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lated sensibility; but merely such as was not unnatural at her age, particularly when we consider the seclusion of her life. Even if it had been of the first sort, she would not perhaps have been wholly without excuse; for the good Doctor himself was (or rather had been) a most voracious devourer of all that kind of food: and though he carefully locked it up from his daughter, whom he scarcely ever permitted to look at what he denominated trash, (meaning the common order of novels,) it was a trash to which, it was shrewdly suspected, particularly in his youth, he had had no sort of objection.

Be this as it may, we now behold his daughter, such as we have described her, and with her twenty years and no more over her head, upon the point of offering her acquaintance to two perfect strangers, without the least knowledge of their characters, or that it would be well received, if we may not rather say, with the fear that it would be ill received.

As a heroine, we are aware this must for ever let her down; nevertheless, the whole of her motives should be

appreciated before she is condemned. There was, in fact, a little secret in them, which although her heart perhaps knew it very well, it had not yet dared to whisper to her understanding.

In a word, this Mélainie de Montauban (if it was she), about her own age, who would willingly have lent her all the things she had, and who would like her so if she could but see her; who had indeed actually seen her, and seemed to like her ;-who was she? That she was good-natured, young, elegant, and secluded, and probably therefore desirous of a companion of her own age, appeared clear; that with such a name she could not be meanly derived was likely; that she was innocent was to be hoped yet who was the carissimo amico?

It must be owned, the latter, though it a little puzzled the Doctor, weighed not a feather against the other considerations with his daughter; and the sanguine, affectionate, and perhaps too romantic Georgina, could not help believing, as she wished that she was on the eve

of realising the only want of her life, in finding a person of her own age and sex whom she might love and confide in, and call by the name of friend.

On their approach to the house, the sound of the harp, and two voices in exquisite harmony, charmed their ears and arrested their progress.

The voices proceeded from the room into which Georgina had been ushered, and the windows being open, the visitors had opportunity for a few moments to distinguish the music and the words. They composed an air which was familiar both to Evelyn and his daughter. The words were addressed

TO A NATURAL CHILD.

Oh toi, qui n'eus jamais dû naître !
Gage trop cher d'un fol amour,
Puisses-tu ne jamais connoître
L'erreur qui te donna le jour.

Que ton enfance goûte en silence
Le bonheur qui pour elle est fait ;
Et que l'Envie, toute ta vie,
Ignore ou taise ton secret.

I don't like these words at all, thought Evelyn. All reflections however were spared, by their being discerned by the ladies, who had heard the trampling of the horses, and ran instantly to the windows, from which the youngest as instantly retreated.

A very well mannered and well attired soubrette came to the little gate, to ask their commands; and as the ladies, from having been seen, could not well be denied (at least not in a forest in Yorkshire), upon asking if they were at home, the party were admitted. To Georgina's concern, however, upon being shown into the sitting-room, they were received by her cold acquaintance alone; for the touching and intelligent inconnue had fled, or been forced to fly.

The Doctor, with a mixture of frankness and ceremony, which was sometimes not unbecomingly blended in him, made his obeisance to the lady of the house.

"I am come, Madam," said he, "though I have not even the honour of knowing your name, to return you my best thanks for the refuge your house was so kindly allowed to afford my daughter."

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My name," said the lady, with polite but not overwarm civility, "is Rochford; and I shall always feel pleasure that anything belonging to me could give accommodation to Miss Evelyn. I have however no right to assume even the small merit of receiving her, since I had not the pleasure of being at home when the storm overtook her."

“The merit of servants," answered the Doctor, "is always that of their employers. I have, however, I own, another motive for doing myself this honour, a little less disinterested I fear than gratitude."

Mrs. Rochford not perceiving his meaning, he added with an air of gallantry, "though in the midst of neighbours, we know all the value of comparison, and have sufficient relish for refined and elegant society to court it whenever it appears. We are fortunate, therefore, in the forms of the world," continued he, " which enables us as old inhabitants to pay our respects (without I hope being thought too forward) to those who are so good as to settle among us.

Mrs. Rochford was softened by his address, and by the speaking looks of Georgina, which seemed to second it, and replied in terms, which, though guardedly general, showed that she possessed the ease and ton de la parfaitement bonne compagnie. After this the conversation languished, the lady of the house shewing no disposition to keep it alive; when Georgina, vexed at not being allowed to see her wished-for friend, fairly asked if she might not be permitted to pay her compliments to the young lady she had before seen.

"To see her once," added Georgina, "is only to wish to see her again, and as we had a glimpse of her at the window as we came up, I both presume as well as hope that Miss Rochford is not ill."

"Her name is not Rochford,” answered Mrs. Rochford, coolly; "and she is so young, so little used to company,

so occupied, and indeed so methodical in her studies, that I trust you will not take it ill if she does not break a rule by appearing in society."

"And yet so formed to add to its pleasures!" said Georgina, with a look of mortification and surprise.

"All in good time," observed Mrs. Rochford, with an air of decision, mixed with civility; "she is yet extremely inexperienced."

"There is no keeping these young ladies back," said Evelyn, smiling significantly. "Miss Evelyn there has been as eloquent in her praises, as she is eager to cultivate her acquaintance: she tells me she is about her own age, and we must not wonder, therefore, if she thinks her quite fit for the world.”

Mrs. Rochford with seriousness replied, she believed her to be much younger, and they were sensible of the honour Miss Evelyn did them; but she showed no marks of relenting in her decision.

"Can we not prevail ?" said Evelyn, looking at the harp, and the music-books still open. "We have at least something in common between us, for we are all musicians. Music has often been blamed for levelling ranks too much, and introducing us into bad company; it will be extremely hard if it may not be allowed to make some expiation, by lending itself as a link to good."

"I am really distressed," said Mrs. Rochford, "to appear so ill-bred, so insensible to what I feel a very high honour both to myself and this young lady; but I am sure I need not impress upon a gentleman of your character and good sense, either the value of good rules, or the folly of breaking them."

She said this with a gravity which put an end to all farther attempt to gratify the favourite object of Georgina; who, with her father, soon afterwards took her leave, and was allowed to depart by Mrs. Rochford, not only without opposition, but without that lady having expressed the smallest wish that the intercourse should be renewed.

They returned home, each in silent meditation upon the event of their visit, and each endeavouring to explain

VOL. I.

X

its mystery, according to their own notions. Georgina imagined that something remarkable, but wholly consistent with innocence, hung over the fate of her wishedfor friend her father thought there might be reasons for this strictness, not over creditable to the younger stranger, and still less to the elder. His reasons, however, he kept to himself.

CHAPTER LIV.

MORE AND MORE MYSTERIOUS.

But whatsoe'er you are.

Who, hid in desert inaccessible,

Under the shade of melancholy boughs,

Lose and neglect the creeping hours of time.

SHAKSPEARE.

GEORGINA'S disappointment weighed upon her mind for some days, and was not lessened by her not seeing Tremaine during the interval; nor was her curiosity to know the reason of this at all cured, by being informed by her father (who went over to Woodington on purpose to visit him), that he had gone to York, upon what business nobody could tell; and when to return nobody had been informed. "I am glad, however," said Evelyn, "to find he is so active as to think of any business at all."

The fourth day after the visit to the house in Somerville Wood, Georgina was surprised by the following letter, which the butler who delivered it told her had been brought by a gardener-looking man, who said it required no answer.

"To MISS EVELYN.

"An imperious sense of duty must weigh so much with a lady who, herself, performs every duty so well,

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