"wife; and I felt for my abfent friend. "The blaze of your Geraldine's charms, my lord, is loft upon me. Beauty can "never more affect my heart. But "I too well recollect the emotions it "has caufed not to wifh fir Richard to "avoid lady Monteith, at least if he "respects his own tranquillity." "And could Geraldine refent your "friendly obfervation?" interrupted Monteith. "She only answered, that I was grown "fplenetic, for public places fanctioned "these intrufions. I however observed, "that he did not speak to me any more "during the whole evening." "I deteft caprice. She fhall ac"knowledge the friendliness of your motives." "Oh for heaven's fake! do not in"trfere in that ftyle. You will alarm. "her pride, and fink me for ever in her " opinion. "opinion. Befide, you will utterly pre"vent any future effort on my part gently to restrain thofe very agreeable fpirits which may be liable to mifcon"truction. To own the truth, I thought "to-night the attracted particular atten"tion." 66 "Her prudence," exclaimed the earl, who, though he had imbibed the poison of infinuation, was yet offended by a direct attack," is as exemplary as her "character is spotlefs." "True," replied Fitzofborne ; " but "think of the malignity of the "world." "Who dares to impeach her con"duct?" continued her lord, with increafed violence. "What does not envy and calumny "dare?" cried the fentimental torturer. "But I fee my friendship is trouble fome. "However, Monteith, recollect, that r you you artfully wound the fecret out of me, and therefore have no right to be difpleafed at the difclofure." "Your hand, Edward. Excufe my "warmth. My wife is too dear to me "to allow me to hear the leaft cenfure "caft upon her behaviour with indif"ference. I venerate the excellence of your heart, and I love your frankness. "I am frank myfelf, though I own I "did ufe a little circumlocution to dif"cover what you certainly never in"tended me to know. I was too fubtle "there. Was I not?-But come, think "no more of it. Perhaps lady Mon<< teith might be a little wrong; but I "know you both meant well, and the will readily forgive you." 66 Then, as a pledge of your renewed "efteem, let me entreat you never to " mention this affair to her. I may "have been too fufceptible, and have "mistaken "mistaken her filence for refentment; "for I am convinced I misconstrued "her preceding behaviour." Monteith pledged his honour for fecrefy, and endeavoured to diffipate his chagrin by humming an air. But the idea that Fitzofborne had feen fomething wrong in Geraldine, and his recollection of the ftranger's conversation, funk deep into his mind, and clouded the gay vacuity of his thoughts with spectres fearful as "the green-eyed monfter" which haunted the frank and noble Moor, who, like lord Monteith, "thought men honeft who but feemed to be fo." CHAP. XXIX. No might nor greatness in mortality SHAKSPEARE. VICE always appears to be most alluring when its machinations are crowned with fuccefs. During the dangerous period of youth, while the paffions are warm, the imagination lively, and the judgment weak, the fpectator feels a bias in favour of that adventurer whofe courfe (marked by ingenuity) leads to a speedy attainment of his defires. But could Inexperience reflect, and Impetuofity pause, the couch of even the most profperous villain would prefent no alluring fpectacle. Fitzofborne's plans had hitherto answered his wishes. His fpecious 15 manners |
