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diff --git a/34932-8.txt b/34932-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0481da6 --- /dev/null +++ b/34932-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3790 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mystery and Confidence (Vol. 1 of 3), by +Elizabeth Pinchard + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Mystery and Confidence (Vol. 1 of 3) + A Tale + +Author: Elizabeth Pinchard + +Release Date: January 13, 2011 [EBook #34932] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MYSTERY AND CONFIDENCE (VOL. *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + MYSTERY AND CONFIDENCE: + + _A TALE._ + + BY ELIZABETH PINCHARD. + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + + VOL. I. + + + LONDON: + PRINTED FOR HENRY COLBURN, + PUBLIC LIBRARY, CONDUIT-STREET, HANOVER-SQUARE, + AND SOLD BY GEORGE GOLDIE, EDINBURGH, + AND JOHN CUMMING, DUBLIN. + + 1814. + + B. CLARKE, Printer, Well-Street, London. + + + + +ADVERTISEMENT. + + +It having been suggested to the Author of the following Tale, that its +principal event may perhaps be thought somewhat too romantic and +improbable, she begs to observe, that it is founded upon a fact well +known, and not so long past as not to be in the recollection of many +persons now alive, and particularly those in the higher circles. + + + + +MYSTERY + +AND + +CONFIDENCE. + + + + +CHAP. I. + + Due westward, fronting to the green, + A rural portico was seen, + Where Ellen's hand had taught to twine + The ivy and Idean vine; + The clematis, the favor'd flow'r, + Which boasts the name of virgin's bow'r. + + LADY OF THE LAKE. + + +At the foot of one of the most romantic mountains in North Wales, about +a mile from the coast of Carnarvonshire, stands the little village of +Llanwyllan: there, amongst trees which seemed coeval with the dwelling, +was a very large farm-house, the residence of Farmer Powis. Its high +chimneys, and neatly white-washed walls, rendered it a pleasing object +to those who travelled on the high-road, about a mile off, which led to +the next market-town, if high-road that might be called which merely +served to facilitate the journies of the neighbouring farmers' wives to +market and back again, or those of the curate, who served the churches +in the immediate vicinity. The hand of native taste had removed a few +branches from the immense trees which shaded this rural dwelling, and by +that means afforded to the inhabitants a view of the road, the spire of +the village church, and two or three natural rills of water, which, +falling from the adjacent hills, increased the beauty of the scene. At +this dwelling a traveller arrived on the evening of a day which had been +intensely hot, in the summer of 18--: the dust which covered his shoes, +and almost concealed the colour of his coat, declared him a pedestrian; +probably, therefore, of inferior rank; yet, under the shade which +fatigue had thrown over his features, might be discerned a fine and +interesting countenance; and when at the door of the farm-house, where +Powis sat inhaling the mixed fumes of his evening pipe, and the +fragrance of a fine honeysuckle which entwined around the porch, he +inquired the nearest way to----, the tones of his voice, and the +fineness of his accent, would, to a practised ear, have proclaimed a man +who had mixed with the higher orders of society: to Powis, however, they +conveyed no idea but that the traveller was weary and spoke with +civility; and either would have demanded from him civility, nay, +kindness in return: he rose therefore from his seat, and pushing aside +his little table, made room for the stranger, and requested him to be +seated. The stranger thankfully complied, and taking off his hat, wiped +the dust from his face, and shewed a fine forehead and eyes, whose +brilliant rays seemed more obscured by sorrow than by time, though he +appeared to be about five-and-thirty. While the farmer went into the +house to order some refreshment for his weary guest, the stranger turned +his eyes, and saw with surprise that every thing about him bore the +marks of taste; of taste not indeed highly refined, but simple, natural, +and delicate: every tree round the spot on which he sat was intertwined +with woodbines, clematis, and the wild hop; and the long shoots of all +were carried from tree to tree, forming festoons of exquisite grace and +beauty. At the foot of each tree a space had been cleared and filled +with fragrant plants, whose culture requires little trouble. +Mignionette, roses, pinks, and carnations, perfumed the air, while the +too powerful seringa was only suffered to rise at a considerable +distance, whence its odour came occasionally wafted by the evening +breeze, and (if the expression may be allowed) harmonized well with the +softer scents in the immediate vicinity of the dwelling. A variety of +birds in the adjacent orchard and fields yet poured their mingled songs, +which, as the sun declined gradually, sunk into a softer strain, and +soon all was hushed into repose. In the meantime the table was spread +with a neat cloth, cold meat, brown bread, some fresh-gathered fruit, +cream, ale, and home-made wine; each excellent in its kind. + +The farmer had not asked his guest to "_take some refreshment_," the +phrase being probably unknown to him, but with genuine hospitality, +seeing he was fatigued, concluded it would be acceptable, and pressed +him to partake of what was set before them; then calling to the servant +girl, who had spread the table, he said something to her in Welsh, which +she answered in the same language. "That is unlucky," said Powis: "my +daughter, Sir, is absent just now; she is gone to the curate's, the only +house in the neighbourhood she likes to visit at; indeed, she has reason +to like it, for Mrs. Ross has taught Ellen to sew and to read, and be a +tolerable housewife, ever since my poor wife died, which happened when +Ellen was a little child; and she looks upon Mrs. Ross as her mother, +and Joanna Ross, who is nearly her own age, as her sister: they are good +companions for each other, and good girls both, I assure you: however, +we will not wait, for perhaps Ellen may not be at home this half hour or +more." "I fear," said the stranger, "I have induced you to hasten your +meal, and perhaps----" "Not at all, not at all," interrupted Powis. +"Ellen can eat her fruit and milk at any time, or perhaps will partake +of our good parson's supper; never mind her." "You are indeed very kind; +but I fear it grows late. How far have I to walk to the little inn where +you said I might procure a bed?" "About half a mile: but the moon is +rising, and one of my boys shall shew you the way: you may be sure of a +bed; they have two to spare; both clean and decent, though plain and +homely; and we have few travellers in these parts." + +Some more conversation passed, and then, the stranger having eaten as +much as he liked, and withstood an earnest solicitation to eat a great +deal more, rose to depart. The boy was called, and the charge given to +him in Welsh to recommend the stranger to the best attentions of +neighbour Jones, at the sign of the Prince of Wales; being explained to +the traveller in English, he took his leave. + +In the course of the conversation which passed between them, the +stranger told Powis that he was travelling merely for amusement, and +preferred walking to any other mode of conveyance, as affording him +better opportunities of exploring the romantic scenery with which Wales +abounds; but this the farmer imagined was the language of a man, who, +although he was poor, did not wish to be thought so. He said he was so +much pleased with what he had seen of the country round Llanwyllan, that +it was his intention to remain there a few days, if he found tolerable +accommodations at the inn; and Powis gave him a pressing invitation to +rest whenever he pleased at his house, and to partake of his dinner or +supper; for in that retired spot, where fraud and deceit were almost +unknown, suspicion was equally a stranger, nor arose to check that frank +hospitality man should naturally afford to man. The stranger said he had +left his portmanteau at Carnarvon, and should send a man to fetch it the +next day, if he determined on remaining at the village. Powis mentioned +several points of view which he said were thought fine, though he +professed not to understand the business much. + +As the stranger, with his little Welsh guide, passed through the trees +which grew round the house, just where the shadow was deepest, he +discerned the flutter of the white or light-coloured garments of two +girls, and heard youthful voices in chat, and laughing; yet not rudely +or with vulgarity, but with native gaiety and mirth of heart. He could +just distinguish that one of the females was taller than the other, and +heard a soft harmonious voice articulate in good English, and with very +little of the Welsh accent: "Good night, dear Joanna; come to-morrow, +and stay with me all day: good night; love to Charles." The other +replied at a few paces distant: "Ah, poor Charles! how vexed he will be +that he staid so late; well, good night, Ellen." + +"These, I suppose," thought the stranger, "are Powis's daughter and her +friend Joanna Ross. I am glad I missed them. I hate country-girls. +Charles I imagine is the lover of one. Happy creatures who can yet fancy +felicity in love, and dream I know not what of constancy and +bliss!--Falsehood, jealousy, revenge!--dreadful, dreadful words! to them +are unknown: but what have I to do with thoughts like these? Why, even +in the stillness of this calm retreat, do such shocking images haunt my +mind?" He hurried on as if fatigue had no longer power over him, +insomuch that his young guide could hardly keep up with him, till he +reached the village inn, where, as Powis had said, a cleanly though +homely bed was soon prepared for him. + + + + +CHAP. II. + + Her form was fresher than the morning rose, + When the dew wets its leaves, unstain'd and pure + As is the lily, or the mountain snow. + The modest virtues mingled in her eyes. + + THOMSON. + + +In the evening of the next day, having in the course of it received his +portmanteau from Carnarvon, our traveller, whose name he gave his +landlord to understand was Mordaunt, began slowly to ascend a romantic +mountain, stopping at intervals to admire the beauty of the surrounding +prospect, and occasionally selecting from the mountain plants such +specimens as he had not met with before; for our traveller was an +excellent botanist, had a slight knowledge of mineralogy, and a genuine +taste for the charms of nature. In what farther sciences he was +instructed, and how he came by information so much above his present +sphere, we shall learn as we proceed. + +Mordaunt had wandered more than an hour, when he reached some slight +remains of an ancient castle: it was a complete ruin, affording no +shelter, and scarcely a resting-place; however, on a large stone, which +had fallen from one of the crumbling pillars, he sat down and enjoyed +the beauty of the extensive prospect before him, and to which no +descriptive powers short of Mrs. Radcliffe's could do justice: here he +remained, catching, at intervals, a distant sail; for the sea, not far +off, formed one magnificent feature in the view; till the shades of +evening appeared to close upon him somewhat suddenly: surprised at the +gloom, he turned round, and observed that the top of the mountain behind +him was covered with heavy clouds, which soon becoming thicker, fell +around him in large drops of rain, mingled with low muttering thunder, +and distant gleams of lightning: the sea assumed a more terrific +appearance, and the lashing of the waves against the shore was more +distinctly heard: every thing, in short, seemed to foretell a tremendous +storm. + + The gloomy woods + Start at the flash, and from their deep recess, + Wide flaming out their trembling inmates shake! + Amid Carnarvon's mountains rages loud + The repercussive roar; with mighty crush, + Into the flashing deep from the rude rocks + Of Penmanmawr heap'd hideous to the sky, + Tumble the smitten cliffs; and Snowden's peak, + Dissolving, instant yields his wintry load. + + THOMSON. + +Yet Mordaunt, unappall'd, was rather pleased to have an opportunity of +observing the effects of a thunder-storm in a region so elevated; but in +a moment, a vivid flash of lightning, followed instantly by a tremendous +burst of thunder, was succeeded by a piercing scream; and two girls, +descending the mountain, ran by him with the utmost swiftness. The rain, +which now fell in torrents, had already wetted their slight garments, +and as the descent was now become extremely slippery, one of them had +nearly fallen to the ground, at the instant she had passed him. Humanity +prompted Mordaunt to follow, entreat them not to be alarmed, and to +allow him to assist them: his appearance, so totally unexpected (for the +shadow of the ruin under which he stood, and the deep gloom of the +atmosphere, had prevented their seeing him), seemed to startle them +almost as much as the storm, which one of the half-breathless girls said +had surprized them still higher on the mountain than he had been. The +thunder, however, now became more distant; and a light breeze, springing +up from the land, carried the clouds towards the sea: still, however, +the descent continued dangerous, from being so slippery; and Mordaunt +solicited the young women to accept of his aid. He readily conjectured +them to be Joanna Ross and Ellen Powis; and the moment the soft voice of +the latter fell upon his ear, he recognized the speaker he had heard the +night before saying, "Good night, dear Joanna." Her voice, indeed, was +so singularly sweet, that once heard it could never be forgotten; and +Mordaunt, turning as she spoke, beheld a face and figure, which, once +seen, must equally be for ever remembered-- + + And ne'er did Grecian chisel trace + A nymph, a Naļad, or a Grace, + Of finer form or lovelier face. + What though the sun, with ardent frown, + Had slightly ting'd her cheek with brown; + What though no rule of courtly grace + To measur'd mood had train'd her pace. + A foot more light, a step more true, + Ne'er from the heath-flow'r dash'd the dew: + E'en the slight hare-bell rais'd its head + Elastic from her airy tread. + What though upon her speech there hung + Some accents of the mountain tongue; + Those silver sounds, so soft, so dear, + The list'ner held his breath to hear. + + SCOTT'S LADY OF THE LAKE + +Terror had, indeed, robbed her charming countenance of some of its +graces; but a bright blush, springing to her cheeks as she caught the +traveller's glance, restored its native lustre. Oh! such a face!--so +fair--so bright--so spotless!--eyes so full of soul!--a smile of such +inimitable beauty! Every feature expressing a native delicacy of +sentiment, unsoiled by the world, unruffled by passion, yet giving +assurance that its possessor owned a heart of such fine frame as seldom +can be met with, either in court or cottage. And when with sweet +confidence, which, intending no harm, feared none, she accepted +Mordaunt's offered arm, he felt a degree of pleasure to which he had +long been a stranger: he scarcely noticed that Joanna had taken the +other arm: yet Joanna was not a plain girl; but who could look at her +when Ellen was present? As they descended the mountain, the storm having +by this time blown over, the girls laughed at their vain terrors, and +made light of those which Mordaunt expressed, lest their wet clothes +should give them cold, saying, they were so accustomed to take exercise +in all weathers, they were not likely to be injured by a sudden shower: +"Though I must acknowledge," said Joanna, with a smile, "we do not much +like thunder-storms." Every thing that either said was expressed in the +plural; and "_We_" was always the term, whichever spoke. Mordaunt +admired the good sense and propriety with which each seemed endowed; but +in Ellen he distinguished an elegance of expression, a superiority of +mind, which, in so young a girl, and one who could have had so few +opportunities of improvement, completely surprised him. This lovely +creature seemed yet hardly seventeen; and when he talked to her on +various subjects, he found, that although Mr. Ross's library had +furnished her with the works of Addison, Pope, and a few more of our +best English authors, yet her acquisitions had not gone beyond a +tincture of English literature, in a general way; that she was tolerably +well instructed in English History, knew scarcely any thing of +Geography, and could neither play on any instrument nor draw; so that +she certainly was much inferior to the heroines of some modern novels, +who learn all these things by intuition: her voice, however, in singing, +was as harmonious as in speaking, and she could sing many of the simple +Welsh airs with natural taste, and in a very pleasing manner. Mordaunt +escorted the girls to Llanwyllan Farm, where he was immediately +recognized by Powis, who, hearing from his daughter the attention he had +shewn to her and Joanna, was cordial in his acknowledgments, and +insisted on the traveller partaking their supper. Mordaunt could not +refuse; and it was accordingly spread, not as usual in the porch, the +late storm having left a dampness in the air, but in a large hall, the +farm-house having formerly been a capital mansion. + +Joanna and Ellen, having hastily changed their wet garments, soon joined +them; and this little party sat down to supper pleased with each other, +and without any of that cold formality which strangers so generally +feel; confiding hospitality on the one hand, and something, at least, +very like good breeding, on the other, rendering them all easy and +pleasant to themselves, and to each other. + +During this little repast, though no ill-timed curiosity demanded the +explanation, Mordaunt thought proper to mention his name, and, in some +degree, declare his situation in life. He had, he said, been educated +with the Earl of St. Aubyn, who was his distant relation, and had a few +years before appointed him his steward for his estate in +Northamptonshire, where he had a comfortable house, not far from St. +Aubyn Castle, the noble residence of the Earl himself, who had been for +sometime on the Continent; that he himself, having met with some +domestic vexations, which had injured his health, the Earl had permitted +him to appoint a deputy, and travel into Wales, as he had done the +summer before into the Highlands of Scotland; of which he gave a most +animated description. His patron, he added, had also a fine estate on +the borders of Westmoreland, with a very noble old seat called the +Abbey, which, though extremely ancient, still retained its former +magnificence. Mordaunt's manners were so pleasing, his voice so +impressive, and his countenance so fine, that the little party who were +his auditors hung upon his words with almost breathless admiration.--The +moments flew, and they were surprised when the hall clock struck eleven, +an hour unheard of among the sober inhabitants of Llanwyllan. "God bless +me," said Powis, "why it's eleven o'clock: I have not been up so late +these ten years!" "Dear father!" said Ellen, with a reproving accent, as +she glanced at Mordaunt, who hastily rose from his chair. "Excuse my +rudeness, Sir," said Powis; "I did not mean to turn you out uncivilly, +but fear neighbour Jones may be gone to bed." Mordaunt smiled, and said +he ought to apologize for keeping them up. Then extending his hand, he +shook the farmer's rough one with great kindness, and said, "If I should +not see you again----" "Not see us again!" interrupted Powis: "why to be +sure you are not going away! Lord bless me--why, I thought you would +stay a day or two at least; for my share, if you don't, I wish you had +never come at all; for I never saw a man in all my days I liked so +well." "Upon my word, Sir," said Joanna, "you have not yet seen half the +beauties of Llanwyllan; has he, Ellen?" "No, indeed," replied Ellen. "I +assure you, Mr. Mordaunt, there are many charms--" "I know it, I feel +it!" interrupted Mordaunt: "there is every charm which the most +beautiful nature, the kindest hospitality, can bestow! But to stay at +the village without visiting the Farm of Llanwyllan would be impossible, +and, stranger as I am, would it not be intruding?" "Not at all," said +Powis; "we should rejoice to keep you amongst us; the girls will shew +you the fine views, as they call them, and I shall be proud to see you +at my table, if it be not too plain for you, at all times." "You are too +good! but, will Miss Ross, will Miss Powis, accept their share of the +agreement? Are there no more agreeable engagements, no more amiable +friends to claim their attention?" He took a hand of each, but fixed his +penetrating eyes on Ellen: she blushed, but the lightest emotion made +Ellen blush, so that though Mordaunt had "_Charles_" in his head when he +spoke, he could judge nothing by her blushing; and her eyes met his with +a look of confiding sweetness, which seemed to speak a heart unconscious +of any secret sentiment. Joanna answered, "If we were to tell you, Mr. +Mordaunt, we had nothing to do but to walk about, you would think we +were very idle girls, or said what was not true: we are very busy all +the day till five in the evening, when we drink tea either here or at my +father's, who will be happy to see you: after that, if it is fine we +walk; if not, amuse ourselves within, till ten o'clock, when we go to +bed, that we may rise at five the next morning; from five in the evening +till ten we shall be glad of your company." + +In consequence of this frank statement, and the secret inclination he +felt to see more of Llanwyllan, and its art-less inhabitants, Mordaunt +determined to pass a few days there; and the next day, after attending +their early tea-table, walked two or three hours with Ellen and Joanna, +equally delighted with Powis's kind hospitality, and the unsuspicious +confidence of the two innocent girls, who, stranger as he was, saw +nothing extraordinary or improper in allowing him a degree of friendly +intimacy, which, in a situation of more publicity, he would hardly have +attained under some weeks of acquaintance, even with the assistance of a +proper introduction. Still more was he charmed with their affectionate +manner towards each other, and the beauty of Ellen, as well as her +unaffected simplicity, united with an extraordinary share of good sense +and information beyond her apparent opportunities. When they parted in +the evening, Joanna said, "To-morrow, you know, Ellen, Charles will pass +at home; and as he goes away entirely the next day, I think we must not +make any engagement for to-morrow." "Very true," said Ellen, in a low +voice, and a slight shade passed over her expressive features; but +whether it arose from regret that she must relinquish the society of her +new friend, with whose spirited and sensible conversation she appeared +much pleased, or from concern for Charles's approaching absence, our +traveller had no means of judging. He had discovered, in the course of +conversation, that Charles was Joanna's brother, and was now absent for +a day or two preparatory to his leaving home for some time, being in the +navy: a few more particulars relative to him he felt anxious to +ascertain as soon as possible; and he took leave of his new friends, +after engaging to spend the next evening but one at Mr. Ross's. + +The landlord at the Prince of Wales understood and spoke English; but it +was with so much of the Welsh accent, that Mordaunt, with difficulty, +comprehended his meaning. The curiosity which he felt, however, to learn +more about Charles Ross, induced him, once again, to attempt a +conversation with "neighbour Jones," as Powis called him, though, in +general, Mordaunt's patience, which was by no means inexhaustible, and +an ear refined by living much in his early days with people of fashion +and learning, were severely tried by provincial dialects, and he +avoided, as much as possible, any conference with those who spoke what +he termed a barbarous jargon: for humour of any kind, or odd characters, +whether natural or acquired, he had no taste; sentiment, elegance, and +refinement of language and manners, were to him indispensable requisites +of those be regarded; and above all things he detested that mixture of +familiarity and obsequiousness which the landlord of a country inn shews +to one, who, though his guest, he fancies his equal; yet there was some +paramount feeling in Mordaunt's mind, which forced him to dispense with +all these niceties, and seek intelligence even from a man whose language +and manner were equally distasteful to him. From Jones, then, he learnt +that Charles was the son of Mr. Ross, and that he was a young man of +about twenty, rather handsome, a midshipman in the navy, and that he was +going to join his ship immediately. Jones allowed that the general +opinion was that Ellen Powis was the object of Charles's affections, and +that all their friends wished it might be a match, but that Winifred +Powis's old servant declared Miss Ellen only regarded him as a brother, +and she was sure had no thought of being his wife. Mordaunt recollected +the blush, the slight shade of gravity or vexation which had passed over +Ellen's lovely face; yet these might not be symptoms of more than +sisterly affection, and something whispered a wish to Mordaunt that +Ellen's love for Charles might be no more. + +Though Mordaunt could not intrude upon a party from which he had been by +Joanna almost expressly interdicted, he yet, in returning from his +ramble the next evening, contrived to pass the Parsonage, and to catch a +glimpse of Ellen and Joanna walking in the garden with a young man. He +bowed to them, and saw that their companion, whom he naturally concluded +was Charles, took some hasty steps from the path he was walking in, to +catch a nearer view of him; and Mordaunt fancied, from the earnestness +of his gestures, and something of impatience in his air, when he +rejoined his sister and her friend, that he spoke of him, and with +displeasure: perhaps he was jealous of his attentions towards +Ellen.--"Well, be it so," said Mordaunt; "I shall soon discover if he +has any influence over her mind; and if I perceive that she wishes my +absence, I will immediately quit Llanwyllan. Not for worlds would I make +that lovely creature unhappy; far otherwise. If there be any engagement +between her and this fortunate Charles, I will do all I can to promote +his interest: but if, on the other hand, I find her to-morrow only +lamenting him as a friend, I will yet linger here awhile, and forget, if +possible, in this sweet retirement, and her enchanting society, _all the +past_! Oh that I could as easily forget all the future threatens! Happy, +most happy, could I here remain for ever! That, alas! cannot, must not +be! Edmund, cruel, vindictive Edmund!--Ah! those dark eyes pursue me +every where: in the gloom of night they are before me, demanding +vengeance--vengeance for her blood! speaking volumes of hatred--of +revenge! What a fate is mine! Soon, too soon, we must meet again!" Thus +murmured Mordaunt, in one of those soliloquies to which he had +accustomed himself; and his pace, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, +betrayed the agitation of his mind. At length he came within sight of +Llanwyllan Farm; and leaning on the little green gate which led to the +house, the mixed odours of those sweet plants, which he now knew were +Ellen's care, struck upon his senses: her lovely image rose renewed to +his imagination, and the distant water-fall and rising moon seemed +combined with that enchanting scent to lull his anguish to repose. +Whilst he yet lingered, he saw through the trees Ellen, Joanna, and +Charles, approaching; and Mordaunt hastily retired, with sensations not +very unlike indignation and envy. + + + + +CHAP. III. + + When he speaks, + The air, a charter'd libertine, is still, + And the mute wonder lurketh in mens' ears, + To steal his sweet and honey'd sentences! + + HENRY V. + + +The following evening, when Mordaunt arrived at the Parsonage, he was +met in the little garden before it by Joanna and Ellen. He glanced his +eyes over the countenances of both, and found that of Joanna, which he +had hitherto seen full of smiling vivacity, overspread with gloom: her +eyes were excessively red, and when he spoke to her, they filled with +tears. Ellen also looked as if she had been weeping, but on Mordaunt's +approach, a bright smile gleamed over her face, and a soft blush +restored its animation. + +As Mordaunt looked inquiringly at Joanna (dissembling as well as he +could the pleasure Ellen's blush and smile had given him), she turned +her head aside, and the tears ran down her cheeks: "Don't look at her, +don't speak to her, Mr. Mordaunt," said Ellen in a low voice, drawing +him a little on one side: "her brother has left home this morning, and +Joanna has been crying all day." Her voice trembled, and a tear started +in her own eye. Mordaunt softly drew her arm through his; and as Joanna +turned into another walk to hide her distress, he said, "And you too, +Ellen, have been weeping." He had never called her Ellen before, and +felt half ashamed of having done so now, so much respect her native +modesty had inspired; but she, who was always accustomed to be called +Ellen, nor imagined she had any pretension to a higher title, saw +nothing in it extraordinary, and answered in the most unaffected manner, +yet with some tenderness of voice and accent, "It is very true, I also +feel for Charles a sister's affection." "Is he then _very_ amiable, this +happy Charles?" asked Mordaunt. "He is very amiable, that is, very +_good_, very _sensible_," said Ellen: "but why do you call him +happy?"--"Can he be otherwise than happy, rich in the affection of _two_ +such charming _sisters_?" "You are very obliging but just now Charles is +not very happy; he is very much grieved at quitting his father, his +mother, and Joanna, and--and--me." Ellen hesitated a little. "But in the +profession he has chosen," said Mordaunt, "he must expect to be +frequently absent from those he loves; and a sailor in general, though +he feels acutely for the moment, soon whistles care away." "Very true," +answered Ellen; "and I never before knew Charles give way to his +feelings as he has done to-day and yesterday, and that indeed is what +has overcome Joanna so much: he has taken strange fancies into his head, +either that he shall never return, or that _we_, I mean that _I_, shall +have forgotten him if he does." "But why does he fancy this _just now_?" +said Mordaunt, fixing his sparkling eyes upon her. "Oh, I cannot tell +you," answered Ellen, blushing crimson, "half the strange things he has +been saying; but we see so few strangers here, that I believe, that I +fancy Charles supposes,--I mean, he thinks we have suddenly become very +intimate with _you_, and we have said so much respecting books and +subjects rather above what we usually meet with, that Charles, who is a +little rough, and not very fond of reading, says we are growing such +fine ladies, and so much wiser than he is, that he is sure we shall not +be at all sorry he is going." + +Mordaunt paused a moment. One of the reflections of the preceding night +passed through his mind--what was he doing? was he making this amiable +young creature unhappy? was he sowing discord between her and a young +man to whom she was perhaps attached, and who certainly was so to her? +and, after all, to what purpose? He continued silent so long, that the +innocent Ellen, looking in his face, and seeing his countenance +discomposed, hastily said, "Pray, Mr. Mordaunt, do not be offended. +Charles is naturally kind and hospitable, and I am sure would blush for +us if we were not attentive to a stranger whose behaviour has been so +obliging to us; but just now his temper is ruffled, and he certainly has +said a great many odd things lately." "Offended I can have no right to +be," answered Mordaunt; "but if I give offence by staying here, Miss +Powis, either to you or _your friends_, I shall indeed be sorry that I +did not, as I at first intended, leave Llanwyllan yesterday." "Pray do +not suppose it. I cannot tell why I repeated all these silly things to +you, but I am so apt to speak all I think, and so unused to form and +ceremony, that I dare say I must appear very strange to you, who have +lived so much in the world. I begin _now_ to wish what I never wished +before." "What is that, Ellen?" "That I also had lived more in the +world, that my manners might have been a little more polished, and not +so--so--strange as I must seem to _you_." "Artless and ever amiable +creature!" exclaimed Mordaunt with a vehemence which almost made her +start: "what, oh, what could the world have done for you! Believe me, +Ellen, for one grace it could have given, it would have robbed you of a +thousand." + +At this moment, when Mordaunt, startled by his own warmth, wished to +have recalled his words, when Ellen became so confused by it, she could +make no answer, Joanna rejoined them, and asked him if he would not walk +in, saying her father and mother were waiting for them. "Indeed, Miss +Ross," said Mordaunt, "I think I have done wrong in coming hither +to-day. Your parents, distrest by parting from their son, should not be +broken in upon by a stranger." "Pray do not judge of them by my folly," +answered Joanna: "they have parted from Charles before: as his absence +will probably not exceed a few months, they are now quite composed, and +will be glad to see you." + +Joanna led the way to a very neat little parlour, where Mr. and Mrs. +Ross, with the tea-table placed before the latter, were waiting to +receive them. Mr. Ross was a man far advanced in life, who in the early +part of it had been accustomed to genteel society, was an excellent +classical scholar, and well grounded in English literature of a superior +class, as well as what is properly termed the Belles Lettres. He had +greatly ameliorated the condition of his parishioners, by introducing +industry and neatness in their habitations, yet he had merely tinctured +the minds of Ellen and Joanna with a love of reading, justly conceiving +that in their station of life much literary knowledge and refinement of +taste would be worse than useless to them. The gay heart of Joanna had +been well content to skim the mere surface; but Ellen, more serious, and +with more native delicacy of taste, had often excited the anger of Mrs. +Ross by the reluctance with which she left her studies, and tore herself +from the polished pages of Addison and Pope, to sit down to heavy +needlework, or make preserves. Every thing worthy of observation which +Ellen heard or read she made her own, not only by the aid of memory, but +by that happy nameless faculty which selects the best of every thing, +and combining ideas with admirable facility, extracts knowledge and wit +from what to common minds presents little better than an uninteresting +blank. An old magazine in Ellen's hands became a commentary on the +history of the times to which it belonged; and while other girls would +have been idling over the tales, or puzzling themselves with the +enigmas, it contained, she was selecting and classing a store of facts +and characteristic anecdotes, which, with a very little assistance, +would have been a foundation for the most accurate historical knowledge: +thus, like the bee, from the most unpromising materials, Ellen extracted +the honey, and left the refuse behind. In this manner, and with the aid +of very few books, she had obtained a degree of information, which many +women, whose educations are most anxiously attended to, never attain. +Another circumstance was, that having no great variety of authors, she +was obliged to repeat the perusal of those she was allowed to read, and +by that means had time thoroughly to digest and comprehend them; +whereas, the young people of the present day have such an endless +variety of books offered to them, that nothing which has not the charm +of novelty can be endured, and scarcely any merit can obtain a second +reading. + +Mrs. Ross was a little, bustling, notable woman, who picqued herself +upon her good housewifery, could not endure a _litter_, and thought +books and papers made the most intolerable of any: Mr. Ross was +therefore obliged to confine his to his study, and the girls the few +they were allowed to their own bed-room, which was considered equally +the apartment of Ellen and Joanna. Mr. Ross had heard a great deal for +the last two or three days of Mr. Mordaunt from his daughter and Ellen: +he saw they were greatly pleased with their new acquaintance; but +knowing their simplicity, and the charm of novelty to youth, was +desirous of judging for himself how far the traveller was a proper +companion for them. Ross had formerly seen something of the world, and +was of course more qualified to judge of character than Powis, or two +girls so totally unacquainted with guile as Ellen and Joanna were: he +determined, if he found any thing in the manners of the stranger +repulsive to his ideas of propriety, to put an end to all connection +with him; and Mrs. Ross, who felt assured the traveller must have fallen +in love with one of the girls, resolved, as she expressed it, to keep a +_sharp look out_ upon him: such, however, was the unaffected propriety +of Mordaunt's manners, mingled with somewhat of dignity, to which Mrs. +Ross had never been accustomed, and which Ross had not lately seen, that +the good little woman was awed into silence; and though Charles had +infected her with some of his jealous fears (for such they certainly +were), she soon lost the kind of prejudice she had taken up against the +traveller, was pleased with "_the gentleman_," as she called him, and +could not ascertain at all to her own satisfaction whether Joanna or +Ellen, or either, had been his inducement to remain at Llanwyllan. + +Ross was not only charmed with Mordaunt's manners, but had not for years +enjoyed so exquisite a treat as his conversation. The traveller was +fully competent to cope even with Ross on literary ground, understood +the learned languages, was an enthusiast in the classics, an excellent +historian and geographer; and gave Ross in an hour the most perspicuous +account of all that was then passing in the political world. + +The two girls sat attentive auditors: Ellen seemed all ear. Mrs. Ross at +last began to fidget a little, and soon after walked off to superintend +some domestic concerns, but, unusually indulgent, suffered the girls to +remain. The evening passed on, and Ross was so engaged with his guest, +that walking could not be proposed. Mordaunt expressed himself so +charmed with Llanwyllan, that he said, if he could be accommodated with +a neat lodging, he should after about a fortnight's absence, which was +absolutely necessary, endeavour to obtain Lord St. Aubyn's consent to an +arrangement, which might permit him to remain there some time; that he +found the pure air from the mountains agreed with him, and thought two +or three months, divested of the cares of business, in that peaceful +retirement, would quite restore his health. Ross knew that if Powis +heard his proposal, he would, in the warmth and cordiality of his heart, +offer Mordaunt apartments at Llanwyllan Farm, where indeed there was +plenty of room; but Ross also knew, though Powis did not, that +apartments under the same room with such a lovely girl as Ellen Powis, +for a man not passed the meridian of life, would be highly improper, and +even in that retired place would subject Ellen to unpleasant remarks; he +therefore immediately said that there were two neat quiet rooms at the +house of a widow in the village, who, having lately lost her son, would +be glad to let them; that she was a very civil old woman, and had +formerly been cook in a gentleman's family; and though the rooms might +not be furnished quite well enough for Mr. Mordaunt, yet any little +accommodation might easily be added at an inconsiderable expense from +Carnarvon, which was not more than twelve miles from Llanwyllan. +Mordaunt eagerly caught at the proposal, and said that a few guineas, +when compared to the recovery of his health, were not material to him; +it was therefore settled that he should go with Ross the next day to +look at the rooms. Mordaunt then rose to take leave, but the entrance of +Mrs. Ross, followed by the servant with a couple of hot roasted +chickens, &c. prevented him, and an earnest invitation to stay and +partake of their supper, which indeed seemed to have been greatly +enlarged on his account, could not be resisted. Mordaunt of course +complied: the conversation became more general: Mrs. Ross's tarts, +home-made wines, &c. were excellent, and Mordaunt praised them too much +not to become a favourite with the good lady. He sat by Ellen, and a few +words spoken to her occasionally in a low voice, and, still more, the +expressive manner in which they were said, began to raise suspicions in +Ross's mind that she was in reality the magnet which attracted the +stranger. He was not blind to her superior beauty and native elegance, +and considered her as more peculiarly his care, inasmuch as he knew the +guileless simplicity of Powis, and that he was by no means calculated to +have the guidance of so lovely a girl. Ross determined therefore to +watch carefully over Ellen, and if he saw any thing too particular in +Mordaunt's conduct towards her, to advise Powis to send her from home +during the traveller's stay at Llanwyllan, which, as Powis had a +relation at Bangor, would be very possible. Ellen was to sleep that +night at the Parsonage; and as soon as Mordaunt took his leave, the two +girls retired together. + +Ellen was so silent, that Joanna began to rally her on the subject of +the stranger, and amongst other things said, "Indeed, Ellen, I believe +poor Charles was right. Mr. Mordaunt will soon take his place in your +affections." "_His_ place, _Charles's_ place! no, indeed, Joanna!" +"Well, you may say what you please, Ellen; but Charles never gained half +so much attention from you as you bestowed on Mr. Mordaunt's +conversation to-night"--"Perhaps not: Charles never conversed on such +agreeable topics." "Then why do you say you do not, nor shall, like him +so well as you do Charles?" "I did not say so." "Well, but you said he +would not take Charles's place in your affections, and that is the same +thing." "Nor will he. I love Charles as a brother, you as a sister; but +does it follow no other man or woman can be agreeable to me--must I +cease to love you both before I can be pleased with another?" "No, +certainly; but Charles I am persuaded would not much relish such a +degree of liking for another, as Mordaunt seems to have gained from +you." "I cannot help that: I shall never think myself obliged to consult +Charles respecting my likings or dislikings." "What, not if you marry +him?" "Marry Charles!"--"Aye, _marry Charles_, Miss Powis: what is there +so wonderful in that?" "Dear Joanna, I do not know you to-night. _Miss +Powis!_ and in that reproachful tone: what have I done to offend you, +and why do you call me _Miss Powis_?" "Then why do you seem so surprised +at the idea of marrying Charles, and look as if you quite scorned the +thought?" "Because such an idea never entered my mind: I might well +therefore seem surprised; though, as to scorn, I never felt or could +have looked it." "If Mordaunt had said half as much to you as Charles +has, you would easily have seen _his_ meaning." "You are not kind, +Joanna. I thought you had liked Mordaunt too." "So I do; but I do not +like that he should prevent Charles from gaining your love." "Then, be +assured, that cannot be: I love Charles as a brother, but if I had never +seen Mordaunt, or any other man, I would not have been Charles's wife. +Mordaunt does not, cannot think any thing of me: and I hope, Joanna, I +am not such a bold girl as to fall in love, as they call it, with a man +who will not, I am sure, ever cast a serious thought on _me_, who is so +very much above me." "Then why do you declare so seriously against +Charles: you never did so before?" "Because you never pressed me so +earnestly before, and I assure you I never thought of it." "But what are +your objections to Charles as a husband?" "Many, Joanna, many: he is too +hasty, too passionate: he would frighten me." "And how do you know +Mordaunt is not passionate?" "Still Mordaunt!" said Ellen, a little +impatiently: "what signifies to me whether he is passionate or not? He +will never be more to me than an agreeable acquaintance,"--"Well, I +think Mordaunt has at times an odd look with his eyes, and a gloom on +his countenance that is frightful." "Frightful! Mordaunt's countenance +frightful! I never saw any thing so handsome; and the expression is the +softest--his smile the sweetest--" Ellen paused with some embarrassment, +and Joanna answered a little spitefully, "That may be, when he looks at +_you_; and then you blush, and cast down your eyes, and of course do not +see how _he_ looks; but I tell you that he _has_ a gloom that is +_frightful_, though you are so astonished at the word, and so delighted +with him." Here the shrill voice of Mrs. Ross calling to them from her +own room, "Girls, girls, do you mean to talk all night," put an end to +the conference, and they hastily said "Good night," less pleased with +each other than they had ever been before. Joanna was angry with Ellen +for preferring Mordaunt to Charles, and Ellen thought Joanna extremely +captious, and out of humour. + +The next day, Mordaunt, accompanied by Mr. Ross, looked at the lodgings +he had proposed for him, and agreed immediately to take them for three +months, to commence at the expiration of three weeks from the present +time, during which, he said, he must take a journey to Bath, where he +should see Lord St. Aubyn, and obtain his consent to an arrangement +which would admit of his leaving Northamptonshire for that time; and +that during his absence from Llanwyllan he should send some books and +other additional comforts to his new lodgings: he should set out, he +said, the next day but one, for he was impatient to begin his journey, +that he might return the sooner. On the intermediate day, he walked to +the Farm, and, strange to tell, found Ellen without Joanna. + +Ellen had been very busy all day, and a little coldness still hung about +Joanna, who could not forget her decided rejection of Charles: she had +also been much employed, and told Ellen the evening before she should +not see her on that day. "But Mr. Mordaunt will," added she, with some +asperity, "and that will make full amends for my absence." "You are +unkind, Joanna," answered Ellen, "and will make me wish Mr. Mordaunt had +never visited Llanwyllan." Joanna shook her head with an air of +incredulity, and left her. Mordaunt found Ellen therefore alone, and +busily engaged amongst her shrubs and flowers. The brisk evening air, +exercise, and the delight she took in her employment, had given fresh +beauty to her complexion, and new animation to her eyes. After the first +greetings had passed, he requested to assist her, and mounting a ladder, +which a Welsh boy, who was executing the more laborious parts of the +employment held for him, he busied himself in giving a new turn to the +festoons which hung from tree to tree. Ellen stood below, and as she +looked up to direct him, a long shoot of the clematis fell from his +hand, and became entangled in her straw hat. Fearing to break it, he +descended, and while he endeavoured to untwist it, the straw hat fell to +the ground; and as Ellen had not, as usual, her modest muslin cap, her +beautiful hair became for the first time exposed to his view, and he +stood gazing at her bright auburn ringlets and fair-polished temples, as +if transfixed. Beautiful as he had always thought her, he never saw her +look so beautiful as now, and her increasing colour at length reminded +him that his gaze was becoming oppressive. Instantly he withdrew his +eyes, and taking up the hat, and brushing off some dust which adhered to +it, he presented it to her with an air of respect, and said, "I am a +very awkward gardener; I have spoiled your bonnet." "Indeed," said +Ellen, "on the contrary, I should think you had practised it all your +life, you seem so well versed in the employment."--"Would to heaven I +had," answered Mordaunt, "and never known any thing beyond the culture +of these shrubs, and the sweet shades of Llanwyllan." And now Ellen saw +for the first time a peculiar expression in his eyes, and a gloom over +his countenance, which reminded her of what Joanna had said respecting +him; but Ellen put a different construction upon it, and had she known +Shakespeare would have said, "He wrings at some distress: would I might +free it, what-e'er it be." + +To divert his thoughts, she said, in the softest tone, "What a wish! How +different are my sentiments! I would give worlds, had my lot resembled +your's; had I been employed not solely in the culture of these trees, +myself almost as much a vegetable, but, like you, cultivating my mind, +my manners, and forming myself into a companion for--the wise and good!" +The soft expressive pause spoke volumes to the heart of Mordaunt, and he +could not help replying, "You are already a fit companion for angels." + +A long pause ensued. Ellen again began her pleasant labours, and +Mordaunt, with fresh eagerness, assisted her. At length he said, "When I +come back, Ellen, will you permit me to recommend to your perusal some +books, which I shall send to my lodgings?" "Ah," said Ellen, "with +delight should I peruse them, but Mrs. Ross is so strict, she will not +allow me to read at all, if she can help it; and my father expects me to +obey her in every respect." "But surely Mr. Ross, who is so literary +himself, would willingly indulge such a mind as your's, which so eagerly +aspires to superior attainments." "Ah, no; Mr. Ross thinks that in our +station any extraordinary refinement would be injurious, and only tend +to make us discontented." "Those common-place ideas may do very well for +Joanna Ross, and girls of common minds; but you, surely, ought to be +guided by other maxims. Talents like your's demand cultivation so +imperiously, it is a real cruelty to deny it." "Ah, Mr. Mordaunt, do not +talk to me in this manner; I am enough inclined to lament the lowness of +my condition; not from ambition, but from a desire of knowledge, which, +circumstanced as I am, is quite out of my reach. Rather strive to +strengthen my mind, and my anxious wish to do my duty in the station +where God has been pleased to place me." "Abhor me, Ellen, if ever you +find me endeavouring to subvert one good and useful principle in your +spotless mind; but how is Mr. Ross to know what station you may +hereafter be called upon to fill, unless, indeed," added Mordaunt, +expressively, "_your lot is already determined_?" "Undoubtedly it is," +said Ellen (not understanding his allusion to Charles): "what can I have +to expect but to remain here, the useful assistant of my father?" "But +you may, nay, most probably will marry." "It is unlikely," said Ellen; +"but if I should, it will probably be in a line of life which will +render any farther literary attainments at best unprofitable; so at +least says Mr. Ross, and I look to him as my chief director." "You have +hitherto done well in so doing; but circumstances may hereafter arise to +alter your views. In the meantime, let me assure you, for the honour of +literature, that its female professors do not necessarily, according to +a vulgar prejudice, become useless as mothers, mistresses, or domestic +economists. I have actually seen a lady high not only in literary +knowledge, but in literary fame, who attends with the most exquisite +skill and propriety, not only to the management of a large family, but +of a large farm, and whose order, neatness, and regularity, can no where +be exceeded; yet this excellent woman has published many books, written +in a style free from blemish, and full of the purest principles, and of +the most superior good sense." "How well she must have arranged her +concerns, and managed her time!" "Undoubtedly--and we shall see whether +Ellen Powis has not mind enough to become a second Mrs. W----." + +At this part of the conversation Powis joined them; and Mordaunt, having +chatted a few minutes with him, took his leave. But though he had talked +of leaving Llanwyllan on the next day, he did not go until that +following; and on the Sunday he attended Mrs. Ross and the young people +to the neat parish church, where he was greatly pleased and edified with +the serious and dignified manner in which the venerable Ross performed +the service. His fine countenance, shaded with grey hair, the rich tones +of his voice, and the energetic manner in which he exhorted his rustic +congregation, inspired Mordaunt with the utmost respect for him, and +with a fervour of devotion he had rarely before experienced. Nor did he +less admire the unaffected piety and attention of Mrs. Ross and her two +pupils, who, once within the church, appeared too deeply impressed with +the intention of their coming, to permit that either look or thought +should stray to any other object. As they returned through the +church-yard, Mordaunt was delighted to see the neatness, and even +elegance with which this repository of the dead was kept. The graves, +bound with osier-bands, and decorated with fresh flowers, as is +customary through all Wales, excited in him sentiments of the tenderest +nature; he was charmed to witness the effects of a love which survived +the tomb, and whispered to Ellen, that wherever he lived, he should wish +to be buried in Wales. "Idle as it may seem," said he, "to care what +becomes of this perishable frame when the immortal spirit is fled, yet +in the truth of Gray's inimitable reflections on this subject I cannot +but coincide:-- + + "Even from the grave the voice of Nature cries, + Even in our ashes live their wonted fires." + +As Ellen had never met with Gray, Mordaunt now repeated to her some of +the finest stanzas, and promised to send her the poem in the morning +following. + +What a happiness for her that she had never been condemned to hear this +enchanting elegy hacknied till even its beauties are lost in the insipid +recitation of girls who learn it as a task. + + + + +CHAP. IV. + + A prattling gossip, on whose tongue + Proof of perpetual motion hung, + Who with a hundred pair of eyes, + The vain attacks of sleep defies; + Who with a hundred pair of wings, + News from the farthest quarters brings, + Sees, hears, and tells, untold before, + All that she knows, and ten times more. + + CHURCHILL. + + +When Mordaunt was gone, Joanna and Ellen returned to their usual manner +of living: at first Ellen found a great insipidity in her ordinary +occupations. The day seemed unusually tedious, but this by degrees wore +off; and had she never seen Mordaunt again, she would certainly have +always remembered him with peculiar interest; but the peace of her mind +was undisturbed: yet Mordaunt's conversation had been of the most +dangerous tendency. What girl of seventeen, tinctured with the natural +romance which a life in a country of such sublimity as Wales almost +necessarily produces in an ardent mind and feeling heart, but might be +led by the voice of flattery to believe herself superior to the mere +common employments of domestic life; yet if the flatterer mean to +substitute no higher line of occupation in their stead, is it not +probable that unhappiness, if not a dereliction from virtue, may be the +consequence? Mordaunt's suggestions therefore to a mind more practised +in worldly guile would have rendered his intentions extremely equivocal; +and the very little Mr. Ross had seen of him made him not only very glad +that he was gone, but led him to wish earnestly he might not return; and +when a fortnight had elapsed, and no books or packages arrived at the +cottage of the Widow Grey, Ross, and, to say the truth, Joanna also, +began to hope he would not return. Joanna liked Mordaunt as a companion, +and had none of those fears which had crept into the mind of Ross: but +her love for her brother, and the certainty that Mordaunt was preferred +to him by Ellen, gave her a sort of prejudice against him, and she could +not help shewing a sort of triumph at his not returning. Ellen, whose +temper was as sweet as her understanding was excellent, bore the little +taunts Joanna now and then threw out on her supposed disappointment with +great mildness; but when Joanna accused Mordaunt of caprice and +insincerity, she sometimes defended him, with candour indeed, but with a +little warmth, which excited fresh displeasure in Joanna: and these +little disputes insensibly abated the pleasure they used to feel in the +society of each other. Nothing could be more ill-judged than Joanna's +conduct on this occasion: had she remained silent, Ellen would never +have spoken and seldom thought of Mordaunt; but by being forced +continually to defend either herself or him, he became more interesting +to her; her generous heart not bearing to hear him accused probably +without a cause: thus, Joanna, like all people who suffer themselves to +be misled by prejudice and ill-humour, increased the evil she wished to +obviate, and by rendering her own society less desirable to Ellen, left +her more at liberty to receive Mordaunt's visits, if he really should +return; and to return it seemed probable at length he intended: for, +about three weeks after his departure, several large packages were +brought in a light cart to the Widow Grey's, and the driver said he had +been hired at Carnarvon, by a strange gentleman who arrived in the mail +the night before, and would be with her the next morning. The news of +this important event spread quickly through the village, and numerous +were the conjectures which followed. Dame Grey had several visitors in +the course of the evening to look at these wonderful packages, to +conjecture what each might contain, and to endeavour to learn from her +what could make a gentleman, so grand as Mr. Mordaunt must be, to come +and live in her cottage: to all which the good woman could only reply, +that Mr. Ross had told her that the gentleman was coming for his health, +and she dared say Mr. Ross knew: at all events, it was nothing to her: +the gentleman had agreed to give her twelve shillings a week for her two +rooms, which was four shillings more than she expected; but then, to be +sure, she was to cook for him, and they all knew she was as pretty a +cook as Madam Ross herself; for that, when she lived with 'Squire +Davies--The mention of 'Squire Davies was enough for the whole audience; +they walked off one by one, and left her to admire and wonder at her +lodger's grand packages by herself, dreading nothing more than the +tedious tales they knew they must encounter if they staid, now Dame Grey +had begun to talk of the days when she lived with 'Squire Davies. + +Dame Grey not knowing very well what to do respecting her lodger's +rooms, which wanted linen, and many other articles she supposed the +packages might contain, thought it would be but right, and the proper +compliment, if she was to step up and ask Madam Ross and Miss Joanna, +and Miss Ellen, if she were there, what she had better do. Mrs. Ross +advised her on no account to open any of the parcels, and said, if Mr. +Mordaunt did not arrive in time the next day, she would furnish her with +linen proper for his bed and table, till his own could be opened: at the +same time declaring her readiness to go with Dame Grey, and see that +things were put a little out of a litter; to which obliging act she was +certainly prompted by the same sort of curiosity as had influenced her +poorer neighbours, to see the packages, and judge by their weight and +size what they might contain. No one who has ever lived in a small +village will wonder at this: such a one will know that no one creature +ever appears in a gown of a different colour, or a hat of a different +size from what has been seen before, without exciting the utmost +curiosity and animadversion; that a wedding, a burial, or a christening, +will afford conversation to the whole neighbourhood for many hours; and +that if one should be convicted of living, in the most simple concerns, +at all different from the generality, oddity, absurdity, stinginess, +and, finally, madness, will probably be imputed to him: think then what +a feast for the gossips Mr. Mordaunt's parcels must have presented; for +by the time Dame Grey and Mrs. Ross arrived, two or three more were in +waiting to take a peep at them. Now, amongst these parcels, &c. was one +which certainly bore the appearance of being a lady's bonnet-box: +"Well," Mrs. Ross said, "this is an odd thing; what can it contain? Sure +Mr. Mordaunt is not going to bring a lady with him! He did not say any +thing to you, Dame Grey, did he, as if he was married?" "Lord bless me, +no, Madam; but, to be sure, Mr. Ross knows, or Farmer Powis." "Poh! they +know nothing at all about it: well, we shall see. For my part I should +not wonder: he is not a very young man, and most likely is or has been +married." Away went two or three of the assembly, eager to spread the +report that Mr. Mordaunt and his lady were coming next day to Dame +Grey's; that it must be true, for Madam Ross had said so, and moreover, +they had seen with their own eyes _Madam Merdan's_ fine bonnet-box, +which no doubt contained a power of good things. Some went so far as to +settle the probable colour of the lady's bonnet and best gown; and one +notable dame, the wife of a farmer, who rented lands adjoining Powis's, +thought she would "just step in and tell Miss Ellen and Miss Joanna, +that they might smarten themselves a bit, before _Madam Mording_ +arrived." To paint the surprize of Ellen and Joanna, who were sitting +together when neighbour Price related all these strange circumstances, +embellished by her own conjectures and comments, would be impossible. +Joanna believed, and was not sorry: Ellen doubted, and said she should +be glad if it proved so, as Mrs. Mordaunt would be an agreeable addition +to their society. Joanna looked at her with arch and half triumphant +eyes; and Ellen, teazed, vexed, and disconcerted, could scarcely refrain +from tears. At last the chattering gossip departed, and Joanna's +conversation with Ellen ran in the usual strain; but Ellen was unusually +unable to endure it. Amongst other things, Joanna told Ellen, if Mrs. +Mordaunt came, she supposed her whole time would be engaged with her; +and if she did not, perhaps she would think Mordaunt's company quite +enough without the addition of hers, and that her mother was convinced +she would no longer be as willing to be ruled by her as formerly. Ellen +now burst into tears, and told Joanna she knew not what she had done to +occasion such very unkind remarks; that she had never given her reason +to suppose she did not prefer her company to that of any other person, +nor ever, for a moment, hesitated to obey Mrs. Ross in all things: but +if it was required of her to give up all acquaintance with a man who had +never done any thing to offend her, she must say she could not, nay, +would not do it. Joanna, startled by a warmth she had not expected from +the generally mild and yielding Ellen, now begged her pardon; and +embracing her tenderly, said, she knew she had been wrong in teazing her +so much, and would in future drop the subject. Ellen's warm forgiving +heart immediately prompted her to say she had perhaps herself been +captious; and after an appointment to meet again to-morrow, they parted +better friends than they had been for a long time. + +On Joanna's arrival at home, she inquired of her mother the foundation +of the strange story she had heard from Mrs. Price; and could hardly +help laughing when she learnt on what slight grounds the report had been +raised. Mrs. Ross, however, still defended the probability of her own +conjectures, and added, that she was, however, quite sure there were a +great many books among the parcels, and she supposed she should now have +less work done than ever, for that both Joanna and Ellen would never be +easy, unless they were walking with Mordaunt, or reading some of the new +trumpery he had sent down. "Dear mother," said Joanna, "why should you +think so? You know I am not so very fond of reading, though I like it +very well in turn, and should still more, if I had not so many other +things to do: and as to Ellen, though I believe she has more pleasure in +reading than any thing else in the world; yet you know she is so good +and gentle, she never refuses to do any thing you wish her to do." "Aye! +that has been; but mark my words, Joanna, you will see alterations you +do not expect." This was one of those equivocal prophecies by which Mrs. +Ross, like the Vicar of Wakefield, endeavoured to impress her family +with an opinion of her penetration: she did not succeed so well as Dr. +Primrose, for Mr. Ross never paid the smallest attention to them: and +Joanna had so rarely seen one of them fulfilled, that she generally +thought nothing about them. In the present instance, however, she +certainly felt a little uneasy, and began to fear that poor Charles must +forego all hopes of Ellen Powis: for Joanna was in her own mind +convinced that Mordaunt greatly admired Ellen, and she was sure Ellen +thought him a being of a superior order: and Joanna was too innocent and +too unsuspicious to imagine, for a moment, that if Mordaunt liked Ellen, +he could have any view but marriage. Ellen, on her side, felt more +vexation this night than she could well account for: she could hardly +doubt the truth of what Mrs. Price asserted to have heard from Mrs. +Ross, namely, that Mordaunt was married, and his lady coming to +Llanwyllan with him, this she fancied she should be very glad of: but +then she was hurt that Mordaunt should have kept this circumstance a +profound secret, and never once adverted to it when he talked, as he had +done repeatedly during the two last days of his stay at Llanwyllan, of +the pleasure he proposed to himself in the society of Mr. Ross, Ellen, +and Joanna. + + + + +CHAP. V. + + And with them words of so sweet breath composed + As made the things more rich. + + HAMLET. + + +Ellen was engaged the next morning with her needle when Mordaunt +suddenly entered the room (for the ceremony of announcing visitors was +never thought of at Llanwyllan): she rose hastily, as hastily sat down +again, turned pale, then red, and in answer to his hasty inquiries, +said--"Are you alone, Sir?" "Alone," replied Mordaunt, surprized beyond +measure; "yes, certainly: did you expect to see anyone with me?" +"Yes--no, that is, I thought we were told that Mrs. Mordaunt, that your +wife was to come with you." "My wife!" exclaimed Mordaunt, turning first +as red and then as pale as Ellen had done, almost in the words of +Othello, and perhaps not perfectly unlike him in feeling; "What wife? I +have no wife." "I beg your pardon, indeed," said Ellen, "for giving you +such a strange reception, but we were really told that your lady was +certainly coming with you." "What could have given rise," said Mordaunt, +regaining his composure, "to such a ridiculous tale? And did _you_, +Ellen, could you believe it?" "I own I thought it strange," replied she, +"that you had never mentioned it, and I doubted the truth of the story; +but Joanna seemed to credit it, and I was told Mrs. Ross had asserted +it, but I daresay," added she, smiling, "that it was one of those +gossip's tales of which we have so many in this village." Mordaunt said +he was wholly unable to account for it, and advancing to the table where +she had been sitting, for hitherto they had both continued standing, +said--"Shall I disturb you if I sit down by you for half-an-hour?" +"Certainly not," said Ellen: "you will allow me to go on with my work." +But Ellen's hand did not second her intention, for it shook so much, she +was obliged to put down the work, and to say, half laughing, by way of +covering her confusion--"I have flurried myself so ridiculously by +fancying I was going to see a stranger, that I must rest till my hand is +a little more steady." Mordaunt, for the first time, took the trembling +hand within his own, and pressing it very gently, said:--"You have not +shaken hands with me on my return, Ellen, yet I hoped you would have +been glad to see your friend Mordaunt once more: will you allow me the +title?" he added, gazing on her intently. Poor Ellen, who had not really +any of the usual complimentary phrases, such as "you do me honour, &c." +knew neither which way to look nor what to say; and Mordaunt, softly +raising her hand to his lips, relinquished it, and pitying her visible +confusion, endeavoured to relieve it by saving:--"I think you are a +little, a very little paler and thinner than when I left Llanwyllan." "I +have been taking a great deal of exercise," said Ellen; "and I think you +too, Mr. Mordaunt, are changed: you look pale, and seem fatigued." "Oh +yes, Ellen, yes; I have encountered much since we parted--much fatigue +both of body and mind. In these sweet shades I hope once more to be at +peace: oh, that I might never leave them more, 'the world forgetting, by +the world forgot;' that I might, that I could remain here for ever! +Would _you_, Ellen, would _you_ endeavour to sooth my cares, and to +restore my peace of mind?" He again seized her hand, and wildly +grasping, pressed it to his throbbing forehead. Ellen looked at him with +eyes of apprehension; his energy, his apparent agitation alarmed her: he +saw the surprize he had excited, and dropping her hand, said:--"Forgive +me, I am not myself to-day; but I must indeed be lost before I can for a +moment forget the perfect respect I owe you." His countenance became at +once more composed, and after a moment's pause, he said smiling:--"And +how is the poor straw hat which I spoilt the night before I went away?" +"Indeed you did not spoil it," said Ellen, laughing; "it would not +easily be injured." "Oh, certainly, it was completely spoilt, and as I +was the author of the mischief, though you would not give me any +commission for Bristol or Bath, I could not resist the desire I felt to +replace the loss which I know you cannot do here, and I have accordingly +chosen one for you, which, though extremely simple, will, I am sure, be +particularly becoming: I have also added one for Joanna, not exactly +like your's in shape, because it would be ridiculous; I mean it would +not be becoming to her style of face." "You are too good: I am sorry you +should have had so much trouble." "Oh, the trouble certainly of doing +any thing for _you_ and your friend must be insupportable; terrible as +it was, however, if you will do me the favour of wearing this simple +bonnet I shall think it overpaid: there is also a little parcel for Mrs. +Ross: and some books for our good friend Mr. Ross: nor have I forgotten +my first and truly valued friend your father: his little remembrance I +shall take the liberty of sending here; but shall I order the box with +the other things to Mr. Ross's or here?" "Mrs. Ross and Joanna are going +to pass this afternoon with me," said Ellen; "if you will therefore +persist in taking so much trouble, we will examine our presents, which +are, I dare say, very elegant." "I thank you a thousand times for not +reproving my presumption in fancying I could chuse a hat for you. I will +send the box presently, and when the contents have been looked at, may I +join your little party and walk with you?" "Certainly; we shall be glad +of your company." Mordaunt soon after went away, though Powis, who came +in, and seemed heartily glad to see him, pressed him to partake their +homely fare at dinner, but promising to come again in the afternoon, +Mordaunt declined staying then. Powis was haunted by no fears on his +daughter's account: his open hospitable temper made him always ready to +receive the stranger, and he saw not far enough into the human heart to +suspect that one so eminently gifted by nature and improved by art, as +Mordaunt was, must have some paramount inducement to fix himself for two +or three months amongst the woods of Llanwyllan. Honest, simple, and +credulous, he implicitly believed what Mordaunt had told him respecting +his health, and the delight he took in the wild scenery around the +village; and pleased with his company, would willingly have had him a +constant inmate of his house; yet he doated on, and highly appreciated +Ellen; but he fancied that Charles Ross had gained her affections, and +looked forward to her marriage with him as a thing determined on. Ellen +felt a little awkward on the subject of the bonnet, for she had never +mentioned to Mrs. Ross or Joanna that Mordaunt had spent two or three +hours at the Farm the night before he left Llanwyllan; as to the straw +hat, it was, in reality, not injured, although he chose to fancy it was +spoilt by way of excuse for ordering another; she, therefore, did not +like to mention the circumstance at all, dreading Mrs. Ross's sharp +questions and Joanna's looks; in fact, she did not wish to mention the +intended presents, and half resolved to appear surprized when the box +arrived: this, however, her natural dislike to deceit deterred her from +attempting, though Joanna's late conduct had taught her a reserve she +never before had felt towards her. The moment dinner was over Ellen went +to her chamber, where she took unusual pains in dressing herself as +nicely as her very moderate wardrobe would allow; a neat plain white +gown or two being the extent of her finery. Mrs. Ross would seldom allow +Ellen or Joanna to wear any thing better than a grey stuff, or small +printed calico, yet in spite of her expected rebuke, the very best white +gown was this afternoon put on; her hair was nicely and delicately +arranged under a cap smaller than those she usually wore; for going +without a cap or hat, was, in Mrs. Ross's idea, quite bold and improper. +Neither Joanna nor Ellen had ever seen a feather or artificial flower, +except once, when mere children, Powis had taken them for a few days to +Carnarvon, where a few were exhibited; but as to wearing any, they would +as soon have thought of putting on diamonds, so different were their +simple ideas from those of the very fine ladies we now see every day +walking or riding to market, with their ear-rings and necklaces, fine +lace frills, green veils, au parasols: expect them soon with foot-boys +at their heels. Yet Powis could have given his daughter a thousand +pounds; and Ross, though not rich, was in a station of life which might +have entitled Joanna to expect some little indulgences, of which, +however, she never even thought. Two or three small bows of pale pink +ribbon were the only ornament of Ellen's caps, and her slender waist was +surrounded by a short sash of the same colour; a bouquet of late roses +and jessamine was placed in her bosom; and the gentle agitation of her +spirits animated her eyes and complexion: she looked exquisitely lovely; +so fresh--so new--so bright--the poet might have said of her--"she +looked like Nature in the world's first spring." She had just completed +her nosegay, when Mrs. Ross and Joanna arrived; the former with a new +assortment of work prepared for Ellen's completion, who sighed when she +saw the quantity to be executed. "Bless me, Ellen," said Mrs. Ross; "why +you are dressed up as fine as a lady; one would think you were going to +a wedding or a christening.--I hope you have not invited Mrs. Price and +Mrs. Howel to-day," (the wives of two neighbouring farmers, who drank +tea once or twice a year with Ellen and the Ross's) "for I am come in my +old gown, and Joanna in her every-day cotton: why, child, are you +dressed so much?" "I don't know, ma'am: I thought my coloured gown was +dirty, and the day was so fine and warm, I thought this would be +cooler." "Umph," said Mrs. Ross, looking at her with eyes sharpened by +curiosity, and then nodding at Joanna, as much as to say you see I was +right, she drew up her head and was silent a moment; then, by her next +question, shewing the turn her thoughts had taken, she said: "Has Mr. +Mordaunt been here?" "Yes, ma'am," said poor Ellen, blushing like +crimson. "Umph," again said Mrs. Ross, and again she nodded at Joanna. +Joanna, looking slily at Ellen, added, while she could hardly refrain +from laughing--"And his wife?" "No," said Ellen, looking up at Joanna, +and smiling, for she could not help being diverted at the oddity of her +tone and look. Just at this moment in came the maid with a small parcel +and a large bonnet-box, which, she said, a boy had brought from Dame +Grey's. "God bless my heart," said Mrs. Ross, "why that is the very box +I saw at Mr. Mordaunt's, and which made me fancy he was married." Ellen +explained as well as she could, but certainly not very clearly, what the +contents were; and Joanna was so diverted with the absurdity of the +report raised by such a trifle, that she burst into a loud and +incontrollable fit of laughing, in which Ellen heartily joined; and +though Mrs. Ross scolded, and was quite angry that they would not cease +laughing and open the box, they laughed on, when the door opened, and in +came Mordaunt. He supposed the box had been received and opened an hour +before, not knowing his messenger had stopped to play by the way, and +was quite astonished to see them gathered round it, the two girls +laughing, and Mrs. Ross half scolding and half laughing too. He was +hastily retreating; but his presence operated like an electric shock on +the whole party. Ellen was half ashamed; and Mrs. Ross and Joanna, who +always felt a degree of awe from the dignity of his manner, were afraid +he would be offended: the former endeavoured to explain the cause of +their mirth; and Mordaunt no sooner heard what had given rise to the +report which had so much perplexed him, than--"Albeit unused to the +laughing mood," he could not keep his countenance. The explanation, +however, was not unpleasant to him, for he had been quite at a loss to +guess how any report of him, whether true or false, could have reached +Llanwyllan. The box was now opened, a ceremony at which Mordaunt would +willingly not have been present, though he certainly wished to see +whether the hat was becoming to Ellen. + +Both hats were of straw, equally fine; but that intended for Ellen had +an elegant simplicity in the form, which seemed made on purpose for her. +At the bottom of the box was found a parcel, directed for Mrs. Ross, +which contained a handsome dark sarsnet for a gown, with which the good +lady was so delighted, that she quite overwhelmed Mordaunt with thanks +and compliments, to which he put a stop by requesting to see the bonnets +on their respective owners. + +"I am not dressed fit to wear such a bonnet," said Joanna, glancing her +eyes on Ellen; "but--" "Aye," said Mrs. Ross, "very true: I believe you +knew your bonnet was trimmed with pale pink, Ellen, and put on those +ribbons on purpose to match it." "No, indeed," said Ellen, half hurt at +the suggestion. Mordaunt saw with what unusual care she was adorned, and +could not help being pleased at it. He was himself drest with particular +nicety, and was really as handsome and fine a figure as Ellen was +beautiful. The bonnets were tried on, and highly approved. Ellen, +indeed, was, if possible, improved by hers. The parcel for Powis +contained some handsome articles of plate likely to be useful to him; +and Mr. Ross's books, which were sent to the Parsonage, consisted of +Eschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles, uniformly and elegantly bound, and +of superior editions. Thus the taste of all parties seemed to have been +consulted, and every one of course was pleased with the kind attention. + + + + +CHAP. VI. + + To me be Nature's volume broad display'd; + And to peruse its all instructing page, + Or haply catching inspiration thence, + Some easy passage raptured to translate, + My sole delight. + + She lov'd: but such her guileless passion was, + As in the dawn of time, inform'd the heart + Of innocence and undissembling truth. + + THOMSON'S SEASONS. + + +From this time Mordaunt's visits at Llanwyllan Farm were constant, and +in spite of Mrs. Ross's expected reprehension, Ellen, though always +gentle, humble, and submissive, certainly did not execute all the +needlework planned for her to do; and, worse than that, Farmer Howel's +wife declared she had not above half the usual number of chickens to +carry to market for Ellen Powis that she used to have; and Mrs. Ross +requesting to taste the currant wine, made under her own direction, +found that it had latterly been managed so ill, that it would all become +vinegar. This was a grievous fault, and grievously did Ellen answer it, +for loud and sharp were Mrs. Ross's animadversions; and repeatedly did +she remind Joanna that she had prophesied all this. Joanna walked +sometimes with Ellen, and of course with Mordaunt, for they seemed +inseparable, but found their conversation frequently turning on things +beyond her comprehension, or interrupted by short dialogues, carried on +in a low voice, to which her presence seemed an interruption; yet no one +could say Mordaunt ever directed himself but with the most entire +respect towards Ellen, and politeness towards Joanna. Amongst other +wonders which Mordaunt shewed to Ellen, such as beautiful drawings, +trinkets for gentlemen, &c. and which were to her entirely new, was one +which excited in her, not only admiration, but delight. This was his own +miniature picture, beautifully painted, and a striking likeness. Ellen +had literally never seen a portrait, except some old faded family +pictures, which hung in the hall and staircase of her father's house, +and represented some of the former proprietors: but these dull miserable +daubs hardly conveyed to her an idea of the delightful art of portrait +painting; and when she saw this speaking and elegant resemblance of her +fascinating friend, she was so enchanted and enraptured, that Mordaunt, +contrary to his first intention, requested her to keep it; and she, +ignorant of its value, or the construction the world would have put on +her accepting the picture of a gentleman, as readily received it as she +had done two or three books and drawings he had given her; but different +were the sensations with which she looked at this, to her, most +desirable gift: it was the companion of her solitary hours, and, when +not actually before her eyes, was ever present to her imagination: and +when Mordaunt was absent, his picture was laid by her side; yet a sort +of intuitive feeling made her snatch it up, and conceal it when any one +approached. It is obvious how greatly this indulgence must have +increased those sentiments of tenderness which now so irresistibly +assailed her young and innocent heart. As the autumn advanced, and the +evenings grew longer, Joanna and Ellen were still left less together. +Mordaunt was understood to be continually at the Farm; and even the +unobserving farmers' wives began to conclude his attentions into love, +and to conclude the match between him and Ellen Powis determined on. A +slight cold gave Ellen a reason, or rather an excuse, for staying at +home, when at the end of a week Mrs. Ross determined to go herself to +the Farm and see how Ellen's work went on. In the road she met Powis, +and asking if his daughter were at home, he said, "Yes," and added, "I +don't think she is well; she has a cold, and looks pale. How is it you +and Joanna have not been to see her these two days?" "Nay," said Mrs. +Ross, "I have not seen her for nearly a week. Joanna called the other +day, but I fancy Ellen is better engaged than to want _our_ company." +"How do you mean," said Powis, looking surprized, "why is not Mr. +Mordaunt with her every day?" "Why yes, I believe so--part of every +day--but what need that hinder your coming? He says she is a clever +girl, and she is so anxious to learn what he calls geography, or +something like it, that they spend a good deal of their time at their +books and such like, and I can't but say I relish my newspaper twice as +well now Mr. Mordaunt and Ellen sometimes shew me whereabouts the armies +are, and have made me understand whereabouts France, and Spain, and +England, and so on are, upon the great maps he has brought to our +house." + +"'Tis all very well, neighbour Powis, all very well, if you like it: I +hope you will have no reason to repent it; but I am afraid, when your +shirts and stockings want mending, you will not like these new-fangled +ways quite so well." "Why, to be sure, if Ellen neglects her business, +that won't do at all; but I assure you she is very industrious, and +tells me she rises an hour the earlier every morning, to get through her +work, and have time to attend to her books." "Well, neighbour, as long +as you are satisfied, I do not wish to make mischief; but certainly Mr. +Ross never approved of her or Joanna's learning such things; if he had, +he could have instructed them, at least as well as Mr. Mordaunt." "Very +true; I did not think of that--well, we will talk to Ellen about it: you +will find her at home; I left her busy at work: do speak your mind to +her a little; I shall be guided by you and Mr. Ross in all things, +seeing you understand such matters better than I do." They then parted, +and Mrs. Ross a few minutes after arrived at the Farm; and on walking +into the usual sitting-room, instead of finding Ellen at work, she found +her surrounded with books and maps, and Mordaunt seated by her side, one +arm rested on the back of her chair, while the other was engaged in +tracing with the end of his pencil some lines on the map on which Ellen +was looking: she was too intently engaged to observe Mrs. Ross's +entrance, who stood suspended a moment, while she heard Mordaunt say, +"And here, Ellen, here is Northampton--this is the road to Aubyn Castle; +and just here----" "What here?" said Ellen, eagerly placing her finger +on the spot she supposed to be that on which Mordaunt's habitation +stood. "Is it here your house stands?" "Very near that precise spot," +replied Mordaunt, drawing her hand gently away, and retaining it in his +own, while his expressive eyes were fixed on her face: "very near it is +my residence; but it is so far from Llanwyllan, that I begin to detest +it, and to dread the thoughts of returning to it.--But what am I doing?" +said he, with a deep sigh: "Oh, Ellen, I dare not tell you all my +thoughts!" Ellen blushed, sighed, withdrew her hand, and accidentally +glancing her eyes upwards, saw Mrs. Ross standing in the door-way, with +astonishment, anger, and vexation, painted on her countenance. Ellen +started, half screamed, and rose so hastily, she almost overset the +table before her. "Bless me, Ma'am," she exclaimed, "I did not see +you--I did not know--" "No, I dare say not, Miss Ellen; you were a great +deal too much engaged to see or think of me: your servant, Sir. I beg I +may not keep you standing; at least _I_ shall sit down, for _I_ am not +going yet." + +This gentle hint was intended to tell Mordaunt that she meant to outstay +him; but she looked at Ellen with "eyes so full of anger," and Ellen +turned so pale, and looked so alarmed, that Mordaunt thought he would at +least give Mrs. Ross time to cool a little, before he left them +together. Ellen began, in much confusion, to gather the books and maps +together. "I am sorry to disturb you, but I did not expect," said Mrs. +Ross, "to find you engaged in this manner, at this time of day, whatever +you might chuse to do in an evening. I met your father, and he told me +you were busy at work, or in the dairy: but," added she, in a low voice, +"those things are not thought of _now_." "Indeed, Ma'am," said Ellen, +blushing, while the tears started in her eyes, at being so lectured +before Mordaunt, "indeed, I had just finished what I had to do in the +dairy to-day, and had begun the work you desired me to do, when Mr. +Mordaunt accidentally came in, and the maps we had been looking at last +night lying in the window, he was just shewing me--" "Oh, it is all +mighty well," interrupted Mrs. Ross; "I have no authority to interfere, +I am sure, and do not wish to be impertinent. Pray, Sir," added she, +turning to Mordaunt, "_do you stay much longer at Llanwyllan_?" "So," +thought Mordaunt, "my turn is coming next. I hope, Madam," added he, +smiling, "I shall not stay long enough to tire my friends." "Oh, I dare +say not, Sir; I dare say you are _pretty sure of that_." This coarse and +cruel hint covered Ellen with the deepest crimson; and Mordaunt, while +his face was scarlet, and his eyes sparkled with an indignation he with +difficulty repressed, said, in a lofty tone, "I have not, at least, +Madam, been accustomed to incur such a misfortune, and therefore flatter +myself I have now done nothing to deserve it." He rose with dignity, and +approaching Ellen, who sat almost motionless, he took her trembling +hand, bowed respectfully upon it, and said, "I shall do myself the +honour of attending your father and yourself, Miss Powis, in the +evening." Then slightly bowing to Mrs. Ross, he departed. "Good lack, +good lack," said Mrs. Ross, who, awed by his manner, had been silent a +moment, "what a dainty speech! The honour of attending Miss Powis! well, +what will this world come to! Why, Ellen, child, you are spoilt for a +farmer's wife, and will soon begin to fancy yourself a lady indeed." +Ellen, whose spirits were now totally subdued, wept bitterly, and said, +"I am sure, Madam, I do not know how I have deserved to be treated +thus." + +Softened by her distress, for with all her sharpness, Mrs. Ross loved +Ellen, and really had her welfare at heart, she began to relent, and +said more softly, "Why now, Ellen, child, hear me. Do you think it is +right or creditable for a young girl like you to be constantly receiving +the visits of such a man as Mr. Mordaunt? Tell me, Ellen, will he make +you his wife?" + +This was a question Ellen had never dared to ask herself. In the +beautiful language of Shakespeare, which Mordaunt had lately given her, +and with which she was so enchanted, she often allowed herself only +three hours sleep in a night, that she might find time to read, she had +often repeated to herself-- + + ---- It were all one, + That I should love a bright particular star, + And think to wed it: he is so above me; + In his bright radiance, and collateral light + Must I be comforted, not in his sphere. + +This question from Mrs. Ross, therefore, struck her heart with a pang of +unutterable anguish, and she felt almost dying, while she owned, that so +far from offering her his hand, Mordaunt had never spoken one word of +love to her. Mrs. Ross, however, was rather pleased at the latter part +of this confession, for she began to fear worse for the innocent and +guileless Ellen than the capture of her heart; that, she had no doubt, +might soon be retrieved when Mordaunt quitted the country, and Ellen +could have no farther acquaintance with him; but she had begun to fear +that his views were such as might involve Ellen in infamy, as well as +misfortune: these fears, however, she had feeling enough to conceal from +their object, and only dwelt upon the trouble she was preparing for +herself, by giving so much of her time and regard to a man who, it +evidently appeared, had no thoughts of her. In vain did Ellen murmur the +word "Friendship," and faintly protest neither Mordaunt nor herself had +the least idea of any thing beyond. Mrs. Ross, though her knowledge of +the world was not extensive, knew enough to be convinced of the fallacy +of such pretensions, and she ceased not till she drew from the dejected +Ellen a promise to see less of Mordaunt, and to regain, as speedily as +possible, her former mode of life. "And let me, Ellen, also, see you +looking blooming and merry again," said she. "I wish, with all my heart, +this man had never found his way to Llanwyllan: you used to be active, +industrious, and happy; not a care to distress you, not a trouble to +take away your colour; but now Charles would not know you again." +"Charles!" thought Ellen, while a strange feeling, not unmingled with +indignant comparison, swelled her heart, and gave a transient colour to +her cheek. "What is Charles to me? Why am I always to be teased about +him? They will teach me to hate, instead of loving him." "Well, Ellen, +may I suppose you will take my advice?" "Certainly, Ma'am," said Ellen, +with a deep sigh; "but," added she, hesitating, "you know, Ma'am, Mr. +Mordaunt said he would be here this evening. You would not wish me--it +would look very particular, very rude." "Never mind that. Come, you say +you have done all you had to do in the dairy, so put on your hat, take +your work, and come and dine with us like a good girl, as you used to +be; you can leave word you were obliged to go out, and the sooner you +let him see you are determined to avoid him the better." Ellen dared not +refuse; she hesitated some excuse about her father's dining alone, which +Mrs. Ross obviated by saying he would only run home, and take his +dinner, and out again, and would not want her. Waiting, therefore, while +poor Ellen put on her hat, and bathed her eyes, she dragged her away +with her, and kept her all day at the Parsonage. Nay, under pretence of +finishing their work, she would not suffer either Ellen or Joanna to +stir out, though the weather was beautiful. Late in the evening Mr. Ross +came in; he spoke with such particular kindness, and in so soothing a +tone to Ellen, that the tears, which she had with difficulty restrained +all day, ran down her cheeks, and she hastily rose, under pretence of +looking at the moon, and went to the open window: there leaning her head +over the window-seat, into which the jasmine crept, she hoped the +torrents of tears she was shedding might fall unobserved; but the good +Ross, who had followed her, and now stood at a small distance from her, +perceived, by her air and action, that she was weeping, though no one +else noticed it; for Ellen's was + + "Mute, silent sorrow, free from female noise, + Such as the majesty of grief destroys." + +He was distressed to see her sorrow, and gently approaching, he took her +hand, (while she, half starting, turned her head aside) and said, "My +dear Ellen, I lament to see you so dejected; assure yourself, we love +you as our own child, and would in all things consult your happiness. +But reflect, my dear, on the change a few short weeks have produced: +this man, this Mordaunt; nay, blush not, Ellen; for who can doubt it is +on his account you weep--I own him elegant in person, polished in +manners, + + "Complete in person and in mind, + With all good grace to grace a gentleman!" + +"But what has he been to you? A friend! No, Ellen; he found you +cheerful, contented with your lot, and happily engaged in the active +duties of your station. What has he done for you? He has inspired you +with views above the state where Providence has placed you. He has made +your former useful occupations, your former simple friends, insipid to +you; he has sought to give a degree of refinement to your taste, of +delicacy to your sentiments, of which I well know nature has made you +fully capable; but unless he means to transplant you to a soil where +these flowers may flourish, believe me, Ellen, he has done you no +kindness. He has only prepared for you years of anguish, of vain regret, +of useless discontent, which will for ever destroy not only the glow +upon your cheek, but the spring and elasticity of your mind. I will not +ask you what are his professions; I will only suppose, that if they are +serious, your father and your friends would not be strangers to them." + +Here Ellen sunk into a chair, and sobbed aloud. Mrs. Ross and Joanna, +seeing that Ross was talking to her, had stolen out of the room. "It +grieves me to distress you, my dear girl," said the benevolent Ross, and +his gentle voice became tremulous; "but, Ellen, let my experience +benefit you. There are characters in the world of which your innocent +nature can form no idea. I will not offend your delicacy, nor indeed my +own belief, by supposing, for an instant, that Mordaunt is one of those +villains who seek the seduction of innocence." + +Here Ellen started from her chair, her clasped hands, glowing cheeks, +and throbbing bosom, bespeaking an indignant agitation, which would not +be controlled. Ross, gently reseating her, said, "Ellen, I wrong not +you; I wrong not him, so much as to imagine such a possibility; but +there are men, who, though they lead not so decidedly to guilt, yet lead +as certainly to misery acute as aught but guilt can make it: and that +only for the gratification of a mean and sordid vanity, inconceivable by +such as have not witnessed its effects. I had once a sister, Ellen, fair +almost as yourself, as gentle, and as virtuous; possessed of a +sensibility that was at once her grace and her misfortune. In early +life, it fortuned that she met with one of those practised deceivers, +who united talents the most superior to manners the most enchanting. By +a long series of quiet and silent attentions, by studying her tastes, +devoting his time to her, he, without ever addressing to her a word of +love, led her, and all who knew her, to believe he was her lover, and +would be her husband. At last she was told that such was his usual +practice, when he met with any woman who was superior to those around +her; but she felt indignant at the accusation, and would not believe it +till that belief was forced upon her, by seeing him going over the same +ground with another. 'She pined in thought;' and a hectic complaint, to +which she was subject, gained fast upon her. A mutual friend came to an +explanation with him, while the mean wretch declared he had never made +any profession to her, and never even thought of marrying her; but that +the world would talk, and he wondered she did not despise it, as he did. +A few months terminated the existence of the injured creature. Sweet +Emily! thy gentle spirit fled to those regions where no deceit could +further betray thee. The wretch at last met his fate in a duel with the +brother of one whom he had sought to mislead, as he had done the +unfortunate Emily." Ross's voice here failed, and both were silent. +"Assure yourself, Ellen," at length resumed Ross, "I was not blind to +your talents, and your love of knowledge; and many have been my +struggles against the strong inclination I felt to become your +instructor. My own children had not, I easily saw, such minds as yours, +and I longed to cultivate your vigorous understanding. I resisted, +though the temptation was aided by the wish I felt to secure to myself a +future companion and assistant in the studies I best loved. Why, Ellen, +did I resist? What was the powerful motive which prevented my yielding +to such united inducements? It was a wish to secure your welfare and +your happiness, which I thought would be most certainly effected by +limiting your acquirements to something like an equality with those +amongst whom you seemed fated to live. I may have erred in judgment; and +since the bent of your inclination so determinately points towards the +acquisition of knowledge, I am willing to suppose that I have done so. I +will then, Ellen, be your tutor: we will, with Mrs. Ross's assistance, +so arrange your hours, that your new employments shall not interfere +with your domestic duties; and let me hope, my dear, that the same +strength of mind, which so eagerly leads you to literary pursuits, will +be manifested in conquering any sentiment too tender for your peace, +which may have been excited by one, who, I fear, has merely had in view +his own gratification. Should I wrong him--should he hereafter prove +that he feels a sincere affection for you, and seeks your happiness, +great will be my joy: no selfish or personal consideration shall +influence my wishes on this subject. I had hoped that Charles might have +been happy with the object of his first affections; but that I see is +not _at present_ likely: fear, therefore, no persecution on that +subject, either from me, or his mother and sister." + +Ross was silent; and Ellen, who had hitherto remained so from the +mingled feelings of pride, regret, and tenderness, which swelled her +heart, now fearing to seem sullen, faintly articulated, "You are very +good and kind: I will be all I can--all, if possible, you wish me to +be." + +Ross, seeing the variety of emotions she had that day undergone had +quite exhausted her, advised her to retire to bed, saying she had better +sleep there, and in the morning they would talk a little further on her +future plans. Ellen, however unwillingly, how much soever her rebellious +heart longed to return home, in the hope of seeing Mordaunt if but for a +minute, yet felt that Ross had acted so kindly and so wisely, that his +reasoning was so founded on truth, that she determined "in all her best +to obey him." She retired therefore to the chamber she and Joanna had so +often occupied, when no care disturbed their repose, when "sleep sat +upon her eyes, peace in her breast." But ah! how changed! Exhausted, +wan, and spiritless; her eyes heavy with weeping; her heart agitated +with a thousand contending reflections, Ellen long vainly sought repose. +Joanna was unusually kind and affectionate--she said little; and all she +said was tender and endearing. Ellen felt truly grateful for this +goodness, and found her love for her early friend revive, now the +roughness which abated it was once more laid aside. At length, +thoroughly wearied with the occurrences of the day, "tired Nature's kind +restorer--balmy sleep," came to her aid, "and steeped her senses in +forgetfulness." + + + + +CHAP. VII. + + Grief was heavy at her heart, + And tears began to flow! + Soft as the dew from heaven descends, + His gentle accents fell. + + GOLDSMITH'S HERMIT. + + +In the morning Mrs. Ross and Joanna left Mr. Ross and Ellen together for +a few minutes: he drew his chair close to hers, and said, "Do not think, +Ellen, I wish to tease or distress you; but tell me, will it not be +better that you remain our guest for the present? You cannot, when left +alone at Llanwyllan, refuse to admit Mr. Mordaunt without a +particularity which it is on all accounts better to avoid: but here, +even if he comes, you may see him with propriety; and when he finds no +opportunity of entertaining you alone, he will probably cease to visit +us, and perhaps leave Llanwyllan altogether." His mild expressive eyes +glanced over Ellen's countenance: he saw her shrink and tremble at the +painful idea he had excited; and while her every feature expressed the +most exquisite anguish, the good man gently sighed, and removing his +eyes from her face, endeavoured to conceal his knowledge of her +distress. As he seemed to wait her answer, Ellen made a strong effort, +and said, "The plan you propose, Sir, is undoubtedly the best: if you +will be troubled with me, I will remain as long as you please." This +matter settled, Ross undertook to reconcile Powis to spare Ellen for a +short time; and reading her apprehensions in her countenance, said +softly, "Fear not: I will give him sufficient reasons, without exciting +his displeasure, or even his suspicion of our real motive." Ross +accordingly went to the Farm, and meeting with Powis in one of the +fields near the house, he told him that Ellen was not quite well, though +better than she had been the night before, and therefore his wife wished +to detain her a few days at the Parsonage to remove her cold, and would +herself visit the Farm for an hour or two, to settle the concerns of the +dairy, poultry-yard, &c. &c. and that they should be very glad to see +him in the evening, or at any of their meals, when he could make it +convenient. These little arrangements between the two families had till +very lately been so frequent, that Powis felt not the least surprize, +though he owned he was sorry Ellen had not come home the night before, +as Mr. Mordaunt had seemed rather hurt about it; "And he has been so +very civil and kind, you know, neighbour Ross, that one would not wish +to affront him." So perfectly unsuspicious was this good man, that not a +thought crossed his mind of the possible intention of Mordaunt's visits; +and secure in Ellen's fancied affection for Charles Ross, he never +dreamt of her thinking of any other man. Ross silently acquiesced in +what he said, and then went into the house to deliver some directions to +the servant, and which, he said, Mrs. Ross should go herself in the +course of the day to see executed. In the common sitting-room Ross found +the maps and books at which Mordaunt and Ellen had been looking the +preceding day (his wife had told him the circumstances of her visit): he +was rather surprized at the neatness and even elegance of their binding, +though merely what might be called school-books in geography and +grammar, and found that the maps were excellent and expensive. On the +window lay a beautifully bound volume or two of Shakespeare, Thomson's +Seasons, marked and underlined at the description of Lavinia, Cowper's +Poems, and two or three others; in all of which was written, "Ellen +Powis, the gift of her friend Constantine." And in two or three were +short passages in Italian and French, written in a small hand with a +pencil, expressive of admiration and regard, and evidently applied to +Ellen. From one of them dropt the following + +STANZAS TO THE MOON. + + Oh, thou bright moon! whose beams, however fair, + So lately my sad eyes unheeding saw; + Whose soothing light from its unceasing care, + My heavy soul so vainly strove to draw; + I bid thee witness now, that pale despair, + Her comfortless dominion o'er my mind, + Reluctant yields, and hope begins to share, + The empire of my soul, with visions kind! + + With soften'd feelings on thy beams I gaze, + And their mild influence stealing on my heart, + Enchanting visions in my bosom raise, + Sweet friendship comes her blessings to impart: + In Ellen's form she comes! Oh, fairest form! + Oh, sweetest voice, that from the grief-worn soul + E'er stole its cares, e'er bade the beating storm + Of sorrow cease, and could each woe controul! + +Several erasures and interlineations proved this to be an original, and +probably an unfinished performance. + +Ross saw in all this new reason to be alarmed: he no longer wondered at +the progress this insinuating man had made in the affections of Ellen, +and most earnestly did he wish that Mordaunt had never seen her, or had +selected her for his wife. Yet even in that case there was something to +consider: they knew nothing of Mordaunt but what he had told them. There +was certainly something equivocal in the total retirement of such a man +from the world: he might have been driven from it rather by his vices +than by his misfortunes: yet there was in the appearance and manners of +Mordaunt, an uprightness, a loftiness of carriage, that looked not like +that of a man debased and bowed down by guilt. While Ross thus +meditated, Mordaunt suddenly came in--his eyes sparkling, and his cheeks +glowing: for hearing some one moving in the parlour, and having seen +Powis in the fields at a distance, he concluded it could be no one but +Ellen: his impatient step, extended hand, and pleased countenance, at +once explained to Ross what his expectation had been. On seeing him, +Mordaunt half started back, exclaiming, "I thought----" Then recovering +himself, he again advanced, and offering his hand to Mr. Ross, said with +much cordiality, "My dear Sir, I am glad to see you: it is sometime +since we met." There was a charm in the voice and manner of Mordaunt +that few could withstand, however unkindly disposed towards him. Ross, +who had from the first felt pleased with him, although he now on Ellen's +account was angry, yet could not prevail on himself to appear +displeased; yet there was a coolness in his expression that was visible +enough to so acute an observer as Mordaunt. Whatever was his motive, +however, he chose not to notice it, but continued to speak with +frankness and vivacity, inquiring for Mrs. Ross and Joanna. At last, +glancing his eyes round the room, he said, "Are you alone this morning, +my good Sir? Miss Powis, I learnt, slept at your house last night: I +hope she is not ill?" Through all the assumed composure of his look, and +affected indifference of his tone, Ross plainly saw that Mordaunt made +this inquiry with real anxiety; but of the true motive of that anxiety +he was extremely doubtful. He replied somewhat coldly, "Ellen is +certainly not quite well, and Mrs. Ross thinks her _safest_ under her +own _care at present_." This speech, which might to a guilty conscience +have conveyed "more than met the ear," seemed to be literally +interpreted by Mordaunt; and thrown off his guard, he evinced great +agitation, while he exclaimed, "Safest! Good God! You do not surely +apprehend any danger in her complaints?" "Not exactly that," said Ross +(not displeased at his warmth), "but she has a bad cold; and Mrs. Ross +has a high opinion of her own skill as a nurse: we shall therefore keep +Ellen with us for a few days at least. If she should then not be better, +I shall advise her father to let her change the air." + +This suggestion seemed to complete the dismay of Mordaunt: he trembled, +and turned pale. Ross, bowing, wished him "good morning," and walked +away. Mordaunt, after a moment's recollection, followed him hastily, and +as they walked, endeavoured to enter into a more general conversation, +apparently in the hope that he was going home, and that by going with +him, he might see Ellen: but Ross was going to visit a sick parishioner +at some distance. Mordaunt was therefore obliged to take leave of him at +the door of his own lodgings: he ventured to say, as they parted, "I +shall take an early opportunity of inquiring for my friends at the +Parsonage, Mr. Ross." In answer to which Ross bowed, and said, but not +very cordially, he should be glad to see him. + +"And must I bear all this!" said Mordaunt, as they parted: "to what have +I reduced myself? Yet this, and more, sweet Ellen, will I bear for thee! +Yet to what purpose? Can I, dare I, link thee to such a fate as mine may +be? Yet can I leave thee, or bear to be so near, and not to see thee? To +be forbidden, at least by looks forbidden to approach thee: to encounter +the angry glances of a narrow-minded woman, and even by her benevolent +husband to be received with coldness almost bordering on contempt? Yes, +Ellen, I will bear it all! Would to heaven they would have left us to +ourselves, till time--till the full conviction of her affection--they +need not have feared." Thus in broken sentences murmured Mordaunt, as he +strode impatiently across his narrow apartment, and determined nothing +should prevent him from seeing Ellen, and ascertaining whether Ross's +fears for her health were not merely a pretence for separating them. + +The whole day passed heavily with Ellen, yet Mrs. Ross and Joanna were +unusually kind to her: no hinted doubt, no implied accusation of herself +and Mordaunt met her ear; but her heart was ill at ease, and her forced +employments irksome. She longed to lie in her own quiet parlour, where, +if Mordaunt might not come, at least she might think of him without +restraint. Ross returned to dinner: he took no notice of Ellen's +dejection, nor mentioned having met with Mordaunt; but told her he had +seen her father, who was quite satisfied she should stay with them +awhile, and try to recover her health, and that he thought it probable +they should see him in the evening. As the afternoon was remarkably +clear, and not too warm (for the autumn was by this time far advanced), +he invited the girls to walk with him, instead of resuming their work, +to which Mrs. Ross gave her consent without a murmur, only begging they +would not walk too far, as she thought Ellen not strong enough to bear +much fatigue. To this they agreed, and Ellen found the calm soft air +revive her. Ross led the conversation to the wonders of nature: he +explained in familiar terms the structure of some flowers he gathered, +and made them admire the wisdom of that Being, who had formed those +blossoms so exquisitely fair. Thence he descanted on the nature and +properties of some rare plants, and was on all so eloquent and so +instructive, that Ellen felt her heart expand more lightly, and some +degree of pleasure take possession of her mind. "But ah!" thought she, +"why is not Mordaunt partaker of this sweet conversation? Why are two +men, so well fitted to gratify and delight each other, thus to be +estranged? Surely, Mr. Ross does not properly appreciate either the +qualities of Mordaunt's mind, or the excellence of his heart and +principles. Had he heard from him the sentiments which have charmed +me--did he know the delicacy of his taste, and his abhorrence of every +thing mean and base, he could not suppose him the wretch he last night +described." Yet Ellen was so candid and unprejudiced, she could allow +great reason in many of Ross's suggestions; and her high opinion of his +judgment, and the general liberality with which it was exercised, filled +her heart with uneasy fears. + +They had been a few minutes returned to the house, and were just sitting +down to their simple supper, when Powis came in; and hastening to meet +Ellen, whom he had not seen for nearly two days, he tenderly kissed her. +She loved her father most affectionately, and had met him so eagerly, +that she did not for the instant perceive Mordaunt, who had followed him +into the room, and advanced towards her. She was startled; and fearing +what reception her friends would give him, she turned pale, and +trembled, which her father perceiving, said, "Why, Ellen, it is only Mr. +Mordaunt: you are not frightened at him, are you? Why, you have not seen +him these two or three days, he tells me. Come, shake hands with him, +and tell him you are glad to see him." Not for worlds could Ellen have +articulated one word; but Mordaunt, taking advantage of her father's +friendly commands, took the hand she could not--dared not offer; and +pressing it vehemently between his own, said in a low voice, "No, Ellen, +do not _say_ you are _glad_ to see me: the formal coldness of such an +expression from you would be worse to me than that averted look which +leads me to believe, at least to fear, the sight of me is far from +pleasing to you." + +A vivid blush spread over her countenance, and she suddenly lifted her +eyes to him with an expression of reproachful yet gentle timid +affection, that at once explained to him all that her heart was filled +with. Joy, delight, and an expression of the most tender love and +admiration, took possession of Mordaunt's fine features: he seemed +transfixed, and stood gazing on her, still holding her hand, as if he +had no longer power over his own actions. "Why, how you stand," said +honest Powis, laughing, "staring at one another as if you had never met +before! Come, neighbour Ross, I am come to eat a bit of your cold meat: +I have been in the fields all the evening, and made but a short dinner, +Ellen not being at home. Come, let us sit down, and begin supper." + +Nothing could equal the awkwardness of Mordaunt's situation: he felt +himself an intruder, yet could not tear himself away. Ross, his wife, +and Joanna, had indeed all spoken to him with civility; but there was +something in their manner which fully convinced him he was no welcome +guest; and though Ellen looked somewhat pale, yet he saw in her no sign +of such a state of health as should make her residence with Mrs. Ross +necessary. Relieved by this conviction (for he had really been alarmed +for her), he yet felt mortified in perceiving that she was kept there on +purpose to avoid his visits. At length, a little recovering himself, he +relinquished her hand, and said, "Pray let me be no interruption: I am +going instantly: I merely called to inquire how Miss Powis was this +evening, and am happy to find her not so ill as I feared." He now bowed, +and was retiring, when Ross, ashamed of appearing so inhospitable, +pressed him to sit down with them; and Joanna (pitying Ellen's +confusion, who was quite distressed at her father's apparent surprize at +the coolness--to him unaccountable--of Mordaunt's reception), said with +great good-nature, "Here's a chair, Mr. Mordaunt; and as you never eat +any thing but fruit at night, see what fine peaches and grapes we have." + +Mordaunt, charmed by the kind invitation, and by seeing the chair +mentioned was placed between herself and Ellen, could not resist the +temptation: he sat down, and vainly endeavoured to behave as he used to +do: but there was a visible restraint over the whole party, except +Powis; and though Ross attempted several times to keep up something like +conversation, it soon languished, and every one seemed weary and +uneasy--the mind of each was pre-occupied; and what either said, +appeared to be far from the thing they were thinking of. Once or twice +Mordaunt spoke in a low voice to Ellen; but she, awed by the presence of +Mr. and Mrs. Ross, answered only in the briefest way possible, and +rarely lifted her eyes from the table. He asked her at last if she +should be at home to-morrow. She replied in the negative. "Nor the next +day?" "I believe not." "Good God! and how long is this to last?" "I do +not know: Mrs. Ross thinks I shall be better here for awhile." "And do +you never walk?" "Yes: we walked this evening with Mr. Ross." + +Mordaunt saw that every thing possible was done to prevent their +meeting, and that he must come to some decision speedily. Of Ellen's +love, he could no longer doubt: his own for her he had for some time +felt to be that overwhelming sentiment, which must finally conquer all +opposing circumstances; but there were such in his fate as ought (at +least he thought so) to have prevented him from linking hers with it; +yet he had insensibly been so led on, he saw there was no retreating, +and determined shortly to come to an explanation with Ross and her +father, though much he wished a further time had been allowed. These +reflexions, which in spite of himself and the habit of self-command he +had so hardly acquired, sank him into silence; and at length, Powis, +tired of the gloom and heaviness which seemed hung over the whole party, +so different from what their little suppers used to be, told them he +thought they were all very stupid, and he would go home and go to bed. +Then shaking Ross by the hand, he went round the table to Ellen, kissed +her, and wished her good night, telling her to get quite well as fast as +possible, for he wanted her at home. Mordaunt bade them good night at +the same time, and went away with Powis. + + + + +CHAP. VIII. + + "Are then the sons of interest only wise? + Can pomp alone essential good impart? + Mistaken world; ah! why thus vainly prize + Those gifts which but contract the human heart? + + "Why only _folly_ that fond passion call, + Which Heaven itself implanted in the mind; + Links each to each, and, harmonizing all, + Swells the rapt heart with sympathy refin'd." + + +The reflections of a long and sleepless night determined Mordaunt on the +line of conduct he ought to pursue; and as soon as he thought the early +breakfast at the Parsonage would be ended, he walked thither, and asking +for Mr. Ross, was shewn into the little study, which that good man +called exclusively his own. Yet here, in the very last place where he +would have expected to find her, to his utter astonishment he saw Ellen. +Ellen alone--seated at a table covered with books, from one of which she +appeared learning something, or rather to have been so employed, for at +the moment he entered her thoughts had wandered; and she was sitting, +one fair hand holding the open book, the other covering her eyes. +Supposing the person who entered to be Mr. Ross, who had that day +commenced the office of her tutor, she looked up; but seeing Mordaunt, +the book fell from her hand, and she vainly endeavoured to rise from her +seat--a ceremony not yet exploded by the unfashionable inhabitants of +Llanwyllan. Mordaunt sprang eagerly forward, exclaiming, "Here Ellen! +Good Heavens! could I have hoped to see you here! At last then we meet +again, without the irksome restraint of surrounding witnesses, of almost +hostile eyes! Fear not, dearest, for ever dearest Ellen." Seeing she +looked half alarmed at his unusual warmth, for in general his manner +towards her was, though tender, composed,--"fear not: never may word nor +look of mine give you reasonable cause of alarm or vexation. Worlds +would I give for one hour's uninterrupted conversation with you--but now +another moment may prevent my saying more. Tell me then, sweetest girl, +may I, will you permit me to apply to Mr. Ross for his interest with +you, and with your father, till I can hope that my assiduities, if not +my merit, may have excited in you a tenderer sentiment than mere +esteem?" + +Bewildered--perplexed--hardly knowing or understanding what she heard, +or believing that Mordaunt could be in earnest in what she could not but +suppose a declaration of his love, Ellen gasped, trembled, and half +fainted in his supporting arms. + +At this moment Ross entered, and seeing this extraordinary scene, gazed +with surprize, almost with dismay, upon them. "I was told," said he, +gravely advancing, "that Mr. Mordaunt wished to speak to _me_. What is +the matter Ellen? are you ill?" "Forgive my vehemence, dear Ellen," said +Mordaunt. "I have startled your tender spirits by my impatience: permit +me to conduct you to your friends; or shall Mr. Ross and I retire +together?" + +The particular tenderness of this address, and this almost open avowal +of the interest he took in her, still more and more surprized Ross. +Ellen rose, and with difficulty supporting herself, murmured she would +go to Mrs. Ross--"Do so," said Ross; "but let _me_ assist you.--Mr. +Mordaunt, be seated; I will return to you immediately."--Without +speaking more to her, he took her arm in his, and having seated her in +the parlour, (where fortunately Joanna was alone), he told her to +compose herself, and returned to a visitor whom every hour made him +think more perplexing and extraordinary. Mordaunt extended his hand, and +grasping Ross's within it, said, with noble frankness, "You have been, +my dear Sir,--perhaps still are displeased with me: but the time is come +when the mysteries which surround me shall be cleared away. If you will +grant me your attention for an hour I will relate to you some +circumstances upon which I must at present beg you to be silent; but to +the truth of all which I pledge myself by every asseveration which can +bind the man of principle and honour." + +They were seated, and Mordaunt related to Ross many events, and +disclosed many secrets, which we shall for the present take leave to +pass over. Having finished the astonishing recital, he said, "And now, +my dear Sir, having heard all I know of myself, and all I may hereafter +fear, will you candidly tell me whether I may hope not only for your +consent, but for your good wishes that I may marry Ellen Powis? May I, +do you think, venture to make her mine, when perhaps a few months may +involve me in so much vexation if not disgrace? And do you think I may +hope such a share of affection from her as will reconcile her to future +events, of whatever nature they may be?"--"I see," said Ross, "that my +cautious fears for her peace have a little precipitated your measures. +It might have been better, perhaps, to let things go on quietly till the +return of that young man you have mentioned to me from abroad might have +explained his future intentions: perhaps his opinions may have altered +during his absence: be that as it may, if you were now to leave +Llanwyllan without coming to a farther explanation with Ellen, I fear +her peace would be too deeply endangered; for though I would +scrupulously guard her delicacy, and leave the declaration of her +sentiments to her own lips, yet it would be idle to deny my conviction +that she has seen her _friend Mordaunt_ with what I believe I must call +_preference_. Is not that the proper word, think you, Sir?" He smiled, +and added such kind professions of regard for Mordaunt, and expressed so +much delight at his truly disinterested love for Ellen, as left our +traveller nothing to wish from him. + +It was determined that not even Ellen should know at present the +circumstances Mordaunt had revealed to Ross. "If she knows them," said +Mordaunt, "she will think duty calls upon her to impart at least some of +them to her father, and we are sure our worthy friend Powis will make no +secret of them; you cannot doubt, Mr. Ross, how greatly it would annoy +me to have them known while we remain at Llanwyllan; when we are gone, +the leading circumstances will not remain a secret long, for I hope for +your kind interest with Ellen and her father, that I may take her with +me ere long, before winter has rendered travelling over your 'staircase +roads,' as some one expresses it, unpleasant, if not unsafe. I am +perhaps presuming too far, but I think, I hope, from Ellen's gentle +tremor and not repugnant looks, when just now I was hurried into +something very like a declaration of my love, though I came purposely to +consult you before I made it, that she will not be inexorable." "I +think," replied Ross, "I may venture to assure you she will not even +affect a hesitation which her heart disclaims. Ellen has been brought up +in the most perfect modesty, but at the same time in the most perfect +sincerity, and it is really out of her power to conceal her sentiments; +and to me, who have known her from her infancy, they are as obvious as +if her heart was open to my view; but I will not say more," said he, +with a benevolent smile.--"I ought not to betray my darling little +pupil: by the bye," added he, turning to the books, &c. "my office of +schoolmaster will, I suppose, soon be taken from me; I might as well not +have attempted to take it out of your hands." Mordaunt laughed, and +asked Ross if he might not request to see Ellen then. "You may easily +imagine my anxiety," added he. "Why," said Ross, "there is something so +formidable in sending for the poor little girl, and seating her formally +to hear what you undoubtedly are impatient to say, that if you can allow +her a little time to compose herself, after the flurry she has had this +morning already, I really think it will be better. Will you partake of +our humble dinner to-day--can you eat at our unfashionable early hour? +for the good people here, amongst other things, are amazed at your usual +hours; if you can, pray favour me; and after dinner I will so far relax +my late vigilance, as to permit you to speak to Ellen apart for ten +minutes: will that be long enough?" "Not quite," said Mordaunt, half +laughing; "but how shall we manage with Mrs. Ross, who, I believe, holds +me in very serious aversion, and with Joanna, who will, I know, have her +mother's commands not to stir from Ellen?" "How well you have read us +all," said Ross, laughing in his turn: "but trust to me: I will remove +all these formidable obstacles--yet do not fancy my good woman has any +dislike to you; whatever displeasure she has shewn originated in her +vexation at seeing your influence had deranged the plans she thought +best for Ellen to pursue, and endangered, as we feared, her happiness; +for though she may not shew it exactly according to the manner a more +enlightened mind might chuse, assure yourself Mrs. Ross loves Ellen with +the affection of a mother." "I doubt it not," replied Mordaunt with +vivacity: "who can see and not love that exquisite creature?--what a +person--what a mind she has! You may believe, after all I have told you, +that 'for several virtues have I liked several women.' I may go on and +add, that 'she, so perfectly and so peerless, was created of every +creature's best.'" + +"Indeed," said Ross, "I have ever highly appreciated Ellen, but I +believe not highly enough, for I never thought of her making a conquest +so important: the little gipsy is not aware of the power of her charms." +"Ah," said Mordaunt, shrinking, "do not lead my thoughts that way, do +not let me suppose, if she knew them better, my success with her might +be less to be hoped; that when the world shall have taught her to +estimate them more highly--" "Ah, beware of jealousy," said Ross. "Name +not the horrid word," cried Mordaunt, with some emotion; "too much +reason have I to know its misery; but with your virtuous, with your +pious Ellen, I shall surely be secure." "Doubt it not," replied Ross, +gravely; "if ever human being might be relied on for truth, for +sincerity, for singleness of heart, that being is Ellen Powis; yet the +world is a dangerous school, and you, I hope, will watch with unceasing +care over your inexperienced pupil, whose very virtues may betray her, +if not into error, into the appearance of it." + +A few more words passed between them, and then Mordaunt retired to dress +for dinner, a custom from which he never departed even in this retired +spot. + +During this long conference, poor Mrs. Ross had been in a complete +fidget (to use her own word) to know its subject: her curiosity had long +since reached its highest point, and she repeated almost incessantly to +Ellen and Joanna, who sat at work beside her,--"Well, what in the whole +world can Mr. Mordaunt have to say to Mr. Ross--well, what can they be +talking of all this time? Dear, I hope they won't quarrel." "Quarrel!" +repeated Joanna, while Ellen's work dropt from her fingers, and she +looked amazed and terrified: "quarrel! my dear mother, what should they +quarrel about? Besides, did you ever know my father quarrel with +anybody?" "No: true enough, he has a very fine temper; but then, _that_ +Mr. Mordaunt seems so hasty, and sometimes looks so strangely, +that--besides, I thought he seemed quite angry when we went away last +night." She then opened the parlour door, which was exactly opposite to +that of the study, and stood a minute as if to catch the sound of their +voices. + +"Well, I declare they are talking still, but not loud: bless me! I +actually heard one of them laugh." "So much the better, mamma," said +Joanna; "I always like to hear people laugh; it shews there is no +mischief going on." "Not at all, not at all, Joanna," said Mrs. Ross, +whose irritated curiosity disposed her to contradiction. "I am sure I +have often thought, when I have heard you two girls chattering and +laughing, that you were planning some mischief." "Well, mamma, I am sure +we never executed it, for you know we were always the best girls in the +world." "Pretty well, pretty well sometimes," replied Mrs. Ross, half +smiling in the midst of her bustle. + +At length the study door opened, and Mordaunt was seen to pass through +the little garden before the house, to which Ross attended him: they +shook hands at parting. "You see, mamma, they have not quarrelled," said +Joanna; "so far from it, I have a great notion they are better pleased +with each other than they have been lately;" and she glanced slily at +Ellen, for Joanna had little doubt what subject had employed, at least, +part of the time they had been together. + +As soon as Mordaunt was gone, Ross came into the parlour, and +said,--"What have we for dinner to-day, my dear?" "Well, Mr. Ross, I +don't think I ever heard you ask before in all my life." "Possibly not, +my dear; but I wish to know, because Mr. Mordaunt dines with us." "Mr. +Mordaunt!" repeated Mrs. Ross: "well, of all things, that is the last I +should have expected. Why, _now_ I am surprized indeed:--then we have +such an odd dinner to-day;--nothing but----" "Never mind, my dear, never +mind, you can easily make a little alteration: come with me, and I will +tell you more; in the meantime, girls, go and make yourselves very +smart. Mr. Mordaunt is only gone home to dress, and will be here again +soon; of course, as he is so nice in his own appearance, he will expect +to find you lasses dressed to receive him." "Dear Mr. Ross," said the +good woman, staring at him, "I do not know you to-day! What in the world +is come to you? First you inquire about dinner, and then you tell the +girls to go and dress themselves; two things which I never knew you take +the slightest concern in before." + +Ross laughed and took her away, and Joanna, looking smilingly at Ellen, +said--"Are you quite as much at a loss to understand all this as my +mother, Ellen? Come, do exert yourself a little, and perhaps by and bye, +with Mordaunt's assistance, you may find out the meaning of some of +these extraordinary things." Ellen half laughed, and blushing, told her +she was very teasing; but the pleasure which shone in her eyes evinced +she was tolerably sure the cause of these new appearances, when +explained, would not be disagreeable. Mrs. Ross came in again with a +face of wonder, and saying only--"Lord bless me! well,--what strange +things have come to pass!--come, Ellen, child, make haste and dress +yourself as nicely as possible--come, Joanna, I want you--there are +fifty things to do," took Joanna away. Ross joined Ellen, who was +hastily putting up her work, impatient to escape to her own room, and +reflect in quiet; and taking her hand with paternal tenderness, while +his fine countenance was radiant with benevolent joy, said:-- + +"Compose yourself, my dear child; abate as much as possible this evident +emotion; for though with pleasure I tell you every wish of your heart is +likely to be fulfilled, nay in some respects perhaps exceeded, yet I +would have you receive Mr. Mordaunt's declaration, of what I believe to +be the sincerest regard, with something of composure, nay, even of +dignity: for though, my dear girl, your station in life may, and does +render you his inferior, yet, with your mind and person, he ought to +think the affection of a heart so guileless no mean acquisition. Go, my +dear, to your room, and tranquillize the too visible agitation of your +spirits." + +Ellen affectionately kissed the kind hand which held her own, and +silently retired. + + + + +CHAP. IX. + + ----The sun goes down; + Far off his light is on the naked crags + Of Penmanmawr and Arvon's ancient hills; + And the last glory lingers yet awhile, + Crowning old Snowdon's venerable head, + That rose amid his mountains---- + ----Where Mona the dark island stretch'd + Her shore along the ocean's lighter line. + + SOUTHEY'S MADOR. + + +Pass we over the succeeding interview between Mordaunt and Ellen--its +general style may be easily imagined; and the particulars of scenes like +that seldom give pleasure, unless to those whom they immediately +concern. It will be needless to specify that Ellen modestly, though +frankly, confessed the influence he had obtained over her affections, +and consented to be his wife: one, only one, painful objection arose in +her mind--the probable distance she must be removed from her father, and +the doubtfulness of her seeing him again, at least for years. These +objections Mordaunt did his best to obviate, by reminding her that Powis +was yet in a green old age, and would be well able to visit them; and +that he would engage to revisit Llanwyllan with her, in the course of a +year or two. Here, however, Mordaunt sighed deeply, and his countenance +assumed that inexplicable gloom, with which reflexions on the past, or +anticipations of the future, seemed always to inspire him: recovering +himself a little, he added, "Remember, however, Ellen, this promise must +be in some measure conditional. There are circumstances in my situation, +which I have explained to Mr. Ross, which may affect my honour--almost +strike at my life. Say, Ellen, can you willingly encounter those storms +of adverse fate, which may assail, and, perhaps, make me an exile from +my native country for ever? Can you give me so much of your confidence +as to believe, whatever appearances may be, I am innocent?" + +"Your words are full of mystery," said Ellen, in a faltering tone; "yet +my heart is so fully convinced of your honour and veracity, that I can +venture to promise no appearances shall ever shake my confidence in +either--and if Mr. Ross knows those circumstances to which you allude, +and yet is willing to join our hands, I have the best security that my +heart has not misled my judgment." + +"Admirable creature!" exclaimed Mordaunt: "how, in this sequestered +situation, have you learnt so to temper the warmth of that innocent +heart by the nicest rules of modesty and discrimination? How good you +are, not to insist on my explaining all these mysteries!--Believe me, +Ellen, I only postpone it in order to avoid as much as possible giving +you pain. Perhaps, before any explanation becomes necessary, the clouds +which have so long hovered over me may be dispersed. There is a clue, +which (if the united efforts of myself and of the best of friends can +attain it) will yet be found, that will unravel all that makes against +me; and all will then be well." Here, for the present, the matter +rested; and though to suppose Ellen void of curiosity would be to +suppose her stupid, yet so entire was the confidence which she felt in +Mordaunt's affection, and Ross's judgment, that she was perfectly +satisfied to rest implicitly on them. + +Mordaunt the next day made his application for Powis's consent to his +marrying Ellen. His surprize at the proposal was such as evidently +shewed it had never entered his imagination. After expressing his +astonishment, he hesitated, and then replied: "Why, look ye, Mr. +Mordaunt, you appear to be a gentleman, and I dare say have a good +income. I can give Ellen a few hundreds now, and a few at my death; and +I only want to be sure that you can maintain her in some sort of +comfort.--You must tell me a little more of your situation in life; and +though I like you very well, I should be glad to know from somebody who +knows you what sort of a character you bear. Now don't be angry--I am a +plain spoken man, and no more suspicious than another: but when you come +and ask me for my only child, and to take her away, God knows where, +into strange parts, I had need know whether you are likely to be kind to +her." + +Mordaunt seemed a little confused at this harangue; but replied: "You +are very right, my good friend; I have already explained myself, my +situation in life, and all circumstances, to Mr. Ross, who is of opinion +I may marry your daughter, without doing her any injury in point of +fortune--for your farther satisfaction, however, I refer you to the Rev. +Doctor Montague, domestic chaplain to the Earl of St. Aubyn, at St. +Aubyn Castle, Northamptonshire--his Lordship is at present not in +England. That gentleman will give you every necessary detail respecting +me; and should his account be satisfactory, I may then hope all +obstacles are removed." + +"You speak very handsomely, and like a gentleman, as I doubt not you +are: but you will excuse my being a little anxious about my +child--truth, to say, I do not like the notion of her going so far from +me; but if she likes you (and I suppose you are pretty well agreed, or +you would not come to me), I will never let my own comfort hinder her +happiness; yet I tell you honestly, I had rather she had married Charles +Ross, as I thought likely." At these words Mordaunt's countenance was +overcast: he feared there had been some attachment between the young +people; and such was the delicacy of his sentiments, that had he been +certain of it, all his love for Ellen, passionate as it certainly was, +would not have induced him to marry her; on this head, therefore, he was +determined to be satisfied. He wrote Doctor Montague's address for +Powis, and then went directly to the Parsonage, where Ellen still +remained. He found her alone; and though he looked delighted to see her, +she yet fancied she saw a little alteration in his manner, which +disturbed her. He told her he had seen her father, and a part of what +passed, omitting the mention of money concerns, which he thought would +distress her. + +When he was silent, she said: "Tell me, Mr. Mordaunt, am I mistaken in +supposing you out of spirits to-day? I fear my father's rough manner has +vexed you."--"No, Ellen, not that." "Then there is something, I am +sure." "And do you already know me so well?" said Mordaunt. "I am +ashamed to confess how unreasonable I am when you are so good and so +confiding: but it is true--your father dropt a hint which alarmed me. He +spoke of Charles Ross in terms that--forgive me, Ellen--that led me to +fear, whatever might now be the case, he had not always been indifferent +to you." + +Ellen blushed a little, and said, with a calm smile, "It is certainly +true, that Charles Ross professed a great attachment to me; and I +believe his friends and my father earnestly wished we should at some +time or other be married. Joanna, in particular, was very anxious, and +has within a few months been quite uneasy on this subject, and indeed +made me so too--for it was impossible----" She paused: then added, "I +certainly felt the regard of a sister for Charles, but never more. If I +had not--if you had never----" She hesitated, blushed, and said, with +some warmth, "I never could have loved him enough to marry him." + +Charmed, and with every suspicion laid at rest by this frank avowal, +Mordaunt now was truly happy--for, till now, though hardly known to +himself, a lurking doubt of Charles had at times hung about him. +Mordaunt's former knowledge of the world had had the effect upon his +heart, which it too often has, of repressing its confidence, and making +it distrustful and suspicious. Great indeed had been his reasons for +hardly believing the existence of real virtue, till he knew Ellen: her +perfect innocence, her sweet simplicity, blended with the tenderest +sensibility and acutest discernment, had once more restored his faith, +and he now hoped and believed no future jealousies would cross his path. +Yet surely he was venturing on doubtful ground. Great indeed must have +been his risk in transplanting so fair a flower from the wildest part of +Wales into the polished interior of England, and, probably, into a +situation widely different from that she had hitherto filled! What could +have implanted in the mind of a man so prone to jealousy as Mordaunt +certainly was, so perfect a confidence in Ellen's veracity and virtue? +It was, that he had observed in her an exalted, though not enthusiastic +_piety_. Mordaunt, though a man of the world, was also a religious man; +and in conversing, as he had done, frequently with Ellen on the subject +of religion, he found her principles so fixed, and her mind so decidedly +made up, and on such reasonable grounds, that he hesitated not in +pronouncing her a Christian upon principle, and as such entitled to the +firm confidence he felt in her sincerity and virtue. + +Mordaunt now told her he should be absent all the next day, for it was +necessary to write to one or two of his friends of the intended change +in his prospects; and that, as he did not like to trust his letters to +any common messenger, and indeed expected there were some of consequence +lying for him at Carnarvon, he should go thither himself to fetch them; +that as the distance was rather beyond what he liked to walk, especially +now the days were so much shortened, he should borrow Ross's pony, and +hoped to return in the evening. This scheme he executed accordingly; and +Ross, understanding from Powis the mode proposed for his gaining farther +intelligence of Mordaunt, thought, as Ellen was now returned to the +Farm, it would be as well if Mordaunt absented himself in those little +excursions he used so much to delight in, and restrained his visits to +her in some degree, till her father's scruples were finally removed. To +this, however, reluctantly they agreed; and Mordaunt accordingly spent +the greatest part of the next week in viewing the face of the country, +returning to his lodgings in the evening. Impatient of this vexatious +restraint, Mordaunt, after three or four days, proposed to Ross and the +girls an excursion to Snowdon, which, though he had seen, they had not, +though living within ten or twelve miles of it. Mrs. Ross, who had of +late greatly relaxed her vigilance respecting Ellen's industry, gave her +consent; and mounted on their little Welsh ponies, the happy party set +out with the day-break, a full moon promising to assist them on their +return. + +Leaving their horses at Dolbaden Castle, and taking guides with +refreshments, each being armed with a spiked stick, they began the +toilsome ascent. Ross, being fatigued, remained half way seated on an +immense stone, till they should return. As they ascended the mountain, +they perceived that its summit was covered with clouds, though, when +they set out, it was perfectly clear, and the guides had assured them +the day would be favourable. They now, however, began to apprehend that +the thick clouds would prevent them from enjoying the reward of their +labours, by depriving them of the view from the top of the mountain. The +guides, notwithstanding, had still hopes that the day would ultimately +clear up, and the event justified their expectations; for when within +about half a mile of the summit, a fine breeze arose, and rolled the +clouds like a curtain "down the steep of Snowdon's shaggy side," +gradually disclosing its hollow apertures and broken precipices, with +every variety of mountain, valley, lake, and stream; and below them, in +every direction, a map of exquisite beauty, containing Carnarvon, the +county of Chester, part of the North of England and Ireland, the Isle of +Anglesea, and the Irish coast. + +Here Mordaunt, sitting down with his fair companions, one on each side, +on a low wall, which was probably built by shepherds for the safety of +their flocks, but which now serves as a resting-place to travellers, +expatiated with rapture on this amazingly sublime prospect. The "Bard" +of Gray, and many of the beautiful passages of Mason's Elfrida and +Caractacus were familiar to him; and these, with every grace of voice +and action, he repeated, till the charmed and enthusiastic Ellen almost +fancied she saw the white-robed druids with their crowns of mistletoe +and golden harps pass in review before her. After having sufficiently +rested, and taken some refreshment, they cautiously descended; and +joining Ross, pursued the downward course of a mountain-stream of great +beauty, which was frequently hurried over low rocks, forming numerous +small but elegant cascades, till they reached the Castle, where they had +left their ponies, and then returned by moonlight to Llanwyllan. + +The next four or five days were employed in similar excursions. Not +having been able on the day of their visit to Snowdon to extend their +ride to Beth-gelert, their next object was to see the grave of the +greyhound, and the romantic pass between Merioneth and Carnarvonshire, +called Pont Aberglaslyn. At the grave of the greyhound Mordaunt repeated +to his fair companions the interesting legend connected with it, and +Spencer's elegant poem on the subject:--that little tale is so +affecting, that, even at this remote period of time, no tender heart can +hear it without lamenting the fate of the faithful and ill-requited +Gelert. Ellen was not ashamed to drop a tear at the recital[1]. "Alas!" +cried Mordaunt: "such is too frequently the fatal consequence of +trusting to _appearances_! This excellent and unfortunate animal fell a +sacrifice to circumstances, which, however apparently conclusive, were +fallacious." He sighed, and fell for a few minutes into a gloomy +silence, from which the soft voice of Ellen alone had power to rouse +him. + +[Footnote 1: It is probable most of my readers have heard the little +pathetic tale here alluded to, and which Mr. Spencer has told very +sweetly in his little poem, entitled Beth-gelert. For the advantage of +those who have not met with it, we insert the following account: + +The tradition says, that Llewelyn the Great had a house at the place now +called Beth-gelert, and that being once from home, a wolf entered it. On +Llewelyn's return, his favourite greyhound, Gelert, came to meet him, +wagging his tail, but covered with blood. The prince was much alarmed, +and on entering the house, found the cradle of his infant overturned, +and the floor stained with blood. Imagining the dog had killed the +child, he instantly drew his sword, and killed the greyhound; but +turning up the cradle, found the babe asleep, and the wolf dead by its +side. Llewelyn deeply repented his rage, and built a tomb over his +ill-fated greyhound. Mr. Spencer has thus beautifully described the +event: + + The hound all o'er was smear'd with gore, + His lips, his fangs, ran blood! + Llewelyn gazed with fierce surprize, + Unused such looks to meet: + His fav'rite check'd his joyful guise, + And crouch'd and lick'd his feet. + Onward in haste Llewelyn pass'd-- + + O'erturn'd his infant's bed he found, + With blood-stained covert rent! + And all around the walls and ground + With recent blood besprent! + He called his child, no voice replied; + He search'd with terror wild; + Blood, blood, he found on every side, + But no where found his child. + +Llewelyn then passionately accuses and kills the greyhound. + + Aroused by Gelert's dying yell, + Some slumbers waken'd nigh; + What words the parent's joy could tell, + To hear his infant's cry! + + Conceal'd beneath a tumbled heap, + His hurried search had miss'd; + All glowing from his rosy sleep, + The cherub boy he kiss'd. + + No scratch had he, nor harm, nor dread; + But the same couch beneath, + Lay a gaunt wolf, all torn and dead, + Tremendous still in death. + + Ah! what was then Llewelyn's pain? + For then the truth was clear, + His gallant hound the wolf had slain, + To save Llewelyn's heir. + + Vain, vain, was all Llewelyn's woe: + "Best of thy kind, adieu! + The frantic blow which laid the low, + This heart shall ever rue." +] + +They next visited Pont Aberglass-lyn, the wild and sublime scenery of +which inspired them with awe. Its high grotesque rocks, surrounding like +an amphitheatre the romantic bridge (consisting of a single arch thrown +from one rough precipice to another), to which they approached by a road +winding along a narrow stony valley, where the rocks on each side +scarcely leave room for the road; and the dark impetuous stream, which +rolls at the side of it, filled them with astonishment at the grandeur +of the scene. + +They visited also the little romantic village of Llanberis, with its +beautiful vallies and lakes, surrounded by bold and prominent rocks, +ascending almost abruptly from the edge of the water, and returned in +the evening to Llanwyllan, delighted with an excursion which had +afforded them so many beautiful views, and yet delightedly contrasting +their own native village, with the dirty hovels, and miserable +accommodations they had met with in their progress; for the exertions of +Ross and his wife, who were both English, and had in the early part of +their lives resided wholly in England, had introduced a degree of +neatness and comfort both in the houses and apparel of their +parishioners, which gave Llanwyllan the appearance of a comfortable +English village, and rendered it totally distinct from those near it; +where, as is often the case in Wales, extreme poverty, and its too +frequent concomitants, a total carelessness of comfort abound. + +They also visited Carnarvon, which the girls found much altered since +they had seen it some years before, and were quite surprized at the +carriages, and smartly drest people in the streets. Of course they went +to the Castle, and saw the chamber where, it is said, the weak and +unfortunate Edward II. was born; though that fact, from the meanness of +its appearance, and inconvenient situation, appears extremeful doubtful, +if not improbable. In short, they seemed in a new world, so very +different were the scenes around them from those to which they were +accustomed. + +"Ah, Ellen!" said Joanna, "all this will soon be as nothing to you: you +will see so many fine houses and great cities, you will wonder how you +could ever fancy Carnarvon a large place: and I shall remain in our +little quiet village, which, when you are gone, I shall think stupid, +and never go beyond it!"--"Do not think so," replied Ellen: "I hope, if +indeed I do leave Llanwyllan (for I consider nothing settled till Mr. +Montague's letter arrives), I hope it will not be long before I shall +have you with me--it will be one of my first wishes as soon as I find +myself at all accustomed to the change In my situation." Joanna seemed +much delighted with this promise; they slept that night at Carnarvon, +and returned the next day to Llanwyllan. + +In the course of these journies much conversation took place between +Mordaunt and Ellen; but he with great generosity forbore as much as +possible from all particular topics, as he wished to leave her as much +unfettered as was now in his power till the arrival of Montague's +letter; for though he had no doubt of what the contents would be, yet +till he had obtained Powis's free consent, he could not exactly consider +her as his affianced bride; but for conversation they were never at a +loss--literary subjects furnished them with an inexhaustible fund of +delight; for Mordaunt's mind and memory were so well stored with +poetical and classical treasures, he scarcely needed books of reference; +the beautiful views which they also obtained of the heavenly bodies, in +their mountainous excursions, inspired Ellen with a desire to know +something of astronomy, and Mordaunt was thoroughly capable of being her +instructor. In this Ross assisted him; and two hours in the latter part +of the evening were sweetly past in this delightful study. Mordaunt was +also, though not a finished artist, yet very capable of taking sketches +from the surrounding country; and already Ellen began to use her pencil +also in slight attempts, which he both encouraged and directed--so happy +indeed was the life they now led, that the slight restraint thrown upon +their feelings seemed rather to give a zest to their meetings than to +destroy their pleasure: gladly, most gladly, would both have +relinquished all change of station, and remained for the rest of their +lives in the peaceful shades of Llanwyllan. + + ----What was the world to them? + Its pomp, its pleasure, and its nonsense all? + Who, in each other, saw whatever fair, + High fancy forms, or lavish hearts can wish: + Something than beauty dearer, should they look; + Or on the mind, or mind illumined face, + Truth, goodness, honour, harmony, and love, + The richest bounty of indulgent Heaven. + + + + +CHAP. X. + + Now go with me, and with this holy man, + Into the chantry by; there, before him, + And underneath that consecrated roof, + Plight me the full assurance of your faith. + + TWELFTH NIGHT. + + +At length, for in this remote village letters were not speedily +exchanged, the answer from Doctor Montague arrived: it contained the +following lines. + + Sir, + + I receive Mr. Mordaunt's reference to me as a favour, and + hasten to reply to your's of the 5th inst. by saying that I + have had the happiness of knowing that gentleman from his + youth, and am entirely convinced of his being a man of the most + perfectly honourable and excellent character. As you have been + obliging enough to account for this application, I can only add + that your daughter will in my opinion have reason to esteem + herself the most fortunate of women in becoming his wife. Mr. + Mordaunt's fortune is sufficiently ample to enable him to live + with perfect ease and comfort. + + I am, Sir, + With great respect, + Your's, obediently, + GEORGE MONTAGUE. + + St. Aubyn Castle, + Sep. 18th, 18--. + +Nothing could be more satisfactory than this honourable testimony to the +good qualities of Mr. Mordaunt; and Powis began to feel half ashamed of +having doubted for an instant the honour of a man so highly estimated: +he hastened with the letter in his hand to Ellen, who, with Joanna for +her inmate, was now at home, and exclaiming, "There, child, read that," +gave her the letter: the emotions of his affectionate heart, bursting +out from time to time while she was reading it, in words pronounced at +intervals, and with some difficulty, such as, "Well!--so I must lose +her--the pride of my life! but she will be happy I hope, dear soul! This +seems to be a man of some consequence: why, she will be quite a lady; +not above her old friends, though, I hope, Joanna!" + +When Ellen had finished the letter, she rose, and throwing herself into +her father's arms, wept with mingled emotions of sorrow and gladness; +for sincerely as she rejoiced in such a character of her beloved +Mordaunt, she greatly regretted the certainty that if she married him, +she must immediately leave her father. Powis's heart was melted by the +same consideration, and the tears running down his rough face fell on +Ellen's bosom: at last she articulated, "Oh, my dear father, I cannot +leave you!" Powis, half sobbing half smiling, said, "Why indeed, my +child, I know not how to bear the thoughts of parting from you, but if +not _now_, I must some time or other; and I will not prepare a pain for +my death-bed so terrible as that would be which should tell me I had +preferred my own selfish happiness to thine." At this tender, this +affecting thought, the tears of Ellen redoubled, and Joanna's +accompanied them. Just then Mordaunt, who had seen the boy who brought +letters to Llanwyllan, pass towards the farm, came in impatient to know +if Montague's answer had arrived: he was surprized and almost alarmed at +the scene before him. Powis lifted up his head, and rubbing his eyes, +said, "I am ashamed of myself to be such a child!--here, Mr. Mordaunt, +is your friend's letter, and here, if you will accept of her, is your +wife." He disengaged himself from Ellen's clasping arms, and gently +placed her in those which Mordaunt eagerly extended to receive her. + +All was now soon settled; for Powis, though an unlearned was not an +unwise man; and seeing the necessity of Mordaunt's return to his own +abode before the season changed, he would not suffer any selfish +considerations of his own comfort to divide the lovers during a dreary +winter, which would now quickly overtake them. He left every thing +respecting money matters to Mr. Ross. Mordaunt gave that gentleman a +bond, expressed in such terms as fully convinced him Ellen's pecuniary +concerns would be amply considered; and generously refused to accept of +any money with his bride, gaily telling Powis, that now he was robbed of +his daughter, he hoped he would look out for a wife himself, and retain +Ellen's intended portion to encrease his future means of ease and +comfort; or, that if he really did not know what to do with the money, +he should give it to Joanna when she married. "Well," said Powis, "you +are either very rich or very proud, Mr. Mordaunt." "I shall be both when +Ellen is my wife," answered Mordaunt. + +Mordaunt requested that Ellen would furnish herself with no more cloaths +on the occasion than were absolutely necessary, till they should reach +Bristol: "Where," he said, "I hope, my dear girl, to find some +fashionable mantua-maker, who will at least give you a more modern +wardrobe than you could meet with here." "You are determined, I see," +said Ellen, "that I shall be obliged to no one but yourself." "For +Heaven's sake, Ellen!" replied Mordaunt, hastily, "do not talk of such a +paltry concern as a few cloaths, as an obligation: how shall I ever +repay those I owe to your confidence and kindness?" + +Few were the preparations requisite for the marriage of Mordaunt and +Ellen. He with some difficulty procured a chaise from Carnarvon on the +morning of their marriage, for the roads between that place and +Llanwyllan were in some parts almost impassable for a carriage, and had +not the autumn been uncommonly fine and dry, would have been entirely +so. On the third of October, at a very early hour, the little party met +at Powis's house, and from thence proceeded to the village church, +where, from her father's hand, Mordaunt received his lovely bride. Mr. +Ross performed the ceremony, and at the end of it added an extempore and +most eloquent prayer for the happiness of friends so dear to him, with a +fervency of devotion that drew tears into every eye. When all the party +had quitted the vestry, after having registered the marriage of +Constantine Frederick Mordaunt and Ellen Powis, Ross and Mordaunt +stepped back an instant, as if something had been forgotten: as they +returned, Ellen heard Ross say, "I rely implicitly upon it, and let me +beg it may be done as soon as possible." "Depend upon my sacred honour," +answered Mordaunt, impressively: "or, if you wish it, on my most solemn +oath." "It needs not that," said Ross; "I am satisfied." "Then so am I," +thought Ellen, "for strange as such frequent mysteries appear, Ross, I +am sure, would never partake of one, which was not perfectly innocent." + +Let us not attempt to describe the parting of Powis and his daughter, +which took place an hour after the marriage ceremony was concluded. +Mordaunt repeated his assurances of returning, if possible, to +Llanwyllan the following summer; then almost by force severing Ellen +from her father, he placed her in the chaise, and, following hastily, +bowed his farewell. The motion of the carriage, to which she was wholly +unused, roused Ellen from the half-fainting into which she had fallen, +and the tender soothings of Mordaunt at length revived and composed her. +As they passed on, the varied face of the country, the beautiful and +extensive scenery through which they journied, awakened all the soft +enthusiasm of her youthful mind, which, shaking off the dejection caused +by parting from her first connections, roused itself to the perception +of the happy prospects the future might present. + + "And thou, oh! Hope, with eyes so fair, + What was thy delighted measure? + Still it whispered promised pleasure, + And bade the lovely scenes at distance hail." + +After several days travelling, stopping occasionally to rest, and to +view such remarkable objects as they thought worthy of observation, they +arrived at the Passage, and, crossing it, soon after entered the city of +Bristol. To paint Ellen's surprise at all the wonders of the new world +which surrounded her would be impossible; so strange indeed did every +thing appear to her, that scarcely the influence which Mordaunt +possessed over her mind could prevent her from exclamations of +astonishment, which, to those around, would have betrayed the perfect +seclusion in which she had hitherto lived. After shewing her all that +was worth notice in Bristol and its interesting environs, Mordaunt took +his fair bride to Bath, with the elegance of which she was particularly +delighted. The streets, the shops, were a constant source of amusement +to one so new to every thing; here, however, they remained but three +days, during which Mordaunt procured for Ellen such a variety of dresses +as appeared to her quite extraordinary; and she began to think her +husband was either very rich or very extravagant, though in truth all he +purchased would hardly satisfy the "indispensable necessities" of most +_young ladies_, of no pretensions really higher than those of Ellen +Powis had been; and were far from appearing to Mordaunt more than barely +sufficient for her present occasions. An elegant new riding habit and +hat were amongst them; and Ellen's delicate figure appeared to such +advantage in that dress, that no one could have supposed her so lately +removed from so remote a situation: her natural gracefulness prevented +her appearing in the slightest degree awkward; and her new dress gave +her an air of fashion, with which Mordaunt was delighted. + +From Bath they went to London, where Mordaunt engaged very handsome +lodgings, though not in the most fashionable part of the town, yet in a +handsome street, for a fortnight, where they rested after the fatigues +of so long a journey. Mordaunt told his wife he wished not to take her +to any of the public amusements till the next spring, when he hoped to +revisit London with her, and when some ladies of his acquaintance would +be there also, and would accompany her. Ellen, who desired no greater +pleasure than his society, was well contented with this arrangement: +during their stay in London, therefore, they seldom went out; but +Mordaunt trusted her two or three times under the care of the person at +whose house they lodged, (who was a very respectable woman) to go to +different shops, furnishing her liberally with money, and insisting on +her providing a very complete and elegant wardrobe. Several times Ellen +wished to check his liberality, assuring him she had already as much of +every thing as she wished for; but he replied she was no judge of what +she would want when she went into the country, and that she must oblige +him by buying every thing in abundance, and of the best and most +fashionable materials; nor did he ever go from home without bringing +back with him some elegant trinket or set of ornaments for her; so that +little as she was a judge of the value of money, she was surprized and +somewhat uneasy to see Mordaunt so profuse of his, for in addition to +the large expences he would incur in her dress, he had requested Mrs. +Birtley (the person at whose house they lodged) to hire a young woman to +wait upon his wife; and Ellen really thought her new servant so much +more like a lady than till very lately she had thought herself, that she +hardly knew how to give her any orders. Mordaunt had also hired a job +chariot and horses for the time they staid in town. + +Their landlady observing the extreme youth and simplicity of Ellen, +contrasted by that air of the world and of fashion so conspicuous in +Mordaunt, as well as that though he hardly appeared to endure her being +out of his sight, he seldom went abroad with her, and that they seemed +to have no friends or connections in London, began to form conjectures +not very much to the advantage of her guests; and as she was a woman of +good character, though of somewhat a suspicious turn, she was not sorry +when they left her apartments. + +Mordaunt chose not to take Jane, Ellen's new maid, with them, but left +directions for her to travel by the stage to the town which was nearest +to his residence in Northamptonshire, where she should be met by a +servant, who would conduct her to his house. + +For the first day of their journey Mordaunt appeared at times in deep +reflection, and as if revolving in his mind a variety of considerations, +frequently catching Ellen's hand in his own, he would express the +rapture he felt in the certainty of possessing her affection, and that +she was securely his; then he would add, "Remember, Ellen, you have +promised to take me _for better for worse_: tell me, do you think any +change in my situation could impair your love for me?" To these +questions she returned such tender and affectionate answers, as seemed +for the time to dispel from his mind every uneasy sensation; yet still +at intervals his thoughtfulness returned, and began at last to inspire +Ellen with a sort of anxiety she could not wholly overcome. + +The next day Mordaunt proposed resting a few hours at a pleasant +village, which he told her was only about twenty miles from his own +house, but that he thought it would be more agreeable to her not to +arrive at home till towards the evening: to this she readily consented; +it was indeed very agreeable to her, but had it been less so, she knew +no will but his. + +After breakfast, the landlady of the inn where they had taken that meal, +coming in, Mordaunt asked her how far it was from thence to St. Aubyn +Castle; she answered about nineteen miles: after asking her some more +questions respecting the length of the stages, &c. he inquired if she +knew Lord St. Aubyn; she replied she had seen his Lordship once before +he went abroad, but she heard he was now soon expected home again; a +gentleman who stopped at her house not many days before, told her his +Lordship was lately returned from Spain, and was coming very shortly to +the Castle. On being asked if she knew who that gentleman was, she said +it was the Reverend Doctor Montague, his Lordship's domestic Chaplain. +Mordaunt then asked her if Lord St. Aubyn was much liked in his +neighbourhood, and she gave him a very high character for his charity to +the poor, and kindness to his servants and dependants. + +Ellen here whispered to her husband that she would inquire what sort of +a character _one Mr. Mordaunt_, his Lordship's steward, bore. Mordaunt +laughed, and said she was very malicious, and only hoped to hear some +evil of him. She then repeated her question, looking playfully at him, +to which the landlady replied, that she did not know Mr. Mordaunt except +by name, but she heard he was a very worthy old gentleman. The idea of +Mordaunt's being called an _old gentleman_ diverted Ellen so much, that +she burst into a laugh she could not repress, in which Mordaunt joined +so heartily, as half offended the good woman, who, supposing she had +committed some blunder, left the room immediately. + +"Come, my dear Ellen," said Mordaunt, when he had composed his features, +"let us take a walk through this pleasant village: it is long since you +enjoyed the pure air of the country." "Indeed, my dear _old gentleman_," +Ellen gaily replied, "I shall be very glad to find myself once more at +liberty to walk a little, for I began to feel tired of the restraint of +a carriage, which, when we left Llanwyllan, I thought so delightful, I +could never be weary of it." + + + + +CHAP. XI. + + You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand, + Such as I am; though for myself alone + I would not be ambitious in my wish, + To wish myself much better, yet for you + I would be trebled twenty times myself, + A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times + More rich---- + ----but the full sum of me + Is an unlessoned girl, unschooled, unpractised; + Happy in this, she is not yet so old + But she may learn; and happier than this, + She is not bred so dull but she can learn; + Happiest of all, is that her gentle spirit + Commits herself to your's to be directed. + + MERCHANT OF VENICE. + + +After strolling through some very pleasant fields, they came to a +sequestered spot, where tall trees shaded a little murmuring rivulet, +near whose banks a very neat farm-house attracted their attention. + +"Ah, this reminds me of dear Llanwyllan!" said Ellen: "how much I should +like to sit down here awhile!" "That," answered Mordaunt, "may be easily +effected." He then went to the door, where he met a nice looking elderly +woman, the farmer's wife, and saying he was thirsty, asked her to spare +him a draught of milk or whey, with which she very civilly complied, and +requested them to walk in. Ellen, delighted with the sight of the +farm-yard and smell of the dairy, readily consented, and at Mordaunt's +desire, the good woman said she would give them some cream, bread, &c. +With great civility therefore, she shewed them into a neat parlour, and +having placed before them brown bread, cream, and some bunches of +well-ripened grapes, left them to themselves. + +Ellen said:--"Now, my dear Mordaunt, I really feel as if I were at home +again, and can _do the honours_ (as you term it) of this little table +very tolerably; but if, as I suspect, you are much visited by high +people near you, will you not often have to blush for your awkward +little rustic?" "If I had feared that," answered Mordaunt, "I would not +have ventured it; but, as I have often told you, the natural propriety +of your manner will very well supply the place of artificial graces; and +as to the mere forms of society, they are so easily acquired, you will +speedily attain them: but tell me, Ellen, after the cursory view you +have had of something more refined, could you now be contented to sit +down here for the rest of your life?" "With you," replied the tender +Ellen, "I could be not only contented but happy any where yet I own +_you_ seem to me formed for something so superior, that I should forever +regret your being confined to a sphere so limited." + +Mordaunt, delighted with the sweetness of her words and manners, +scarcely knew how to express how greatly he was pleased with all she +said. After a few minutes he opened the little casement, for the day was +mild and clear, more like spring than the beginning of November; and +gathering some late blossoms of a white jassamine, which grew round it, +and in that sheltered spot, so soft had been the season, still retained +their beauty: he twisted them with some very small vine leaves across +her brow, amongst her fine hair, in a very particular style, and making +her look in the little glass which hung in the room where they sat, he +said:-- + +"There, Ellen, _that_ is very like a countess's coronet; the jasmine may +pass for pearls, and the little branch of the vine for strawberry +leaves: how should you like one in pearls or diamonds? I think it +becomes you inimitably well." "This simple wreath may," she said, +smiling as she surveyed herself; "but I believe that this little rustic +person would not assort very well with the splendid ornament you +describe." He smiled, and said--"Do not take it off, but sit down, and I +will tell you a story." "A story!--delightful! I hope it is +entertaining." "Very, and perfectly true. _Once upon a time_: do you +like that beginning?" "Not much; it is too childish: try again." "Well +then, once in the days of King Arthur----" "Oh! do not go quite so far +back--your story will last all day." "What! a Welsh girl and not like to +hear a tale of King Arthur. Oh! most degenerate damsel." Ellen still +laughing, said--"Come, dear Mordaunt, make haste, I long to hear this +interesting story." + +He placed himself at her side, and with some agitation, said:-- + +"Ellen, the time is come to clear up some of the mysterious words you +have heard me utter at Llanwyllan: what will you say to me when I tell +you--yet be not alarmed--when I tell you that, though my _name_ is +really _Mordaunt_, yet I have _deceived_ you--for that is not my _only_ +designation: do not look so surprised and bewildered, my love; I am not +_inferior_ to the man you suppose me: he is indeed my relation, being +the natural son of my father's brother: he is many years older than I +am. Tell me, Ellen, are you afraid to hear the rest?" "No," she replied +firmly, though with marks of the most impatient curiosity in her +countenance. "I am so convinced of your integrity, that be who or what +you will, I am happy in being your wife, and ready to share your +station, be it ever so lowly." "Enchanting creature!" he exclaimed, and +clasped her to his bosom: "know then, that were the coronet which binds +your brow of the most costly materials instead of a simple flower, it is +your's by right, for I am the Earl, and you are the Countess of St. +Aubyn." + +A moment Ellen struggled with the overwhelming surprize: then said: "How +could you condescend to one so much beneath you?" "Beneath me!" he +replied--"oh, in every thing but the mere accident of birth how greatly +my superior! But the surprize, my gentle love, has made you a little +pale; recover yourself, and let me see you again gay and playful as when +you supposed yourself only Mrs. Mordaunt." He fixed his penetrating eyes +upon her: even in that tender moment he sought to discover if any undue +pride or vanity elated her; but there was no trace of any such ignoble +passion: surprized, astonished as she was, and feeling some diminution +of the ease and equality with which she had but lately learned to regard +him, Ellen more than half regretted to find him so greatly her superior, +and to see herself raised so very much beyond the station her humility +led her to believe the only one she could fill with propriety; yet she +must have been more or less than woman, had she not felt charmed with +the disinterested love St. Aubyn had evinced in making her his wife. + +Having a little recovered the emotion this interesting discovery had +caused in both, Ellen entreated him, whom yet she hardly knew how to +name, to explain the reason of his having appeared at Llanwyllan in a +character so inferior to his own; which he did in these words: + +"I cannot, my love, nor would I wish at present to tell you all my +story, though some day you shall know every circumstance of my life: may +they come to your knowledge without lessening your felicity!" He sighed, +and thus continued:--"Some domestic misfortunes induced me, at different +times, to make several excursions under the name I bore when first I met +you, which is, indeed, that of my family: since my last return from the +Continent, about six months ago, I did not let my friends or servants +know I was come to England, but set out to travel through Wales, +sometimes by one mode of conveyance, sometimes another, and not +unfrequently as a mere pedestrian. I was always a good walker, and had +been accustomed to pass whole days on foot amongst the mountains of +Spain; frequently, therefore, I preferred walking, as giving me better +opportunities of exploring the most romantic scenes. In one of these +excursions I found myself at Llanwyllan; there I merely intended to stay +a day or two, till accident, and your father's hospitality, introduced +you to my knowledge--need I relate to you the progress of that passion +which soon took possession of my heart, and left me powerless to quit +you. A very few days determined me, if your affections were disengaged, +to do all in my power to secure your love; yet I delayed the declaration +of my own, in hopes of bringing some untoward circumstances to a +favourable conclusion; but when I found our good friend Ross began to be +alarmed for you, and fancied I saw in my Ellen's sweet face that she was +not happy, I thought it necessary to come to some decision, and to Ross +I fully explained my _whole_ situation: he was so perfectly convinced of +my honour and integrity, that he consented to give his lovely pupil to +me, even under all the unpleasant circumstances which at present +embarrass and torment me; and even though we both doubted whether a +marriage contracted by me under the name of Mordaunt only would be +completely binding: to obviate this objection, I bound myself to him, +not only to make upon you such settlements as my large income rendered +proper, and my heart prompted, but to remarry you as soon as I could do +so without absolute impropriety; and that I will do if I live before I +sleep again; though I believe the precautions we took render it +unnecessary, for after you left the vestry, the day we were married, +Ross and myself, as perhaps you observed, returned, and in his presence +I added the title of Earl of St. Aubyn to the names of Constantine +Frederick Mordaunt, which, I have no doubt, would substantiate our +marriage in any court in England: to avoid, however, all possible doubt, +now or in future, on this important point, I have at this instant a +special licence in my possession, and this evening, at Castle St. Aubyn, +Montague shall read the marriage service to us again.--Are you satisfied +with this arrangement, my love?" + +"I am so ignorant in every thing, that I can only rely on you; which I +do implicitly, and with full confidence." + +Ellen then asked St. Aubyn if Doctor Montague knew who he was in reality +recommending to her father, or whether he supposed it to be indeed Mr. +Mordaunt? Lord St. Aubyn laughed at this question, and said Montague +would have had reason to be surprized at hearing Mordaunt was going to +be married, as he was a very stiff old Bachelor of at least sixty; but +the fact was, he had written himself to Montague from Llanwyllan, +informing him who the person really was respecting whom Powis's +inquiries would be made, and desiring him to give such a character of +_that person_ as he thought was deserved, only not to betray his real +title, as he was anxious to avoid the _eclat_ such a discovery would +produce, if made while they remained at Llanwyllan. + +After a little more conversation on this interesting subject, St. Aubyn +and his Ellen took leave of their hospitable entertainer, after +remunerating her in the most liberal way for the trouble they had given +her; and as by the time they reached the village the day was far +advanced, they ordered a chaise directly, and proceeded to the end of +the next stage, where they dined, and where St. Aubyn told Ellen his own +carriage was to meet them, and convey them to the Castle, where his +household were instructed to expect their lady. + +Before they had quite dined, an elegant new travelling carriage and +four, with coronets on the pannels, and out-riders in rich liveries, +drove to the door, and the host, who had no idea of the rank of his +guests, from their arriving in a hack carriage, unattended, was in the +act of denying to the servants that Lord and Lady St. Aubyn were there, +when the Earl, throwing up the sash, told the men to move about, but not +put up the horses, as he should go in half an hour. While he was +speaking, the stage-coach from London stopt at the door, and Ellen's +maid stepping out, inquired whether any servant from one Mr. Mordaunt's, +in that neighbourhood, was waiting for her. St. Aubyn, calling to one of +his men, desired him to send that young woman to Lady St. Aubyn. The man +obeyed, and told the astonished Jane she must go and speak to his lady. +"What for, pray?" answered Jane, pertly. "Indeed I shall do no such +thing; I am going on directly, and don't want such fellows as you to be +joking with me." "Jane!" said Ellen, approaching the window, anxious to +put a stop to a dialogue she feared might disclose more than she wished +the servants should know. "Oh, dear Ma'am, are you there!" answered +Jane. "Oh! I am so glad; I will come to you, Ma'am, directly." One of +the men, wishing for an opportunity of seeing his new lady, said, "Come, +young woman, I will shew you the way to her Ladyship." + +The poor girl was so much confused, by these different directions, that +fortunately she had no power to refuse, or indeed to speak at all, but +followed the servant into the room, where St. Aubyn and Ellen were +sitting. "There," said the footman, in a low voice, and giving her a +little push: "go in, child--that is my lady." "Grant me patience," said +Jane, turning sharply to him: "why I tell you that is _my_ mistress. I +suppose you want to persuade me I don't know my own----." "Softly, +Jane," said St. Aubyn: "there, go in, and speak to your lady, and you, +Thomas, may go; we shall soon be ready to start." + +He left Jane with her lady, not wishing to be present at the +explanation. Ellen explained to the astonished girl, that she had, for +particular reasons, concealed her title while in London, and did not +wish her to say to the other servants that she had ever known her under +any other name. Jane very willingly promised obedience, and was not a +little elated to find herself own woman to Lady St. Aubyn, instead of +waiting-maid to plain Mrs. Mordaunt. Indeed, Mrs. Birtley had had some +scruples about suffering her to follow the mysterious couple at all, and +charged her, if she did not find all right, to leave her place, and +return to London immediately, all which her unguarded hints betrayed to +Ellen, who felt a little confused at hearing her situation had been so +misconstrued. "And there, Ma'am--beg pardon--my lady--there your +Ladyship;" (for Jane was willing to make amends for her former +ignorance, by using Ellen's title as often as possible)--"there your +Ladyship left a book at Mrs. Birtley's--I forget the name of it; some +poetry book it was, and in it was written, in one place, 'C. F. M. to +Ellen P.' and I was to have brought it with me, but Mrs. Birtley was not +at home when I came away, so I could not have it, and it was a great +pity, for it is very handsome, in a fine binding, and with beautiful +pictures: one of them was a man jumping off a rock, like into the sea, +and with a sort of a clergyman's gown on, and with a musical instrument +in his hand, something like a guitar, but not quite." "I know the book +you mean," said Ellen; "it was Gray's Poems. I am sorry I left it +behind." "Yes, Ma'am--my lady I mean, that was the very book; but I dare +say your Ladyship can have it by sending to Mrs. Birtley; and in one +part, my lady, there was a print of a church-yard, and over the print +was put, 'Dear Landwilliam,' or some such name." "Yes, Jane, yes; that's +the book--that will do: now give me my hat, and step down and inquire if +Lord St. Aubyn is waiting for me." + +It was the first time Ellen had framed her lips to say Lord St. Aubyn, +and she wondered whether she should ever become accustomed to the sound. +Jane was met at the door by one of the men servants, who came to know if +her lady was ready, as his lord bade him say the carriage was come +round. Jane, astonished at her own greatness, in being called Ma'am, and +so respectfully addressed by such a fine gentleman, returned to Ellen +with redoubled respect, and a new reinforcement of "my ladies." Ellen +said she was ready, and ran down. "Come, my love," said St. Aubyn, "we +shall be late at home." + +Ellen's heart throbbed, as she thought of a home so far above her utmost +ideas of splendour, and of being called to a situation to which she +feared herself unequal; yet she composed her spirits as well as she +could; for she saw, that to please her lord she must assert herself, and +behave with a degree of dignity and self possession: she gave him her +hand, therefore, with tenderness, but with a certain air of calmness, as +if not too much elated with her new honours, or childishly delighted +with her new carriage: he saw, and was charmed with her just +discrimination, and encouraged her by saying, "Ever, my Ellen, all I +wish." He then placed her in the carriage, and leaving Jane to follow +with the luggage in a hack chaise, they were speedily on the road to +Castle St. Aubyn. As they drew near it, they passed a neat little +mansion, standing on a small lawn, surrounded by flowering shrubs, which +St. Aubyn told Ellen was the house of the _real_ Mr. Mordaunt. "Exactly +such a place," said she, "had I figured to myself as your habitation, +not indeed in Wales, for there my imagination did not soar to a pitch so +high; but since we have been in England, and I saw what the smaller +houses of genteel people were, such I fancied your's." "In a few +minutes, my love," he replied, "we shall approach my real home, and most +happy am I to say, my Ellen's home also; though in a different style, it +will, I hope, be as much to your taste as this pretty place appears to +be." + +As he spoke, one of the out-riders passed the carriage, and ringing at a +porter's lodge, the large and elegant iron gates were thrown open, and +they turned into a noble park of no common dimensions. Here the hand of +art had followed, not impeded that of nature: large trees, disposed in +clumps, or singly, as the purest taste directed, shaded and ornamented +the verdant lawn. A fine piece of water, almost bearing the aspect of a +fine lake, with an elegant pleasure barge at anchor on its bank, skirted +one side of the road which led to the house. Its pure waters were +enlivened by various aquatic fowls, and on the shelving edges were light +and tasteful cages for gold and silver pheasants and other foreign +birds; while in picturesque groups under the trees, or bounding away at +the approach of the carriage, herds of the finest deer gave new +animation to the scene. + +Ellen, enchanted, enraptured, though the closing twilight hardly +afforded her light sufficient to see half the beauties round her, was +every moment uttering exclamations of delight, with which St. Aubyn was +highly gratified: but as they approached the immense pile of building +which he told her was the house, she gradually assumed a more composed +demeanor, determined not to betray to the servants that such things were +totally new to her. + + + + +CHAP. XII. + + A happy rural seat of various view, + Groves whose rich trees wept od'rous gums and balm.-- + ----Betwixt them lawns, or level downs and flocks + Grazing the tender herb, were interspersed; + Or palmy hillock, or the flow'ry lap, + Of some irriguous valley spread her store, + Flow'rs of all hue.---- + Meanwhile murmuring waters fall + Down the slope hills, dispersed; or in a lake + ----Unite their streams-- + The birds their choirs apply, airs, vernal airs, + Breathing the smell of field and grove attune, + The trembling leaves---- + + PARADISE LOST. + + +A train of servants in the spacious hall stood ready to receive their +Lord and Lady. Amongst them was a respectable middle-aged woman, who, +with deep respect, mingled with tears of joy and affection, addressed +the Earl: he kindly and condescendingly took her hand, and said, "My +good Mrs. Bayfield, I hope you are quite well: I am rejoiced to see you +look so. See, my worthy friend, I have brought you a new Lady. Ellen, my +love, I am sure I need not tell you to esteem my good housekeeper and +nurse, for such she has been to me in much of illness and affliction." +Ellen, with some kind words, offered her hand to Mrs. Bayfield, who, +courtesying, received it with an air of the most profound respect. St. +Aubyn also spoke with great kindness to the other servants, and then led +Ellen into a magnificent library, which he told her was his usual +sitting-room when at St. Aubyn's. Ellen, fatigued with her journey and +the surprizing occurrences of the day, was not then able to do more than +take a cursory survey of it; but she saw that here was entertainment and +instruction enough to fill a long life, if even wholly devoted to +literary pursuits. + +In a few minutes a man of a venerable appearance, dressed in the cassock +of a dignified clergyman, entered the library, whom St. Aubyn announced +to Ellen as his friend and chaplain the Rev. Doctor Montague. "See, my +dear Montague," said he, "this lovely creature, who has generously +forgiven my appearing to her in an assumed character, and before she +knew how much my real station was superior to that in which she first +saw me, most kindly assured me of her perfect willingness to share my +fate, be it what it might." He gave her hand to the good old man, who, +clasping it between both his, said, "Pardon, Madam, this freedom in a +man who has for many years felt the affection of a father for your +excellent Lord." Ellen bent her knee to him as to a second Ross, whose +blessing she had been accustomed to ask in that posture with Joanna. The +venerable man understood the graceful appeal, although fashion has so +long proscribed it to her votaries; and raising his hands and eyes, +said, "God bless you, lovely lady, and you, my dear Lord, with her!" + +St. Aubyn then said a few words in a low voice to the Doctor, to which +he replied, "Certainly, my Lord: if you have the least doubt of the +entire legality of your marriage, it will be far the best way: have you +the licence?" "Yes, here," said the Earl: "examine it, if you please. +Ellen, my love," he added, turning towards her, "are your spirits too +much fatigued, or will you oblige me, by allowing Montague to read the +marriage-ceremony to us: I have a special licence from the Archbishop, +and it will not take many minutes?" Ellen bowed a silent assent; and +Montague, saying it would be proper to have witnesses, proposed speaking +to Mrs. Bayfield, and Thornton, Lord St. Aubyn's gentleman, on whose +secrecy they might rely, as of course it was desirable not to have the +transaction made public. He went therefore to them, and having told them +all that was necessary, they immediately attended; and the +marriage-ceremony being read, Montague prepared a certificate, which was +signed by all present, and deposited in Ellen's care. + +All parties seemed rejoiced when this embarrassing business was +concluded, which though it gratified Ellen as shewing her Lord's extreme +anxiety to satisfy any doubt she might feel, yet could not be agreeable +to either. A Sandwich tray was soon after brought in, filled with +refreshments: after partaking of which, Ellen and the wondering Jane +were shewn to an elegant dressing-room, which communicated with a still +more splendid bed-chamber, both fitted up with the most peculiar +attention, not only to costliness and effect, but to convenience and +comfort, as the contrivances for hot and cold baths, and every luxurious +accommodation both here and in a gentleman's dressing-room on the other +side the bed-room, sufficiently evinced. All Jane's profound respect for +her Lady could not keep her entirely silent, nor repress the +exclamations of wonder and delight with which she greeted every elegant +article of furniture: above all, a rich service of dressing-plate on the +toilette attracted her attention. "How beautiful, how costly! And here +again, what fine glasses! Dear, my Lady, you may see yourself from head +to foot; and so clear, they make you look, if possible, more beautiful +than you really are!" + +Ellen, nearly as little acquainted with such objects as her maid, was +not sorry to have only this simple girl witness to her actions, which +would have betrayed to a more practised observer that she herself hardly +knew the use of half the splendid articles before her. She endeavoured, +however, to assume a graver manner, and to keep Jane at a greater +distance; but the good-natured creature mixed so much affectionate +respect with her somewhat too familiar prattle, Ellen could not be angry +with her: she dismissed her, however, as soon as possible, with a +reiterated caution not to betray to the servants that she had ever known +her under any other name than that she bore at present. + +The next day Ellen took a nearer survey of her noble habitation: the +height and size of the rooms, the splendid furniture, and rich +decorations, absolutely bewildered her senses; and when in an immense +mirror, which hung at one end of a superb drawing-room, she saw herself +reflected from head to foot, she, like the innocent Zilia[2], actually +fancied for a moment it was some elegant female coming to meet her. + +[Footnote 2: See Lettres d'une Peruvienne.] + +Passing through this room, she entered one smaller, indeed, but fitted +up with such exquisite taste, as quite enchanted her: the furniture and +hangings were of pale green silk, lightly ornamented with gold; the +ground of the carpet, pale green, worked with the needle in bunches of +the most beautiful natural flowers, which really appeared to be growing +there. The tables, chairs, candelabras, and every article of furniture, +were formed after the antique, and caught the eye of Ellen by the +perfection of their figures and disposition; so true it is, that what is +really beautiful and in perfect taste will please the unpractised as +well as the critical observer, provided the natural taste has not been +vitiated by any false ideas of proportion and ornament. + +On the Countess's expressing herself particularly pleased with this +room, Mrs. Bayfield (who had undertaken to shew her the house, for St. +Aubyn had been interrupted in his intention of doing so by Mr. Mordaunt, +who brought him some papers of consequence to inspect), looking +cautiously round, said, "If your Ladyship pleases, it will be better not +to tell my Lord that you like this room in particular." "Why so, Mrs. +Bayfield?" asked Ellen, struck with surprize at this request, and the +manner it was made in. "Why, Madam," replied Mrs. Bayfield, "this room +and the small one within were fitted up by my late Lady according to her +own fancy, and were always called her drawing-room and boudoir; and +since her death, my Lord has never liked the rooms." "Lady St. Aubyn +then has not been dead long, I suppose," said Ellen; "for the furniture +of these rooms appears almost new." "About seven years, Madam; but the +rooms have scarcely ever been used: they were furnished not long before +she went abroad with my Lord." "Was this beautiful carpet her own work?" +asked Ellen. "Oh dear, no, Madam! my late Lady was of too gay a turn to +do such a piece of work: it was my Lord's _mother_ worked this." + +"I thought you had meant your Lord's mother, Mrs. Bayfield: who then do +you call your late Lady?" "My Lord's first wife, Madam, the late +Countess of St. Aubyn." + +"The _late_ Countess--my Lord's _first wife_!" repeated Ellen, gazing at +her with the utmost surprize: "I did not know; I never heard that my +Lord had been married before." "Indeed, then," said Mrs. Bayfield, +colouring, and looking vexed, "I am sure, my Lady, if I had known, or +had the least idea my Lord had not mentioned it, I would never have +breathed a word of the matter; but I know my Lord does not like to speak +of the late Countess, for her death was so--so--sudden, and shocked my +Lord so much, he has hardly ever spoken of her since; and I dare say +that was the reason he never told your Ladyship he had been married +before." + +Ellen, not altogether satisfied with this explanation, still felt +somewhat hurt at St. Aubyn's extraordinary reserve: she asked Mrs. +Bayfield several questions; such as whether the late Countess was +handsome; who she was before her marriage; how long she had lived after +it; where she died--and to all which Mrs. Bayfield answered with some +appearance of reserve, and as if she felt impatient to dismiss the +subject; that she was very handsome and very young when my Lord married +her; that she was a distant relation of his own; and that all the family +were anxious for the match; that they were married about three years; +had only one child, a son, who had died at a few months old, and that +the Lady had died abroad. "And what was the cause of her death, Mrs. +Bayfield?" "Indeed, Madam, I do not exactly know," answered Mrs. +Bayfield, looking a little confused: "she died, as I have told your +Ladyship, abroad, and suddenly." + +Ellen said no more, for she was above the meanness of attempting to +learn from a servant what her Lord apparently meant to conceal from her +knowledge; yet she felt even a painful degree of curiosity to learn some +farther particulars of her predecessor, whose early death she thought +must have caused that gloom of countenance and manner which sometimes +even yet appeared in St. Aubyn. + +The boudoir within was fitted up in the same style as the drawing-room, +but with rather more simplicity, and contained a light bookcase, with +gilded wires, and some elegant stands for flowers, &c. Mrs. Bayfield +seemed so anxious for Ellen to hasten from these apartments, that she +took only a cursory survey of them, determined to take a more accurate +view of the paintings and ornaments some other time, when she should +have learned to go about her own house without a guide. The boudoir +being the last of the suite of apartments on that floor, they next +ascended the noble staircase, and visited the bed-chambers, &c. and a +large saloon filled with specimens of the fine arts: capital pictures, +busts, models, &c. here met the eye in every direction, and here St. +Aubyn joined them, and dismissing Mrs. Bayfield, took Ellen's arm within +his own, and pointed out those objects most worthy of her notice. +Charmed with all around her, and delighted with his attention and the +perspicuity of his explanations, Ellen felt as if she had gained a new +sense within the last few hours, so little idea had she before of the +wonders of art, selected by the hand of taste. From this room they went +to the library, where they had supped the night before, at the other end +of which was a green-house, divided from the library by folding doors, +filled with the choicest plants and flowering shrubs, and round the +walls of which a gilded net-work served as an aviary for some beautiful +canary and other birds. This green-house, kept constantly warm by +concealed stoves, in the midst of winter gave an enchanting prospect of +perpetual spring. Beyond the green-house noble hot-houses and +conservatories ensured a constant succession of the finest fruits and +more tender flowers. + +In the library St. Aubyn and his grateful Ellen sat down together, and +there he explained to her his wishes as to their manner of living for +the next half year: he told her, that undoubtedly she would, for a time, +be somewhat engaged with the few neighbouring families who remained in +the country for the winter, and whom he expected, of course, to visit +her: "But that once over, my love," said he, "let us propose to +ourselves some rational mode of happiness, which shall not be dependent +on the whim of others; you are so young, and have powers of mind so +extensive, that it will be easy to supply those defects in your +education which the retired situation in which you lived rendered +unavoidable; and this may be done without any parade or _eclat_ of any +kind, as it is by no means unusual for ladies to take lessons by way of +finishing, even at a more advanced age than your's; drawing and +music-masters shall therefore be engaged to attend you, if you do not +object to this disposition of a part of your time. In French, I will +myself be your instructor, and we will mutually improve each other, my +love, by reading together those authors you have so long desired to be +acquainted with. If you wish to take a few lessons in dancing, that may +be done in the spring, when we are in London, and they may perhaps be +desirable to give you a little more confidence in yourself; for, in my +eye, no acquired action, or fashionable attitude whatever, could +compensate for the loss of one simple natural grace, already so +conspicuous in my sweet Ellen: and as to dancing, I am so strange a +being, that I cannot bear the idea of a married woman's ever exhibiting +herself in public, and being exposed to the impertinent whispers and +hateful familiarity of a set of coxcombs." "I wonder," thought Ellen, +"whether the former Lady St. Aubyn was fond of dancing." "In the spring, +then," continued St. Aubyn, "we will go to London for a month or two, +just to see a few of its gaieties, and if I can prevail on Lady Juliana +Mordaunt, a very stiff, haughty old aunt of mine, to forgive the +dereliction she fancies I have made from my consequence, by marrying, as +she supposes, below me, she will be your best guide and most respectable +chaperon." "Ah," sighed Ellen to herself, "what shall I do with these +stiff proud people: I wish I had remained what I supposed myself, plain +Mrs. Mordaunt." + +A slight trace of anxiety passed over her countenance, which St. Aubyn +perceiving, for in quickness of apprehension and ready penetration no +one ever exceeded him, he said:-- + +"Fear nothing, my love; I am by far too happy, and too proud of my +choice, to pay the least attention to the suggestions of either Lady +Juliana or any other person: if they come forward handsomely, and as +they ought to do, they shall be indulged in the happiness of visiting +you; if not, never will I, or shall you, make the slightest concession +to them. I will have you support your dignity, even your pride, if pride +be necessary, and look down with contempt on such insignificant beings. +There is one family near us, Sir William Cecil's, where I hope we shall +be very intimate: he is a widower, and has three daughters: the eldest, +Laura, from a disappointment in the early part of her life, has remained +single, and is now I suppose nearly thirty: the second, Agatha, is +married to Lord Delamore, and is gone to live in Scotland: the youngest, +Juliet, is still a child, and has bad health: she is a most amiable +creature, and has extraordinary talents, but is so unfortunately +delicate that she scarcely passes a day in tolerable health. Laura Cecil +devotes herself to her entirely, scarcely ever leaving her: she has +superintended the whole of her education, as she did that of Lady +Delamore, who is some years younger than herself, and to whom Laura was +most tenderly attached. Agatha was eminently beautiful, and Laura is a +handsome woman, with a great deal of dignity in her air; yet without +hauteur of affectation. I hope you will be on very friendly terms with +her." "Indeed, my Lord, from your account of Miss Cecil," replied Ellen, +"I most sincerely wish it. Next summer, I hope, we shall go into Wales, +and then perhaps you will permit Joanna to return with me." "Of that we +will talk hereafter," said St. Aubyn, rising hastily. "Let but the +spring pass over and all be well, and my Ellen's wishes shall be my law; +but beyond the spring, at present, _I dare not look_." "And may I not +yet inquire----" + +"Ask not, inquire not," interrupted St. Aubyn: "let me, if possible, +forget the dreadful, the hateful subject.--And lives that being!" he +exclaimed, in an agitation which mocked restraint--"lives that being who +has the power to shake the soul of St. Aubyn; whose vindictive pursuit +may yet deprive me of----" + +He stopt: his pale countenance was instantly flushed to scarlet, and he +hastily left the room; while Ellen, amazed, confounded, seemed as if +every faculty were suspended; yet in ten minutes this mysterious man +returned to her, composed, and even cheerful, neither his countenance +nor manner bearing any traces of the emotion which had so lately shaken +his frame: he solicited Ellen, as if nothing extraordinary had passed, +to ring for her hat and pelesse, and to go with him into the +pleasure-grounds. She readily complied, and was, if possible, more +surprized and delighted by the grandeur and beauty of the shrubberies, +gardens, &c. than she had been with the interior of her magnificent +abode. + + +END OF VOL. I. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mystery and Confidence (Vol. 1 of 3), by +Elizabeth Pinchard + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MYSTERY AND CONFIDENCE (VOL. *** + +***** This file should be named 34932-8.txt or 34932-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/9/3/34932/ + +Produced by Mark C. 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