OSAMOND stood at the window of her own room one afternoon, exactly a week after the arrival of the Carewe family at St. James's Palace, and reflected, as many have reflected before and since, how easy it is to fall into new habits, and how soon we become accustomed to any change in our way of life; at all events, if that change be not a disagreeable one. Not a fortnight had passed since she and Maurice had run to meet Colonel Carewe in the lime-tree avenue, and yet how long ago it seemed! The old home life and quiet interests of a country village looked very misty and far off now. Rosamond smiled when she remembered how excited the family had but lately been about the colour of the new curtains to be set up in the family pew, and her own anxiety about an otter dwelling in a hole

in the river bank; which capricious animal had continually been seen by Maurice alone, but never could be induced to come out when she accompanied him. But a short while since, how strange and exciting had been the prospect of really seeing at last that wonderful London, of which she had heard all the days of her life, and above all, of being under the same roof with the children of the king in whose cause her father had died, and whom she had been taught by him to reverence and honour above any other human being in the world! Now the new life began to feel as natural as if she had lived all her years at St. James's. The days passed by somewhat monotonously, perhaps, but (to Rosamond at least) very pleasantly. Every morning

before breakfast, she, as well as Maurice, received a Latin or Greek lesson from Colonel Carewe; for, in those days, there were few well-educated young ladies who had not some knowledge of the dead languages. Mr. Pemberley, the old vicar of their parish at home, had been Maurice's tutor for some time past; and since Rosamond's arrival at Hazlitt Cross she had also been his pupil. But these morning studies under Colonel Carewe were not at all like poor old Mr. Pemberley's somewhat languid and monotonous lessons, for the Colonel had a brisk, animated way of teaching, and such a knack of explaining things clearly as to give an interest to the driest subjects; whereas the good vicar, overwhelmed perhaps by parish cares, or by anxiety on political subjects, was rather given to

Studies of Maurice and Rosamond.

4I

absence of mind, or even occasional drowsiness during school hours, and had been known upon one occasion to fall fast asleep for half an hour together over a lesson from the Iliad, which interested Rosamond so much, that only after sundry explosions of half-smothered laughter from Maurice did she find out her tutor's unconscious state. But just as his pupils' merriment was becoming positively reckless, Mr. Pemberley suddenly awoke in a state of exasperation with himself and things in general, and turned the tables on them by remarking sharply that no narcotic ever sold in apothecary's shop could have such a drowsy influence over him as hearing either of them read Homer; after which observation. he snatched up the book nearest to him and flung it at Maurice's head. Such a scene as this, it may easily be imagined, never took place under the rule of Colonel Carewe. He neither lost his temper, nor went to sleep; but he knew how to be satirical and severe now and then, and his little bits of humorous rebuke or quiet sarcasm had a wonderful effect in calling back his pupils' attention when it was inclined to wander. But the Colonel was far too much taken up with his own military duties to be able to afford much time to teaching. Nevertheless the studies of Maurice and Rosamond were by no means confined to the one hour that he was able to spare them. The Earl of Northumberland, only a few days after the Carewes' arrival, proposed that Maurice should share in the instructions of the Duke of York's tutor; and

Colonel Carewe gladly accepted the offer. The Earl had been rather dissatisfied for some time past with the eldest of his three young charges.

James had never been remarkable for high spirits, but lately he had seemed unusually moody. Restless and uneasy sometimes, at others he would be dull and apathetic, taking no interest in anything. This change in the boy perplexed and worried his kind-hearted guardian a good deal; and the Earl at length made up his mind that the young princess and the little Duke of Gloucester were scarcely society enough for James, and that the companionship of a boy of his own age, who could enter into his amusements as well as his studies, was the most likely thing to rouse him, and put an end to this unwonted languor and melancholy. This fancy, among other reasons, had decided the Earl of Northumberland on sending for the family of his friend Colonel Carewe to St. James's. The arrangement, however, that they should be fellow-students seemed to please the boys themselves some degrees less than their elders. James acquiesced with an air of haughty indifference when the Earl formally asked his consent; and Maurice, though he dared not complain before his father, grumbled and groaned frightfully when he and Rosamond were alone together.

'We shall never get on, Rose,' he would say, lying on his back before the fire, with his arms beneath his head,-Maurice's invariable position during a confidential talk with his cousin,—' we shall never get on; I am perfectly convinced of that. I have no

Rosamond's love of Elizabeth.

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liking for him, nor he for me. In truth, I believe we hated each other at first sight. And the worst of it is, that I shall be obliged to be so very respectful to him always, the whole day long. I suppose, however great a rage I might be in, I couldn't knock him down, or do anything of that sort. There is no freedom or enjoyment at all here-none! We are just as much prisoners as they are; and, for my part, I heartily wish we were back at dear old Hazlitt Cross again.'

Such were Maurice's opinions at present; but Rosamond's were of a very different nature. Her inclination to love and admire Elizabeth was quite as strong as Maurice's antipathy to James. Friendship with a girl of her own age was very pleasant to her. Pleasant and new at the same time, for Rachel was three years younger than herself; and the tastes and opinions of boys and girls change wonderfully in the three years between ten and thirteen. But it was not merely the sudden though perfectly real friendship of one half-grown girl for another that Rosamond felt towards Elizabeth. There was something more; some stronger, more deeply-rooted feeling than this; a kind of loyal romantic devotion, which Rosamond would have given to James or little Henry, or, indeed, to any member of the royal family. For although she had lost a good many of her first strong prejudices, a good deal of the contempt and dislike to all Roundheads indiscriminately, that she had been taught by old nurse (in whom, of course, the Fanes' hereditary