pleafed with the fincere and natural character of the girl, that turning to her with a gracious smile, and addreffing her in a voice as tuneable as the lyre of Apollo, fhe faid, "I am fo charmed with your fincerity, Sufan, that if my place is acceptable to you, we are agreed: from this moment you belong to me; and if the malice of Mr. Blachford attempts ftill to purfue you, depend upon it neither he nor his flander will find admiflion where I am. As for your attachment to this young perfon, whom you defcribe fo amiable, though my hard heart has never been touched by the paffion of love, and I do not fo much as guess what it means, I have nevertheless all the compaffion in life for those who suffer by it; and for you, Sufan, in particular, who are out of hope of obtaining the object you admire. You must therefore strive to forget him as faft as you can, which, I fhou'd suppose, you can find no difficulty in doing."

Sufan fhook her head, but faid nothing: a certain look, which Lady Crowbery bestowed upon her fair coufin, was perhaps not mifinterpreted, when the corrected herself by faying, -"I conclude I have been blundering upon fomething perfectly abfurd, which is not to be

wonder'd

wonder'd at when one talks without understanding what one talks about. You know, coufin, I have never been in Sufan's fituation; and as all my wishes have been conftantly prevented by an indulgent father, I really never felt what cou'd seriously be called a difappointment of any fort: in love, at least, I can venture to fay, I am pretty fecure."-" Don't be too fecure," cried Lady Crowbery, tapping her gently on the cheek as the rofe from her chair. And now the ladies, followed by Susan May, entered the room, where Ezekiel, Henry, and Goody May, were affembled,

The happy news was here announced, of Sufan's being preferred to wait upon the perfon of Mifs Manftock. This was the height of all earthly happinefs that could befall the mother of Sufan; and if fhe herfelf did not welcome it with quite the fame tranfport, it was not want of value for her young mistress, that damped her joy, for all the neighbourhood rung with Isabella's praife, and Sir Roger Manstock was univerfally beloved; but there was a pang at the heart of that fond girl, which in the very moment of her good fortune drew a figh from her breaft, and directed her eyes towards Henry with the most penfive expref

fion: this glance was not unnoticed by Ifabella, who followed it in its paffage to the countenance of our hero, which being just then overspread with a tender blush, and charactered with the finest touches that pity and benevolence could give it, was perhaps in nature the most dangerous object that a young lady, who had fo lately fet love at defiance, could encounter; and, was I poetically given, I fhould here take occafion to introduce that revengeful deity taking aim from behind the person of my hero, like Teucer covered by the shield of Ajax, and launching at the heart of Ifabella one of his fwifteft and moft fatal arrows. Certain it it, there was fome bufy meffenger or other, that flitted in that moment on his malicious errand, and, whispering in her ear, forewarned her, that the god of love was not to be affronted with impunity. The fame, perhaps, or fome fifter fpirit equally bent upon mischief, threw an accident in the way of their returning in the carriage, by taking off a shoe from one of the horses, and compelling the driver to refort to the blacksmith for a repair of the damage.

This being reported, Ifabella quickly propofed a walk through the plantations, which

her

her lady coufin as quickly clofed with, happy in the excufe for taking her beloved Henry with her. It was in vain therefore that the foolish servant affured his lady the jobb would be done in a few minutes; his evidence was inftantly difmiffed, and the ladies adjusting their cloaks, fet forward without listening to any further demur, accompanied by our hero, blooming with every modeft grace that beauty, youth, and sensibility, could unite to adorn him with.

When they entered the plantation they were fecure from being overlooked, and then the mother, whose heart yearned towards her newdiscovered treasure, pretending to want fupport, paffed her arm under his, and inftinctively preffed it to her heart, giving him at the fame time a look of unutterable fondness. The action was fo marked as not to be misunderstood: Henry felt it, and turned pale with alarm; feized with a fudden faintnefs, he feemed not lefs in want of fupport than the lady herself: fhe faw his change of countenance, fhe perceived him tremble as fhe leant upon him, and perfectly comprehended all the delicacy and diftrefs of his fenfations: concealment was no longer generous, it was no

longer

longer fafe; nay, it was now no longer in her power. He had stopt short from incapacity to proceed; their mutual embarraffiment was too confpicuous to be overlooked by Ifabella, had she been ever fo induftriously accommodating; but of thefe arts fhe was perfectly ignorant, and had already run to the affistance of her coufin, very naturally alarmed at her fituation, and was tendering a bottle of falts to her; when that lady, in the tenderest tone, exclaimed," Oh! my fweet friend, my beloved Ifabella, judge not unfavourably of me for the uncommon fenfibility, the ftrong emotions, which you fee me feized with: I knew the parents of this youth; dear to me they were as my own life, near as the blood that flows from my own heart."-Here fhe fell upon Henry's neck, and in her agony fobbed

aloud.

At this inftant the perfon of the Viscount was feen advancing towards them in the fame walk: there was no further time for explanation; fcarce a moment remained for reflection; Henry was bidden to retire with all fpeed; Lady Crowbery ftruggled to compose herself for the dreaded rencontre; the affectionate lfabella was employed in chearing and supporting