Puslapio vaizdai
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One time he refolved to ftorm the castle and free the lady from durance; at another time decided to stretch his rival in the bloody duft. The probability of the fair one's being offended by the first project foon made him abandon that; and there seemed fo much cruelty in killing a man who did not even know that he was an impediment to his happiness, that his lordship's cooler judgment pronounced that the latter would be too fanguinary. After confidering all the plans which antient and modern romance fupplies, the old fcheme of Jupiter and the fhower of gold was preferred. But it was not to Danaë that the Caledonian Jupiter defcended in that form; it was to Danaë's waiting maid.

The very evening after this phenomenon had taken place, Mifs Powerscourt faw a letter upon her dreffing-table, fuperfcribed in characters which she perfectly

perfectly recollected.

The Cambrian

She

Abigail was not an adept in her profeffion; for on being queftioned how it came there, fhe neither affirmed that she faw a Cupid fly in with it at the window, nor even hinted that it might be conveyed there by fairies, or rife out of the table by the power of enchantment. neither invoked goblin nor witch, but fimply owned that lord Monteith begged her to deliver it, and fhe thought there could be no harm in complying with the request of fuch an agreeable gentleman.

"If you do not know your duty to "my father, Bridget, I know mine: "return it immediately to his lordfhip; but ftay; I think I will add a "few words."

Mrs. Bridget bleffed her goodness, and began an harangue on his lordship's virtues,

virtues, which her mistress filenced with a look, and the retired.

The opener of Pandora's box was a gentleman. Let the gentlemen therefore behold one of the fex whom they brand with the ftigma of curiofity, fitting with a Pandora's box fealed before her, yet forbearing to lift the interdicted lid. She wrote a few lines which expreffed her abhorrence of a clandeftine correspondence, without intimating perpetual enmity against the correfpondent, and, inclofing his lordship's letter, rung her bell, and ordered it to be delivered by the very first opportunity. She refufed Mrs. Bridget's attendance that evening, and betook herself to the repose which conscious rectitude and self-poffeffion can alone enjoy.

:

CHAP. IX.

-A prudent father,

By nature charg'd to guide and rule her choice,
Resigns his daughter to a husband's power,
Who, with fuperior dignity, with reafon,
And manly tenderness, will ever love her;
Not firft a kneeling flave, and then a tyrant.
THOMSON.

LORD MONTEITH and his friend were forced to project fresh measures; for Mrs. Bridget was fo unwilling to offend her dear generous young lady, that she refused to appear any more upon the stage, and yet her gratitude to the dear generous young gentleman induced her to consent still to take a part behind the fcenes. She suggested that her lady would foon pay a visit to a neighbouring family; that she would go on horseback, only accompanied by Mr. John the groom; that the road lay through a

neighbouring coppice, but that lord W. as well as fir William had keys of the ridings; and the concluded with observing fignificantly, that Mr. John was a very well-behaved man, no liftener, and too difcreet to fay any thing.

The excurfion was undertaken at the appointed time; but the inftant Miss Powerscourt entered the wood, fhe faw a gentleman on horfeback approaching, whom, in another inftant, fhe knew to be lord Monteith. Her firft intention was to turn back, but he was prevented by John's having dropped the key in the long grafs, juft as he had locked the gate. Anger was ufelefs, indeed unreasonable; for the poor man was endeavouring to repair his carelesness by looking for it very anxiously. Though fhe could not but fufpect that the rencontre was concerted, fhe had fuffisient confidence in her own dignity to

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