affected to reply. At length, covering his face with his handkerchief, he ordered Mrs. Masters to continue.

"Your uncle was immediately informed of what had happened. He ordered me to convey the child to my friends in the country, and pass it for my own. The landlady was also well paid for her part of the transaction; and every body was told the infant was dead. I took it I took it away, the night after it was born, to my relations, near forty miles from town. At my return, your uncle's lady was dead, and Mrs. Bennet was with your wife; so I could not remain in the house, as she would have known me. Mrs. Rivers's senses, I was informed, were quite lost: and your uncle, to remove her entirely from your knowledge, gave Mr. Bennet four thousand pounds, under pretence of kindness, to settle with her in the country. About a year after, Bennet wrote word she was much better; but your uncle, who wished to see her no more, answered in a manner that had the desired effect; for they removed, but he could never learn where.

"Mr. Rivers, by this means, satisfied his revenge, and enjoyed the fortune left to your lady. But he was never happy; he lived in continual apprehension of your finding out the deceit; and, had you come to live in England, his fears would have made him quit it. He even discharged all his old servants, that had the least knowledge of you

or Mrs. Rivers; took me to live in the house with him, and fixed Russel as steward to a new estate which he purchased in the North: but he did not enjoy his new employ long; he was killed by a fall from his horse in less than three months.

"Your uncle did. not conceal from me the satisfaction the death of Russel gave him. There is the most material evidence removed,' said he;

a fellow that would ever have kept me in dread : if I can but contrive to keep Henry abroad, I have nothing now to fear.'

"Thus time passed for some years. Your daughter Louisa, for she was christened by that name, was removed at the age of five, and placed in a convent. I took her myself to France, and paid some years in advance; as I would have no questions asked, I said she was an orphan, of the name of Villars, entirely dependent on the bounty of the gentleman who had undertaken her guardianship. As they had no direction by which they might find us, we heard nothing of her for eight years; at which time I went over, and paid four years more; at the expiration of which I said I should fetch her home.

66 On my return to England, your uncle (who had for some years been Earl Danford) asked me what we were to do with her, when the time was expired. She's a fine girl, my Lord,' said I; 'pass her to the world for a natural daughter of

your own.'

6

'Tis not a bad thought,' returned

he; but I dislike her unseen, so cannot come to a resolution of that kind yet.'

66

On

During all those years, you, Sir, were but once in England, and I was kept out of the way the whole time, for fear you should recollect me. "Four years passed over, and I mentioned to Lord Danford my promise of fetching Louisa home. With some difficulty, he consented. my arrival at Abbeville, I became acquainted with Mr. Danvers, but had no idea of his attachment to Louisa. He came with us to England. You know his desperate intent, when yourself rescued her. So many years had passed, that I did not recollect you when you came to Dover, but answered in the manner I did, because I knew Lord Danford would never pardon my having formed an acquaintance on the road; and, another reason, I had hopes of hiding my own imprudence respecting Danvers. Lord Danford was at the castle, a seat he had lately bought. We joined him there. His aversion to Louisa was quickly changed:-'twas not lost on me;-1 remonstrated -and he promised a change of conduct. One day a letter arrived from you, which informed him you would be with him in a few days. Louisa and myself were to be sent out of the way; and accordingly, next day, on pretence of getting things ready for her reception, he sent me; Louisa

was to follow in two days-but from that hour I have not seen her.

"You arrived three days after, and found Lord Danford stabbed in the arm, and remained with him until the cure was near completed: which, he since has informed me, would have been much sooner, but that your presence, and the recollection of the injuries he had done you, kept him in a continual fever. I by chance saw you one day, while you were at Danford-castle, and immediately recollected you for the person that had rescued Louisa; of which I did not fail to inform your uncle. His surprise was extreme. 'Aye, Masters,' said he, 'the hand of Heaven is against us; for, though I deprived Henry of one fortune, by that loss he has found a larger: but we have gone too far to recede.' Your departure soon after, as he imagined, for France, a little calmed his spirits; and Louisa was sought with the greatest assiduity -but in vain. He heard not the smallest tidings of her, till this morning he received your note. I left him in a state not to be described. He is unacquainted with my coming, and utterly at a loss what answer to give you."

CHAPTER XXIII.

SUICIDE.

-Dreadful attempt!

Just reeking from self-slaughter, in a rage
To rush into the presence of our Judge!
As if we challeng'd him to do his worst,

And matter'd not his wrath. Unheard-of tortures
Must be reserv'd for such: these herd together;
The common damn'd shun their society,

And look upon themselves as fiends less foul!
BLAIR'S GRAVE.

MRS. MASTERS ceased, and expected Mr. Belmont to speak; but that gentleman, pulling the bell, ordered a servant to tell Lord Melville he desired his company a moment. Lord Melville immediately attended him. "My Lord," said he, "by this woman I am informed of the parents of Miss Villars, but must have better authority; will you favor me with your company to Lord Danford's?"—— Willingly, Sir," returned he. "But first," said Mr. Belmont, "apologise to the ladies for our absence-the sight of Maria and Louisa, at this time, would render me incapable of the business I am going upon."—"Good heaven! what business?"

66