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an early day, that these inquiries may not be delayed. I have always a good reason, you know, my Lord, for helping a friend to the fulfilment of his wishes, when I can do so with a perfect trust, that I am rendering him a lasting happiness."

Nothing now remained to cast a shade upon Lady Emily's prospects but the recollection of her sister, whose great indifference to and neglect of her uncle, for a length of time, had been severely felt by him and by herself. The little she had elicited from Lord Mowbray respecting her was very unsatisfactory at best; and as she saw the subject was one of great disquietude and pain to the General, she resolved to drop it altogether for the present; trusting that, after the marriage, a reconciliation and restoration to his favour might be brought about with Lady Frances through her means.

In the parish church, Lady Emily and Lord Mowbray received the nuptial benediction, attended by the prayers and blessings of the poor, as well as by the great, of the neighbourhood. Their marriage was not solemnized with any

luxurious display, but was hallowed by a serious and devout sense of the great responsibility and awful nature of the vows they took upon themselves, and rendered doubly impressive by its being performed within the sacred walls of a place of worship.

CHAPTER X.

"Domestic happiness! thou only bliss
Of Paradise that has survived the fall!
Thou art not known where Pleasure is adored,
That reeling goddess with the zoneless waist
And wandering eyes, still leaning on the arm
Of Novelty, her fickle, frail support;
For thou art meek and constant, hating change,
And finding in the calm of truth-ty'd love,
Joys that her stormy raptures never yield."

CowPER.

It may be remembered, that Lady Bellamont had plunged into a vortex from which it is scarcely possible to retreat, when once entered upon. The current of dissipation sets in too strongly to be resisted by those who give themselves up to its ensnaring power, till it has hurled them into its destructive abyss. There

were moments when a letter from Lady Emily, a message from General Montgomery, or some natural feeling of her childish years, recalled a half wish to change, or at least check her course; but then, false shame-a distate for tranquil enjoyments-a deadness to intellectual pleasures, increased by an indulgence in every worldly gratification, the pride of life, and the flush of beauty, blinded their victim; and as she unloosed the sails of pleasure, she gave these compunctious visitings to the winds, and rapidly pursued the course of destruction.

From the time of the last notices on Lord and Lady Bellamont's married career, his attentions to Lady Dashwood became more glaring. He, poor deluded husband, finding himself neglected, almost contemned, by her who ought to have been devoted to him, sought refuge from mortified pride and wounded affection in the contrast of that pretended and false devotion which he met with from another, till he fancied himself seriously attached to her.— Then it was, that occasionally Lady Bellamont on her part felt the mortification of being a

forsaken wife; and though she cared not for her husband's love, she was sufficiently selfish to dislike its being bestowed upon another. At such moments, she would seek occasion to quarrel; and those occasions are never wanting when there is the will. He would then retaliate upon her, and mutual reproach and recrimination ensued. By degrees this too ceased; and an defiance of all appearance even of

open

caring for each other, was the next step in their downward career. Lady Bellamont constantly invited Lady Dashwood to her house; and the latter as constantly summoned Mr. Carlton, Mr. Lepel, and all the et cetera, whom she knew constituted Lady Bellamont's list of male flirts. Whenever there was any scene of quarrelling, or parting, or jealousy, between Lord Bellamont and Lady Dashwood, Lady Bellamont would contrive to leave them alone together, and then boast to the men in her train that she never interfered upon such occasions, but always allowed the parties to have their romantic quarrels and reconciliations out quietly.

Notwithstanding this excess of fashionable

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