"been under fome little mistake: and "not chufing to be upon bad terms "with a gentleman fo vaftly well spoken "of, and received every where, I

juft add, that I fhall be very glad to "fee you at my parties when you come "to London. I hope this conceffion "will fatisfy lord Monteith, to whom " and his sweet Geraldine I beg my "tender regards, and remain, fir, with << fincere efteem,

"Your very obedient fervant,

" ARABELLA MACDONALD."

"Shall I then throw myfelf at her "feet? and afk her to protect me and "my children; to fave us from want; "to foften the pangs of perfidy; at least " till I can gently prepare my father?" inquired the afflicted Geraldine.

"I would advise that you fhould "not only do fo, but that you should

"fet

My readers have doubtlefs afcribed to him the letter which hurried Mifs Evans to Caernarvonfhire, as they will eafily conceive that her presence was an infuperable obftacle to the completion of his iniquity. I must now inform them, that by repeated bribes he had feduced the fidelity of lord Monteith's butler, and the groom who generally accompanied him on horfe-back. They regularly gave him information of every event that happened in the family. His appearance in the library, and the opening of the banqueting-room door on the night lady Monteith went down ftairs to speak to the steward, were not accidental. The watchfulness of Mifs Evans checked the audacious hopes which he had that evening dared to form from the extreme refentment which diftress had enkindled in lady Monteith's mind against

the

the degrading conduct of her lord. But Mifs Evans was now far diftant; the faithful confcientious fteward had fet out for Edinburgh to tranfact fome money affairs, and lord Monteith was wholly engroffed by the fhooting season, which had juft commenced.

The third morning after Mifs Evans's departure, my lord was absent at breakfaft; but that was not uncommon. Fitzosborne read some of Wieland's works to the countess, commented on the beautiful defcriptions, and then propofed a walk, They went through the plantations to the lake. On the road fhe enlarged, with affecting fimplicity, on the pleasure which fhe once enjoyed in adding a finishing grace to the richness of that ftriking scenery; and a tear stole down her cheek, as the pointed out parts which her lord had ufed to commend. Fitzofborne's replies

"fet off immediately. A thought has

just struck me. You may overtake "lord Monteith. He has certainly "taken the road to London."

"What? with that unfortunate girl? "O, Fitzofborne! a wife is bound by "indiffoluble ties, and must suffer " with him; but how could he be fo "cruel, so selfish, to involve a stranger " in his calamities. She was innocent, happy, bleffed with humble compe"tence."

"Your candour has misled you. I "have certain proof that a criminal " connection has fubfifted fome time "between them. She probably pro"poses to accompany lord Monteith "abroad."

"Abroad! Is he going abroad? What! "abfolutely defert me and my little " ones without one preparatory word? "Leave me too in all these compli

"cated

"cated circumftances of grief and dif "trefs? Oh! hold my brain, or let "me lofe reflection in inftant madness. "Unparalleled! unpardonable cruelty!"

"It is indeed unpardonable. Mon"teith, the execrable Monteith, is un"worthy of you."

"May the anguish which I fuffer, "Fitzofborne, warn you of the danger "of a precipitate choice! Let not your eye mislead your judgment, nor your fancy cheat you with the semblance "of non-exifting virtues."

"My heart, moft charming moralift, "is for ever fixed where my judgment "has difcovered the most unquestion"able excellence. Yet do not droop "beneath you forrow. The tyrant "laws of cuftom will not for ever bind

you to the mean defpicable feducer "of a fimple ruftic, the depraved affo"ciate of a hireling prostitute." << True.