a queer old file, I'm sure it's all in hard cash; indeed, we know she has a great deal of property somewhere at her own disposal, for she was on the very point of making a will"

"And in favour of that girl. I'll double the odds I'm right, father: she's her first cousin by the mother's side."

"Hem! I don't know," mused the father; and yet, when I saw her the other day, it struck me she had a like ness to the Hibberts too. It may be so; and therefore we had better look sharp and overhaul the cupboards.'

But just when they had arrived at this honourable resolution, Mr Harry Millard was announced.

"'Pon my soul, glad to see ye, sir," said Mr Augustus, holding out his hand. "This here is the gentleman, father, that put the doctor-disguise into my head. Draw in your chair, and take a glass of wine, sir; though we're rather busy just now, owing to the late melancholy eventdreadful bereavement! wasn't it, sir?"

"I am sent by Dr Aylward, to request that you will come down to his house immediately, both of you, on business of the very greatest importance"

"Dr Aylward's a reg'lar trump, I've no doubt," said Mr Augustus; "but, if he has any business to transact, he may as well come up here-eh, father?"

"Oh no; by no means," replied Mr Tyem; "keep them out of the

house, you

fool. We shall be happy

to accept the Doctor's kind invitation".

"Blowed if I walk this hot weather, then," said Augustus, sulkily. "I'll have out the old lady's carriage, and give her old nags a trot. If you like to stay, I'll give you a lift on the box beside me."

Mr Millard declined, with a supercilious bow.

"Oh, just as you please. How about Miss Jones?" said Augustus.

"I advise you, very sincerely, to be silent on the subject of that young lady, sir," replied Harry Millard; "I've known insolent fellows very severely kicked for impertinence of that kind."

"Oh, blast us!-you're a fire-eater, are you? Well, I didn't expect such behaviour after the love message I gave her. A very nice girl that same Jennie Jones; and not so bad a speck as you thought-eli ?"

Harry stepped hurriedly forward, but checked himself as he saw Mr Augustus skip nimbly behind the window curtain. "You needn't try to carry on the joke any longer," he continued. "We know that she's looking out for a poor deceased friend's succession, though she never made any will in her favour."

"Hold your tongue, Augustus," interposed Mr Tyem. "We have a suspicion already, sir, of the nature of the business you wish to see us on. Miss Jones is a relation of the late Miss Hibbert. Am I right?" "Yes."

"A cousin?"

"The nearest relation, as she was the dearest, that England contains!" said Mr Millard. "We shall see you soon; good morning."

"The nearest and dearest relation!" repeated Mr Augustus, "what the deuce can she be? Can you imagine, father?"

"Can't think," replied that gentleman, thunderstruck. "It's perhaps a lie," he added, by way of relieving his astonishment. "I've known many gentlemen tell lies; why shouldn't Mr Millard?"

"I'll tell you what, old boy," cried Mr Augustus, after a minute's deep musing, "I've found it to a certainty; she's Miss Hibbert's own daughter!"

"I hope not," said Mr Tyem, in great perturbation. "That would ruin us all; but it's impossible. She never

would have kept the marriage concealed."

Mr Augustus put his thumb to his nose, and extended his four somewhat dirty fingers in a most facetious manner." Perhaps, old boy, there was no marriage to conceal."

"Ha! then, in that case we are safe -the heir to this property must be born in wedlock; but stuff, boy! it's impossible."

"Well, here's the carriage; let us go down and hear what Dr Aylward has got to say. I hate parsons, I do, they're always so meddling."

Mr Tyem and his son were shown into the library on their arrival at the parsonage, and before any one else had time to say a word, Mr Augustus thought it incumbent on him to demand an explanation" I think, gents," he said, "you must have very particular business, indeed, to summon a man in the midst of a talk with his governor-in such infernal hot weather as this is too, and so soon after our affliction-dreadful bereavement; isn't it, father?"

"I thought it better, Mr Tyem," began Dr Aylward, addressing himself to the senior partner, without taking any notice of Augustus's oration, "to send for you to let you know that we give you formal notice to quit Willerdon Hall; of which, I may be allowed to add, you have most improperly and most unwarrantably taken possession." "You give us notice, do you? Oh! Of course you will follow it up?" "Of course."

"And prove that my son has no holding under Miss Hibbert's will?" "Of course."

"Oh! and you've got evidence, of course, to rebut the evidence I can produce, that her sister, Elizabeth Hibbert, died in No. 36 of the High Street of Cuenca, on the 19th of July, eighteen hundred and twenty

? I have two most respectable gentlemen who saw her die, and took a note of the date."

Dr Aylward and the gentleman in deep mourning exchanged looks at this intelligence.

"And as to your friend, Miss Jones," pursued Mr Tyem, triumphantly, "of course you must have good evidence to prove that she is any relation at all; though in that we are not at all interested, as her claim, as next of kin, can only extend to the savings."

"What! not if she is a very near

relation indeed?" enquired Dr Aylward.

"Didn't I tell you so, father?" interposed Augustus. "They're going to rip up old sores, and expose the frailties of our deceased friend; but it's of no use, gents, for, even if she were Miss Hibbert's daughter, she needs to be lawful-doesn't she, father?"

"Undoubtedly; but perhaps we mistake the case of the opposite party."

"You do entirely," answered the doctor," and so far as Miss Jones is concerned with regard to whom I can't understand your allusions-I have to inform you that we resign all claim on her behalf, as next of kin; and we can have no objection, in case any other friends of hers should advance any claim on that plea, to let you hear the evidence which convinces us that she has no possible right to any part of Miss Hibbert's estate."

"Well that's handsome, any how," said Augustus; he drew his father aside for a moment-" I see how it is, they want a little hush-money; and rather than be bothered, I don't care if I give them fifty pounds. What do you think?"

"Do you wish to see our evidence?" said Dr Aylward, with something of a sneer. "It must be gratifying to you to find that one claimant is disposed of." Let's

"Oh, yes! by all means. hear the evidence."

Dr Aylward made a sign to the gentleman in deep mourning, who left the room, and returned in a short time She with a lady leaning on his arm. wore a veil a little way over her face, so it was possible only to see her mouth and chin; a beautiful mouth and a beautiful chin, and a majestic presence; and when she lifted up her veil, and showed her finely-chiseled features and bright glancing eyes—oh heaven! oh earth!-it was nobody but Elizabeth Hibbert herself! It could be no mistake; and the miserable heart of Mr Tyem felt in a moment that his two Old Bailey witnesses could be of no possible use.

66

"Come, my dear madam," said Dr Aylward, you have just arrived in that person time to satisfy this you did not die in the High Street of Cuenca some eighteen years ago. Did you die at the time and place specified by two respectable gentlemen?”

Elizabeth gave one of the sweet

laughs that used to enchant all listeners -except her father and sister-long ago.

"How do we know, sir, that this lady is the person she assumes to be?" said Mr Tyem, in the agonies of despair. "Who knew her in her youth, and can swear to her identity? I knew Miss Elizabeth Hibbert intimately, and this lady, I declare on my honour, is not in the least degree like her."

"I am the brother of her husband," said the gentleman in deep mourning, " and I bear witness she is the same." "Here! let me look at her once more, and I shall die content," exclaimed a very jolly-looking little man, very red-faced, very loud voiced, and dressed in pepper-and-salt shorts and continuations, "I saw her as I stopped at the Aylward Arms. Says I to Fug, Pug, says I, if that aint Elizabeth Hibbert, I'm a Dutchman. I followed here; if I'm wrong, Lord forgive me.'

66

But you're not wrong, dear, kind Mr Forman," said Elizabeth, holding down her cheek for the old man to kiss," and darling Pug; is she with you? Oh let me see her again!"

"All in good time; Pug is with me, and Dolly, and Mrs Smillom, and my old woman, and five of the Smilloms. We were all travelling from town together in two coaches, and luckily caught sight of you at the inn."

"You're satisfied now, I hope," said Dr Aylward to Mr Tyem, leaving Elizabeth and her ancient friend to their raptures undisturbed.

"This may be a conspiracy, for any thing I know," said Mr Tyem; "but to settle the matter, are you inclined to come to any liberal compromise. It will be the best way, and avoid disputes."

"I know a way, I think," said Mr Augustus. "This lady, whoever she is, is perhaps a widow; now I'm a bachelor, you see; and so we might, perhaps, make it mutually agreeable."

"But she is not a widow. Her husband, Sir Frederick Selby, has only gone to town for a day or two."

But there's that Miss Jones," pursued Mr Augustus, who was resolved on patching up conflicting interests with a marriage. "If this lady settles the savings on her-and she's justly entitled to them-I haven't any objection to take her, for better for

"Her mother?-Miss Jones?"said Augustus, in the extremity of bewilderment.

"Yes; and though you certainly are not entitled to any explanation, I may tell you, that Sir Frederick, after resigning his consulship, got engaged in a variety of incidents in South America, which kept him from communicating with his friends. At last, when he saw a prospect, about three years ago, of being able to return home, he sent his daughter to my care, under the name of Miss Jones, with an injunction on the part of his wife, to get her, if possible, introduced to her aunt, Miss Hibbert, to soothe her, to humour her; and, if she could perceive any opening, to inform her that her sister still lived, and was anxious, on her return to England, to be on good terms with the only relation she possessed. That opportunity never occurred; and now, having related to you as much as is necessary for you to know, you will have the kindness to leave this house instantly, and on no account to return to Willerdon Hall, which has already been taken possession of in the name of the rightful owner."

What a pleasant night that was at the parsonage! Old Mr Forman had the greatest possible difficulty in avoiding slapping the back of Elizabeth, as in days of old. Mr Smillom was enchanted to find that he was the intimate friend of a real baronet-(for Frederick's uncle had died ten years before)-handsome enough to be his companion, even without the title. But the happiest of the whole party were two people who sat on a sofa by themselves, a long way from every body else, and did not seem to say much to each other either; unless, indeed, their happiness yielded to Pug's the same happy, dumpy, warmhearted creature as ever-who sat the whole night long with a firm hold of Elizabeth's hand, and looked up into her still beautiful face, as she used to do in Paradise Row.

SOON after the period when the sway of Rome began to be consolidated in Northern Gaul, and the fishermen of the muddy marshes on the banks of "the winding river," as they termed it-the tortuous Seine-had begun to feel the effects of southern civilization, the little island that was dignified with the euphonious name of Lutetia became a post of importance in the military system of the Italian conquerors. No traces now remain of any of the architectural efforts of those mighty masters and instructors of mankind, within the precincts of this insulated nucleus of Paris: what few remnants have been found at various periods beneath its soil, altars, and mutilated fragments of sculpture, have long since been carefully stored up in the public museums; and indeed the only visible remnants of Roman work now to be found any where, in or near this modern capital of France, are confined to the ruins of the Palace of Julian; the Palais des Thermes, as they are called-to the mutilated arches of an aqueduct at Arcueil, and to the shapeless fragment of a tower, or wall, on the northern slope of Montmartre. One indelible trace, however, of what Rome did for Paris, though marked no longer by Roman brick or stone, still exists in the capital, and may be instantly observed upon a map of the city; the straight line running nearly north and south, which indicates the old Roman road, and coincides with the Rue St Jacques, on the southern bank of the Seine with the Rue de la Juiverie in the island of the cité-and with the Rue St Martin in the northern division of Paris.

This still remains, and will most probably continue as long as Paris is a city, or France a nation; and it forms the earliest positive recollection of the capital in Roman times. This line divides the oblong, pear-shaped island, nearly in half in its narrowest width: and so straight is its direction, that whoever stands in the Rue St Jacques, opposite the Pantheon, and looks northward, may carry his eye right athwart Paris, up a long narrow street, for the space of nearly three miles, till it reaches the high ground in the neighbourhood of La Villette. Westward

of this line, the island of the city was at an early period taken nearly entire possession of by the military governors of Paris, who constructed at the furthest extremity, a residence which ultimately became the Royal Palace, and still retains the title of "Le Palais," as a memento of its former greatness. To the eastward of the Roman road, the ecclesiastical authoritics, as soon as Christianity became the leading power in the Gallic state, founded some important establishments; and the cathedral of Notre Dame, with the Episcopal Palace, were, till modern times, the most important edifices it possessed. For a long while, Paris was confined to the narrow limits of the original island: the Normans checked the spreading of habitations on either bauk of the river, and even the two small islands lying behind the other, higher up the stream, were not applied to any other uses than those of pasturage, tiil within a few hundred years: one of them indeed is not even yet built on, though far within the circuit of the metropolitan walls.

The space was uncommonly small for the population, and at the time of the Norman incursions, every inch of the island was occupied : defences, more or less strong, ran round its shores, and protected them from hostile descent; while within, narrow tortuous streets and closely packed houses kept, even at that early period, a large number of inhabitants in a very inadequate compass of ground. No sooner had a little respite been afforded by the settlement and conversion of the fierce northern invaders, than the Parisians came out of their stronghold over the only two bridges they possessed, and spread themselves, with a luxurious desire for elbow-room and free air, over both banks of the Seine.

It is not our purpose to write a history of Paris, nor even to draw up a catalogue of its antiquities: we are only going to single out one or two of the curious old stories and traditions that belong to the most ancient part of the capital, and to try to rescue from oblivion the former conditions of a quarter which is every day losing more and more of its characteristic peculiarities under the hammer and plum