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A Dialogue.

66

not his protestations; she was a sample of pure and spotless adamant: she ruminated on her pillow at night-the pocket which contained her purse and her banker's book obtruded itself to her earshe gently removed its station-Sir William instantly associated in her mind— "If I marry him," she cried, ‹ ye will be no longer mine; another power will, perhaps, lord it over us, and I who know your value so well, shall I give you a new master ? Shall any other than myself claim a right to Lovedale Cottage?" She raised herself suddenly from her couch, snatched her pocket from the pillow, tucked it tight under the bolster, laid her head on the sacred deposit; and that action was the death-blow to the hopes of Sir William Featherington!

Three days afterwards she sent him an UNEQUIVOCAL REFUSAL.

This circumstance so completely dis

The Refusal.

appointed and exasperated the titled divine, that he forgot his usual mild sapience, and broke out into most unbecoming invectives against all old maids; he marked with epithets most cpprobrious Miss Deborah Darnwell, whose callous obduracy had, at her time of life, with her scanty and withered charms, caused her to refuse the honour Sir William intended her, of becoming the protector of her person and fortune! In extenuation, however, of Miss Deborah's want of sensibility to the happiness offered her in an union with Sir William, and in behalf of her prudence, I must inform you, that there were other co-operating circumstances, which had their weight in determining her refusal,

Some persons urged by a malicious, or equally sinister, motive, had set forth the character of Sir William to the lady in a most despicable point of view; had represented him as an unprincipled and dis

The Works of Calumny.

tressed man, who was merely seeking to better his fortune by an alliance, which offered to extricate him from his pecuniary embarrassments.

This report opened Miss Deborah's eyes more widely to the contemplation of Sir William's motives. He had, it is true, succeeded in persuading her to believe; that the scandalous information originated from the unfortunate prepossession of the lady, at that time the guest of Lady Clairville; and who, having mistaken his, compassionate attentions for more tender motives, was wounded at the prospect of his union with Miss Deborah; and had taken the means of traducing Sir William's character, in order to dissolve the approaching connexion. And here let me observe to you, ladies, that there is scarce any act, which has disgraced the character of Sir William Featherington, as a man and a gentleman, more than the baseness of his conduct in

The innocent suffers.

this particular instance. For though he might have traced the source of the calumny spread against him, to the concern and indignation of an offended mistress, or some other cause more remote ; yet it flattered his vanity, and suited his purpose to feign a belief, that the slanderous accusation owed its origin to the wounded feelings and jealous emotions of Lady Clairville's guest. He, therefore, not only caused the amiable Dowager to believe Mrs. Grafton the author, but used his influence with that dignified: Lady to the prejudice of the suffering and much-injured female then beneath her roof; and his specious and invidious designs so far succeeded, as not only to induce Lady Clairville to give some credit to his hints and assertions, but occasioned it to be universally believed by several of Mrs. Grafton's friends and this already deeply afflicted woman had to unite to the keenest domestic troubles, that of seeing herself received with estranged and

A Confidence.

unaccountable coldness by friends whom she loved, and whose attention and kindness had been her chief solace during the scene of her sorrows.

"I did not think," continued the Marquis, "when I commenced the narrative of this man, to have been led so far; he has occupied too much of our attention: but as I am fully acquainted with every circumstance of this last-mentioned incident, I cannot smother my abhorrence, nor help making you acquainted with its enormity.

"In mentioning Mrs. Grafton's name, I have not only exceeded my first intention, but have also infringed on a promise given to that interesting woman. I know her well, and frequently meet and converse with her at the houses of several families: of rank and respectability. In the course of our acquaintance she was induced from some circumstances which arose one even

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