eyes) you mean to do my sweet friend, arrives too late. In a few days she will be no more. Arm yourself therefore, with fortitude to meet her, and behold the alteration she has undergone, and I will in the mean while prepare her for the interview."

With these words she quitted Lord Conrade, who was nearly motionless with the pangs of horror and remorse; and repairing to Minette, by gentle degrees divulged to the poor invalid, that her seducer was in the house, and truly lamenting his former behavior, wished to see her, and make any reparation in his power for the crime he had committed. But notwithstanding all her precaution, the intelligence affected her so much, that she fainted away re"peatedly.

Having with difficulty recovered and restored her to more tranquility, Minette desired Lord Conrade might be admitted; though her weakened frame trembled uni

versally,

versally, and she was supported with pillows. Volumes of the most eloquent and moving language, could not have touched his soul like the sight of the victim of his treachery, sinking into the grave in the earliest dawn of life; who possessed beauty, sense, and sweetness, all blasted e're they had reached maturity, by his blighting hand. He knelt by the side of the bed, groaned deeply, and the violence of his feelings threatened nearly to destroy his reason in a tone of frenzy, a thousand times did he implore her to forgive him, and to live for his sake. With a look of unutterable woe, she silently shook her head at these reiterated entreaties; and he then besought her as the only consolation she could bestow, to let him have the satisfaction of knowing she died with the name of his wife. At this last request, she faintly murmured, that such repeated instances of regard and repentance of his conduct towards her, would make her, had her father lived, regret she must inevitably

VOL. III.

L

quit

quit a world, that his penitence rendered pleasing to her; and to prove, that even in the latest moments of existence, she was eager to oblige him, who had been dearer to her than her own happiness, she consented without hesitation, to whatever he desired.

The clergyman and doctor, who were in the house, were now requested to enter her apartment, and while this melancholy marriage was solemnized, every eye present, except the gentle Minette's, overflowed with tears of bitter sorrow. The mournful ceremony performed, they all withdrew with the exception of Amelrosa, as Minette was quite exhausted, and her friend was apprehensive the agitation of spirits she had suffered, would abridge the short remnant of her life. After remaining some time longer with her, Amelrosa was necessitated to leave her, to return home, as it was rather late. Mrs. Skinner on her entrance, expressed her disapprobation of her staying

staying out so long: but when she explained the cause, would not appear so

inhuman as to continue her ill natured animadversions, though she secretly felt equally offended; possessing in reality, a very unfeeling heart, whose inhumanity she contrived in general to disguise.

For some hours Amelrosa could not close her eyes, so much were her thoughts engaged with the interesting Minette; however, she at length fell asleep, and about five o'clock in the morning, when enjoying a calm slumber, was awakened by a loud ringing at the hall door bell; and soon after, one of the maid servants came into the room and informed her, a person from Mrs. Belmont, wished to speak with her on something of great importance. Amelrosa ordered her to be shewn up, and the nurse entered with her eyes swelled from crying; and the first words she uttered were to say, that Lord Conrade entreated she would come immediately to their house, as he feared

L 2

feared his lady would hardly live till she arrived.

Hastily Amelrosa dressed herself at this dristressing, though not unexpected intelligence; and directly accompanied the nurse to the cottage, where she found Lord Conrade, in whose countenance grief and despair were visible, apparently distracted with the pangs of remorse and anguish. "Good and beneficent angel!" he exclaimed, when he beheld her; "let us go to that suf fering saint," and instantly she attended him to the chamber of Minette; upon whom she had no sooner cast her eyes, than she was convinced all was nearly over, though she had never seen any one dead, or dying, but the estimable. Sir Edmund, the friend of her youth.

Amelrosa supported her in her arms, though she averted her eyes from her soulpiercing countenance, and Lord Conrade kneeling by the bedside, in broken accents, Minette endeavored to console him;

adding