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upon the issue of the course. In the evening he was again at the ball, again requested the hand of his former partner, and, without once spraining his ancle, or complaining of insufferable heat, danced till three o'clock the next morning. Every body was now sure that he was captivated, and the whole county were on the tip-toe of expectation.

On the very day of her return to Powerscourt, Geraldine set out in search of her Lucy, and entreated that she would come and spend a little time with her at the manor. It was impossible for Miss Evans to avoid observing, that her friend's account of the ball, the dresses, and the manners of the company, was very much embarrassed, and deftitute of its usual vivacity. On entering the dreffing-room, Geraldine locked the door, and, throwing her arms around her Lu'cy's neck, told her she had a fecret to divulge divulge which was of the greatest importance. On receiving a promise of inviolable secrecy, Miss Powerscourt endeavoured to explain; but, after several ineffectual attempts to begin the difcovery, she saw some company coming over the lawn, and, promifing her friend to be more explicit at another time, she unlocked the door, and hastened to receive her guests.

It was more than a week before Miss Evans could find leisure from her domestic occupations to visit Powerscourthouse, in order that she might receive the facred trust. She now found her friend's lively spirits still more fubdued; she was absent, frequently fighed, played with her mother's picture, which hung fuspended by a pearl chain on her bofom, sketched figures upon the table with her netting needle, and, though unusually affectionate in her expreffions, feemed

seemed less inclined to confide the story of her troubles than at their former interview. Neither Miss Evans's disposition nor education were in the least romantic; she could only perceive that her friend had met with fome great vexation, and she was too delicate to endeavour to pierce the veil which concealed those sorrows; she therefore contented herself with secretly wishing the painful anxiety speedily removed.

But, though Miss Evans was thus short-fighted, my readers have probably discovered enough of the disorder to acquit me of introducing extraneous matter, though I should instantly revert to lord Monteith. On dancing with Miss Powerscourt the first night, he publicly declared that she was the finest girl he had ever feen: the conversation in the stand convinced him that the was uncommonly clever; and at the interview the second evening the appeared with such captivating grace, that he loudly protested she was the most ele gant woman in the world, and that Geraldine Powerscourt was almost enough to induce any man to submit to the yoke of marriage. The friends to whom he uttered these rapturous exclamations reported them to their mothers and sisters, who repeated them to their acquaintance; but the rough mafculine sentiment, when filtered through the organs of female delicacy, spoke in a much softer and more infinuating tone. All the ladies protested that the earl of Monteith was deeply enamoured with Miss Powerscourt, that he thought her the divineft creature that ever existed; that he was dying for an opportunity of throwing himself at her feet; and that his whole earthly happiness depended upon her. This high-flown language, repeated

peated by every visitor, certainly vibrated on the ear of the fair Geraldine with a pleasing found. She confidered the abfurdity of the expreffion to be entirely chargeable on the relater, but that the fentiment was undoubtedly his lordship's. She only answered by the words, "How ridiculous! How infinitely absurd!" but she blushed and smiled while she reproved, and made no effort to change the conversation to a more sensible subject. Every body observed that she sighed frequently, talked less, and could remember none but plaintive tunes. The lovely pair were therefore certainly mutually smitten; and it was earnestly hoped that fir William would not waywardly attempt to interdict their union.

A month elapsed, yet the enamoured swain had neither Aung himself at the feet of his dulcinea, nor taken any other step to secure the prize upon which his whole

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