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ROMANCE AND REALITY.
61


Now this recognition was any thing but pleasant. In the first place, he had broken in upon the pleasures of hope—his interruption had destroyed a most fair and fairy castle; secondly, he was connected with any thing but the pleasures of memory. The conversation at Howell and James's rose to her mind—the knowledge of which, however, was not sufficiently flattering for her to display it; a civil answer was therefore necessary, though, it must be owned, the civility was chilling enough.

Mr. Boyne Sillery was, however, not to be deterred—though his companion was not inclined to talk, he was. He enlarged on the beauty of the country, ventured to hint that his fair companion looked somewhat paler than in London, apropos to which he recounted some deaths, marriages, and fashions, which had taken place since her departure; when, suddenly, Emily thanked him for his escort, muttered some thing about her aunt's not being at home, and disappeared through the little gate of the shrubbery.

With what eyes of shame does a young lady look back to a flirtation of which she was heartily tired! That evening she lingered some-