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Lady Monteith was by this time fufficiently recovered from the perturbation which native delicacy and innate benevolence had excited, to inquire after her father's looks and fpirits. She heard with delight that he seemed perfectly well. "And," added Henry, "I have the unspeakable pleasure to say, "that, thanks to your generous media"tion! I feem completely reftored to " his favour."

"Do not talk of my generofity, Hen"ry, for fear I should enter upon a "never-ending theme-But our friends " at the rectory-Can you tell me any "good news of them?"

"Mrs. Evans declines rapidly-fhe "cannot continue long."

"O, my dearest Lucy," faid the countefs, bursting into tears, " excel"lent, forlorn girl! who will comfort "you?"

"Can

"Can those be forlorn whom you "love?" replied Henry. "Your friendfhip, Geraldine, is a bleffing which must compensate for every other lofs.". "You forget that my prefent fitua❝tion imposes duties upon me which "no longer leave me at liberty to fly to "that darling girl to comfort her filial "forrow. Does the feem fenfible of

"her approaching calamity?"

"I do not know; I faw very little of "her. Can you tell me, lady Monteith, why I have been fo unfortunate as to lofe Mifs Evan s's confidence ?"

"You cannot have loft it; I know "her fentiments too well; fhe regards "you with all the esteem your merit de" ferves."

"I thought myself a blank in the "creation, banished from the good "opinion of every one except your ex"cellent father." "Indeed,

"Indeed, Henry, you must cast aside "this mifanthropic humour. It robs of all the amiable candor na

you

"tural to your character."

"I trust, lady Monteith, I shall find "it the disease of the climate. In "eight-and-forty hours I hope to bid a "long farewell to England, to all my "forrows, and-" he juft recollected himself in time, to forbear adding," and "to you."

"Let me not," said the countess in evident emotion," engross any more "of your time, which must be fully "occupied with preparations for your journey. We fhall, I trust, meet "on your return, with the reciprocal "pleasure our early interviews afforded. "Permit me to addrefs to you those "fentiments in writing which I find "it impoffible to utter in converfa

❝tion."

He

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He replied, "Your letters, madam, "will be invaluable." Finding his refolution unequal to the task of farther converfation, he prefented his addrefs, bowed, and withdrew.

As Henry Powerscourt will not for fome time appear again upon the scene, I fhall fubjoin lady Monteith's firft epiftle to him, with his anfwer. They occafionally correfponded during his refidence abroad; but the remainder of his letters were irrelevant to the fubject of this hiftory.

"TO HENRY POWERSCOURT, Efq. "Do not accufe me of departing "from the delicacy of my fex, if the "warm intereft which your welfare " and happiness excite induces me to adopt a freedom in my expreffions " which our near affinity and long friendship alone can justify. Far from

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"feeling

"feeling the cruel pride of conqueft, my heart participates in your dejec"tion fo ftrongly, that while I fancy myfelf the caufe of your unhappinels, "I think it is felfish in me to enjoy "that cup of bleffing which would "otherwise be my portion.

"I have reconfidered my conduct " from my girlish days. Youthful le"vity may have led me into indifcre"tions; but my confcience acquits me "of the bafe coquetry of endeavouring "to excite hopes which I never meant "to confirm. Let the friend whom I "fhall ever efteem, after a retrospect "of his own conduct, declare what

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part of his behaviour expreffed fenti

ments too lively to be applicable to "the affection of a relation, and the

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intimacy of a companion. If I rightly appreciate the purity of his principles, he would have rejected with abhor

rence

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