Puslapio vaizdai
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fite refinement of her ideas with her prefent calamities, and releafe me from the vain attempt of defcribing her mental fufferings..

She lay upon a couch; her eyes fixed and raylets; her liftlefs arms hanging motionlefs; her face deadly pale, and half concealed by her redundant neglected hair. The attendant, who was fitting by her, announced a gentleman who wished to fpeak with her. Inftantly the ftupefaction in her countenance changed to extreme terror. She grafped the girl's hand, and entreated her to fave her, while her eyes rolled with frightful wildnefs. The terrified maid added, that his name was Powerf court; but that he fhould not come in unless the pleafed. The countess relaxed her convulfive grafp, and funk fainting upon the couch.

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Henry, who at that moment entered, contemplated in mournful anguish, the change fo fuddenly wrought in the lovelieft of female forms. While the remembrance of his youthful attachment gave a livelier impulse to his fufcepti bility, he rejoiced in the firm integrity which had preserved him from the infinuating inticements of an illicit paffion, and clafping his hands in an ecftasy of piety, gratitude, and regret, he exclaimed, "Thank God! I have not this "to anfwer."

Geraldine misinterpreted his emotion. "I am a murderer then?-A "parricide? He is dead."

"No! he is ftill alive," faid Henry, in a faultering tone.

"And has he," exclaimed fhe with impaffioned frenzy," fent me any token "of forgiveness ?"

" continued Henry,

"I am come,"

wetting with his tears the feverish hand which he held towards him, "to con"duct you home."

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"Bleffed, angelic, peaceful found!My home! never thought to "have a home again.-O raise me up. "Let us go this inftant."

"Are you equal to the journey?" "Yes. I can go home. O Heavenly "found!-My father's houfe! And "have I indeed yet a father?"

Unable to judge of her real ftrength during this paroxyfm of joy, Mr. Powerfcourt proposed waiting till the horses were refreshed. The uniform humanity of Geraldine fhone through her diforder. "My heart is furely grown hard "with my misfortunes. Are they my "father's old horfes that used to take "me out when I was a girl? I talk "foolishly, Henry. I did not know it

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"was you. I thought you were lord "Monteith come back again-or I "thought you-I know not whom→→→ "I was fo terrified."

"Have you feen lord Monteith?" "Yes. Don't blame me :-I hope "for the laft time. He used fuch "horrid expreffions. He would not "allow me to fpeak to him. He will "never let me fee my children more.— "Not once more, Henry.-I only asked "for once, before I die. Is not this "too hard even to fuch a wicked wretch " as I am ?"

Henry continued to bathe her hand with tears. They afforded fome relief to his full-fraught heart.

"Shall I ever," refumed the plaintive mourner, "fee your Lucy ?-You "don't answer. Will he fpeak to "me? Don't let her fee me if the will "not fpeak to me. Yet how fhould “I rejoice

"I rejoice to hear her voice once << more!"

"She waits your arrival at Powerf <court, there to join with all your "friends in the pious task of foothing your afflictions."

I pass over the remainder of this dif treffing conversation. No perfuafions could prevent lady Monteith from fetting off that night for what fhe termed her haven of reft. She bore her journey better than Mr. Powerfcourt expected; and he perceived with pleasure that the wanderings of her conversation were more the effect of weariness, for row, and indifpofition, than of deranged intellects. She feemed to ftruggle for fortitude, but her efforts failed her, when the carriage ftopped. "The prodigal returns," faid fhe, " but "where is the welcoming father ?"

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