תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

"Spare me yet the wretchedness of knowing, that I have been the occasion of your's or Captain Glenholme's death': convinced from the last words he uttered, that he intends sending you a challenge. Keep out of his way, that he may not be able to find you till his anger is subsided. I ask this, as a compensation for the injury you have unintentionally done me."

Lord Conrade, excessively affected, raised her immediately from this humiliating posture, in which he could not endure to see her, and solemnly promised, that to relieve her anxiety, he would go out of town immediately to avoid Captain Glenholme, notwithstanding the repugnance he felt at behaving in this apparently cowardly manner.

This promise was like a healing balm to her lacerated feelings; and having gratefully expressed her sense of the obligation, contintinued:-" Give my love to Minette,

Minette, and tell her I am too much agitated at present, to speak to her, and feel so ill, that the best plan I can pursue, is to hasten home. How happy I should be, if you would be just to her. She is lovely, well born, accomplished, and amiable; in fortune alone your inferior, my Lord; therefore I hope, when you reflect on these advantages, you will atone for your past conduct. I shall come as soon as I can to see her, though God knows what I shall risk by it; yet conscious of the purity of my intentions, I shall not relinquish the claims of humanity and friendship." The goodness, sensibility, and noble mind of Amelrosa had never been more conspicuously evident than on this eventful day; and admiration and compassion for her sufferings, nearly vanquished his lordship's selfish passion.

"I shall not enter this house again," he replied, "consequently, there will be no impropriety in your coming here; and

[blocks in formation]

give me leave to ring the bell for a coach, as you cannot think of going out in such a situation without one."

Lord Conrade then procured her some vinegar to bathe her forehead, which having done, she drew her hair over it to hide the swelling, and letting her veil fall over her face, weak and trembling was supported to the coach he had procured for her, by his lordship, and in a short time. conveyed to Piccadilly.

CHAP.

CHAP. III.

with heart opprest,

Alone, reluctant, desolate and slow,

By friendship's cheering radiance now unblest,
Along life's rudest path I seem to go;

Nor see where yet the anxious heart may rest,
That trembling at the past-recoils from future woe;

Charlotte Smith.

AMELROSA tottered into the house, and repairing to her own apartment, flung off her hat and cloak, and threw herself exhausted on the bed, where she relieved her swoln heart with weeping, till at length she fell into an uneasy slumber. When she awoke, finding herself extremely weak and feverish, and that she had dozed to her great

D 5

great surprise, till evening, Amelrosa ordered some tea, and taking up a book to divert her miserable reflections, read till ten o'clock and then retired to rest. She slept tolerably well; when about three in the morning she was awakened by a loud knocking at the door, occasioned by Mrs. Stanhope and her daughter coming home from an assembly.

Thoroughly awakened, she found it impossible to sleep any more, as numerous thoughts, relative to what had passed at the habitation of Minette, crowded into her mind. That hapless female, like herself, the victim of misfortune, must have heard nearly the whole of her conversation with Lord Conrade, and the other circumstances which happened; and she was astonished at her not entering the apartment when she was with his lordship. How much did she wish it had been the case, as she would not then have been found alone with him. On consideration, she concluded that Minette's

keep

« הקודםהמשך »