Puslapio vaizdai
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Henry reeled against the portal, clapped his hand to his forehead, and was speechlefs.

The fervants crowded round him. A burft of tears relieved his manly forrow. He then inquired, "Where is

my lord?" Gone too."-" What, "in purfuit of the countefs ?"-No! they believed her ladyfhip was gone after him.

"This is villany of a deeper caft," refumed Henry. "She is the victim "of fraud, not of persuasion."

The housekeeper was by this time got into the hall, eager to ask his opinion, or to receive his inftructions. And the pale trembling Maria, hearing that Mr. Powerfcourt knew what was become of her lady, had dragged her feeble frame to hear the defired tidings.

"Heaven bless you! my good fir,

faid the housekeeper.

M 5

"If you had

" but

"but come a little fooner, it would not " have been fo." Henry now inquired the particulars, which were recounted as intelligibly as twenty different voices could detail them. In one point they all agreed, that their lady feemed in the greatest distress.

"Ah, betrayed innocent!" exclaimed Henry. "And is my lord's journey a "fecret too?"

"A moft profound one, fir," said the butler.

"He went, you fay, in a hired chaise " and four, at fix o'clock yesterday "morning, the road toward the "Moors ?"

"I do, fir," replied the groom.

"Nay now, Sandy," said one of the footman," that is little better than "a lie; I faid fo, and you told my lady, when she seemed fo frightened "about him, that you faw the chaife

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"turn by the lodges in the park, and "then stop, and go back again toward "Edinburgh."

"Did not you think fo too, Mr. "Thomas?" faid the groom, addreffing the butler.

"Why, my eyes might deceive me, "but Mr. Pomade thought the fame." "Who is Mr. Pomade?"

"Mr. Fitzofborne's fervant."

"Call him. He may poffibly throw "fome light on this inexplicable bufi"nefs."

"He went off to London at four "o'clock this morning," anfwered the groom.

keeper.

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"How?"" On horfeback." "Another lie," exclaimed the house"O, there are some wicked doings, and it will all come out. "The very ftones in the street will "speak when there has been a murder. M 6

"His

you

"His master has got no horses, and "told us that you could not catch any " of my lord's, if we would give you a "thoufand pounds."

"Do I," faid Powerscourt," fee "around me fo many ftout healthy "men, fed by lord Monteith's bounty; " and would none of them walk "to to order a chaife, that this young woman might have followed "her miftrefs?"

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A general murmur announced that they would all have willingly walked to Johnny Groat's house to serve their lord or their lady, but the butler had undertaken that office.

"And why did he not perform. it "then?" faid Powerscourt. "I ftopped "at that town myfelf two hours ago, " and I am confident, not only that "there are chaifes to be procured,

" but

"but also that no meffenger from Monteith had been to order one."

The butler attempted an excufe; but the groom falling upon his knees, faid, he would confefs all. Mr. Fitzofborne had long defigned to run away with his lady when he had an opportunity. His lordship received a note on the evening before her departure, after his lady was gone to bed, giving him. an invitation to go to fhoot fome moorgame on the neighbouring mountains with fome gentlemen of his acquaintance; and propofing to set off foon in the morning, he left a note for his lady, telling her where he was gone. He confeffed too, that he had told Mr. Fitzolborne this, and alfo that he was gone in a hired chaife on account of the bad roads, and without any attendants, for gentlemen did not like to have any more with them on the moun

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