acity；　but　he　escaped　from　it：　he　was　seldom　in　the　house；　his　parish　was　large；　the　population　scattered；　and　he　found　daily　business　in　visiting　the　sick　and　poor　in　its　different　districts。

One　morning　at　breakfast；　Diana；　after　looking　a　little　pensive　for　some　minutes；　asked　him；　“If　his　plans　were　yet　unchanged。”

“Unchanged　and　unchangeable；”　was　the　reply。　And　he　proceeded　to　inform　us　that　his　departure　from　England　was　now　definitively　fixed　for　the　ensuing　year。

“And　Rosamond　Oliver？”　suggested　Mary；　the　words　seeming　to　escape　her　lips　involuntarily：　for　no　sooner　had　she　uttered　them；　than　she　made　a　gesture　as　if　wishing　to　recall　them。　St。　John　had　a　book　in　his　hand—it　was　his　unsocial　custom　to　read　at　meals—he　closed　it；　and　looked　up；

“Rosamond　Oliver；”　said　he；　“is　about　to　be　married　to　Mr。　Granby；　one　of　the　best　connected　and　most　estimable　residents　in　S…；　grandson　and　heir　to　Sir　Frederic　Granby：　I　had　the　intelligence　from　her　father　yesterday。”

His　sisters　looked　at　each　other　and　at　me；　we　all　three　looked　at　him：　he　was　serene　as　glass。

“The　match　must　have　been　got　up　hastily；”　said　Diana：　“they　cannot　have　known　each　other　long。”

“But　two　months：　they　met　in　October　at　the　county　ball　at　S…。　But　where　there　are　no　obstacles　to　a　union；　as　in　the　present　case；　where　the　connection　is　in　every　point　desirable；　delays　are　unnecessary：　they　will　be　married　as　soon　as　S…　Place；　which　Sir　Frederic　gives　up　to　them；　can　he　refitted　for　their　reception。”

The　first　time　I　found　St。　John　alone　after　this　munication；　I　felt　tempted　to　inquire　if　the　event　distressed　him：　but　he　seemed　so　little　to　need　sympathy；　that；　so　far　from　venturing　to　offer　him　more；　I　experienced　some　shame　at　the　recoll