"more confufed: and it is only by "comparing circumftances that I can "connect my narrative. I think I must "have been first taken to an obscure " house in a lonely fituation; for I re"collect on the horses stopping I faw "only trees and a mean, building, and "I thought how foolish it was to stop "there, as my lord would never "put up at fuch a place as that.— "I fuppofe that I was detained there "till my purfuers had paffed upon the " road. I remember travelling very "fast; but my head was too bad for "me to guess where. It was on a "Thursday that I left the caftle. My "lord found me in a small inn in Lan"cashire on Tuesday. I was fitting

in a room by myself, and weeping "bitterly, when he burft in. He re"viled me in the fevereft terms, and "afked

"afked me for Fitzofborne. I told " him that I did not know where he was, " and wished I never might see him "more :--Indeed, Lucy, I fpoke the "truth; but my lord redoubled his "ravings. I know that I said I was "not fo wicked as he fuppofed; and I "made an effort to kneel; but whe"ther he spurned me from him, or I "fell through giddinefs, I cannot tell. "I hurt myself in my fall; and, re"covering, found myself covered with "blood. But my head was relieved, "and I was treated with compaffion. "I kept afking for my lord. They "told me, that he was gone after the "gentleman who came with me. O "what a found was that for me! The "people at the inn were worthy cha"racters. They believed me to be penitent, and affifted me to escape "from my feducer. I knew not where

" to

"to go; but I thought you would ad"vise me. I travelled rapidly towards "Powerscourt till I heard of my fa "ther's illnefs. You know the reft."

The trembling Geraldine faltered as the repeated this melancholy tale, and then funk weeping on the bofom of her friend.

"Suppofe me now," continued fhe, as foon as she could recover compofure enough to proceed, "repeating this "narrative in a court of juftice, every "eye fixed upon me with offenfive cu

riofity; infulted (at leaft in my own "opinion) by that cross-examination, "which impartial juftice will require "to discover whether I was not the "willing partner of the crime. The 66 powers of eloquence will be ex«erted against me. Confufion may "make me prevaricate; and when life " is at ftake, mercy pleads for the cri

«minal whofe guilt appears doubt<ful. None of my own fervants were <<< with me. I can bring no corrobo"rating evidence. It will be proved,

that I was feen with him on the road, "and at feveral inns, and made no "effort to escape. My appearance "may have caufed contradictory opi"nions; and art like his would certainly "take care that the general impreffion "fhould be unfavourable. To thofe who "know not my ufual manner, I might "feem paffive, or acquiefcent, as well "as infenfible.

"But fuppofe my character receives "all the juftification it can by his con"demnation, of what advantage will

his death be to me, or to the world? "The vain beauty, who is not deterred

by my misfortunes from liftening to "the adulations of a Fitzofborne, will "not be diffuaded from encouraging

"the fyren fong of flattery by hear

48

ing that a determined feducer can "call in arts more unwarranted than "illicit perfuafion. Lord Monteith can "never be reunited to me. His ho"nour and my delicacy demonftrate the "impoffibility of oblivious forgiveness. "Wherever my children appeared, the "fad tale of their mother would ftill "be whispered and the blush of shame "muft dye their cheeks.

"Nor," continued fhe, wiping the tear which maternal feelings called forth, "can the mortal wound in my

reputation ever be healed. I am "conscious of a thousand indifcre"tions, proceeding indeed from the "erroneous idea, that every virtue, as "well as every accomplishment, unit"ed in Fitzofborne's mind. Not an ac"quaintance have I in Scotland, or in "London, who cannot relate those in"difcre