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Henry now inquired after Sir William, and heard that he continued in the same state. Mr. Powerscourt supported, or rather carried, Geraldine into the breakfast parlour; but no previous refolution could reftrain Mifs Evans's tranfport on seeing her.

86

My

than

more than fifter!-dearer "friend! My love !-My Geraldine : open those sweet eyes-speak to thy faithful Lucy.-Come, broken lily, "rest upon my bofom.-Ever dear! «6 ever lovely!-Dearer than in thy "hours of happiness !-Give me but "fome fign that thou dost hear me. "Only prefs my hand if thou canst not

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speak." The languid countess feebly returned her friend's ardent preffure, and dropped her liftless head on Lucy's throbbing bofom; while Henry, gazing on his deftined partner with looks of affectionate admiration, gently blamed

the

the overflowing tenderness which charmed him to the foul.

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Geraldine gradually revived. " And "this," faid fhe, " is my father's house? "And thou art Lucy ?-And I hear no "reproaches-no bitterly-remembered "warnings. O kind friends!-O "ftill kinder Providence, thus to follow guilt with bleffings !-But when shall "I fee my father?”

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It had been previously determined that this awful interview fhould be delayed till the next morning; and Geraldine at laft reluctantly confented to try to obtain fome repofe. "It has been," faid fhe, "a ftranger to me"I know not how long."

Her delirium feemed to return upor "Be fure,"

going into her apartment. faid fhe, " you bar the doors and win❝dows, and let fomebody fit up to

"guard me."

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Early the next morning fir William altered fo confiderably as to indicate immediate diffolution. His daughter had just dropped into a broken flumber. Mr. Evans lamented the neceffity of awakening her, but obferved, that as her father was still fenfible, his forgiveness would be a lafting confolation. Prepared by the counfels of this truly Chriftian paftor, Geraldine fupported herfelf through the trying fcene with meeknefs, piety, and fortitude. Kneeling by his bed-fide, fhe felt the preffure of his convulfed hand upon her head, received from his quivering lips the kifs of reconciliation and peace, and watched the laft ftruggle of his parting foul, as it winged its flight to join in Heaven thofe benevolent fpirits whom it had imitated on earth. Univerfal dejection accompanied the news of his death, and the tears of a grateful neighbourhood fpoke his unequivocal eulogium.

CHAP. XLII.

One falfe ftep for ever damns her fame!
In vain with tears the may her lofs deplore?
In vain look back to what she was before;
She fets, like ftars that fall, to rise again no more,

ROWE.

THE obfervation of Solon, repeated by the celebrated Crofus at the most interesting period of his life, that we

never should pronounce a man happy until we have feen his end,' was ftrikingly verified in my Heroine's hiftory. Her morn of existence rofe with peculiar splendour; and even the contemplative philofopher, who is accuftomed to look beyond the surface, and to balance hope with experience, when he confidered the rare advantages of judicious education, amiable temper,

difcreet

difcreet habits, ample wealth, and exemplary connections, united in the perfon of the lovely Geraldine, must have concluded that no common viciffitude of fortune could demolish this goodly fabric.

The commencement of her married life was, in the opinion of the generality of obfervers, equally auspicious. United to the man of her heart, her fuperior in rank, and correfponding to herself in fortune, perfonal grace, and natural advantages, what "a pity if aught" had intervened to prevent the Hymeneal bond from infuring the happiness of "this matchlefs pair." The latent fpark of vanity, lurking in her bosom, was undescribed; and no one could calculate how long it would be before the careless Monteith would drop the character of a lover. No one afked, where is the firm judgment, the manly tendernefs,

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