arms; that accidentally meeting an English ship, he put himself and his master's property aboard. Mrs. Rivers was unfortunately in town at the receipt of this fatal intelligence, which being told her without caution, she was so much affected, that, after repeated faintings for two days, she was seized with convulsions. My mistress, from whom she was never long absent, became very uneasy, and determined to go to town; but those friends were destined to meet no more; for, on her unexpected arrival at Mr. Rivers's house, her Henry's servant opened the door. Amazement, for some time, deprived her of speech; but too soon was she acquainted with her misfortune, by their equivocal and unprepared answers. This sudden shock operated so violently on my dear mistress, that her senses quite forsook her, and, by Mr. Rivers's order, she was removed to apartments in the neighbourhood; where, the next morning, in this unhappy state, she was delivered of a dead daughter; and the following evening closed the eyes of her amiable benefactress, to open no more, but on her kindred angels. "I used generally to go to the house in Kent once a month, to see my mistress; and, as Mr. Bennet, my husband, lived in the city, I seldom saw Mrs. Rivers, except there; so was unacquainted with this tale of sorrow, till Mr. Bennet accidentally saw Mrs. Rivers's death in the papers. With heavy hearts we went directly to the town house; there I learned the dreadful state of my mistress, and flew to see her. She had then been six days deprived of reason; and it was much feared, if even her life was spared, that her intellects were quite ruined. "I never left her for six weeks; at the end of which she seemed to gather strength, but had no appearance of recollection or returning sense. "Mr. Rivers sent one day for my husband; "Mr. Bennet,' said he, 'I am extremely concerned at the state of Maria, and think it would be best to have her entirely with you. Her fortune of two thousand pounds is in the funds; I will add two thousand more; which may support you all a distance in the country. I have no doubt of your care of her; if you approve my proposal, I will make the money over to you for her use.' My husband, after consulting me, accepted the offer. We sold our furniture, let our shop, which, with what little we had beside, amounted to about a thousand pounds more, and retired about forty miles from town. We seldom heard of Mr. Rivers, he having insisted on giving up her fortune, with the other sum, entirely to my husband's management, "In about six months after we had been settled in the country, Mr. Bennet began to flatter me with hopes of her returning reason; as she spoke more, and frequently wept for hours. I had the delight to find him not mistaken; for, by the time our first year in the country was expired, she was sensible as at this hour, and recollected her husband's death; but, till we acquainted her, knew nothing of Mrs, Rivers's. My husband, enraptured, wrote Mr. Rivers an account of her recovery, but received a cold complimentary letter in return; in which he said, though he should always be glad to hear of Maria's welfare, yet the great uneasiness she had occasioned compelled him to wish to see her no more. "So well was my mistress recovered, that we scrupled not to show her the letter. 'Alas!' said she, 'I pardon his unkindness; had Henry never known me, he would still have had an heir: had he not been angry, never would he have consented to his voyage.-Fatal hour!-Mrs. Rivers lost —my infant,— all, all, gone! Only me left to bewail, fearful even to mention my wishes, lest my reason be still suspected.'-' Surely, my loved mistress,' said I, bursting into tears, we are not so cruel.' 'Do not cry, Mary,' returned she: 'I am not ungrateful, but I cannot respect Mr. Rivers; could I have my will, never should he see or hear from me more: I have no friends but yourselves; why not retire farther from him? Name but your wishes, and calm your griefs, and we will go where you please,' said Mr. Bennet. You are ever kind, my amiable friend,' replied she, and I will tell you;' she then mentioned this place, and the building a small house here; there,' said she, free from the noise and bustle of the world, I may assuage my sorrow, and prepare myself for a happier state.' In short, she pressed her suit with such earnestness, that my husband soon consented; and we came and settled at Kendal, where we employed a workman, after buying the land, to build the cottage, which, in less than a year, was made tenable. I should not omit telling I left word if any letters came where we lived before, to send them to a person in London, who managed our money matters, but knew none of our connexions, and they would remit them; but never has one line reached us from Mr. Rivers this more than fifteen years which we have been here. My dear Mr. Bennet lived but four years after we came to the cottage. My mistress has been as composed as you could expect; though it is plain religion only teaches her to bear her griefs with moderation." you, |