"treat your faithful fwain's advances in too contemptuous a ftyle for me to begin my requefted interceffion, or even to deliver to you a meffage "from your brother on the fame fub'ject." The party had now re-entered the houfe, when the countefs, turning, faid to Fitzofborne, "You forget Mifs Par"ker."-" Where is Mifs Parker ?" was the general inquiry. "In the "orangery," faid lady Monteith. "No, "madam, I am here," echoed a shrill voice, which iffued from one of the ladies who accompanied lady Arabella. "Mifs Parker could not have been " left in the orangery," obferved the viscountess. "Your ladyship was cer"tainly mistaken. She came down "ftairs with us." "And "And she was the firft who fupport"ed me when I fainted," faid lady Arabella, who in her eagerness to detect a fuppofed criminal, forgot that fainting people do not always know what paffes. "She certainly accompanied me into "the orangery," repeated lady Mon teith. Mifs Parker, who was no other than the antiquated belle" at the opera, now came forward, and with a refpectful curtefy, begged leave to explain: "I certainly accompanied your lady 66 ship and Mr. Fitzofborne down ftairs, "when you did me the honour to ask "me; but while your lady fhip was en"gaged with him in looking at the "ftars, I found it was very cold, and I "was afraid of my old attack in my "fhoulder; fo I thought I would step and fetch my pellice; and I believe "your your ladyfhip and the gentleman were "too much occupied to perceive that I " was gone." A farcaftic fmile, which lady Fillagree's politenefs could fcarcely restrain her from joining, followed this narrative, when Edward, like Jofeph Surface, promised to give a full and fatiffactory account of the matter. He faid that on his mentioning that he had obferved a beautiful Jacobea lily in full blow as they entered, lady Monteith and Mifs Parker had expreffed a wish to pay it more attention; that he had the honour to escort them; and that, after admiring the flower, her ladyfhip was fuddenly ftruck by the fplendor of fome particular conftellations, when lady Arabella entered. Another general fmile enfued, and Geraldine, no longer able to rally her fpirits, fpi. its, ordered her chariot; and, telling Mifs Parker fhe would fet her down at her own door, fhe relieved the ladies from the pain of fuppreffed merriment, by taking leave. t CHAP. XXX. Confcience, what art thou? Thou tremendous power! Who doft inhabit us without our leave: How doft thou light a torch to diftant deeds! YOUNG. THE fuppofed fecret, mentioned in my laft Chapter, was of too much importance to be confined to the difcoverers. By means of the happy art of innuendoes, the initiated foon diffeminated it through the whole circle in the politeft manner imaginable. One lady obferved, that the adventures of the third Eloifa would foon be published: another affirmed, that it would be called Werter the Second, with a different cataftrophe: a third wished to read the Chapter on Botany: a fourth |