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"And was not lord Monteith most "to blame to cause that confusion ?" "I do not vindicate my lord. O, fainted mother! If I could but "breathe the energy of thy difcerning "spirit into my dear unfufpicious "friend"

my

"I never knew that Mrs. Evans "thought fufpicion a virtue."

"She never would have fuffered an " audacious man to have offended her "ears with reflections on my father's " conduct. Though mild, and pa. "tient of reproofs to herself, her quick "fufceptibility of his honour--"

"You furely do not recollect," interrupted lady Monteith, "that the "comparison you have started is most "exquifitely painful to me. I will only fay, that the regularity of your fa "ther's conduct difproved flander. Do "you draw the inference." The tears.

which at that inftant ftreamed from her eyes avowed her tortured heart.

"My fweeteft Geraldine! can I wit"ness those tears, and not wish to re"lieve thy forrows?"

« Then feek not to deprive me of my only friend.”

"Your only friend! How is your "style of expreffion changed! What "then am I? what is Henry Powerf " court?"

"Both strangely altered by unjuft sufpicion."

"Our fufpicions are not pointed at "you. We know that you are pure, "and guiltless of the smallest intentional << fault. We grieve to fee your can"dour betrayed, your unfufpecting in"nocence infnared, your reputation "blafted."

My reputation blafted, Mifs Evans? "Are you not cruel in referring to a "Дlanderous

"flanderous tale, invented by envy " and falfehood, which you once told my conduct fufficiently dif

"me

“proved?"

"No! no! my heart is a ftranger to "defigned cruelty to any one, and "leaft of all to you. It is not to the "attacks of malignity, it is to the con"clufions of guilelefs fimplicity, that I "refer." She then repeated the obfervations which were addreffed to Mr. Powerscourt at the public dinner.

"Must I then," faid the countefs, "clear my character to the world by throwing treble odium upon my "lord's? or, muft I renounce the only "companion who feems ftudious to "fweeten the bitter cup of anguish "which I now drain to the dregs? "Am I to publifh the obligations "which I owe to Fitzofborne ? obligations which would justify me

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" in every one's opinion; or fit a lone,

folitary, flighted being in this mag"nificent prifon ?"

Lucy now melted into tears.

" Does

your palace, your bower of blifs, as "you once ftyled it, now receive that ་ appellation? O! what has wrought "this dreadful change? It is not quite " a twelvemonth fince your own dear "hand, writing to me, traced these strong

"

expreffions. I enjoy as much hap"piness as experience teaches us to ex"pect in this uncertain world. I pof"fefs my husband's affectionate confi"dence, the esteem of my friends, the "love of my dependants. With what "heart-felt tranfport, my Lucy, do I "tell you, that lord Monteith feems "every hour more firmly attached to " me and his children. You know his "manner is fingular. It once gave me "pain, but reflection has reconciled

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me to it, and I discover, even in his

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"eccentricities, indubitable marks of "an excellent heart.' Do not wring

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your hands, my love! I do not re"cite this paffage to awaken your poignant feelings, but to convince your judgment."

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Mifs Evans paused; the countefs was unable to speak, and she proceeded. "Can all this ruin originate from "chance? Can your lord withdraw "his affection, his confidence, nay " even treat you with feverity without "fome tempter? Truft me, my Ge"raldine, if Fitzofborne were indeed "your friend, the influence which he "fo eminently poffeffes over your impetuous lord must be apparent and "produce the most oppofite behaviour." "In what," faid Geraldine, recovering herself, "do you perceive this "influence? does lord Monteith ever " coincide

VOL. III.

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