The fault of one we love is more painful for us to hear of than even their misfortune; and Mary was grieved, deeply grieved, on account of her cousin. She did not, even in her own mind, take upon her to censure her conduct, but she was grieved, because she felt sure that Jane had plunged herself into sorrow; and that if she did not obtain her father's forgiveness, she would never cease to reproach herself for the step that she had taken. From all that she had heard of him, she felt sure that her cousin had not been mistaken in captain Malcolm's character; that he was in every respect the feeling, warmhearted young man she represented him, and therefore peculiarly calculated to make a person of Jane's disposition happy. But she felt many doubts in regard to their future prospects. Both had been accustomed to move in the highest and most expensive sphere of life-and could they be contented in another station? Jane, perhaps, might, with a person that she loved-for the happiness of a woman's existence may be entirely concentrated to a few objects of affection; but a man must have a larger field to range in, and Mary feared that her cousin might find this to be the case when recession was impossible. CHAPTER VIII. King.-What should this mean? are all the rest come back? Or is it some abuse, and no such thing? The Summons. Hamlet. LORD Burton proceeded slowly towards England, without any particular incident worthy of record. With the baron he continued on the same terms of intimacy; and indeed the length of their acquaintance only seemed to increase their friendship. In regard to the baron's conduct to VOL. III. H his his wife, there was no principle on which lord Burton could account for it. It was strange-it was unlike any other part of his conduct; but Frederic made no attempt to pry into his confidence, and so upright and honourable was the young German in every thing, that his friend could not but hope and believe that this extraordinary treatment of the beautiful Adelaide, would some day appear in a more advantageous light. In the mean while, as the event which had so deeply affected him at Naples receded in the field of time, lord Burton became more calm; and he often wondered himself at that buoyancy of the human mind, which so soon shakes off the first weight of affliction. But there were other feelings in Frederic's breast, which occupied a great portion of his attention. Louisa Stanhope was not to be forgot; he had struggled hard to do so, or to think of her more calmly; but so far from succeeding, every hour shewed him that he loved her more fondly, fondly, more distractedly than ever. From the letters of his friend Mr. Malden, he had often received news of her during his stay on the Continent; and the opinion expressed by lady Jane Evelyn gave him still a hope to cling to, and he tried to persuade himself that if he could again meet with her, he might by some means. gain her heart. Perhaps, at first leaving Sturford Abbey, there had been a degree of mortification and wounded pride in his feelings towards her; but all that had now subsided, and he would often accuse himself of vanity, and ask what reason he had to imagine he could win her affection in the short space of their acquaintance. There was one fear, however, that would sometimes come over his hopes like a cloud across the sunshine, and overwhelm his prospects in shadow and in gloom. Could her heart be given to another before he knew her? he would ask himself. It was not unlikely. Of her family and connexions he was totally uninformed. Lady H 2 Lady Jane Evelyn, he understood, was acquainted with them, and to her he resolved to apply as soon as ever he arrived in London. He had plenty of time in travelling to revolve all these thoughts in his mind; but the only resolutions good for any thing are general ones; for most frequently, let us determine ever so strongly to do any particular thing, some slight change, over which we have no control, arises in the circumstances, and of necessity we must alter our plan of action accordingly. It was so with lord Burton. From Calais he wrote to his uncle lord Ainsfield, to inform him of his approaching return to England; and immediately on his arrival at his own house in London, a note was put into his hands, addressed in the writing of his cousin, lady Cecilia Evelyn. It was like herself, polite, cold, and unfeeling; and bore him the very painful information, that her amiable, but thoughtless sister, lady Jane, had eloped with captain Malcolm. Her father, lord Ainsfield, |