of De Burgh's deficiencies was still fast clenched in the other." Julia paused, overcome by agony; and the trembling, terrified Amelia entreated her not to proceed. "I will say no more to-day," she replied, at length recovering herself, "except to describe the conduct of my brother on that awful occasion. When medical aid had been tried in vain, we were convinced, beyond the possibility of doubt, of our irreparable loss; the anxiety to preserve my health and reason roused this dear brother to new exertions, while all around us breathed ruin and despair. Kneeling down by the bloody and breathless corse of our mutual parent, he vowed, while he clasped his protecting arm around me, from that moment to supply to me the loss of a father's care. And, oh!" he added, solemnity which the horrors of with a so 6 the time and place, rendere place rendered doubly affecting and impressive, may may the good 800 17 Bunton 21 21032 ROY forsake forsake me in this world, and Heaven abandon me in the next, on the day that I forget thee, Julia!" CHAPTER X. The rose, when first it doth prepare The little bird that clear doth sing In dew-besprinkled meads, Is not so pleasant to mine ear As Love that scantly speaks for fear. The Shepherd in Love. THE next day Julia, without further entreaty, concluded her history." A woman's story is nothing without love, and I am come to that part of where it will have a place. my narrative Yet perhaps what I shall relate may more properly be said to belong to indifference or hatred than to that flattering passion. "From the period of my entrance to my exit from the fashionable world, which embraces about two years, how many lessons was I doomed to receive! At the height of our prosperity, my father, without consulting my inclinations, engaged me to a young nobleman of unexceptionable manners, but to whom I was as indifferent, I believe, as he was to me. Upon the ruin that succeeded, lord St. Adelm behaved as if he considered the contract void; nor do I blame him; we had no time to know or love one another, all our intercourse having been confined to a few formal visits on his part: but the manner in which this treaty was broken off was most offensive to my feelings. Two young ladies, who, of all my female intimates, had been my bosom-friends, took this occasion, ·༡༤, when MJOT A 10 241.T when I was unable to appear in the world and defend myself, to insinuate that lord St. Adelm had withdrawn his claim, not so much on account of the deficiency in' my fortune, as of the defects in my tem per and character, which he had discovered to boiroq o it reoTI • upon a nearer view. view. as “One of these ladies has since become lady St. Adelm. God forgive her, do, for the evil she would have done me," whatever may have been her motives! but you may judge, Amelia, after so many Make surprising therosidan an if I should judge the world as stripped of its flattering illusions that I should decide be of others, upon my own actions, and those of from a strict scrutiny into their motives, and look to my in general society. ther than seek them' 10.1 L mvg resources, ra my One striking advantage I have derived from the injustice injustice I experienced, it has T rendered me slow to admit the insinuations of calumny, wary in my judgments, od beaktai simt zm lie to and rolano ells dout bull-morod m and compassionate towards those who ap pear to be its victims." As she uttered these words, Amelia, looked as if she did not exactly understand to what her friend alluded. Julia blushed and paused, conscious that, in this concluding sentence, she had not been speaking to the question." I have little more to add," she resumed. "At first my poor Horatio was, of course, involved in an ocean of business; but when this was settled, and the wreck of our property collected, we found we still had. enough left to enable us to live in ease, though not in affluence. This property Horatio insisted upon dividing equally with me; and thus, though deprived of the wealth that I once was taught to believe my inheritance, this dear brother has secured to me enough for independence. 66 His next care was to find me some retreat, as far removed as possible from the scenes where I had suffered so much; and as he had sworn never to separate his destiny |