CHAP. XXXV. -Is aught fo fair In all the dewy landscapes of the spring, AKENSIDE. No event happened immediately after my Heroine's return to Scotland that deferves to be recorded. Though Mifs Evans's conviction that fome concealed forrow preyed upon her amiable friend's mind, was the secret cause of her accompanying her, fhe rightly judged that it was of a fpecies which would receive no diminution from participation, and therefore forbore to intrude upon the fanctity of woe. She contented herself with employing the ftores of her well cultivated cultivated mind, and the emanations of her fportive fancy, to alleviate the dejection which admitted not of cure. Her anxious defire to amufe her pensive companion fometimes made her cheerfulness more redundant than agreed with her natural character. But lady Monteith's perfuafion, that the funshine of her profpects gave a more feftal gaiety to her spirits, prevented her from perceiving that her Lucy's vivacity was more fymptomatic of affiduous, anxious friendship, than expreffive of the calm fatisfaction of heartfelt happiness. The countefs fometimes drew a parallel between her friend's fituation and her own, and her heart funk at the chilling contraft. How bright the radiance of love purified by esteem! How mild the luftre of equal minds, humble but not contracted fortunes, fimilar taftes, and moderate de fires! How blank blank were her own views! Not the uncontrolled poffeffion of an extensive domain, not the pomp and fuperiority of feudal greatnefs, cloud-capped mountains crowned with forefts of pine, lakes bestudded with verdant iflands, and fringed with odoriferous fhrubs, could now afford her any pleasure. The spacious manfion, the numerous establishment, feemed but mementos of their abfent lord. Even the fociety of her lovely children could not give the expected confolation. They spoke and looked like their faithlefs father, and the tear of anguish mingled with the fmile of maternal rapture. The correspondence of Fitzofborne afforded no fatisfactory intelligence. If one letter announced a plan which it was hoped might detach him from Mrs. Harley, the next epiftle proclaimed its failure, and only detailed fome muti lated lated converfations which implied a more total alienation of his lordship's affections than the writer thought it was prudent to communicate. Her tearful eyes fixed upon thefe particulars, and paffed over with cold and vacant gaze the compliments which Edward addreffed to her perfon, mind, and conduct. She scarcely observed even the fympathy that he expreffed for her fufferings; and the advice he gave her to detach her affections from a man who he feared would never again return her tenderness, was rejected with a conviction that it was impracticable. The frequency of lady Monteith's receiving letters in a male character very diffimilar to her lord's at length excited Mifs Evans's curiofity; and it even rose to anxiety upon perceiving, that they were always referved for a private perufal. Her attention, thus cafually fixed, was continually revived by fome fresh mystery which every post-day revealed. The countess seemed almost fretfully impatient till the mail arrived; and if any company were present, at the founding of the horn, fhe always made fome excufe to leave the room. More than once Lucy perceived her select the letter of this favoured correfpondent, and retire to read it, while even her lord's lay unopened. Yet they appeared rather to increase her melancholy than to relieve it: and conftantly, after having shut herself in her own apartment to answer them, her face bore unequivocal marks of having been bathed in tears. Difdaining to fatisfy her doubts by indirect means, and unable to pursue any plan of raillery or playful artifice on what he feared was a very serious fubject, Lucy determined to give her |
