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her banishment, who was most probably a principal occasion of its taking place, and always made his evil intentions wear the semblance of good-will towards her.She reflected, that not a single individual had any reason to be jealous of her; for pure affection alone dictated her attentions to her benefactress, and the smallest pittance, sufficient to support her in the plainest manner, she would have deemed enough, and should her ladyship ever leave her more, she intended restoring it to her

relations.

While her mind was thus occupied with these considerations, and she felt sad and dejected, Catherine Stanhope entered the room, and asked her if she would go with them to the opera, and to an assembly afterwards, with a large party who were coming to dinner.

Amelrosa, who was too unhappy to enjoy society, begged to be excused; saying,

she

she had just heard of her friend's dangerous illness, therefore her mother and herself must forgive her for declining their invitation, as she would prefer dining alone.

Miss Stanhope replied, she was very sorry to lose the pleasure of her company, but would not wish to persuade her, as she hated constraint herself, and retired.

Not many minutes after, finding herself so depressed, that she felt quite miserable, she thought she would fetch a book that she had been reading the day before, and left in the small drawing-room. She went down as gently as she could, and opening the door softly, found the folding doors that led into the great drawing-room closed, to her extreme satisfaction; haying intended to have retreated again, if they had been open, as some one or other, were generally with Mrs. Stanhope or Catherine, at that hour in the morning; and

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she would not have wished to have been seen as her eyes were red with weeping.

While she was looking for the book, the sound of her own name pronounced in a disrespectful and scornful manner by Miss. Stanhope, attracted her attention; and concluding she had unconsciously done something to offend her, which by knowing, she might be able to rectify, she could not resist attending to what passed, as she was engaged in searching for the book.

"I am really quite sick of the girl," continued Catherine. "She is such a complete mope, that it gives me the vapours to see her. She will never go any where; though to be sure, if she does, it is no acquisition for its like carrying a log about for a companion. I am certain it must be hypocrisy, lamenting in that doleful way, for an ailing old woman, for Lady Archdale is no better."

;

"But

"But you forget, my dear," rejoined the mother," that she is waiting for a legacy, and is quite right with such views to toad-eat her. All the world does so, when they expect to get any thing. That's true, to her face she acts properly in making the affectionate, and so forth; but behind her back, what signifies the weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. There is one motive alone that makes me wish her to stay, or I should most undoubtedly prevail with you, to invent some excuse to get rid of her."

Amelrosa had now found her book, and instantly retired as softly as possible, not feeling the least inclination to hear any more; as the little she had heard, was sufficient to convince her, from the contemptuous terms in which they had spoken, that their kindness to herself was assumed, and experienced the utmost contempt for them. Had not other cases of more importance engaged her mind, she would have

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have been extremely unhappy at being deceived by, those whom she thought had some friendship for her, and had shewn her kindness; but at present, she only regretted not having it in her power to converse with Lady Archdale, as she intended to gain her permission to change her residence, under pretence, that the constant gaiety that reigned at Mrs. Stanhope's was unpleasant to her. She was too goodnatured to wish to lower them in her ladyship's opinion, and only proposed to quit them, that they might not at any time be at a loss for an excuse to get rid of her, disguising her knowledge of the unkind. expressions they used in speaking of her; though her ingenuous mind revolted at the idea of wearing the semblance of friendship, towards those for whom she did not feel any, since she had discovered they were so deceptious.

A fortnight was nearly elapsed unvaried by any new or striking event, when Amel

rosa,

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