of this when he sees me, my altered appearance will bring conviction to his mind, the delusion to which I, blameably, contributed will vanish, and all his attentions will, I trust, be turned to one infinitely more calculated to make him happy then I was, even when most deserving of his love." Mr. Price, as may be imagined, endeavoured to gain Lady Courtney's consent to inform her friends of her retreat; representing in the most moving terms, the distress that her disappearance must have caused, the joy which any information of her would inspire, and above all, the importance it might be for some of the family to be present at the birth of her child, an event which she now daily expected. These arguments opened all her wounds afresh, and she wept to excess, though not with the bitterness which had hitherto accompanied her tears. "Alas! Sir," she exclaimed, " you know not the exalted character character of the friends whom I have offended, their, worth makes me feel more painfully my own degradation; ah, even my own dear father and mother, how could I bear to meet their eyes! Alas! they would not reproach me, their conduct to me was marked only by unbounded tenderness, and ill have I requited it by treachery, disobedience, and ingratitude! Indeed I could not, however selfish I may appear by confessing this weakness, I could not bear to see even my child caressed by those who must detest its mother: oh no, suffer me to remain unknown; I may not live long, death will be welcome to me if you, my good sir, and my faithful friend weep over my grave, which should be near to that of her whom you loved; and perhaps at some future period, my child, my dear child, whom already I doat on with a mother's fondness, may come to shed a tear over my remains, for time will wrap faults in oblivion, and it will not be taught my taught to despise the memory of its mother when she can no longer offend." Mr. Price seeing her so much agitated, forbore to press the subject further at that time, though he could read in Claudina's dove-like eyes the meek language of gratitude for the earnestness with which he had pressed a suit that he resolved to renew on the first favorable opportunity. CHAP. CHAP. XLVII. "To gain the point to which our soul aspires, Hope wantons in their breasts, and strews with flowers their way." THE change of name adopted by Sir Edward sufficiently accounts for his concealment; as Mr. Price after mentioning to the ladies his having a Mr. Balfour for his guest, in whose society, he every day found encreasing gratification, never repeated his name, except to quote an occasional opinion or remark from him; for judging others by himself, he im agined that the concerns of strangers, could not be very interesting to those, who had in their own affairs subjects of sufficient importance to occupy their thoughts; but his benevolence made him now believe, that it would give Mr. Balfour pleasure, to hear that the ladies, had accidentally heard of an old acquaintance, by whose means the widow might perhaps be prevailed on to return to her friends. The countenance of this good man, was unusually animated, as he entered his little parsonage, and he found its cheerfulness reflected in the supposed Balfour's, who rose to meet him with great alacrity. "One would imagine," said Mr. Price smiling, "that you knew I had a little news to communicate, and your haste to hear it reproaches me, for not having before amused you with some village anecdotes." "In truth my dear sir," replied Clayton," I am impatient to inform "I you |