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mind of her husband, that he could hot behold such a descendant as Elizabeth, without feelings that might ul timately hurt her own interest.

Sir Patrick, who had meditated bringing Elizabeth into the presence of her grandfather, opposed it, as did also Mrs. M'Tullogh, but to no purpose. She could not be persuaded to make an effort to serve herself at the expence of another person; and the latter was according ly, in consequence of it, forgiven. This matter arranged she quickly withdrew from the malignant and haughty glances of the unworthy mistress of the mansion.

Sir Patrick accompanied her to her chamber, where a long and circumstantial conversation took place between them; in the course of which she gave him a particular account of all that had lately befallen her father, and slightly touched on the prospects of her brother, but with an involuntary sigh, owing to the apprehension she was under from her discovery of the real character of Lord O'Sinister, of these not being realized; and he, in return, detailed to her the embarrassments he was then under, and bitterly lamented the imprudence which had occasioned them, since the means of preventing his doing what his heart dictated for her father and his family.

How severely am I now punished for the errors of my youth,' proceeded he,' by the reflection, that but for them, I might now have been able to serve the descendants of a sister I adored; yes, yes, only like a cursed fool as I was, I never rested till I got poor Poulsalougha completely in the mud, what a comfortable home should I have had for them.'

He assigned the same reasons for the cessation of his correspondence with her father, and the continuance of his visits at Glengary, that Mrs. M'Tullogh had done; and finally removed from the mind of Elizabeth every doubt of the sincerity of his regard for him.

On his rising to take leave of her, which, late as the hour was he would not have done as soon as he did, but that he understood from Mrs. M'Tullogh the carriage she had engaged for her would be at the house as soon as it was light, he tried to force a purse on her. She was too well apprized however, of the state of his finances

to suffer herself to be prevailed on to take it; but at length consented to oblige him by the acceptance of a ring, as a token of his regard for her and her family.

The rest which he had left her for the purpose of permitting her to enjoy, her mind was too much disturbed to let her think of; and even if she had an inclination for it, she would still have resisted taking it, in order to avail herself of the present opportunity for writing an explanatory letter to Mrs. Dunbar. So hopeless, however, was she of this having the desired effect, that but for the consideration of performing an incumbent duty, in doing whatever had a chance of clearing her character from the aspersions cast upon it, she would have thrown aside. her pen ere she had well commenced her self-enjoined task.... This letter, blistered in more than one place with tears of indignation and sorrow, she committed to the care of Mrs. M'Tullogh, with an injunction to deliver it, herself, into the hands of Mrs. Dunbar....an injunction she promised to observe, adding, she would take care to corroborate its contents, by detailing all the, particulars she had previously learnt from Elizabeth....an assurance which afforded her some comfort, as she was well convinced she could not possibly have a warmer or more faithful advocate.

In reply to the information which Elizabeth gave her respecting Lord O'Sinister, she assured her she knew nothing of his being amongst the guests invited at Glengary. It was impossible, indeed, she should, as his appearance there this night was owing not to invitation, but to the importunities, or rather threats, of the lady who had been the means of bringing him down to Firgrove; and who, from motives of pride, as well as interest, wishing to retain him in her chains, had insisted on his giving her a meeting at the masquerade, under pain of their intimacy being betrayed, and he thus exposed to the vengeance of her relatives, the idea of which, at this juncture, was too disagreeable to his imagination, not to induce him to do what she required.

Nothing but policy prevented him from following Elizabeth from the supper-room, as never, in his eyes, had she appeared more beautiful than at the moment he so

unexpectedly discovered her; he therefore still resolved on persevering in his designs against her, trusting, if by fair means he could not get her into his toils, he should, by imprisoning her father, which he had the power of doing whenever he pleased, having had the bond for the five hundred pounds he lent him made payable on demand, instead of by instalments, and making her compliance with his wishes the price of his liberation.

At the expected hour the chaise arrived for Elizabeth: on descending to the private door at which it was drawn up, in order to avoid the crowd of carriages assembled round the public one, she found her uncle waiting to hand her into it, and Mr. O'Grady, his man, already on horseback, to attend her to Heathwood....an attention which she was not only grateful for, but well pleased with, as the terror she was under of Lord O'Sinister and Ruthven would have made her feel uneasy at travelling without pretection. Sir Patrick's farewell to her was truly affectionate, and such as drew tears into her eyes. As the chaise drove on, she involuntarily turned her eyes towards Black Crag, and through the mists of morning endeavoured to descry its 'castled cliff'....but the haziness of the morn completely veiled it from her sight, and, with a desponding sigh at the idea of never, perhaps, again beholding it, she at length sunk back in the carriage. As she drew near home, she began to be agitated with fears of not getting collectedly through the story contrived to account, in a plausible manner, for her changes of residence since she had left it.

But these fears were unnecessary; the strict examination which might have created a confusion, that would probably have prevented her retaining the composure necessary to carry her through her fabricated tale, did not take place; for as the mind, devoid of suspicion, is seldom over minute in its enquiries, so her parents, not having the smallest on the present occasion, did not perplex her with many questions.

Not being prepared for her return, they were most agreeably surprised at it, and were not a little gratified by her relation of the kind attentions shewn to her by Mrs.

Dunbar, Sir Patrick, and the good-natured Mrs. M'Tullogh.

For those which she experienced from Mr. O'Grady on the road, he received their warm acknowledgments, and would have received more substantial proofs of their gratitude, but for his positive refusal of any present: with the chaise which brought her to Heathwood, he quitted it, charged with the thanks and compliments of the family to his master.

CHAP. IX.

Was it his youth, his valour, or success?
These might perhaps be found in other men:
'Twas that respect, that awful homage paid me;
That fearful love which trembled in his eyes,
And with a silent earthquake shook his soul.
But when he spoke, what tender words he said!
So softly, that like flakes of feather'd snow,
They melted as they fell.'

DAYDEN.

RESTORED to the tenderness of her beloved parents, and the soothing tranquillity of their peaceful home, Elizabeth trusted she should soon be able to recover the serenity recent occurrences had so cruelly interrupted, but which she was conscious she had done nothing to deserve losing. Vainly, however, did she endeavour to regain it, by trying to banish these occurrences from her thoughts; she could think of nothing else, of nothing but the unworthy light in which she had been made to appear to Delacour....the destruction of her fond, her flattering hopes respecting him, and the consequence was, her mind continuing a stranger to quiet.

Ill at dissembling, the efforts she made to veil her unhappiness from her parents were unsuccessful. They soon discovered it, and as she had mentioned having met Delacour at Black Crag, and as they knew her pre

vious opinion of him, did not hesitate placing it to the account of a hopeless passion....an idea that gave them no little anguish, as they well knew her's was not a heart capable of a slight or transient attachment.

Without distressing her, however, as they were conscious they should do, by appearing to notice what she so evidently wished to conceal, they did every thing they thought calculated to divert her mind, and give a turn to her thoughts; and for that purpose courted the society of their neighbours, of which they had some that were highly respectable and agreeable, and promoted her going out, as much as possible, amongst her young acquaintance.

A suspicion of the motive that occasioned them to do this, and, of consequence, the pain they would feel if she did not comply with their wishes, made Elizabeth cheerfully acquiesce in them, though solitude at the moment was what she sighed for. The benefit, however, which they hoped and expected she would derive from change of scene and amusement, she evinced no symptoms of experiencing; on the contrary, she daily appeared more languid and melancholy. Still, however, they determined to persist in the measures they had adopted for her cure; believing, that if any thing could enable her to overcome the feelings that now preyed upon her, it would be innocent recreation.

But though reason and filial love influenced Elizabeth to embrace every opportunity that offered for trying the efficacy of these measures, she could not, sometimes, resist the temptation of doing what she was but too well aware was calculated to counteract any good effect they might have had, namely, sequestering herself in solitude, where, unseen of all, she could give vent to the anguish that oppressed her heart.

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'Oh, my parents!' she more than once, on these occasions, exclaimed to herself, you would not deem me perverse, if you knew the real cause of my unhappiness.... if you knew that to injurious suspicions, even more than to hopeless love, it was owing; but never, never may you obtain a knowledge of this....oh, never may you be wounded where most vulnerable, by knowing that the

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