ed me: I was looking over fome | papers, of infinite confequence to your welfare; but it was not then a time for difcovery.-I was, if you recollect, fuddenly taken ill, with a kind of fit I have for years been fubject to; I prayed that my life might be prolonged till a mighty work was effected, which was to procure juftice for the murder of Percival Maferini, and restore his children to their rights. I had no doubt but Mr. Maserini would again watch in the weft tower that night; and I, accordingly, appeared there in the fame manner as before. His behaviour anfwered my purpofe; he seized me, and dif the latter part of his life; occafioned, moft probably, by a nervous conftitution, entirely broken by adverfity; for it was certainly ftrange that a man of enlightened understanding, and refined education, should fo clofely adhere to an oath, tyrannically (as it may be faid) forced on him by an act of the blackeft ingratudé and injuftice; and, at the fame time, reconcile himself to a premeditated plot of difcovering his perfon, which he knew muft confequently develope every tranfa&tion. (To be continued.): covered my perfon : fecrecy, in DERWENT PRIORY; my ideas, was now at an end-an explanation took place.-I, however, put off a regular detail of events till another period, but gave him hopes of once more being reftored to the world and happiness, in a manner that would at once wipe off every ftigma that had fo long defamed his character. A NOVEL. In a Series of Letters, (Continued from p. 453.) LETTER XIII. Mif: Rutland to Lady Laura. The Priory, Sept. 11, 79YOU have, by this time, my Idear lady Laura, received and read my laft packet.-You know my claims upon lady Derwent; but you do not know half the kindnefs I bave experienced from her :-indeed, till now, fhe has ever treated me as her own child; but now a nearer intereft preffes on her heart. "He vifited me the next afternoon, but did not stop long, and only received from me further proofs that I had power and will to ferve him. I received another vifit from mifs Maferini alone, at midnight. My furprife may well be conceived: -the interview was occafioned by her finding of the manufcript.-I promised to wait on her in the morn ing, and explain every circumftance,She thinks I impede the progre as far as I was capable. This pro- of her fon, and wifes me married, mife I have now fulfilled, by relating left I fhould prevent him from formevery principal event of my pafting a fplendid alliance.-Lady Laulife, which has been chequered with ra, fhe does not know the heart of fcenes of happiness contrafted with Ellen. thofe of the moft poignant mifery and diftrefs." Thus ended the hermit's tale, who, for an act of the greatest generofity to a villain, fell under the lafh of the feverest misfortunes. A total inconfiftency of conduct, however, may be obferved through But I have much to communicate, and must return to my narrative. Immediately after I had fent off my iaft packet, I joined the family at dinner. Nothing particular paffed. Before we withdrew, a fervant entered, and told Merioneth that his horfe was lame, and could not travel that evening. Lord and lady Der 3 T2 wens "And what did he fay?" went appeared difappointed; but Merioneth feemed pleafed with the accident. He, however, went to the ftable, attended by the gentlemen. -They foon returned; faid it was only a flight fprain, and would be well by morning.-I complained of-And here let me paufe; for I am a head-ach, and retired to my own room. In the morning, when we met at breakfast, lord Merioneth looked ill, and declared he was not capable of travelling that day.The earl made no reply, but lady Derwent defired he would have fome advice.-He evaded that, and went into the garden Julia foon followed him. I dreaded being tormented by fir John, fo fpeedily flipped from the breakfaft-room to write this. Julia is here. She has left Albert very ill; but he fets off this evening. He has been telling Julia of his withes to prevail on me to accept his hand. "And, indeed, (fays the dear girl) when I fee his diftrefs, I moft with you would.I have (for he has long defired it) at laft given him the manufcript I copied from the one my mother gave you. -He put it in his pocket, faying, it fhould be his companion. It belongs to Ellen: therefore it must be dear to me." . "Oh! raved like a madmanfwore he would not leave the place without feeing you, and made me cry till I am not fit to be feen." Saying this, fhe hurried from me. too wretched to proceed.-Oh! my dear Laura, do you not pity, your hapless Ellen? Sept. 13, at night. I MUST leave this place:-this haughty peer thall fee that the wo man he defpifes can, from a principle of gratitude, fpare his peace, and by the folicitations of his fon. We met at dinner :-there were fome ftrange gentlemen prefent.Albert appeared ftill ill, but ftrove to conceal it.-He followed us to the 'drawing-room. We fat fome time talking on indifferent fubjects, when lady Derwent rofe, and defired I would attend her into the gardenJulia left the room buti Albert feemed difpofed to follow us; which lady Derwent perceiving, told him his attendance was not neceffary.— At the fame moment I faw fir John on the lawn.-Albert likewife faw him. "Madam, (faid he, ftruggling with paffion) why am I tormented with all these seeming myfteries?"And where is he now ?" faid I. Do you, can you, really with to fa"In the library with his father.crifice mifs Rutland to that wretch?" You must pofitively fpeak to him pointing to the baronet. before he goes." 1 "If you are acquainted with our plans, fir, there is no myftery to explain. Your opinion is not afk ed, and your confent is not wanted. Only tell him then, that you -And give me leave to obferve that will never confent to marry firmifs Rutland has waved all preten John; for I have been telling him all that my mother faid in the morning upon that fubject." "Impoffible!-lady Derwent will prevent it (faid 1):-he is fufpicious of your brother's attachment to me." Good heavens! (faid I) how could you be fo imprudent?" "How could I avoid, (the replied) when he before fufpected it, and conjured me to relieve him from a ftate of torture?" fions to delicacy, in making you the confidant of fir Jolin's propofals Faint and trembling, I leaned on a chair, but could not utter a word. "It was not from mifs Rotland, madam, (continued he) that I procured my inforination; and I muit take this opportunity of informing your ladyhip, that, had it not been for The features of the former were flufhed with paffion, while his eyes darted fury. He commandhis fon inftantly to leave the room, who bowed. for that delicacy you deride, and "Albert, replied her ladyfhip) you are infolent; but, with it, you are candid. As for you, mifs Rutland, you have no ambitious hopes, no ideal expectations." Her farcafms wounded my very foul.--I' endeavoured to speak, but my tears prevented me. Then turning to her fon, fhe ex. claimed, Your coufin's rejection of our propofals is now entirely explained. She, without doubt, difcovered this hopeful attachment, and justly defpifed the meannefs of the man the might otherwife have ho noured with her choice." She paufed:-I endeavoured to speak. "Ellen, (faid he, fternly) you cannot now impofe on me, my credulity is paffed, and I too plainly fee the miferable farce I have fo long been duped by.-If you poffefs one atom of uncontaminated generofity, you will yet endeavour to repair the mifchief you have done." "Point but out the means, (faid I, fioking before her) and Ellen will, if poffible, deferve your good opin ion." "Receive fir John,-and by fo doing, annihilate the hopes of Al bert." "" As to you, mifs Rutland, (faid he) there is but one thing which you can do to recompenfe us for the mifchief you have occafioned.-Receive fir John, (presenting him) as your future husband." "Never, my lord! you have no right to exact fuch obedience," faid I. "Nor you, (he cried) any right to enfuare the affections of my fon." Sir John, regardless of my answer, rudely pulled me towards him; which Albert perceiving, refolutely bid him defift from his infolence, or he would make him a situ Nothing in nature could exceed the fury of the earl. He ftamped, fwore, protefted nothing fhould pre vent the engagements he had enter ed into from being fulfilled-He reproached me as the murderer of his hopes, and the deftroyer of his peace; fwore, that, unless I compli ed with the propofitions, he would ever abandon me to the mifery I merited. "Have I not (he exclaimed) reared, educated, and protected you? and is it thus that you reward me?"! He laid his hand on my fhoulder, and fhook me violently. Unable to ftand-I funk on the ground. Al bert advanced to my affiftance. It was in vain that his father commanded him to be gone; he vowed he would not leave me till I was free from perfecution, and the caufe of the prefent, difpute entirely abandoned." My Ellen, (faid he) this agitation diftreffes me beyond expreffion: be but compofed, and I am refigned to every other ill Lord Again the torm but, Derwent was loud in his invectives, Albert fevere in his retorts.My flurried fenfes forfook me, and, for feveral hours, I was in a ftate of infenfibility. ever, and that you fhould be entire ly miftrefs of your own conduct. Generous Albert! how did his goodnefs penetrate my heart! infenfibility.-At length reafon re-, turned, and I faw Julia fitting befide me.Perceiving me fenfible, the informed me he was then with me, unknown to her parents, who had charged her not to vifit me without their confent. "Heavens knows, (faid fhé, figh-publicly avow, that Ellen Rutland ing deeply) what is become of my is the idol of my foul." poor brother." "Ah! what of him, and whither is he gone?" faid I, haftily rifing. "Alas! I know not. I paffed him about two hours ago, on the stairs, as I was coming here:-he had been liftening at your door: he bade me come and look at you, and then join him in the parlour.-I came here you were asleep: I returned to the parlour, and found them in high debate. The earl commanded Albert to quit the Priory.-He vowed he would not stir till he had seen you. My mother requested the might mediate between them. Iwill not, faid the earl, make conceffions where I have a right to exact obedience." "I only requeft you, my lord, for the prefent to wave that right: hereafter we may think of fome plan to reconcile us all." "Now you are again my mother (cried Albert, dropping on his knee, and taking her offered hand): only promife me that Ellen fhall not be perfecuted with the addreffes of that odious wretch, and I will hereafter be all you with me." "Right, fir (retorted the earl): if you have every thing you want, you will generously be all we with." At length, after much debate, it was agreed that fir John's offers fhould be entirely rejected, on condition that my brother quitted the Priory in the morning, without feeing you, and returned no more without the earl's permiffion. To this he agreed, after exacting a folemn promife from lady Derwent, that no interruption fhould Julia, faid he, advancing to me)-all pretended mystery and mean evations are past for ever. - I here "To procure her peace, I will be a willing exile. And now, my ffler, to your kindness I confide her: an remember that the affections of a brother who has ever loved you, depend on your attentions to your hapless friend.” Dear, difinterested Albert! "He then haftily left the room.The earl ordered me to my apart ment.--Drowned in tears, I befought leave to watch this night by your fide; which was fternly refused." "By their example (replied the earl) I fhall next have you difobe dient, and infolently difputing my controul.-Inftantly to your chamber, and there continue till I give freth orders." "For the first time in my life, I difobeyed him.” "Adieu, my dear Ellen;—I mui now, for fear of detection, unwil lingly leave you." Overpowered by a thoufand in defcribable fenfations, I funk again on my pillow; and, at this pause i my fate, I will conclude this long letter. Yours, ELLEN RUTLAND P.S. Part of this letter I wrote at the Priory. I will difpatch it by this poft; and, in my next, inform of the means of my escape, and the place of my retreat. you LETTER XIV. Mijs Rutland to Lady Laura. Toy Farm, Sept. 16. AFTER the departure of Julia, be given you, on any account what-I funk imo a ftupid kind of fep, which continued till late the following day, when I awoke, and faw Kitty Gitting befide me. From her I heard that Merioneth had left the Priory, accompanied by his friend Severn. I continued all day in bed. In the evening Kitty again appeared, and offered to fit up by me. This I would not permit. I took a little gruel, and told her I fhould fleep better if left to myself. his heart, but the treachery of my own.-I obeyed her admonition, and retired from the window. At that moment I recollected that I had not faftened the door after Kitty left me; and, fancying that I heard a diftant step in the gallery, I laid my hand on the bolt :-it refifted my touch.-With a degree of ftrength, given by terror, I pufhed violently against the door:fortunately, it faftened at the fame moment. I heard, at the fame time, "I cannot go, ma'am, (faid the girl) without telling you a fecret which I happened to hear this even-voices in the gallery. ing." Racked with apprehenfion at "Does it concern me, Kitty?" thefe mysterious circumstances, I "Yes, it does, indeed; but I hope again looked from the window. you will not tell who told you.' Albert was ftill on the lawn.-It This, you may be fure, I promifed; could not be he in the gallery: and the then proceeded to inform who then could it be?-in anxious me, that fhe overheard lord Der- fufpenfe I paffed the fucceeding went and fir John planning to take hours.-I lay down, but I could not advantage of Merioneth's abfence, fleep.-At the approach of day, I and to oblige me to be inftantly again rofe, and faw Albert disappear. married to fir John.-Lord Der-1 fickened at his departure, and went faid, he could eafily, as my guardian, procure a fpecial licence. I ftarted with horror, begged her to keep this information to herself, and requested to be left alone.-She wished me a good-night, and left me to reflect on my uncertain ftate. would have given worlds to have fpoken once more to him before we parted,-perhaps, for ever. As I was purfuing this train of reflection, and viewing with heavy heart the now deferted lawn, to my great furprise, I foon after faw fir John and his valet, Ofkam, in deep confultation.-Conviction at once flushed on my mind, and cer I could not fleep. I rofe, threw a wrapper round me, and walked the chamber. The moon fhone with unfullied luftre; and, as I contem-tainty took place of doubt. He it plated the folemn fcene, an idea occurred of making my immediate efcape. But how, or to what place, was an important confideration. While I was revolving this in my mind, my eyes were truck with aftonishment at beholding Merioneth pacing with hurried fteps the lawns below, Ah! my friend, this was, methought, the very crifis of my fate. My heart thro bed to tell him all its forrows; but reason, ftern monitrefs, repulfed the hafty with. She whifpered that the moment was pregnant with danger; for, that I fhould have to combat not only the pleadings of must be who had tried the door of my room.-What an infult!-But from him what else could be expected? My thoughts followed Albert: where could he be concealed? and what were his motives for not leaving the neighbourhood? →→ Thele were enigmas I could not refolve ; but at all events I determined to keep my room for the prefent, and, if poffible, to escape from the ty ranny they were preparing to exercife over me. In this frame of mind, I endeavoured to recruit nature by foliciting sleep.-Kind Morpheus fhed Ins poppies |