fuming on the fudden a compofed and energetic tone of voice; "hold, my Lord Crowbery, nor drive me quite to defperation by your ferocious menaces and falfe unfounded glances at my reputation, which defies your charge. If you demand to know why I have reach'd out the hand of charity to this young man, whom you arraign fo cruelly, it is because my heart hath feeling for the unfortunate, when undeservedly opprefs'd, for the stranger and the friendlefs, for the benevolent, the brave, the generous preferver of another's life, for which he had nearly facrific'd his own-in one word for the relict of a dear departed friend, the laft bequest of Ratcliffe, a foundling dropt at his door and adopted by his charity. You have fent for him, you fay; you will then fee him, hear him, queftion him, and if you have a heart, approve, admire."-" This to my face!" he cried in a tranfport of rage; "this to my face! By Heaven I'll not endure it, I'll not live with you, I'll not cohabit with a woman as my wife, who dares to uphold and praise her paramour to my very face."

"My paramour do you call him? Alas! how widely do you mistake !"-Here fhe dropped her voice, and accompanied these

few

few words with an action and motion of the head fo mournful, as feemed to strengthen his fufpicions rather than allay them, for he now grew louder in reproach, and with an oath denounced determined feparation.

"Be it fo," fhe replied; " acquitted by my own confcience, I fhall patiently submit to what you threaten, and will appeal to time and Heaven's good pleasure for the reft: only this I tell you, and accept it from me as a falutary caution, beware how you infult too far a brave, though temperate, fpirit."

This faid, a fervant announced the arrival of our hero." Already!" cried my Lord, in a tone of furprize: What ftruck upon his mind at that particular moment to difcompofe him, is more than we pretend to account for; difcompos'd he certainly was, 'till recollecting that fome order must be given to the fervant, who was attending for that purpose, he cried out "Let the fellow wait."-After a pause, turning a fevere look upon his lady, he said,→ "I fhall exact from you, madam, your most folemn promise never to fee or communicate with this fellow more."-" I have told "I you,” fhe replied," who and what this fellow as you call him is, and I should be a hypocrite

to

to fay I will not fulfil a truft of the most facred fort that friendship can bequeath: but why need you exact, or I make any promises, when you are determin'd on a feparation, that will release me from your authority, and leave me to account to confcience only for the rectitude of my conduct?"-" But you are not yet in that happy ftate of freedom," he cried, " and I will be obeyed !"-To this no anfwer was returned.

He ftarted haftily from his feat, walked a turn or two up and down the room, and then in a fullen tone faid, "Perhaps you expect to fee your favourite triumph in his infolence; you'll be mistaken: Please to leave the room."-" Wil

lingly," the replied, "and from this moment I regard it as my difmiffion." Her firmnefs ftaggered him; he would have called her back, but pride withheld him: Suspicious that his lady in her present temper might in defiance of his orders attempt an interview with the youth in waiting, he rung the bell with vehemence, and called for his attendance on the inftant.

Henry made his entrance, bowing refpectfully to the Peer, who feated with all due ftate, from which he did not in the flightest degree

relax, eyed him over from heel to head with that haughty air of contempt, which is now fo rarely feen, except in our tyrants on the stage.

A ftring of interrogatories, fomewhat in the inquifitorial ftile, were the first falutations Henry received from the noble perfonage; his answers to thefe, though not always fatisfactory to the point of information, were refpectfully and modeftly conveyed." I find," resumed his Lordship, "you are here without occupation or employ, idling about my parish, conforting with a young woman, the daughter of one of the cottagers, caballing with the rabble of the village, and stirring them up to very infamous attacks upon a respectable magiftrate, my friend and neighbour; and therefore I wou'd have you know, that I shall confider you as a person of a very suspicious character, and pafs you off as a vagrant, unless you inftantly decamp."

"My lord," replied the youth, "if I offend against the laws of my country, by being poor and without employ, I must patiently submit to all the confequences I may incur by your enforcing them against me; but if I have committed no offence, have behav'd myself peace

ably,

ably, and in one inftance, fuffer me to say, profitably to an individual of your lordship's parish, I am at a lofs to think how I can be represented to you as a dangerous and fufpected character: nevertheless, if my abiding any longer on your lordship's foil may give you offence, I shall not oppofe myself to your displeasure, but depart."

"Do fo then without delay," faid the Peer, " and begone; but firft tell me what charities you have receiv'd from my wife, for what fervices, and to what amount."-" My lord, I have done no fervices to Lady Crowbery, nor am at liberty to answer to the other points, on which you question me."

"What, Sir! do you receive money from my wife, and refuse to fatisfy me, when I de-mand how much?"

"I am very forry to be obliged to decline any thing your lordship wishes to be informed of from me, but in this inftance I muft defire to be excufed."

"You have been cautioned, I perceive; but do you affect honour ?"

"That requires no anfwer, my lord." Why, in truth the question is rather superfluous."

"I treat