LOVE IN A COTTAGE. 213 



tween these two important epochs she had had a prodigious 

 run of admiration. 



When Emily married, and for a few months previous, it was 

 of course to be presumed that she had found something bettei 

 than the world whereon to fix the affection of her warm young 

 heart. At all events, she had found a somebody to love her, 

 and one who was worthy to be loved in return. 



Soon after their marriage the happy pair set out for Paris. 

 F , though his means were slender and tastes retired, made 

 every effort (as far as bridegroom could so feel it) to gratify 

 his lively young wife by a stay at the capital of pleasure. 

 After a subsequent excursion, they returned within a year to 

 England, and settled at a pretty cottage in Berkshire, to 

 which we speedily received a cordial invitation. It was no 

 less readily accepted; for we were anxious to behold the 

 " rural felicity,'' of which we little doubted that our friends 

 were in full possession. 



The result, however, of a week's sojourn at their quiet 

 abode was the reluctant opinion that, somehow or another, the 

 marriage garments of the young couple did not sit quite easy ; 

 though to point out the defect in their make, or to discover 

 where they girted, were matters on which it required more 

 time to form a decided judgment. One thing, however, was 

 pretty obvious. With her matronly title, Emily had not 

 assumed an atom of that seriousness not sad, but sober 

 which became her new estate; nor did she, as we shrewdly 

 suspected, pay quite as much attention to the cares of her 

 little menage as was rendered incumbent by the limited amount 

 of her husband's income. She seemed, in short, the same 

 thoughtless, pleasure-loving, pleasure-seeking girl as ever; 

 now that she was captured, the same volatile butterfly as when 

 surrounded and chased by butterflies like herself. 



Poor Emily ! her love of gaiety had now, it is true, but little 

 scope for its display ; but it was still strongly apparent, in the 

 rapturous regret with which she referred to pleasures past, and 



