CHAP. I.
"Unskilful he to fawn, or seek for pow'r
"By doctrines fashion'd to the varying hour;
'* Far other aims his heart had learn'd to prize,
"More bent to raise the wretched than to rise."
GOLDSMITH.
IN a little hamlet called Wyefteld, situated
between Chester and Holy-well, and about two
miles from the great road, there lived, many years
ago, a curate, of the name of Greville, whose me-
mory is loved and venerated by all who had the
happiness of knowing him: like the good pastor
so beautifully described in Goldsmith's Deserted
Village, he was, though "not passing rich," dear
to all the country round, from his " unaffected
sanctity" and simplicity of manners.
He practised what he preached; and though a
narrow income sometimes compelled him to bound
his charities, his benevolence knew no limitations.
With cheerful alacrity he visited the sick and the
afflicted, administering to their wants, and calm, �
## p. 4 (#10) ###############################################
4 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
ing their perturbations. He divested death of its
terrors; he alleviated the horrors of guilt; he com-
forted and supported the dismayed, by dwelling
upon that passage in the sacred volume of heaven,
which says, a broken and a contrite heart shall
not be rejected:
"At his comroul
"Despair and anguish fled the struggling soul, -
"Comfort came down the trembling wretch to raise
"And his last falt'ring accents whisper'd praise."
Previous to his becoming an inhabitant of Wye-
field he had mixed a good deal in the busy world,
and from what he had seen and suffered during
his intercourse therein, he was happy to find him-
self far removed from it. Few men indeed had
ever experienced greater deceit, cruelty, and in-
gratitude; and independent of the disgust his in-
juries naturally inspired him with against it, he
deemed himself totally unqualified for it, from
wanting that "patient merit," so necessary for
the indigent and dependent to possess, in order to
enable them to bear, with some degree of calm-
ness, the "oppressor's wrong," the proud man's
scorn, " the insolence of office," and the various
ills and indignities which the unworthy and un-
feeling are so apt to heap upon the children of
adversity.
For a wounded spirit and contracted income,
no place could be better adapted than Wyefieldi
Its inhabitants, with very few exceptions, were sim-
ple and good natured, and its luxuriant soil, and
vicinity to Chester, rendered the necessaries of
life easily attainable; it consisted of houses chiefly
in the cottage style, built upon a verdant green,
or rather valley, which lay between pleasant hills
of easy ascent, and was beautifully planted with;
## p. 5 (#11) ###############################################
NOCTURNAL visit. 5
elms and chesnuts, round many of whose ponder.
ous and moss-covered trunks, benches were pla-
ced for the accommodation of the village politi-
cians; the venerable woods of Gwytherin-hall,
which completely embosomed a stately mansion,
the ancient seat of the noble family of that name,
to whom the hamlet, with an immense tract of
adjoining land, belonged, terminated it at one ex-
tremity, and at the other it was crossed by a fine
trout stream,
"In which the willows dipt
"Their pendent boughs, stooping as if to drink;"
and o'er which a rustic bridge was thrown, that
led into the heart of a highly cultivated country,
where neat farms, handsome mansions, rich pas-
tures, and fine woodlands presented themselves in
charming variety to the eye.
The appearance of Wyefield was altogether
neat, cheerful and picturesque; its cottages peeped
amidst tufted trees, or rose amidst gardens, rich
in the treasures of the flowery as well as vegetable
world; and the hills being in many parts too low
to exclude the prospect of the adjacent country,
it commanded several fine and extensive views,
particularly of the sea (enlivened by the beautiful
and ever-varying scenery of the waters), and of
the mountains of North-Wales."those almost in-
accessible retreats of the ancient Britons, dark,
congregated, and piled upon each other in rude
confusion, like the disjointed fragments of a de-
molished world.
The dwelling of Mr. Greville was only distin-
guished from the habitations of his neighbours,
by the peculiar taste with which the ground be-
longing to it was laid out. It stood in the midst
A 2.
## p. 6 (#12) ###############################################
6 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
of a large garden, which was enclosed from the
green by a low hedge of hawthorn, kept in the
nicest order; and behind it rose the hill, upon
whose summit the village church was built, and
up whose gentle acclivity aged trees formed a
long cathedral walk, shading with their spreading
and intertwisted branches the grass-grown graves
of many of the rude forefathers of the hamlet!
Flaunting honeysuckles crept o'er the white
walls of the cottage, wantoned upon its roof, and
in summer cast a delightful shade upon its little
casemented-windows,before which clumps offlow-
ering shrubs, and buds of delicious flowers were
raised. Here roses and lavender emitted, their
choicest fragrance;
"Here soft carnatiqns shower'd their balmy dews,
"Here lillies smil'd, in virgin robes of white,
"The thin undress of superficial light."
The luxuriant shades of Gwytherin-hall were im-
mediately stretched before it; and through the
parted trees, it commanded several fine and ro-
mantic prospectSi especially of a noble sheet of
water, (dotted with small picturesque islands),
which serpentized to a considerable extent, between
banks of the most beautiful verdure, till it appeared
lost to the admiring eye, in the dark and tangled
mazes of a distant grove which skirted the old
mansion.
This charming seat, notwithstanding the many
beauties it possessed, had long been neglected by
its owner, who led, as common fame reported, a
life of unbounded dissipation and extravagance on
the continent. His desertion had caused it to be
almost totally neglected, so that many of the or-
namental buildings, the proud boast of former days,
were falling to decay, and most of the shrubberies
were overgrown with weeds and rank luxuriance.
## p. 7 (#13) ###############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 7
Though the inhabitants of the hamlet had free
access to the demesne, few availed themselves of
the privilege of walking in it, preferring a ramble
round their own cultivated fields, or the cottages
of their neighbours, to its nearly ruined and soli-
tary grounds.
Not so Mr. Greville; he delighted in the so-
lemn grandeur of its woods, the soothing murmur
of its falling waters, the deep retirement of its
twilight groves, so well calculated to tranquillize
the passions, and to peace unfelt before,
"To purest harmony attune the soul,
"Wean it from earth, and wing its flight to heav'n."
Yet was the pleasure, resulting from profound
quiet and uninterrupted meditation, frequently
embittered by sadness and regret, at beholding the
ruin into which all around seemed hastening, and
"indignation at the tastelesb*ess of mortal men,
who, in their race through life, o'erlook the real
enjoyments of it."
Such tastelessness, such folly, he thought, could
only be occasioned by a constant residence amidst
scenes of dissipation.
"Oh! happy am I," he would exclaim, when-
ever such an idea occurred, " Oh! happy am I
at being far removed from such scenes...from a
world, whose spells, like those of a fell enchan-
tress, have power to blind the judgment, vitiate
the taste, destroy the health, and weaken the un-
derstanding! Misguided by it, its votaries forego
real enjoyments, such as exalt the soul, compose
the feelings, and invigorate the constitution! Of
the truth of this, the owner of this lovely and ne-
glected seat is a striking example. Where could
he experience such pure and permanent pleasures
as would result to him from dwelling among his
## p. 7 (#14) ###############################################
"i U ^csrani am unar warns i
ui'tTCiSCS. jZU. 'nrminj,'iiir -nwr :nnnsrrr '
:-.w ccuc ii 3Toc .* aims nuair
ia j* vjDpcrnn? toe Jiimiiir^ j pa   'tie with becoming^ cgmcr. ami.
" ^rserous spirit of hosnmikr -rm^i office ihs-
-CL.iCI st and Made e vafiicm; ant inch- :. ~: rt^ice whenever tner ipproacaita: ja inwfis?
j whtre, if he merely caaau^a. ont cnonst-
t a of his senses, could he oehoki i pihry tort c-.cuiaied to delight and please ibes::''
T:ie fami/y of Mr. Greniie coasiacd rfin^
and four children, a young man who had had to his care till he became of aga.
i who had been
'. inr. os tbsir ciaiiKiiier.
There was * STITCH y-ar-rrti n tk 'iirit al"
- - d-fl *lr^---^"-
'o's"r.:/: i*.
"
i a sass: oe-
## p. 7 (#15) ###############################################
NOCTURNAL visit. 
A particular friend, he said, well acquainted
with his misfortunes, had found means of inform-
ing him, that if he chose to accept the entire guar-
dianship of a female infant, who could never, from
some circumstances of a peculiarly delicate and dis-
tressing nature, be acknowledged, or publicly pro-
tected by those to whom she belonged, he should
receive with her one thousand guineas, provided
he bound himself, in a solemn manner, to bring her
up as his own child, faithfully preserve the secret
of her birth, and rest satisfied with the sum re-
ceived with her, which was all he must ever ex-
pect on her account.
"I would not," continued Mr. Greville, " re-
turn any answer to this proposal till I had con-
sulted you; should you accede to it, comfort and
happiness may, I think, again be ours ; but should
you object to it, be assured I shall not murmur."
To do this, however, was not by any means the
intention of Mrs. Greville; there were few things,
indeed, to which she would not have agreed, in
order to extricate herself from her present em-
barrassments. She accordingly consented to take
the little offspring of sorrow and imprudence to
her arms, hinting, however, at the same time, that
she did not suppose her husband meant to include
her in the number of those from whom he was
bound to preserve the secret entrusted to him.
On this point he instantly undeceived her, de-
claring, in the promise expected from him, no ex-
ception would be allowed; and that, as all inquiries
relative to the parentage of the infant would be
fruitless, he trusted she would neither teaze her-
self nor him by making any, once more assuring
her, if she did not thoroughly approve
coming the guardian of the child, he
out hesitation refuse being so.
## p. 8 (#16) ###############################################
8 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
own people, inquiring into their wants, relieving
their distresses, and encouraging their industry?'
Or how could ,his pride be more nobly gratified,
than by supporting the honours of his ancient
house with becoming dignity, and keeping alive
the generous spirit of hospitality which once dis-
tinguished it, and made the wayfaring and indi-
gent rejoice whenever they approached its towers?
Or where, if he merely consulted the gratifica-
tion of his senses, could he behold a place more
calculated to delight and please them?"
The family of Mr. Greville consisted of a wife
and four children, a young man who had been
consigned to his care till he became of age, and a.
young girl who had been brought up by him. and
his wife, as their daughter. "
There was a mystery attached to the birth of
this girl, which Mrv Greville would not even ex-
plain to his wife's and in consequence of his pro-
found secrecy on the subject, nothing could have
induced Mrs. Greville to take her under her pro-
tection, but the advantages with which the mea-
sure was attended to herself.
Neither she nor Mr. Greville were by any means
in affluence at the time of their union; and some
circumstances took place soon after that event,
which considerably augmented their pecuniary
distresses. They were, in short, in the most de-
plorable and melancholy situation, without a hope
or prospect of relief, when Mr. Greville appeared
before his wife one morning with a cheerful coun-
tenance, and told her Providence had at. length
given them an opportunity of retrieving their af-
fairs. Mrs. Greville joyfully started at this intel-
ligence, and eagerly begged an explanation, which he gave her to the following effect:
## p. 9 (#17) ###############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. .
A particular friend, he said, well acquainted
with his misfortunes, had found means of inform-
ing him, that if he chose to accept the entire guar-
dianship of a female infant, who could never, from
some circumstances of a peculiarly delicate and dis-
tressing nature, be acknowledged, or publicly pro-
tected by those to whom she belonged, he should
receive with her one thousand guineas, provided
he bound himself, in a solemn manner, to bring her
up as his own child, faithfully preserve the secret
of her birth, and rest satisfied with the sum re-
ceived with her, which was all he must ever ex-
pect on her account.
"I would not," continued Mr. Greville, " re-
turn any answer to this proposal till I had con-
sulted you; should you accede to it, comfort and
happiness may, I think, again be our's; but should
you object to it, be assured I shall not murmur."
To do this, however, was not by any means the
intention of Mrs. Greville ; there were few things,
indeed, to which she would not have agreed, in
order to extricate herself from her present em-
barrassments. She accordingly consented to take
the little offspring of sorrow and imprudence to
her arms, hinting, however, at the same time, that
she did not suppose her husband meant to include
her in the number of those from whom he was
bound to preserve the secret entrusted to him.
On this point he instantly undeceived her, de-
claring, in the promise expected from him, no ex-
ception would be allowed; and that, as all inquiries
relative to the parentage of the infant would be
fruitless, he trusted she would neither teaze her-
self nor him by making any, once more assuring
her, if she did not thoroughly approve of his be, coming the guardian of the child, he would with-
out hesitation refuse being so.
## p. 10 (#18) ##############################################
10 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Mrs. Greville eagerly repeated her consent,
hoping and believing she should at length win upon the confidence of her husband, and obtain the in-
formation she so ardently wished for ; not so much
from curiosity, as from some secret suspicions she
entertained.
The child, who then appeared about a twelve-
month old, and was as beautiful as a cherub, was
brought to her one night by her husband, and with
her the sum which had been promised.
Freed from the load which had so long oppressed
them, Mr. Greville was enabled to make such ex-
ertions, as soon procured him the curacy of Wye-
field, whither he directly repaired, and his little
family, with feelings similar to those which the
fatigued and weather-beaten sailor must experi-
ence,-who, after a dangerous and tempestuous
voyage, finds himself at length in a haven of se-
curity and rest.
In this peaceful retirement, he became the de-
lighted father of four lovely children, a girl and
three boys, between whom and the little foundling
(whatever his secret feelings might have been),
he made no distinction.
But not all the happiness she enjoyed through
means of the little Jacintha, her infantine endear-
ments, or affectionate manners, could attach the
unfeeling heart of Mrs. Greville to her. The sus-
picions she entertained concerning her birth, which
the obstinate silence of Mr. Greville respecting it
tended to strengthen, together with the jealousy
his fondness for the child inspired, and the envy
she felt at her expanding charms, which threat-
ened, at a very early period, totally to eclipse those
of her own daughter, made her hate her with the
most inveterate rancour.
## p. 11 (#19) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 11
She was mistress of too much art, however, not
to be able to conceal this hatred from her hus-
band, before whom she generally assumed a smiling
and tender aspect to Jacintha, which completely
deceived him, and made him readily believe, when-
ever he heard of her being treated with harshness,
that she deserved it.
Unchecked, therefore, in her cruelty, Mrs. Gre-
rille took every opportunity of mortifying her, as
often as she possibly could, without exciting a
suspicion of her own malevolent disposition. She
debarred her of the amusements and enjoyments
adapted to her age; she made her almost a house-
hold slave; and insinuated to her inmates that she
was a girl of a most froward and unruly temper;
thus endeavouring to excite a prejudice against
her which might counteract the effects of her
dreaded beauty.
Jacintha had a proud spirit and a feeling heart,
and not only lamented, but murmured at the in-
human and unmerited conduct of her mother.
She was too noble-minded, however, to prefer any
complaint to her father, though she had reason to
imagine, from his uniform tenderness towards her
(a tenderness which she amply returned), that he
would take her part.
She was happily of a cheerful disposition; her
regrets, therefore, though deep, were not perma-
nent; and her face, like an April morning, was
one hour bedewed with tears, and the next irra-
diated with the sunshine of good humour. In
consequence of this disposition, she grew up, not-
withstanding the severity of her fate, with all that
sweetness of temper, and loveliness of person, of
which she gave so early a promise. Her's was
"The faultless form,
"Shap'd by the band of harmony; the cheek,
## p. 12 (#20) ##############################################
12 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
1 Where the live crimson, through the native white
'Soft shooting, o'er the face diffuses bloom,
'And every nameless grace; the parted lip,
'Like the red rose-bud moist with morning dew,
'Breathing delight; and under
'sunny ringlets
'The neck slight shaded, and the swelling breast,
'The look resistless, piercing to the soul,
'And by the soul inform'd."
The continued, or rather increased severity of
her mother, which she had hoped, by uniform
respect and uncomplaining submission, to subdue,
or at least soften, at length began to exhaust her
patience, and undermine her repose; and, in all
probability the wishes of Mrs. Greville would have
been accomplished, which-were to drive her to
some act of desperation, but for the interposition
of some unexpected circumstances, which changed
the colour of her fate, and gave a value to her ex-
istence she had never before attached to it.
## p. 13 (#21) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. !.",
CHAP. II.
"His kindly acts bespoke him well,
"To please the gentle maid:
"Who in a virgin's soul-fraught sigh,
"His manly warmth repaid."
IT was the custom of Jacintha and Ger-
trude to pass a month every Christmas at the house
of a gentleman, some miles on the other side of
Chester. He had formerly been an inhabitant of
Wyefield; and his daughters, the companions of
their early youth, made it a point, on quitting the
hamlet, that they should be indulged with an an-
nual visit from their young friends at that season
..a season so particularly devoted, in the country,
to pleasure and festivity.
Accordingly at the appointed time, the travel-
ling chaise of Mr. Frankland regularly came for
the two girls, who always set out upon their little
journey with eager delight and expectation.
From this pleasurable excursion Mrs. Greville
would willingly have kept Jacintha, could she have
done so without betraying her malevolent motives
for such a measure; but as that was impossible,
she was, of necessity, compelled to submit to it.
Among the guests who were assembled one
christmas at Mr. Frankland's, was the honourable
## p. 14 (#22) ##############################################
U NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Mr. Oswald, a young man of high fashion, and
eminently gifted by nature, both in person and
understanding; and who, to intelligence, anima-
tion, and elegance, united the most captivating
manners and insinuating address.
He soon distinguished Jacintha by the particu-
larity of his attentions....attentions not a little gra-
tifying to her pride, and highly mortifying to
Gertrude, who did every thing in her power,
though without effect, to deprive her of them.
Gertrude, at this period, was about sixteen (a
year younger than Jacintha), and, like her mother,
was vain, ambitious', selfish, and designing. She
was very pretty, perfectly conscious of the power
of her charms, and could not bear to have their
influence diminished by any rival beauty; she
therefore detested Jacintha, by whose superior
charms she had often been deprived of that ho-
mage she deemed only due to her own, and rea-
dily concurred in any scheme which the malice
of her mother could suggest to mortify or distress
her. Her rage and envy at the notice Jacintha
attracted from Oswald could with difficulty be
confined to her bosom, and her letters to her mo-
ther were filled with complaints upon the subject.
She was not the only person to whom his at-
tentions to Jacintha gave uneasiness, though from
a very different cause. Mr. Frankland quickly
observed them, and knew not whether to rejoice
at or regret them, doubtful as he was whether a
man of high birth and fortune would ever think
seriously of a girl whose only dowry Was inno-
cence and beauty, and fearful that they might
make such an impression upon her heart, as
would prove highly detrimental to its peace, if the
hopes they were calculated to inspire should be
disappointed. 
## p. 15 (#23) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 15
His perfect esteem for her father, made him
truly solicitous for her welfare; his present anxi-
ety about her imbittered the happiness he would
otherwise have experienced from beholding his
family and friends rejoicing around him; and he
watched her and Oswald with a vigilance which
neither amusement nor business could relax.
At length, perceiving the particularity of Os-
wald every day increase...a particularity which, it
was but too visible, was highly pleasing to Jacin-
tha, he determined to speak to him upon the sub-
ject, and if he found he really had no serious in-
teptions concerning her, at once to terminate it.
In consequence of this determination, he invited
him to his library one morning, briefly explained
. Iiis reasons for doing so, and intreated him, if his
attentions to Miss Greville were merely dictated
by common place gallantry, not to persevere in
them, as her heart was too susceptible to be trifled
with...." You must be aware," said he, in a good-
humoured manner, "that the impression a
dashing young fellow like you is calculated to
make upon an inexperienced country lass of se-
venteen, is not very likely to be erased; I must,
therefore, my dear young friend," proceeded he,
with a greater degree,of gravity, "request you to
desist from any farther particularity to her, if mere
amusement is your aim; nay, I must do more....
I must insist upon it. She has been consigned to
my care by her father (a sacred trust), and on that
account exclusive of any other consideration, I
hold myself bound to watch over her, and prevent
any conduct under my roof which has a tendency
to injure her repose."
Oswald, who had not heard him to an end with-
out evincing the. utmost impatience, and making
## p. 16 (#24) ##############################################
16 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
many efforts to interrupt him, now hastily ex-
claimed, he should consider himself unworthy of
the name of man, if he was capable of trifling
with sensibility, or gratifying his vanity at the ex-
pence of an innocent believing girl. In suspect-
ing him of such inhuman, such despicable con-
duct, he protested Mr. Frankland had done him
the greatest injustice. He declared his intentions,
relative to Miss Greville were of the most serious,
the most honourable nature; her artless man-
ners, her bewitching beauty, her seeming uncon-
sciousness of charms, which dazzled every be-
holder, had captivated him almost the first hour
he became acquainted with her; and he protested
he had only delayed informing her friends of the
sentiments with which she had inspired him, till
he had been more explicit with her concerning
them.
Mr. Frankland begged him to consider, ere he
went too far to recede with honour, whether he
thought his mother would approve of his attach-
ment, or give it that sanction, without which, he
was convinced, Mr. Greville would never permit
an union between him and his daughter.
Oswald, with all the impetuosity of youthful
passion, eager to remove every obstacle to its hap-
piness, assured him he had not a doubt of receiv-
ing her approbation to any measure calculated to
promote his felicity.
Satisfied on this head, Mr. Frankland no longer
opposed his attentions to Jacintha; on the con-
trary, he rejoiced at beholding them, feeling the
purest satisfaction at her happy prospects, not
only on her own account, but on account of her
family, who, he hoped and believed, would be
-sentially benefitted by her union with a man so
generous and noble as Oswald.
## p. 17 (#25) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. ft
Oswald's explanation to Mr. Frankland, was
followed by an open avowal of his passion to Ja-
cintha, and an entreaty for permission to wait upon
her father. This was a request which it did not
require much eloquence to prevail upon her to
grant. The impression which she had made upon
Oswald, was not greater than that which he had
made upon her heart; and, amidst her most san-
guine hopes of happiness (those hopes so natural
in the early season of youth, when all, like the
luxuriance of summer, appears to the imagination
bright and glowing), she had never"formed an
idea of such exquisite felicity as she now looked
forward to enjoying in her union with him.
Oswald was obliged to attend his mother, lady
Henry Oswald, immediately in London, for the
purpose of escorting her ladyship down to Mr.
Frankland's house, where she was expected to re-
main till she could provide herself with a suitable
mansion in the neighbourhood, it being her inten-
tion to reside in future in this part of the country;
his visit, therefore, to Wyefield, was necessarily
deferred till his return from town; and, whenever
it took place, Mr. Frankland promised to be his
companion. He and Jacintha departed from the
hospitable mansion of this good man, at the same
hour, upon their respective routes Jacintha was deputed by Mr. Frankland to be
the herald of her own good fortune at home; but
the particulars she meant to communicate, were
anticipated by Gertrude, who, in her narrative to
her mother, could not conceal the bitter regret
she felt at the prospect of Jacintha's happiness...
a regret which had poisoned every pleasure at
Mr. Frankland's, and made her long to return
B 2 .
## p. 18 (#26) ##############################################
18 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
home, in order to vent the overflowings of her
malignant and envious heart.
The rage and mortification of Mrs. Greville at
hearing of Jacintha's conquest, were too violent
for ^description. She execrated her own folly for
ever having permitted her to quit Wyefield, and
unable to support the idea of her being so greatly
elevated above Gertrude, resolved to leave no
means untried to ruin her hopes, and destroy her
expected happiness, even though at the risk of
,censure and disgrace to herself.
Notwithstanding the superior affection she felt
for her father, Jacintha thought she could be more
unreserved in her communications to her mother,
concerning Oswald, than to him. Mrs. Greville
could not resist the opportunity, which her speak-
ing on the subject gave, of gratifying, in some
degree, her malice. She treated all she said with
contempt and ridicule, affected to doubt the truth
of every assertion, protested she was sure her va-
nity had utterly misled her, and, concluded by
laughing aloud in the most sarcastic manner,
at the idea, as she said, of the amusement it must
afford Mr. Oswald, if he ever understood she had
been so ridiculous as to believe him serious in
the attentions he paid her.
Jacintha was stung to the soul by this con-
temptuous treatment; the glow of indignant pride
mantled her cheeks, and she hastily quitted the
room in order to conceal her tears, and avoid
using any expression which might be unpleasing
to her mother. From this moment she resolved
not to speak to any one of the family concerning
Oswald; she now regretted Mr. Frankland's si-
lence relative to him, but soon lost that regret in
anticipating the triumph she should have, upon
his arrival, over malice and ill-nature.
## p. 19 (#27) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 19
i
To that arrival she looked forward with mingled
joy and exultation, counting, with the most resist-
less impatience, the intervening days. From her
father's total silence about him, it was evident to
her that her mother had either not mentioned him
at all, or in such a manner as made him appear
a mere trifler. In this latter supposition she was
not wrong. Mrs. Greville had indeed mentioned
him to her husband, but in such a way, as led him
to believe he was more gallant than sincere, and
Jacintha one of the vainest and most credulous
girls in the world, for having attended to his pro-
fessions.
Had she not dreaded an explanatory letter from
Frankland, Which might lead to a discovery of her
keeping the affair a secret from her husband, and
consequently excite unpleasant suspicions, Mrs.
Greville would have been silent respecting him;
as on his ignorance of Oswald's intentions, prin-
cipally depended the hopes she entertained of
being able, through her machinations, to defeat
those intentions.
Ere we proceed farther in our story, it may be
necessary to introduce Oswald more particularly
to the notice of our readers, than we have yet
done ; this we shall accordingly do in the following
chapter.
## p. 20 (#28) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. III.
With such unshaken temper of the soul,
To bear the swelling tide of prosp'rous fortune,
Is to deserve that fortune. In adversity
The mind grows tough by buffeting the tempest f
But in success dissolving, sinks to ease,
And loses all her firmness."
EGBERT OSWALD, the professed ad-
mirer of Jacintha, was the son of love and sorrow.
At a very early period, his father, the second son
of the marquis of Methwold, embraced a military
life, and, through the interest and opulence of his
family, soon rose high in his profession. In the
course of time he was quartered with his regiment
at a fort in Scotland, commanded by an old and
particular friend of the marquis.
Major Kirkaldy had passed the best part of his
life in the service of his country; but his good
fortune bore no proportion to his merits: and, in
all probability, he would have experienced the se-
verest pressure of poverty, but for the interfer-
ence of the marquis, whose generous exertions
in his favour procured him the situation he now
enjoyed.
Delighted at beholding so near a relation of his
benefactor, he took every opportunity of evinc-
## p. 21 (#29) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 21
ing his gratitude to the father by his attention to
the son; and lord Henry scarcely knew another
home than his.
But for his frequent visits to the house of the
governor, there was a stronger inducement than
the kindness and hospitality of the old man. Ma-
jor Kirkaldy had a daughter, young, innocent, and
beautiful, whom lord Henry could not behold
without emotion, or know without loving.
Nature had not been less liberal of her mental, and personal gifts to him, than to the charmingRo-
saline; and they soon became mutually and pas-
sionately enamoured of each other. More in-
cautious, perhaps, before others, than before her
father, their attachment was pretty generally known
ere he had an idea of it; but no sooner was he
convinced of its existence, than he took lord Henry
to task, and entreated him, in the most urgent
manner, not to entail sorrow upon him and his
child by persevering in his attentions to her, ex-
cept he could prevail upon the marquis to sanc-
tion them, of which he had himself but little hopes,
and without which he solemnly vowed never to
permit a connexion between them.
Lord Henry was too noble, too ingenuous, to at-
tempt to deceive him by saying he had any ex-
pectation of obtaining his father's consent to his
union with Miss Kirkaldy; on the contrary, he
confessed he was certain all application on the
subject would be unavailing, as he well knew his
father had already fixed upon an alliance for him,
on which his heart was bent. "Through means
of me or mine then," cried major Kirkaldy, "he
shall not be disappointed. I will not, viper-like,
sting the bosom which has fostered me, or return
kindness with perfidy and ingratitude."
## p. 22 (#30) ##############################################
22 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Lord Henry argued and entreated ; he endea-
voured to prevail on him to consent to his mar-
riage with his daughter, by trying to convince
him that, however displeased the marquis might
be on first hearing of it, the uselessness of such
displeasure would soon induce him to forego it.
His displeasure, however, was but a secondary
consideration with Kirkaldy. "He thought infi-
nitely more of the dishonour and ingratitude with
which he should be branded, if he encouraged
clandestine proceedings, and consented to an ac-
tion so contrary to the wishes of his patron. The
eloquence of lord Henry was therefore ineffectual;
and Kirkaldyat length silenced him, by declaring,
that, dear as his daughter was to him, though all
his hopes of happiness centered in her, he would
rather see her dead, than allow her to act in any
manner which could draw censure upon her and
himself, and injure a character which, through all
his misfortunes, it had been his study and pride
to preserve unsullied. He moreover said, his
lordship must, in future, be satisfied to be received
merely as a common visiter at his house; and pro-
tested even those casual visits would be prohi-
bited, if he ever discovered that he spoke to his
daughter upon the forbidden subject.
To her he was not less explicit than he had been
to her lover; and, with inexpressible anguish, he
saw her distress fully equalled his. She did not,
indeed, like the impetuous Henry, entreat or re-
monstrate; but her tears, her bitter tears, evinced
her feelings, and affected the heart of her father
more forcibly than any language could have done.
Too late he regretted the error he had committed,
in permitting an intimacy between two beings so
formed to captivate each other by their congenial
## p. 23 (#31) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 23
loveliness ; and to this regret was united a degree
of wonder at his not having before reflected upon
the imprudence of such a measure.
To remove the unhappiness he had been so in-
strumental in creating, was now his most fer-
vent wish; for this purpose he watched over the
lovers, and tried, by tenderness and reason, to re-
copcile them to the disappointment of their wishes.
He scarcely felt more on his daughter's account
than on lord Henry's, whose ingenuous manners
had strongly attached him to his interests, and
whose faded cheek, whose languid eye, whose al-
tered mien too evidently denoted his wretched-
ness. He still continued to visit at the governor's,
though not in the manner he had formerly done,
nor was he ever admitted except other company
was present; but, notwithstanding all this caution,
and the vigilant eye that was kept upon him, he
contrived to address his Rosaline on the subject
nearest his heart. This being discovered by her
father, he was absolutely forbidden any farther
visits. Still, however, he found means to see her;
those stolen interviews could not be long concealed
from her father, and, finding all his efforts to pre-
vent them ineffectual, he resolved on sending Ro-
saline away, and keeping her in the closest retire-
ment, till change of quarters should oblige her
lover to quit the fort. This was the only method
he could devise to prevent a measure he dreaded,
and suppress a flame which could only destroy
the hearts that nourished it.
He accordingly sent Rosaline to a considerable
distance from the fort, with a caution and secrecy
which he trusted would baffle any search or in-
quiries that might be made after her. But what
can escape the vigilance of love? Lord Henry
## p. 24 (#32) ##############################################
24 NOCTURNAL visit. i
soon discovered the place to which she was con-
veyed, and determined on pursuing her thither, and exerting all his eloquence to prevail on her to
consent to a clandestine union. The impetuosity
of his disposition would have made him follow her
directly, but that he dreaded exciting suspicion
by doing so, and thus defeating his intentions; he
therefore remained a fortnight in the fort, after
her removal from it, at the expiration of which
period, under the pretext of urgent business that
required his immediate presence in London, he
quitted it, having completely deceived Kirkaldy
by his conduct, and accompanied by a brother of-
ficer, high in his esteem and confidence, proceeded
in disguise to the retreat of Rosaline.
This was an ancient castle, built upon the edge
of an extensive lake, environed with high and
gloomy mountains, and belonging to an old female
relation of Kirkaldy's, who, being of a most un-
happy temper, readily undertook the charge of
Rosaline, as it gave her an opportunity of seeing
another as miserable as she felt herself. Lord
Henry was greatly disappointed on reaching this
abode, at the very little probability there appeared
of having a speedy interview with his mistress.
Neither delays nor dangers, however, could dis-
courage lord Henry. He took up his abode at the
hut of a peasant, whom he bribed to secrecy con-
cerning his guests, and, with his companion, con-
tinually hovered about the castle, frequently at
night going upon the water, which, he understood
from his host, the windows of Rosaline's chamber
overlooked.
Rosaline, in the mean time, ignorant of the in-
tentions of her lover, ignorant of his vicinity to
her, and fearful that an eternal separation had
## p. 25 (#33) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 25
taken place between them, abandoned herself to
the most exquisite sorrow...a sorrow which was
not a little heightened by the malice of her cou-
sin, who perpetually accused her of folly and in-
discretion; and not only forbade her going be-
yond the precincts of the castle, but prevented
her from reading, writing, or, in short, doing any
thing which had a tendency to alleviate the wretch-
edness of her feelings.
She received a letterfrom her father, one day,
couched in the most affectionate terms; but the
pleasure his tenderness was calculated to give her,
the intelligence he communicated, relative to lord
Henry's departure for London, completely coun-
teracted.
This journey appeared to her a tacit acknow-
ledgment of his determination to forget her: and
the hope that till then had secretly lurked within
her breast, now became extinguished. The an-
guish she had with difficulty suppressed before
her unfeeling relative, who, she knew, would tri-
umph at beholding it, was freely indulged in the
privacy of her chamber. Unable to sleep, on re-
tiring to it for the night, she stationed herself at
an open window, from whence she could observe
the waves of the lake, now silvered by the beams
of a full-orbed moon, rolling towards the rocky shore, against which they broke with a melancholy
murmur, not undelightful to the pensive mind;
whilst, with a sound not less dismal, the cold
breeze, which lifted her long tresses from her
breast, whistled through the dark heath of the
surrounding mountains.
This wild and solemn scene drag perfectly suited
to the feelings of the unhappy Rosaline..." Here,"
## p. 26 (#34) ##############################################
26 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
cried she, " amidst this solitude, once so hateful
to me, I could now wish forever to remain; for
the gaieties of life can retain no charms for a heart
lacerated by sorrow and disappointment." Whilst
thus indulging her melancholy, she suddenly heard
the dashing of oars, and the next instant beheld
a boat approaching the castle. She was somewhat
surprised on observing the rowers pausing for
some minutes, as if in consultation, and felt still
more so at perceiving a man leap from the boat
the moment it drew close to the shore, and hastily
approach her window.
'Rosaline involuntarily retreating, now recollect-
ed, for the first time, that her white dress ren-
dered her a conspicuous object; but she was soon
recalledrecalled by the voice, the impassioned
voice, of Henry. The raptures of that moment
cannot be described; she bent from the window,
she breathed forth the tenderness of her heart in
language scarcely less ardent than his own, and,
gave him every assurance he could desire, of her
love being unabated. These assurances, however,
could not satisfy the enamoured Henry. He im-
plored, he insisted upon her giving him a con-
vincing proof of her regard, by putting herself
immediately under his protection.
The inclination of Rosaline seconded the in-
treaties of lord Henry; but she shrunk, trembling
and affrighted, from the idea of disobeying her
father, not but that she thought his notions of ho-
nour much too rigid. Lord Henry, finding she
hesitated, and maddened at the thought of loosing
her, knelt down, and took a solemn oath to quit
the regiment he then served in, and exchange into
one which should be constantly upon foreign ser-
vice, if she did not comply with his wishes.
## p. 27 (#35) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 27
i
Rosaline knew his disposition well. She knew, that what he had so solemnly vowed, he would &s
strictly perform; this threat, therefore, vanquished
her resolution; for before the dread of being eter-
nally separated from him, every other apprehen-
sion vanished. Lord Henry would not permit her
to defer herelopementbeyond the present moment.
The window was too high to admit of escape through
it; but though the doors of the castle were locked,
the keys remained within them t in a few minutes,
therefore, she regained her liberty, and found
herself within the arms of her lover. She was
immediately conveyed to the cottage where he
lodged, and the horses, on which he and his com-
panion travelled thither, being directly prepared,
they set off to an inn near the fort. To this the
chaplain of the regiment received a private sum-
mons from lord Henry; and, as soon as the mar-
riage ceremony was over, he waited upon Kii-
kaldy, by his lordship's desire, to acquaint him
with the event which had taken place.
Kirkaldy received this intelligence with regret
and indignation, and was deaf to every solicitation
in behalf of his daughter. Rosaline was deeply
affected by his resentment, notwithstanding lord
Henry repeatedly assured her,' he was convinced
her father would not long remain inexorable.
Happy would he have felt himself, could he have
said the same of his own parent; but, alas! he
had soon reason to fear all application to him for
forgiveness would prove unsuccessful...afear which
time too fatally confirmed.
The marquis, though capable of generous, and
even noble actions, was selfish and obdurate in the extreme. Whatever services, therefore, he ren-
dered to others, he took care should be such as
## p. 28 (#36) ##############################################
28 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
could not interfere with his own interest, to which,
at any time; he would unhesitatingly have sacri-
ficed his dearest friends. His ambition was not
inferior to his avarice, and his pride surpassed his
obduracy; nor was there any thing short of a dis-
honourable action, which could prevent him from
gratifying his ruling propensities. He was, be-
sides, a man of the most implacable disposition,
and of him, with truth, it might be said, as it was
of the celebrated Sixtus, that he never forgave an
injury, nor forgot an obligation. His eldest son,
in conformity to his wishes, had formed an early
alliance with a lady of high rank and considerable
fortune, and he had long meditated a connexion
equally splendid and advantageous for his second;
great, therefore, was his disappointment, on hear-
ing of Henry's imprudent marriage...a disappoint-
ment which some particular circumstances consi-
derably heightened.
The young lady destined for the partner of lord
Henry, had been left under the sole guardianship
of the marquis by her father, with his express
wishes to have her married into the family of his
lordship. These wishes met the warm concur-
rence of the marquis, who only waited till she had
attained a proper age, to settle all the prelimina-
ries of her union with lord Henry, of whose ready
acquiescence to such a measure he had not the
smallest doubt.
In consequence of his confidence on this head, and
knowing, as his son was wholly dependent on him,
he could make what terms with him he pleased, he
had not scrupled to make use of a large portion
of his destined daughter-in-law's fortune, for the
purpose of purchasing * fine estate in his neither �
## p. 29 (#37) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 29
bourhood, belonging to a ruined family, by the
possession of which his influence would be greatly
increased in the county. The marriage of lord
Henry compelled him to the disagreeable neces-
sity of parting with this highly-valued acquisition,
in order to reimburse his ward. His regret,
vexation and rage, at being compelled to do so,
were too violent for description; in the bitterness
of his soul, he renounced Lord Henry, and impre-
cated the heaviest curses upon his own head if
ever he forgave him. Not satisfied with wreaking
his vengeance upon his son, by withdrawing the
income he had allowed him from his entrance into
life, he resolved on punishing, to the utmost of his
power, the unhappy Kirkaldy, whom he considered
the treacherous abettor of his son's disobedience.
To do this he accordingly set his wits to work,
and soon succeeded in getting him deprived of his
command, which deprivation left him utterly des-
titute of provision.
The ruin which she had drawn upon the grey-
head of her father, overwhelmed lady Henry with
all the horrors of despair, and her life was endan-
gered by her anguish. Solicitations were now
unnecessary to obtain the forgiveness of her father
...he knew the disposition of his child too well,
not to conceive the wretchedness she must feel at
the idea of having injured him; he, therefore, has-
tened to her, to comfort, to revive her, to assure
her, as he folded her to his forgiving heart, his
sufferings would be cheerfully borne, if he might
hope to see her yet in the possession of the hap-
piness she merited.
Y oung, inexperienced, and therefore sanguine,
Henry flattered himself he should be able,
c 2
## p. 30 (#38) ##############################################
30 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
through the interest of his friends, to procure Kir-
kaldy a situation equal to that which he had lost
through his means. But, alas! he soon found his
expectations were fallacious, soon discovered that
the discarded son of the marquis of Methwold was
a very different beingintheestimation of the world,
from him who had been his avowed favourite. All he could therefore do, was to allow him a stipend
from his pay, on which the old man retired Jo a
remote farm-house, with content in his counte-
nance, but anguish in his heart...anguish not in-
spired by his own misfortunes, but those he saw
impending over the beings he, most loved.
In less than a year after his marriage lord Henry's
regiment was ordered to America, where the
flames of war then raged with violence. Thither
he and his wife accompanied it, and there he ex-
perienced many hardships besides those attached
to his profession, and had the misery of burying
several lovely children. Egbert, of a numerous off-
spring, alone survived, and from this circumstance,
was, perhaps, doubly endeared to his parents.
At length, an unfortunate wound compelled lord
Henry to abandon a military life; and, having re-
tired on half pay, he returned to his native coun-
try, considerably injured in his health.
Kirkaldy immediately repaired to his unhappy
children, determined, let " weal or woe betide,"
never more to leave them. The heavy expences
which attended the re-establishment of lord Hen-
ry's health, involved him so deeply in debt, that, in
order to avoid a prison, he was reduced to the sad
alternative of disposing of his half pay. "Want,
wordly want," now menaced the wretched couple
with all its horrors; nor did they see any means of avoiding the "meagre fiend," lord Henry's
## p. 31 (#39) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 31
renewed applications to his father and brother
having proved as fruitless as his former ones; when
Providence, that ever-wakeful eye, which looks
with pity on the feeble toil of mortals lost to hope,
relieved their distress.
As lord Henry was walking, in a melancholy
manner, one day through the park, ruminating on
his deplorable situation, he was suddenly accosted
by a gentleman who had been a school-fellow, and
a favourite companion of his in the early part of
his life, and who, at the time he was soliciting his
supposed friends in behalf of Kirkaldy, was absent
in a. diplomatic capacity. He was a man of the
most amiable disposition, and strongly attached to
lord Henry. The delight expressed at their unex-
pected meeting, and the delicate inquiries he made
into his situation, soon drew from the o'erfraught
heart of his unfortunate friend, a full disclosure of
his griefs. His looks more than his words evinced
his sympathy, for real sensibility, is never verbose
or ostentatious: but in a few days he gave a con-
vincing proof of the interest and compassion the
txarrative had excited, by getting lord Henry ap-
pointed to a very beneficial employment under
government; and in the office over which he him-
self presided.
Fortune now seemed inclined to recompense
lord Henry and his family for all her former un-
kindness to them; and to crown his happiness,
his son grew up in mind, person, and manners,
all that his fondest wishes could desire. Lord
Henry, who, to the knowledge of the scholar,
united the elegance of the courtier, superintended
his education himself, and guve to it that com-
plete finishing which common tuition can never
effect.
## p. 32 (#40) ##############################################
S3 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
All uneasiness, relative to the future destiny
of this beloved son, was done away by his gene-
rous friend, who, unasked, gave a positive assur-
ance of providing for him in the civil line. This
destination was highly gratifying to the tender-
ness of Egbert's family, who could ill have borne
the idea of a separation from him: but how uncer-
tain is human happiness! In the midst of his
felicity, the noble patron, the disinterested friend
of lord Henry, was snatched from the world,
leaving unfulfilled his intentions in favour of Eg-
bert. Ere lord Henry or his family had in any
degree recovered from the shock occasioned by
his sudden death, a message came to inform him
his services were no longer required by govern-
ment. This unexpected dismission from an office
which he had filled with such honour to himself,
and benefit to others, lord Henry could only im-
pute to the inveterate rancour of the marquis,
whose malevolence, he had reason to believe,
time had rather increased than diminished, and
whom he knew to be intimately acquainted with
the successor of his lamented friend. Beneath
this stroke....a stroke which levelled all his hopes
and expectations in the dust, his spirits utterly
failed; a deep and corrosive melancholy fastened
upon his soul....that silent, that affecting melan-
choly, which, instead of venting itself in sighs of
exclamations, "whispers the o'erfraught heart,
and bids it break."
The endearments of his wife and son, far from
allaying, rather added to his misery, as every
proof of their love heightened his affection for
them, and rendered more poignant his regret at
being unable to administer to their comforts....
Egbert, at this unhappy period, was in his twen-
tieth year,
## p. 33 (#41) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 33
"Of fresh and stainless youth;
"In voices well divulg'd j free, learn'J and valiant;
"And in dimension, and the shape of nature,
"A gracious person."
Though lord Henry could not shake off the
gloom which oppressed him, he made every ex-
ertion in his power to procure a provision for his
family; but, alas! all his applications were inef-
fectual, though made where he had every reason
to hope they would prove successful....to those
whom, in the zenith of his prosperity, he had
served....to those whom he had lifted from indi-
gence and obscurity, into ease and affluence.
Those early instances of perfidy and ingrati-
tude, gave Egbert (whose notions of friendship
and honour were enthusiastic) a disgust to the
world, which he could not overcome, without the
greatest difficulty; and increased the predilection
he had always felt for a country life. Like the
poet, he thought....
"Oh! knew he but his happiness, ...of men
"The happiest he, who far from public rage,
"-.With a choice few retir'd,
"Drinks the pure pleasures of the rural life."
Some pretended friends, more cruel than others
(for to keep alive expectations which we never
mean to realize, is of all cruelties the most atro-
cious), deluded lord Henry with false hopes; and
in attending upon them, the sum he had saved
while in office, dwindled away almost unperceived.
Debts were then unavoidably contracted, and
a prison at last became his home!
Despair now took entire possession of him, and
he rapidly approached that goal, which was to
terminate his misfortunes. The anguish of lady
## p. 34 (#42) ##############################################
34 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Henry at this period, was too great for descrip-
tion. The misery of losing the man she adored
....a misery of itself sufficient to overwhelm her,
was heightened by her inability of procuring him
the necessaries he required. She shrunk with
horror from his ghastly looks, and with difficulty
could prevent the wild screams of sorrow and
despair from bursting from her heart.
Egbert struggled with his feelings, in order to
support her, and sooth the last moments of his
father. These moments were spent in fervent
prayer for the welfare of his family; and with
the sigh which released his suffering spirit, he
feebly articulated a blessing on them. "My
dear child," cried the venerable Kirkaldy, to his
daughter, when all was over, " let the idea of the
happy exchange he has made, reconcile you to
his loss. Think of the happiness he now enjoys
in the mansions of heaven....in the bosom of his
God; and cease to regret his release from want,
pain, and confinement."
The unhappy Rosaline was conveyed from the
prison, to lodgings almost as wretched as her
destiny. As soon as the first transports of grief
were over, she recalled her scattered thoughts;
and, reflecting on the duty she owed her son, re-
solved once more to try and soften the heart of
the marquis, to whom she had written several
times, though without effect, during the fatal
illness of her husband.
She accordingly wrote a most affecting letter,
describing the sufferings of the unfortunate lord
Henry, and the deplorable situation of herself
and son; and concluded, by entreating him, in
the most energetic manner, to extend the hand of
pity and compassion to them in this their deep
## p. 35 (#43) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL visit. 35
distress, and suffer the death of her lamented hus-
band to expiate the ofl'ence which had provoked
his resentment.
In due time she received an answer, which she
opened with mingled emotions of hope and fear.
But, alas' how soon did every pleasing idea vanish
before its contents, which briefly stated, that what-
ever the sufferings of lord Henry had been, he had
richly deserved them. This consideration therefore
precluded the commiseration which a reflection
upon them might otherwise have excited. All so-
licitations on her own behalf, she was positively
assured, would forever prove unavailing, as he (the
marquis) had solemnly determined never to relieve
the being, to whose artifices he imputed the destruc-
tion of a son, who never in the slightest instance had
infringed the duty and respect he owed him, till his
unfortunate acquaintance with her commenced.
But, as he thought it a pity the innocent
should suffer for the guilty, he consented to take
her son under his protection, provided he bound
himself in a solemn manner never more to have
any intercourse with her: but except he agreed
to this measure...except they both subscribed to
the articles of an eternal separation, and rigidly
observed them, he declared his unalterable resolu-
tion never to notice or befriend him. He desired
them both, but especially lady Henry, to deliber-
ate ere an answer was returned to his letter, as by
that answer his future conduct towards her son
would be irrevocably determined.
"Oh monster of barbarity!" cried the agonized
Rosaline, as she dropped the letter from her
trembling hands," will nothing appease thy unre-
lenting vengeance, but my draining the cup of sor-
row to the very dregs ?"....Her soul recoiled from
## p. 36 (#44) ##############################################
36 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
the idea of parting with Egbert, her joy, her hope,
hercomfort: butwhen she reflected on the misery,
the obscurity she would doom him to, by retaining
him, she resolved, like the scriptural mother, to
resign her child, rather than devote him to de-
struction.
When the letter of the marquis, and the de-
termination of his mother, were made known to
Egbert, grief, indignation and surprise, for a
minute suspended his faculties; then suddenly
falling on his knees, he grasped the hands of lady
Henry with vehemence, and with uplifted eyes,
called upon God to renounce him, if ever he de-
serted her.
Kirkaldy, in a transport of joy, embraced him,
rapturously exclaiming-" I knew, I knew how
my boy would act!" while his mother, falling upon
his bosom, wept aloud, and with her tears mingled
prayers to heaven for his preservation. Egbert
insisted upon answering the marquis himself,
which he did to the following effect:
TO THE MARQUIS OF METHWOLD.
"MY LORD,
"It does not require the least deliberation to
answer your letter. The feelings of nature prompt
an immediate reply, and urge me to tell you that
your protection, on the terms it is offered, I utterly
reject.
"Could I accept it upon such terms, I should be
unworthy of a much higher protection than your's
....the protection of a just and merciful God, who
punishes, not rewards, the violation of duty. To
him, to that gracious Being,
"Who doth the ravens feed,
"Yea,providently caters for the sparrow," �
## p. 37 (#45) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 37
I commit my cause, not doubting his especial care.
"Rest satisfied, my lord, with an assurance of
never more being troubled with solicitations on
my account.
"The spirit of my father, which, I think,
"Is within me,"
prompts me to exertion, not intreaty; it points
out the road of virtue and honour as the only road
to happiness, and makes me think lightly of any
toil which can conduce to the ease of a parent,
whose virtues render me proud, and give me a pass-
port to the favour and countenance of the world.
"EGBERT OSWALD."
All hope of succour from the marquis being at an
end, and extreme distress urging an immediate
exertion, Egbert sallied forth one morning to the
house of a merchant, whom his father had essen-
tially served; and who, though he had never in any
degree returned the obligations conferred upon him
by lord Henry, had never wholly declared a dis-
inclination to do so.
Egbert now resolved to put his sincerity to the
test: he was received in amanner which gave rise to
the most flattering expectations. But scarcely had
he entered upon the purport of his visit, when the
merchant interrupted him to say he had for several
days been making a strict inquiry after him, as he
had something of importance to communicate. He
then briefly informed him, that by the last packet
from Jamaica, he had received an account of the
death of colonel Moreland, together with his will,
to which he himself was appointed sole executor,
and by which Egbert became entitled to the sum of
ten thousand pounds; two to be paid immediately
## p. 38 (#46) ##############################################
38 NOCTURNAL VISIT;
from a deposit in one of the English banks, and the
remainder as soon as the colonel's affairs were
finally settled in Jamaica.
This gentleman, from whom Egbert received so
unexpected a bequest, was the identical officer who
had assisted lord Henry in carrying off Rosaline. In
the course of time he accompanied his regiment to
the West-Indies, where he soon formed a matrimo-
nial connexion with the widow of a rich planter.
Upon her demise, which was not till many years
after their marriage, he was preparing to return
to England, when an illness seized him, which the
physicians at once pronounced mortal.
He gave up. therefore, all hopes of ever revisiting
his native country, and immediately set about
arranging his worldly affairs.
The merchant whom he had appointed his executor, was the person who transacted all his
affairs in England, and to whose care his letters to
lord Henry, with whom he kept up a constant
correspondence, were consigned....letters expres-
sive of the warmest friendship, and strongest anx-
iety about Egbert, his godson and namesake.
Not so much on his own account, as on his
mother's and her venerable father, did Oswald
rejoice at this sudden reverse of fortune.
The feelings of lady Henry on hearing it, can-
better be conceived than described; yet, amidst the
happiness it imparted, a sudden pang of sorrow
seized her heart at the idea of its coming too late to
be shared by her husband. She soon, however,
recollected herself, and, checking the tears of use-
less regret, bent with gratitude and resignation to
the will of Heaven.
It was her ardent wish to quit London immediate-
ly.... the scene of her most exquisite miseries, and
## p. 39 (#47) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL visit. 39
which continually revived the keen remembrance
of them.
The merchant, who was now become her zea-'
lous friend, no sooner learned this wish, and that
she preferred a residence in one of the remote
counties, to any bordering upon the metropolis, that he proposed giving Egbert an introductory letter
to his brother-in-law, Mr. Frankland, who lived
in Cheshire, and in whose neighbourhood, he under-
stood, there were some pleasant dwellings to be let.
This proposal was accordingly accepted, and he
arrived about the commencement of Christmas at
Mr. Frankland's,who received him with the utmost
courtesy and politeness.
The pleasures of his hospitable mansion did
not render Oswald forgetful of the purpose for
which he had visited the country; but he remained
so undecided in his choice of a habitation, that he
at length determined to leave the decision to lady
Henry. This determination being declared to Mr.
Frankland, he invited her and the major to his
house in the most pressing manner; and Oswald,
as has been already mentioned, went up to London
to attend them in their journey from that capital.
Lady Henry was neither selfish nor aspiring;
she had suffered, indeed, too severely, from the
passions of avarice and ambition in the bosom of
another, to give any encouragement to them in her
own, and had consequently no objection to her
son's union with Jacintha, but that which arose
from the extreme youth' of both parties; this, how-
ever, he contrived to over-rule, and it was agreed
his happiness should not be deferred.
On arriving at Mr. Frankland's, they found him
confined to his bed by the gout. Oswald, too im-
patient to wait for his recovery, set out for Wye-
## p. 40 (#48) ##############################################
40 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
field with his servant. He stopped at the inn,
from whence he wrote a short letter to Jacintha,
acquainting her with his arrival, and begging her
to fix an hour for his waiting upon her father....
Mrs. Greville and Gertrude were both upon the
watch; the latter received the letter from his
servant, whom she immediately dispatched, in
order to prevent his being seen by any of the
rest of the family, with a verbal message, import-
ing, that a written answer would be sent after
him. She and her mother then retired to a
chamber, where, locking themselves in, they
contrived, according to a previously concerted
plan, the following letter.
"TO THE HON. EGBERT OSWALD.
"SIR,
"Trifling as this letter may make me appear
in your eyes, I prefer the imputation of lightness
or inconstancy, to the still more shocking impu-
tation of perfidy or ingratitude.
"In short, sir, to be explicit, I must inform
you, that I deceived both you and myself, when
I imagined I returned your passion; time and
reflection have since convinced me, I never did
....never can make such a return to it, as it
merits.
"Regard, therefore, for your own happiness
(for surely, very little, if indeed any, can be ex-
pected ip a married state, without mutual affec-
tion and good-will), will, I doubt not, induce you
to exonerate me from every promise I made
you.
"But, from your generosity, I expect even
more than this....! expect you will keep the con-
## p. 41 (#49) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 41
tents of this letter, and your visit to Wyefield, a
profound secret. Were either known, I should
be overwhelmed with the resentment and re-
preaches of my friends, whose anxiety to see me
advantageously settled, would never permit them
to pardon my rejection of proposals, so infinitely
superior to any they had a right to expect foP
tnei
"When you reflect upon the candour with
which I have dealt towards you, I am sure you
will allow I have some right to expect your com-
pliance with my wishes in this respect.
"How many of my sex, situated as I am,
would have yielded to the allurements of your
wealth, and without even feeling for you those
sentiments of esteem, which I must forever en-
tertain, have accepted your hand, and thus en-
tailed upon you the exquisite misery a mind of
sensibility must ever experience, in an union
Where tyve is not reciprocal!
"But I scorn duplicity, and have solemnly
determined, never to give my hand, capnied by my heart. Could the impulses of that
heart be regulated by the judgment, be assured,
you would have received a very different letter
from me; but, alas! inclination, like imagination,
is uncontroulable.
"I cannot conclude, without entreating you
to make Mr. Frankland (to whom, upon consi-
deration, I cannot object to your shewing this
letter) promise not to mention to my parents any
thing relative to the sentiments with which you'
honoured me, or the intentions whieh you form-
ed in consequence of those sentiments; as his
dropping a hint upon the subject, would involve
me in the greatest wretchedness. ,..,.;;
D 2
## p. 44 (#50) ##############################################
44 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
%
solemnly vowed to make every effort in his power
to drive her from his remembrance; and as a proof
of his sincerity, snatched up her torn and trampled
letter, and thrust it into the fire.
He now, for the first time, thought of the strange
remarks which might and would, in all probability,
be made, when the settings of the rockets were
found. No sooner did this idea occur than he re-
solved to regain them; and for this purpose had
nearly raked the whole fire out, when the land-
lord entered to lay the cloth for dinner (which
Oswald had ordered, on receiving no immediate
invitation to Mr. Greville's). In utter amazement
and dismay at the strange employment, and disor-
dered looks of his guest, the landlord retreated
instead of advancing, staring wildly all the time.
Oswald blushed excessively at being discovered
in such a situation; and covering his face with his
handkerchief, said, in a voice scarcely articulate,
he had dropped something into the fire. The
landlord upon this ventured to come forward and
offered his services; but as quickly retreated, on
Oswald's again seizing the poker, which, like him-
self, was a little heated by the exercise it had un-
dergone; and descending to the kitchen, inquired
from the groom whether his master was a gentle-
man in his right wits? This interrogation being
answered to his satisfaction, he once more ascend-
ed the stairs. By this time Oswald had recovered
the settings, and flung them into a pond beneath
the window of the apartment he occupied. Dinner
was served without his touching it; and the land-
lord, from this circumstance, and his taking a wild
and solitary path across the fields at the back of
the inn, in preference to the rail road, began again
to be a little doubtful about him.   .
## p. 45 (#51) ##############################################
. NOCTURNAL visit, 45
Frankland was not more astonished than irri-
tated on hearing of the conduct of Jacintha. It
was some minutes ere he could give credit to it;
and the invectives which Oswald uttered against
her, in the first paroxysm of rage and disappoint-
ment,, were not more violent than his. He cursed
her for a jilt; swore she deserved to be held up to
public scorn and contempt; prayed fervently she
might never be married, except it was to age, de-
crepitude, and ill-nature; and concluded by pro-
testing he would let her father know how she had
acted, that she might in some degree be punished.
Here Egbert interposed, and prevailed, though not
without difficulty,on the old gentleman to drop this
resolution.
Oswald could not disclose the conduct of Jacin-
tha to his mother without the utmost pain and
reluctance. He had represented her as not more
amiable than tender, nor less warmly attached to
him than he was to her; and now to retract this
assertion, to acknowledge he was either deceived
himself, or had attempted to deceive others, was a
humiliation he could scarcely support.
The indignation and resentment which lady
Henry felt, on hearing of Jacintha's rejection,
exceeded even her surprise, as she could not help
believing it was occasioned by a superior offer.
A short time, however, served to convince her
this opinion was erroneous; and she then began
to think of her in a more favourable light.
While Oswald was relating the conduct of Ja-
cintha to his mother, his pride impelled him to
assume an air of composure: but, notwithstanding
this appearance of serenity, she had sufficient pe-
netration to perceive he was deeply affected by it;
and that it would require time, as well as the efforts
## p. 46 (#52) ##############################################
46 NOCTURNAL VISIT. 
of reason, to heal the wounds which his disappoint-
ment relative tolier had inflicted. She pretended,
however, to believe the contrary, and that it would
be an easy matter to conquer an attachment which
was hopeless: thus stimulating him to the exer-
tions she deemed necessary, by declaring her con-
viction of his being equal to them.
Happily for Oswald, Mr. Frankland had not
mentioned his proposal to Jacintha to any one of
his family: it being a maxim with him never to
speak on such matters till they came to a final issue.
No ridicule or ill-natured remarks upon his unex-
pected disappointment, were, therefore, to be
dreaded.
While he was making every effort to forget Ja-
cintha, she was dwelling upon his idea, recalling
every word which had passed between them, and
counting, with restless anxiety, the minutes which
were to bring him to her.
When three months elapsed, without either
seeing him or hearing any tidings of him, she
began to grow uneasy: but when another fortnight
wore away, without bringing any intelligence of
him, her disquietude became almost intolerable;
aggravated as it was by the malice of her mother
and Gertrude, who took occasion, from time to
time, to comment upon the errors and mistakes
into which vanity and self-conceit are apt to lead
one.
To terminate her suspence concerning Oswald,
Jacintha would have written to one of the Frank-
lands, could she have sent or received a letter
without the knowledge of her mother; but as that
was impossible, she was compelled to remain in
ignorance of the cause which made him procras-
tinate his' visit.
## p. 47 (#53) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 47
She was sitting at work one morning with Mrs.
Greville and Gertrude, when one of the boys came
running in with a letter for her. The moment
she cast her eyes upon it, she saw it came from
Miss Frankland, and instantly became agitated;
scarcely knowing what she did, but unwilling to
betray the emotions it might excite, she started
up, and was hastily quitting the room, when the
stern voice of her mother obliged her,to resume
her seat.
Still, however, she hesitated to open the letter,
which Mrs. Greville perceiving, told her, if she
did not choose to take that trouble, she would
herself do so, pretending to be anxious to know
how the Franklands were. Jacintha accordingly
broke the seal with a trembling hand; and, with a
throbbing heart, read to herself the following lines.
"DEAR Jacintha,"'Tis really quite provoking that your visits to
our house are limited to so short a period as a
month; had you staid a little longer, you would
have been quite delighted with the agreeable ad-
dition which was made to our domestic circle.
Lady Oswald arrived exactly ten days after your
departure, she is a charming woman, notwith-
standing the deep impression which sorrow has
made upon her mind as well as countenance. But
I need not descant upon her praise, as I fancy you
have already heard her panegyric from lips very
eloquent upon the subject, and, if I do not mis-
take, upon many other subjects also.
"But I cannot say too much about the two
Miss Merediths ; they come from North-Wales,
and are young, lovely, accomplished, and lively.
## p. 48 (#54) ##############################################
48 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
I assure you, Mr. Oswald does ample justice to
their charms, particularly to those of the eldest,
who is quite the object of his idolatry. I attack-
ed him about this the other day, and asked him,
'how he could so soon forget my little village
friend? I assure you he appeared greatly con-
fused by my question, and blushed to the very
eyes; but soon recovering from his embarrass-
ment, he said, in that soft and insinuating man-
ner, which he knows so well how to assume,
there were some remembrances too dangerous
to peace to be encouraged.
"In short, like too many of his sex, I fancy
novelty has resistless charms for him : but enough
of a person whom I have no reason to imagine
my friend thinks of, but as an agreeable man;....
were the case otherwise, I flatter myself she would
not have concealed the secret from me.
"I should have written sooner, but for the
continual hurry and bustle in which I have been kept, ever since your departure; you will, there-
fore, I hope and believe, excuse a silence, which
did not proceed from any diminution of regard
or friendship: and as a proof of your doing so,
answer this letter directly, as we are all anxious
to hear how our friends at Wyefield are. We
beg them to accept our united regards, and best
wishes for their health and happiness: and believe
me, dear Jacintha, ever yours, "Feb "A. FRANKLAND."
The shock this letter gave Jacintha, was too
great to be expressed ; but the feelings it excited,
she endeavoured to stifle, in order to avoid the
ill-natured sarcasm she knew they would give
## p. 49 (#55) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 49
rise to. Assuming, therefore, an air of compo-
sure, she put the fatal letter, which had annihi-
lated every flattering hope and expectation, into
her pocket, without speaking, and took up her
work, though her hands trembled so she could
scarcely hold it.
"Well, miss," said Mrs. Greville, after enjoy-
ing her too evident distress and emotion, for some
minutes, in silence; " since you are not obliging
enough to let me know how Mr. Frankland's
family are, I desire you may give me that letter
to read."
"All the family are well, madam," replied
Jacintha, determined, if possible, not to let her
see the letter.
Mrs. Greville, however, was resolved to have
it; and accordingly desired, or rather command-
ed her to give it that instant, in a tone which en-
forced immediate obedience.
Most reluctantly, therefore, Jacintha presented
it to her; but in the very act of doing so, her
feelings overcame her; and bursting into an ago-
ny of tears, she fell back upon her chair, unable
to move.
Gertrude, as regardless of her distress as Mrs.
Greville, jumped from her chair with eager curi-
osity; and leaning over her mother's shoulder,
perused the letter, which imparted to both their
hearts the most malignant satisfaction, by con-
vincing them their perfidious scheme had suc-
ceeded according to their wishes; and though
Oswald's admiration of Miss Meredith seemed
rather inimical to their own designs upon him,
their disappointment on that head was entirely
## p. 50 (#56) ##############################################
50 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
overlooked, in the joy they felt at the disappoint-
ment of Jacintha.
"You see, Miss," cried Mrs. Greville, her eyes
sparkling with pleasure, "the consequences
of vanity; if you had not indulged your's, and
given way to idle expectations, you never would
have felt your present pain; but you are rightly punished, not only for your vanity, but your ob-
stinacy in not believing what I said. I knew too
much of the world, to think Mr. Oswald'would
ever bestow a serious thought upon such a girl
as you."
tt .Aye, so I imagined too," exclaimed Ger-
trude ;." I saw all along, she thought too highly
of the power of her charms."
"Oh, Gertrude!" said Jacintha," how can you
speak in such a manner? How can you, who
witnessed the particularity of his attentions to
me, insinuate that it was only my vanity led me
to imagine him sincere?"
"I really did not perceive any great particu-
larity in his attention to you," replied Gertrude,
with a toss of her head; " and since we are upon
the subject, I must tell you, Jacintha, that I am
sure he never would have paid you even half the
attention he did, had you not compelled him to
do so, by continually throwing yourself in his
way, and trying to engross him from all the rest
of the girls."
"I see," cried Jacintha, " I am not happier in
the affections of my sister, than of my mother."
"No reflections upon either, Miss, I desire,"
cried Mrs. Greville, in an imperious tone ; " you
are treated much better by both than you deserve
to be."
## p. 51 (#57) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 5!
"I am happy I can't agree with you in think-
ing so, madam," replied Jacintha, whose spirit
i ;was roused by this cruelty : " for if I estimated
my own worth according to your tenderness and
Gertrude's, I should have a very indifferent opi-
nion of it indeed."
"No more insolence, I desire, Miss," cried
Mrs. Greville; " I shan't suffer any impertinent
observations or complaints, I assure you."
"You need not fear any complaints from me,
madam," said Jacintha; " I have acquired suffi-
cient philosophy not to complain of evils I cannot
remedy."
"Let me hear no more of your philosophy,
nor let me see any more crying. Go on with
your work; and don't imagine your sister and I
will make ourselves slaves, in order to permit
you to wail about the house, like a tragedy queen,
for the desertion of your supposed lover."
The tears which indignation had suppressed,
again burst forth at these words; and springing
from her chair, Jacintha flew out of the parlour,
ere her mother could stop her; and running up
to her own chamber, locked herself in, and gave
free vent to the anguish of her heart.
When somewhat relieved by the tears she
shed, she reproached herself for weakness, in
lamenting the loss of a man, whose conduct had
proved him unworthy of her affection. So con-
scious was she of his not meriting to be regretted,
that she strove to deceive herself into a belief
her anguish was excited more by the humiliating
circumstances with which his inconstancy was
attended to her, than by that inconstancy itself.
Certain it was, these circumstances considera-
bly heightened her distress; and so dreadful, so
## p. 52 (#58) ##############################################
33 -NOCTURNAL VISIT.
i
insupportable was the idea of being continually
subject to the sarcasms, the taunts, the upbraid-
ings, and tyranny of her mother and sister, that
only for the ardent affection she felt for her fa-
ther....the strong sense of propriety which she
entertained, she would, in all probability, have
forsaken her home, and thrown herself upon her
own exertions for support; encouraged as she
was to do so, by the success with which such a
measure had been attended to a young girl, who,
under similar circumstances, had eloped from the
village to London about a twelvemonth before.
Filial tenderness and native delicacy, however,
prevented her from forming any rash resolves,
and since compelled to bear her mother's ill-
temper, and sister's ill-nature, she resolved to try
and endure both, with a fortitude and patience,
which should, in some degree, defeat their malice,
by concealing the misery it inflicted: however
torn, however lacerated her heart might be by
their unkindness, she resolved never to utter an
expression which could create a suspicion of its
sufferings.
In pursuance of this resolution, she assumed an
appearance very foreign to her real feelings ; and
frequently mortified and provoked both her mo-
ther and sister, by the seeming indifference with
which she hearkened to their ill-natured remarks
and insinuations, concerning Oswald. But in
the privacy of her chamber, she made herself
ample amends for the restraint she imposed upon
her feeelings before them. She there wept over
the idea of her unhappy situation; she there shed
tears, even more bitter than those drawn from her
by reflections upon that situation: for Oswald,
who, notwithstanding all her efforts to forget him,
## p. 53 (#59) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 53
her resentment, her indignation at his conduct,
still maintained his empire over her heart.
She felt greatly hurt, to hear he was still enter-
tained at Mr. Frankland's. When we are injured,
we naturally wish all our friends to espouse our
cause, and resent our injuries. Upon considera-
tion, however, she could not doubt that Mr.
Frankland, who was a man of the nicest honour
himself, highly condemned the manner in which
he had acted; but that he deemed it more advis-
able, on her account, to let the affair sink into
oblivion, than make it public by expressing his
displeasure. She now rejoiced she had not been more frank
in her communications to his daughters, and that
consequently very few were acquainted with the
humiliating treatment she had received.
## p. 54 (#60) ##############################################
5* NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. IV.
- -.. "Fancj pours
"Afresh his beauties on his busy thought;
"Her first endearments twining round the soul,
' With all the witchcraft of ensnaring love." Ci OSWALD'S efforts to conquer his at-
tachment for Jacintha, were not more successful
than those she had made to subdue her affection
for him. Like her, however, his pride stimu-
lated him to hide his feelings, and carefully con-
ceal from his friends the severe pain inflicted by
his disappointment.
In the neighbourhood of Mr. Frankland, there
were no houses suited to the taste of lady Henry;
but within two miles of Wyefield she heard of
one, which, as far as she could judge from de-
scription, was exactly the kind of residence she
wished for.
She had strong objections to it, however, on
account of her son, as she feared its vicinity to
Wyefield might strengthen unpleasant remem-
brances, and, perhaps, counteract all the efforts
of reason and resolution. Oswald, guessing the
motives which made her hesitate about it, exert-
ed himself to remove her apprehensions; and,
finally, prevailed upon her to take it, as they
found, upon a visit to it, that description had but
done it justice.
## p. 55 (#61) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 55
It was an old mansion, perfectly commodious
motwithstanding its antiquity; and had it even
been less pleasant within, the almost boundless
prospect it,commanded of an enchanting coun-
try, would have rendered it a desirable habitation.
The court in which it stood, was planted with
oaks, which appeared as ancient as itself, and
which, when in full foliage, completely shaded
it from the road; a fine wood bordered it on one
side, and on the other stretched luxuriant meads,
diversified with little groves and cottages, beau-
tifully watered by winding rivulets, and terminated
by the picturesque village of Wyefield, towards
which the eyes of Egbert were not directed with-
out emotions he could not always conceal.
In this quiet and delightful retreat lady Henry
might again have been happy, could she have
obliterated the bitter remembrance of past events
from her mind; but the idea of a beloved hus-
band, sunk to an untimely grave by the weight
d.f accumulated misfortunes, was a never-failing
source of affliction, which time could not dimi-
nish or assuage. Her sorrows, however, like her
charities, were silent and unobtrusive; and her
forced composure often led her friends to be-
lieve she was in some degree happy, at the very
moment her bosom was heaving with the pang
of anguish.
Conquering her love for solitude on her son's
account, she resolved to cultivate an intimacy with
all the respectable and agreeable families in the
neighbourhood. She knew the youthful mind
must be amused, and considered an agreeable home
as often a better preservative for virtue,'than any
moral doctrine whatsoever.
## p. 56 (#62) ##############################################
56 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Her intention of residing near Wyefield, was
known throughout the village, previous to her ar-
rival at her new habitation; and Mrs. Greville,
delighted to think she should at length have an
opportunity of being acquainted with a lady of
quality, determined to be among the first who
should pay their compliments to her. Her plea-
sure, indeed, at this idea would have been super-
lative, but that she feared an explanation might
now take place between Egbert and Jacintha, which
would defeat all her schemes, and expose her
treachery. In consequence of this apprehension,
she resolved to keep a more vigilant watch than
ever over Jacintha, prevent her, if possible, from
having a private conference with Egbert, and do
all in her power to increase the resentment her
arts had already inspired them with against each
other. By this management, she hoped not only to
remove every cause for fear, but forward her
schemes in favour of Gertrude. She had already
found means of learning that no attachment ex-
isted between Egbert and Miss Meredith, and con-
sequently flattered herself there was no further
obstacle in the way of her wishes, than what pro-
ceeded from (as she trusted) the trifling remains of
his passions for Jacintha.
In order to try and terminate the incertitude
which she could not help feeling on this head, she
resolved on letting Jacintha accompany her in the
first visit she paid to lady Oswald, flattering her-
self she should be able to ascertain the sentiments
of Egbert respecting her, by the manner in which
he acted upon this visit.
Jacintha received permission to accompany her
in it with a palpitating heart; a thousand agreea-
## p. 57 (#63) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 57
ble hopes and expectations had been revived on
hearing of Egbert's coming to reside in their
neighbourhood, and she looked forward to this
expected interview with trembling emotion, as to
an event which was finally to confirm or crush
those hopes.
Lady Henry was scarce settled in her new abode,
ere Mrs. Greville and Gertrude, dressed out to
the best advantage, and accompanied by Mr. Gre-
ville and Jacintha, set out to pay their respects to
her. 
Her ladyship and her father were sitting toge-
ther when they were announced. The major in-
stantly rose to quit the room, nor without the
utmost difficulty was prevailed upon to remain in
it; as he declared the sight of the little crocodile,
who had acted so perfidiously to his dearboy, would
be quite intolerable to him.
Lady Henry received her visitors in the most
gracious manner; and the major,notwithstanding
his resolution to dislike the whole family, gradu-
ally recovered his good humour, and began to enter
into conversation, but studiously avoided pay-
ing any attention to Jacintha; and in order to ren-
der his neglect of her more striking, and he hoped
more mortifying, he singled out her sister by a
number of little gallantries, not unbecoming his
time of life, and paid her the most flattering com-
pliments upon her beauty.
The pleasure which lady Henry's reception gave
Mrs. Greville and the girls, was somewhat damped
by the absence of Egbert; they had not sat long,
however, before she sent a servant to search about
the grounds for him, and in a few minutes he en-
tered the room animated, unembarrassed, and
apparently unagitated. He had indeed, on
## p. 58 (#64) ##############################################
58 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
.ing his mother's summons, called all his pride to
his aid, to suppress every emotion which could
give either her or Jacintha an idea of the continu-
ance of his attachment; and so well did he act
his part, so completely did he counterfeit compo-
sure and indifference, that the latter, at least, was
perfectly deceived, and Mrs. Greville almost con-
vinced that she had succeeded in making an eter-
nal breach between them. The joy, the delight
which this supposition afforded her, could scarcely
be concealed; she triumphed at beholding the too
visible distress of Jacintha, and nothing but the
presence of her husband prevented her from turn-
ing: it into ridicule on their way home.
Her thorough conviction of Egbert's indiffer-
ence..^ conviction attended by floods of tears, and
the most bitter anguish, strengthened Jacintha's
determination of endeavouring to expel him from'
her heart. She reproached herself for weakness,
in having, for a moment, indulged any flattering
hopes concerning him; and accused herself for
want of proper pride, in having desired the reali-
zation of such hopes, after his unworthy conduct
towards her. Henceforth, she resolved to avoid
his company; too well assured, notwithstanding
all her indignation and resentment againsthim,that
it was only by shunning his society, by sedulously
flying from his idea, that she could ever hope to
conquer her attachment.
Her efforts to avoid him, it may readily be be-
lieved, were not counteracted by Mrs. Greville;
. and were so very obvious to Egbert, by her being
frequently out of the way when he came to her
father's, and almost continually declining to ac-
company her mother to lady Henry's, which Mrs.
Greville always took care to mention, that not 
## p. 59 (#65) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 59
doubt of her total disregard could be entertained;
but whatever pain a conviction of it excited, he
took care to confine it to his own breast.
The mild and unaffected deportment of Mr.
Greville, and the cheerful and obliging disposition
of his wife who, when she chose to please, was
perfectly capable of doing so, gained so much upon
the esteem of lady Henry and her father, that an
intimacy was soon established between the two
families...an intimacy productive of greater gra-
tification to Mrs. Greville than she had ever before
experienced; as lady Henry, in pursuance of her
resolution, cultivated an acquaintance with all the
respectable families in her neighbourhood. Still,
however, she saw nothing like particularity in Eg-
bert's attentions to Gertrude: the hint, indeed,
which had been dropped in the supposed letter
from Jacinth a, respecting the favourable sentiments
that young lady entertained for him, made him
very cautious in his conduct to her, as he was by
no means ambitious of exciting a passion which
he could not return.
The most pleasing intimacy which Egbert formed
at Wyefield, was with a young man of the name
of Woodville. Frank, generous, and animated,
like himself, in consequence of the marriage of a
relation of his with the sister of Mr. Greville
(both then absent in the East-Indies), he consi-
dered himself, in some degree, connected with that
worthy man; and from this consideration felt quite
as easy and familiar at his house as at his own.
His long intimacy with the family, made him per-
fectly acquainted with the disposition of every member of it; and the high eulogiums he bestowed
upon Jacintha, whom Egbert, notwithstanding his
positive determination never, if possible, to think
## p. 60 (#66) ##############################################
60 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
about, frequently made the subject of conversation,
but without hinting at his attachment, did not by
any means lessen the impression she had made
upon his mind, or abate the regret he felt at his
disappointment concerning her.
Nor were the many instances which Jacintha
daily heard of his charity and benevolence, less
calculated to keep alive his image in her bosom:
and she sighed to think that only to her she had
reason to believe he had ever acted unworthily.
Oh ! how often has the resentment inspired by
this fancied unworthiness, fled from her heart, as
she has listened to the warm plaudits bestowed
upon him by gratitude and esteem !Oh! how
often in these moments, when she has witnessed
the change effected by his means from misery to
gladness, and heard not only his eulogium, but
his mother's, who was neither less feeling nor less
beneficent, has she secretly exclaimed..." My hap-
piness would have been too, too great, had I been
allied to such beings!"
The attentions which she received from lady
Henry upon every occasion, gained as much upon
her affection, as her virtues had done upon her
esteem. Her ladyship regarded her indeed .with
the fondest partiality and admiration; the preju-
dice she had conceived against her from her re-
jection of Oswald, or rather the motives which
she supposed had led to that rejection, vanished
on obtaining a knowledge of her disposition, which
convinced her, in her conduct to him, she could
never have been influenced by any other motives
than those alledged in the letter; and she sincerely
regretted the termination of all hopes of an union
between them.
## p. 61 (#67) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 6!
The summer passed away without any thing
material happening. Lady Oswald still main-
tained a combat with her feelings, in order to ap-
pear composed and cheerful; but her smothered
anguish,soon began to prey upon her health, and
by the latter end of autumn, she appeared in a
most alarming state. Still, however, she tried to
quiet the fears, and sooth the anxiety of her friends:
but the severe shock she received from the sud-
den death of her father, who was found dead in
his bed one morning, when the servant went to
call him to breakfast, by dissolving every hope of
recovery, made her at length assume a very dif-
ferent conduct, and instead of flattering her friends,
endeavoured to prepare them for an event which
she now saw rapidly approaching.
To that event she would have looked forward
with the most perfect composure, but for the ap-
prehensions and solicitude she suffered on her son's
account. She feared the melancholy and solitary
situation in which he would feel himself upon her
decease, might induce him to fly to the metropo-
lis, where she trembled to think of the snares which,
unfriended and unguarded as he was either by age
or experience, he might be entangled in....snares
which the vicious and designing, she knew, were
ever on the watch to spread for the young, the in-
nocent, the credulous...for those who, like him,
were too amiable to be suspicious, and too impe-
tuous to be considerate.
After much reflection, she determined to dis-
close her disquietudes respecting him to Mr. Gre-
ville, who was now her constant visitor; and en-
treat that good man to take upon himself the office
of friend, adviser, and guardian to Egbert, when
## p. 62 (#68) ##############################################
62 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
she was no more, and permit him to reside under
his roof till he was of age, where she knew he
would enjoy the same kind of rational society, the
same domestic comforts, he had ever been accus-
tomed to, and consequently feel  no necessity to
search for amusement or happiness elsewhere. By
the time he was of age, of which he now wanted
somewhat more than a year, she trusted his mind
would be so perfectly restored to its usual cheer-
fulness and tranquillity, that he might be able to
return to his own habitation; where it was her
ardent wish for him to fix his future residence,
as she utterly abhorred the idea of a town-life for
him.
Mr. Greville heard her fears without surprisej
and granted her request without hesitation.
"Oh! my dear, my worthy friend!" she cried,
in the fulness of her heart, " at this moment lan-
guage is too weak to express the obligations you
have laid me under, by your compliance with my
wishes; by accepting the care of my sole trea-
sure, you have smoothed my passage to the grave
....you have divested my soul of every uneasiness."
Egbert was sent for, and informed of what had
passed between his mother and her friend.
He was too much affected by this striking proof
of her solicitude and regard for him, to be able to
speak for some minutes, or give that solemn pro-
mise to comply with her wishes, which she eagerly
demanded.
She took his trembling hand, and putting it into
Greville's, pressed them both with fervour between
her's.
"Henceforth, my dearest Egbert," she ex- ,
claimed, " look up to this worthy man as to a
friejiid...a father: in that light I once hoped, I still
## p. 63 (#69) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 63
wish...." Here a glance from Egbert checked what
she was about saying, and after a momentary pause,
she continued: "Pay him the obedience of a son,
let his precepts warn you, his example guide you,
his tenderness console you; and oh! never, never
let him have reason to regret his compliance with
the request of thy adoring and dying mother."
Egbert, still unable to speak, from the emotions
she excited, laid his hand in expressive silence upon
his heart, while Greville turned aside to wipe away
his starting tears.
Egbert had frequently importuned his mother
to try what change of climate might do for her;
and as soon as he had recovered some degree of
composure, again spoke to her on that subject.
She stopped him short, however, by assuring
him, in a more serious...a more solemn manner,
than she had ever done before, that she was firmly
persuaded no climate, however genial, could now
effect the restoration of her health. "The awful
summons has arrived," cried she, " which must
be obeyed; here then let the short residue of my
days be passed; in no other spot could they close
with so much tranquillity and happiness, as here,
among my real friends."
Mrs. Greville was extremely well pleased at the
idea of Egbert's becoming an inmate of her house;
for, as she believed his attachment to Jacintha
utterly obliterated, she flattered herself his being
constantly under the same roof with Gertrude,
might at length bring about the event she had so
long wished and projected.
Both she and Gertrude redoubled their atten-
tions to lady Oswald, not however, we believe, from
the most disinterested motives: Jacintha, from
real regard, would have been happy to have united
her services to their's, but was not permitted.
## p. 64 (#70) ##############################################
*4 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
They were preparing to follow Mr. Greville
one morning to her ladyship's, when a messenger
came from her house to inform them all was over
with lady Oswald, who had breathed her last sigh,
about ten minutes after the arrival of Mr. Greville,
in the arms of her beloved son!
"Poor dear woman!" cried Mrs. Greville, re-
turning into the parlour, and pulling out her hand-
kerchief, "I am really very sorry; but I thought,
indeed, she could not last long."
"No, to be sure," exclaimed Gertrude, aa she
folded up her cloak, " she looked shockingly last
night. Lord! I think her death must be a very
happy release to poor Mr. Oswald, as well as to
herself, since there were no hopes of her recovery.''
"Yes indeed, I think so too," replied Mrs.
Greville.
Here Jacintha, who was at work in the parlour,
hastily rose, and quitting the room with indigna-
tion....an indignation she did not attempt to con-
ceal, repaired to her own, where she gave vent to the
sorrow inspired by the death of lady Oswald: but
she did not weep for her alone; pity for the son
was intermingled with regret for the mother.
She could easy picture to herself what his feelings
must be at losing such a parent, such a friend;
and she shed as many tears, perhaps, at the idea
of his sufferings, as at the melancholy event which
caused them.
She was not long permitted to indulge her de-
jection. Mrs. Greville soon called her from her
chamber, to desire she would see the apartments
destined for Mr. Oswald prepared immediately for
his reception. Perhaps this was the only order
which she could at that moment have obeyed with-
out reluctance: for though convinced, his residing
## p. 65 (#71) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT". 6>
\
under the same roof with her, would make her be
more narrowly watched than ever, and oblige her
to observe the greatest circumspection in all her
words, her looks, her actions, lest the secret of
her heart should be discovered, she could not avoid
being pleased at the idea of it.
Notwithstanding immediate preparations were
made for him, Egbert did not remove to Mr. Gre-
ville's till the last mournful duties had been paid
to the remains of his mother; his own house was
then shut up, and all the servants, except one, who
accompanied him to his new abode, dismissed.
But neither change of residence, nor the atten-
tions of Mr. Greville's family, could dispel the
gloomy sadness which took possession of his mind,
from the moment his mother expired. In losing
her, he lost not only the tenderest of parents, but
his only natural friend, the only relation whom his
heart acknowledged; and he could not help con-
sidering himself as a dreary, solitary, unconnected
being, without a claim upon the attentions of any'
human creature, but what common friendship gave
him.
He brooded over this idea, of all others, perhaps,
the most afflictive to a heart of sensibility, with
the deepest anguish; and his health soon began
to suffer from the depression of his mind.
Woodville, who felt deeply interested about him,
united his efforts to those Mr. Greville used to try
and rouse him from it. He at length prevailed
on him to make an excursion in his company into
North-Wales. Constant exercise, change of scene,
and the agreeable society he was led into, had the
happiest effect upon Egbert; and, at the expira-
tion of two months, he returned to Wyefield with
renovated health and spirits.
F 2
## p. 66 (#72) ##############################################
66 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Jacintha, who had not more secretly than sin-
cerely lamented the declining state in which he
left her father's, rejoiced at beholding this happy
change. In the sympathy, the pity, his melancholy
excited in her bosom, her resentment against him
had been utterly forgotten; nor could she so far
revive it, as to overcome her tenderness, even
when he had ceased to affect her sensibility.
Her efforts, however, to conceal that tenderness,
were not so difficult as she had at first dreaded they
would prove ; pride, lending its aid to strengthen
them, in consequence of the coolness, the indif-
ference of Oswald's manner to her upon every oc-
casion.
Encouraged by this cold and negligent behaviour
to Jacintha, Mrs. Greville and Gertrude began
their long meditated attacks upon his heart. Os-
wald, however, aware of their designs, though
without appearing to be so, always stood upon his
guard, and took care, neither by words nor looks,
to give them the smallest hope of ever succeeding
in such designs. But in defiance of his caution and
reserve, they resolved on persevering in them;
for time and perseverance, they knew, had often
effected wonders, and on these they relied to bring
about the accomplishment of their wishes.
The return of Christmas revived, or rather ren-
dered more acute a thousand painful remembran-
ces in the mind of Jacintha; and she was com-
pelled to struggle with her feelings, in order to
be able to preserve any appearance of cheerful-
ness.
The visit which she and Gertrude had been so
long in the habit of making to the house of Mr.
Frankland, was this season prevented by the re-
moval of his family to Bath; a circumstance
## p. 67 (#73) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 67
which would have mortified and disappointed
Gertrude very severely, but for the amusements
she partook of in the neighbourhood. From
these, as well as from every other pleasure,
Jacintha was almost entirely excluded by Mrs.
Greville, who always contrived, however, some
plausible pretext to Mr. Greville for leaving her
at home. To impose upon him, indeed, was a
very easy matter, as he was so completely deceived
by her artful conduct and pretended virtues, that
he submitted almost entirely to her judgment,
and seldom interfered in the management of her
family.
During the holidays he went with Mrs. Gre-
ville and Gertrude to pass a day at the house of
a farmer who lived about three miles from Wye-
field; and that very morning Egbert set off with
Woodville to a gentleman's seat at the other side
of Chester, where they intended staying a week.
Jacintha spent a lonely and melancholy day.
The pointed neglect and unkindness of her mother,
in thus excluding her from society, and confining
her to home, weighed heavy upon her heart, as
well as many other circumstances.
About evening the weather became so tempes-
tuous and severe, that she began to be doubtful of
the return of her parents that night; she resolved,
however, on sitting up for them, while there was
the least likelihood of it.
The maid and the boys went early to bed; and
Jacintha took up a book in order to beguile the
tediousness of time, and divert her reflec-
tions, which became more sorrowful on being left
to herself. The pathetic play of Tancred and
Sigismunda was not calculated, however, to dispel
the melancholy of her thoughts; and her tears
## p. 68 (#74) ##############################################
8 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
soon began to stream for her own sorrows, and
those of the amiable and unfortunate lovers.
For many minutes after she had concluded
reading, she remained in a mournful reverie, con-
trasting her present feelings with those she had
experienced at this season the preceding year;
and, like poor Margaret, she was ready to exclaim,
as she thought upon the cruelty of Egbert's con-
duct....
"How could you say my face was fair,
"And yet that face forsake!
"How could you win my virgin heart,
"Yet leave that heart to break?"
She was roused from her melancholy medita-
tions by the increasing fury of the storm, which
howled with savage violence around the house,
drifting the snow in heaps against it, and fre-
quently shaking it to its very base. She now re-
linquished all hopes of seeing her father and
mother that night, for none who could obtain
shelter from such a storm would, she imagined,
brave its violence; and, with a sigh of compas-
sion for those who might be exposed to the incle-
mency of the present hour, she was about retir-
ing to her chamber, when, between the pauses of
the wind, she fancied she heard voices. She
instantly became alarmed; and hastening to a
window, and half opening the shutter, by the
light which was reflected from the parlour upon
the garden, beheld two men within a few paces
of the house. With trembling hands she fastened
up the window; but ere she had well closed it,
an unsuccessful effort was made to open the hall-
door, which was followed by a loud knock. She
now thought of flying to the chamber of the maid;
but recollepting that presence of mind often pre-
## p. 69 (#75) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 69
vented danger, she took up a light, and softly
ascending the stairs, opened the window, and
demanded who required admission?
"Friends," replied a voice, which she instantly
knew to be Oswald's Jacintha nearly screamed from surprise; but
without stopping to inquire the cause of his unex-
pected return, she flew down to admit him and
his servant.
The moment he entered, he expressed his fears
61 having alarmed her, and assured her he should
have slept at the inn where he stopped to have
his horses put up, had he not perceived a light
glimmering through the parlour windows.
Jacintha endeavoured to hide the flutter his sud-
den return had thrown her into, by busying her-
self, in procuring him such refreshments as he
seemed to require.
Egbert gave her a thousand thanks for her
kind attention, and also informed her, that his
coming back so soon, was owing to the illness of
the gentleman whom he and Woodville had gone
to visit.
"Woodville proposed," said he, "my accom-
panying him a little farther, to the habitation of
another friend; but I was not in a humour to
relish festivity, so turned homewards in spite of
wind and weather."
Jacintha having stirred the fire into a cheer-
ful blaze, and laid wine and other things before
him, wished him good night, and was retiring,
when he suddenly caught her hand.
"In such a hurry to leave me?" cried he,
reproachfully.
Jacintha said, she had merely sat up for her
father and mother, whom she had now given up
all expectation of seeing that night.
## p. 70 (#76) ##############################################
ro NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"I hope," cried Egbert, "you will not deem
me impertinently curious, if I ask whether any
thing has happened to distress you; for I cannot
behold the traces of tears upon your cheek with-
out making the inquiry?"
"Nothing new," replied Jacintha, laying an
involuntary emphasis on the last word; then,
suddenly recollecting herself, and blushing at
the surmises which her manner of speaking might
excite, and alarmed lest the real cause of the tears
she had been shedding might be suspected, she
hastily added, she had been reading a melancholy
book, which had affected her spirits.
"You can feel then for fictitious woes," said
Egbert, " while you disregard real ones."
- "I hope not," cried Jacintha, with much resent-
ment both in her voice and countenance; "I should
be sorry to think I had any false sensibility in my
disposition."
"Permit me to try," said Egbert, " permit me
to try whether a narrative of real sorrows will
affect you as much as one of imaginary woes has
done?"
"What narrative... whose sorrows do you mean?"
demanded Jacintha.
"My own," replied Egbert, in a serious accent,
and looking stedfastly at her as he spoke.
"Excuse me," said Jacintha, affecting a careless
and unconcerned manner, in order to hide the
confusion created by his looks? I never wish to
hear sorrows to which I cannot administer some
consolation."
- "But if you were assured you could administer
consolation," cried Egbert, eagerly, "would you
then refuse to hear them?"
"Yes, any thing to night," replied Jacintha;
"for 'tis far beyond my usual hour of sitting up." �
## p. 71 (#77) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 71
"I should be extremely sorry, madam," cried
Egbert, dropping her hand, and visibly piqued by
her seeming indifference, " to break in upon your
rest." He then presented alight to her, and opening
the parlour door, in a very ceremonious manner,
wished her good night.
"Ah!" cried Jacintha, as she slowly ascended
the stairs, half glad, half sorry she had left him,
"you little know how much you have disturbed
my rest how greatly, how fatally you have in-
jured my happiness and repose!"
The more she reflected upon his words....his
manner, the more agitated she felt herself; and it
required all the efforts of reason to repel the sug-
gestions of hope: but she had suffered too se-
verely from recent disappointment, to permit
herself again to yield to its flatteries; yet, notwith-
standing all the calmness, the indifference, she
tried to assume when she thought of Egbert, she
could not think of meeting him in the morning
without a fluttering sensation of delight and ex-
pectation.
Restless and perturbed, she rose at an early hour.
In her way to the stairs she was obliged to pass
Oswald's study; the door was open, and to her
extreme surprise, she beheld a breakfast-table
laid before the fire, and Oswald himself, booted,
spurred, and completely equipped for going out,
looking very attentively over some papers at a
desk.
It instantly occurred to her he was going upon
some excursion; and the conjecture was attended
by a pang, which convinced her, notwithstanding
all her resolution to the contrary, that she had
listened rather more believingly to the whispers of
hope than she should have done.
## p. 72 (#78) ##############################################
M" NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Oswald caught a glimpse of her as she was passing;
he hurried after her, and taking her hand, entreated
her to come in, and take a cup of coffee with him.
"I did not imagine," cried he, " that you would
forsake your pillow at so early an hour, and there-
fore ordered breakfast, as I have a long journey
before me to-day, to the house of Mr. Meredith."
At the mention of this name, which she could
never hear without uneasiness, the heart of Jacin-
tha almost died away, and she felt her colour
change; she wished to quit Oswald, lest her pain-
ful emotions, or rather the cause of these emotions,
should be discovered; but was too much agitated
to make an effort to do so.
He accordingly led her into the study; and
having placed her beside the fire, begged she would
be so obliging as to pour out the coffee, while he
put up the papers he had been examining.
Jacintha's eyes were involuntarily directed to-
wards him; amongst the scattered papers which
he was now busy in collecting, she perceived an
open casket containing some very valuable orna-
its (the identical ones which had been pur-
c;'-.sed for her acceptance). At this sight, all her
apprehensions concerning Miss Meredith were
confirmed; she could not doubt that Oswald was
going to make final proposals to her, and that
these ornaments were intended for a nuptial pre-
sent.
She trembled...she could scarcely breathe from
the agony occasioned by this supposition; and
with difficulty prevented her tears from falling.
Egbert, turning with quickness from the desk,
perceived her eyes fastened upon the casket. He
directly caught it up, and closing it in an agitation
which surprised Jacintha, flung it from him, ex-
## p. 73 (#79) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. f3
claiming, "What painful remembrances does this
excite 1"
Jacintha averted her head, and began to pour
out the coffee: but spilt more than half of it in
doing so.
"Oh God!" cried Egbert, clasping his hands
together, and traversing the room with a disor-
dered step; "when first that-casket came into
my possession, what hopes, what prospects of fe-
licity were mine! How great a change has taken
place in one short year! How have all these hopes,
these prospects, been blasted...been utterly anni-
hilated!"
Jacintha, no longer able to controul her feel-
ings, burst into an agony of tears, and started up
in order to quit the room.
"Good Heaven!" said Egbert, hastily placing
himself between her and the door, and catching
her hand, "what is the matter?"
"Nothing," replied Jacintha, in extreme con-
fusion; "I am not very well, my spirits are low.
Pray, Mr. Oswald, do not detain me."
"Has any thing I have said," asked Egbert,
with trembling eagerness, " affected you? But
no," he continued, in a melancholy tone; "I can-
not flatter myself it has. Some secret grief...some
unknown sorrow, causes this emotion. Oh, Miss
Greville! could you look into my heart, could you
conceive the strong anxiety it feels...the interest
it takes in whatever concerns you, you would not
deem me impertinently curious if I desired to
know the occasion of your tears."
." You anxious! you interested about me!"
exclaimed Jacintha, with involuntary warmth,
no longer able to suppress the resentment, the
G
## p. 74 (#80) ##############################################
74 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
indignation with which his supposed perfidy had
inspired her. "You anxious! you interested about
me!" she repeated, half withdrawing the hand-
kerchief which concealed her face, and darting a
look of ineffable disdain and scorn upon him;
"Oh! Mr. Oswald, such an assertion from you
is like mockery and insult."
"Mockery and insult!" cried Egbert; " good
heaven! Miss Greyille, how have I merited such
language....such reproaches from you?"
"A little reflection upon your own conduct
will inform you," replied Jacintha; " but I beg
you'll let me go; 'tis a subject upon which I
never meant to speak.."which I regret having
been so unwarily led to touch upon."
"Let you go!" replied Egbert, passionately,
his eyes sparkling, his cheeks glowing; "no,
never, by heaven, till you explain the meaning
of your words!"
"Since you force me, then, to speak," said
Jacintha, whose efforts to disengage herself were
utterly unavailing, " I must inform you, that after
what passed at Mr. Frankland's ".
"True, madam," cried Egbert, with increas-
ing vehemence, " true, madam," said he, on
finding she paused; " after what passed there, I
had a right to expect very different conduct from
you....after what passed there, I had a right to
accuse you of cruelty, perfidy, deceit!"
"You rave," interrupted Jacintha.
"What!" exclaimed he, "do you not allow
me a right to complain? After giving me such en-
couragement, after accepting my addresses, after
permitting me to come to Wyefield, for the ex-
press purpose of being introduced to your family,
and having every thing settled for our union....
## p. 75 (#81) ##############################################
. . NOCTURNAL VISIT. 75
after all these circumstances, does not the letter
you sent me"
"I sent you!" cried Jacintha, " I know not
what you mean; I never wrote to you, I never
heard of your coming; to Wyefield on such a
purpose as you mention!"
"Never!" said Egbert, grasping both her
hands!" Swear all this to me i"
"I do," cried Jacintha; "by all my hopes of
happiness hereafter, I never wrote to you....never
heard of the visit you allude to!"
"I can no longer doubt you," said Egbert;
"some vile scheme has been contrived to sepa-
rate us, which I trust this explanation will render
abortive; for may I not "Here Jacintha,
trembling, almost fainting, motioned for a chair.
Egbert supported her to one ; he knelt before her,
his arm circled her waist, and he repeated the
question which she had interrupted...." May I
not believe," cried he, " that but for the detesta-
ble artifice which has been practised, I should
long ere this have attained the summit of my
(wishes?"
Jacintha could not speak, but her looks ren-
dered language unnecessary; and Egbert clasped
her to his bosom, in a transport of joy and ten-
derness.
"This moment, this blissful moment, "ex-
claimed Egbert, " makes me ample amends for
all my sufferings! Oh, my Jacintha! words are
faint to express the feelings I experience at again
holding you to my heart, with a full assurance of
your returning its affection."
"And yet, considering that affection," cried
Jacintha, half smiling, "you seemed to sit very
easy under your imaginary disappointment."
## p. 76 (#82) ##############################################
re NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"My pride stifled my complaints," said Eg-
bert. "I could not bear the idea of incurring
that ridicule which a despairing lover too frequent-
ly excites; and as to importuning you, it was quite out of the question;. for as I then believed
you totally indifferent to me, I did not desire
your hand ;....the warmth, the ardour, the jealou-
sy of my disposition, not permitting me to enter. tain a hope of happiness with the woman I loved,
except convinced her heart, as well as her person,
was mine. Like the poet, I may say,
"In all my Etna's beauties blest,
"Amidst profusion still I'd pine,
"If, when she gave me up her breast,
"Its panting tenant was not mine."
Egbert now inquired whether she had a suspi-
cion of the hand from whence the letter came,
which had given him such wretchedness?
Jacintha started, and blushed at this question.
It was too evident to her who the fabricators of
it were; too evident that it was the hand of a
mother and a sister, who had aimed such a blow
at her peace.
Unwilling, however, to expose them to the
shame, the contempt, the detestation, they merit-
ed, she implored Egbert, with much earnestness,
not to make any further inquiry upon the sub-
ject. "Rest satisfied," said she, "with detecting
the falshood, and trouble not yourself about the
contrivers of it."
"I see, I see how it is," cried Egbert, with the
quickness of lightning; "'tis to domestic trea-
chery we owe all the misery we have suffered....
Gracious Heaven! how monstrous, how shocking!
....But they shall not escape the reproaches they
deserve!"
## p. 77 (#83) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. rr
"Dearest Oswald," said Jacintha, alarmed by
his violence, "for my sake let the affair sink into
oblivion. Oh ! do not damp the pleasures of our
reconciliation, by doing or saying any thing
which can create unhappiness in my family."
"Well," replied Egbert, " I cannot give you
a more convincing proof of my love, than by
curbing the strong resentment I feel against some
part of it.'/
"I accept it as such," said Jacintha; " and be
assured I shall not be ungrateful for it."
Egbert again caught her to his heart.."again held her there as a long-lost treasure, which had
been almost miraculously restored.
When their mutual agitation had a little sub-
sided, Egbert declared his intention of speaking,
without delay, to Mr. Grcville on the subject of
his attachment to Jacintha, and proposing an im-
mediate union.
This was an intention which met with no op-
position from Jacintha; on the contrary, she did
not, she could not deny that it gave her pleasure.
Too agreeably engaged to notice the progress
of time, they were at length surprised by the en-
trance of the groom, who, having been roused
by his master at the first dawn of day, to get
everything ready for his journey, was not a little
astonished at his delaying it so long, and accord-
ingly came to say the horses were waiting. Eg-
bert ordered them to be put up; but the servant
had scarcely quitted the room, before Mrs. Gre-
ville's voice was heard below. Jacinth a instantly
flew down to receive her ; and Mrs. Greville and
Gertrude, according to their usual custom, were
beginning to give an exaggerated account of the
G 2
## p. 78 (#84) ##############################################
78 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
entertainment they had been at, when the sudden
entrance of Egbert put a total stop to their elo-
quence. "Bless me !" exclaimed Mrs. Greville,
after a momentary silence, during which she eyed
him attentively, " I did not expect to find you
here, Mr. Oswald."
Egbert carelessly recounted the cause of his
unexpected return.
The triumph, the animation of his looks, to-
gether with the sunshine which illumjned the
countenance of Jacintha, and a kind of trembling
confusion in her manner, gave rise [to very un-
pleasant suspicions in the mind of Mrs. Greville.
Though the day was intensely cold, her face
began to glow from agitation; and scarcely know-
ing what she did, she fanned herself with the
corner of her apron. Her alai m was not by any
means diminished, when Egbert, after chatting
a few minutes, requested Mr. Greville to accom-
pany him to his library; a request which the
good man directly complied with.
Mrs. Greville now endeavoured to terminate
her suspense, and learn whether the explanation
she dreaded had taken place between Egbert and
Jacintha, by putting many artful questions to the
latter, which she, however, found means to evade;
determined not to satisfy the curiosity of her mo-
ther, till she knew how Egbert's proposals Were
received by her father.'
To these proposals Mr. Greville listened with
his usual calmness. When Egbert had ceased
speaking, he said, he considered his daughter
highly honoured by his addresses, and candidly
confessed she could no where form an union
more pleasing to him; but at the same time de-
clared, it was an union which he could not permit
to take place till Egbert was of age.
## p. 79 (#85) ##############################################
. NOCTURNAL VISIT. 7
Egbert tried to combat this resolution by all
the eloquence in his power to exert; but in vain.
Mr. Greville continued inflexible; and he was
compelled to reconcile himself to present disap-
pointmeijt by the prospect of future happiness,
and permission to pay to Jacintha the open at-
tentions of a sanctioned lover.
Though Jacintha did not as openly acknow-
ledge it, she felt scarcely less regret at the de-
termination of her father, than Egbert. The
tyranny of her mother, the malice of her sister,
rendered a residence under the same roof with
them, at least while she continued in their power,
almost insupportable.
The mortifications, the humiliations she had
before suffered from them, were slight, compared
to those she endured in consequence of their
rage and envy, at finding their schemes to separate
her and Egbert, were defeated. Had they beheld
him the professed lover, the husband of any other
woman, though the hopes of Gertrude would
have been equally disappointed, they would not
have been half so much affected; and though
policy, perhaps, dictated a very different conduct
to Jacintha, from the prospect of her being soon
independent, they could not so far overcome their
hatred towards her, and evil propensities, as to
practise it.
Egbert upon every occasion took her part; and
at these times nothing but a fear of offending
him, prevented Mrs. Greville from venting her
ill-humour and indignation upon him, as well as
Jacintha; but the very great advantages she de-
rived from his being in her house, made her cau-
tious not to speak in such a manner as should
drive him from it.
## p. 80 (#86) ##############################################
80 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
But though she curbed her temper, she could
not, or rather did not, attempt to controul the in-
clination she felt to vex him by her actions. She
accordingly thwarted his wishes to the extent of
her power, by preventing almost any intercourse
between him and Jacintha; still contriving to
impose upon Mr. Greville, by making him be-
lieve, in this respect, as well as in every other,
she was influenced alone by propriety and pim-
dence; any interference from him, therefore, was
not to be expected.
Egbert and Jacintha, perceiving their mutual
uneasiness at the unpleasant restraint imposed
upon them, only gratified her malignancy, deter-
mined at last to suppress all appearance of it;
seem to submit patiently to her control, and rest
satisfied with conversing in private.
The pleasure experienced in these stolen in-
terviews, amply compensated for the difficulty
with which they were procured.
But those hours were not devoted entirely to
love. Egbert spent many of them in instructing
Jacintha in such accomplishments as he wished
his wife to possess, but which Mr. Groille had
not considered it necessary for his daughters to
acquire; thinking (justly perhaps) that girls,
destined as they were, in all probability, to an
humble sphere, required only an useful education/
Jacintha's progress in her new studies exceed-
ed the expectations of Egbert; and the expand-
ing beauties of her mind heightened that admi-
ration and esteem, which the charms of her.
person, and the sweetness of her disposition, had
first inspired.  -v'
## p. 81 (#87) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. Si
CHAP. V.
"These are the matchless joys olvirtuout love;
". And thus their moments fly."TIME rolled on, without making any
alteration in the conduct of Mrs. Greville. But
in proportion as they drew nearer to the happy
period which was to unite them, Egbert and Ja-
cintha became less affected by it.
About the beginning of summer it was rumour-
ed throughout the village, that lord Gwytherin
was expected home. Mrs. Greville felt particu-
larly anxious to know whether there was any
truth in the report; and she was soon gratified
on this head by Mrs. Conway, the housekeeper
at the park, who came in one evening, just as a
little party of her neighbours were sitting down
to Pope-Joan.
"Cot pless my soul!" cried Mrs. Conway, who
was a little bustling Welchwoman, and considered
of very great importance in the village, " I am
in such a flutter, and such a commotion"
"What! is your lord really coming down?"
demanded Mrs. Greville, eagerly interrupting her.
"Yes, he returned to England about a fort-
night ago; and a messenger-arrived this morn-
ing at the castle, to say he would be at it in'a
few days. I am sure I don't know how we shall
## p. 82 (#88) ##############################################
82 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
ever be able to get every thing in order against
he comes."
"I thought," said Mrs. Greville, who was
playing chess with Egbert, but had stopped to
listen to Mrs. Conway, " that his lordship had
hidden an almost eternal adieu to his ancient
home."
"Aye, so we all thought," replied the house-
keeper; " but I suppose he began at last to con-
sider it was a sin and a shame to be spending all
his money in foreign parts."
"Well, I am sure I am glad he is coming to
the park," said Mrs. Greville; "it will enliven
the village a little."
"That it will," cried Mrs. Conway ; " we shall
have rare doings, I promise you. My lord is to
bring a power of company with him, and Robert,
who brought the news, says there is wine enough
coming down to float all the cellars in the castle,
and a great deal of new furniture, and fine asiot-
ics for the hot-houses, and heaps of curiosities,
which my lord purchased abroad, but which, by
the bye, Robert says, are the greatest rubbish in
the world, being nothing more than rusty cop-
pers, and old pictures, and statues as halt and
as maimed as some of the Greenwich pensioners.
"I told Robert, I was surprised my lord, who
was a man of sense, would lay out his money
upon such trumpery. But Robert said, if he had
not done so, he would not have been reckoned
a man of virtue abroad; and it seems, in foreign
parts, gentlemen pride themselves on being men
of virtue, which is more than they do at home:
though, how a person can be thought more vir-
tuous for buying old coppers, and faded pictures,
and broken statues, I can't conceive."
## p. 83 (#89) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 83
"Nor I, indeed, Mrs. Conway," said Mr. Gre-
ville, smiling, as well as some more of the party,
at her simplicity ; " 'tis neither a proof of virtue
nor wisdom, in my opinion, I assure you."
"And so your lord is really coming among us
again?" cried Mr. Jones, the old apothecary of
the village, who, with his dame, was of Mrs. Gre-
ville's party. "Ah! he was a gay one in his
youth ; and if not much altered, we shall indeed,
as you say, Mrs. Conway, have rare doings."
"Why, I believe he is not much altered,"
said Mrs. Conway, "from what I could gather
from Robert.'''
"I am sorry his lordship has not bene'fitted
by time and reflection," cried Mr. Greville;
"the greatness of his understanding renders er-
rors in him inexcusable."
"You know something of his lordship, then,"
said Jones ;s" I thought he had left Wyefield be-
fore you came to it."
"True," replied Mr. Greville, " but the fame
of his lordship was not confined to the narrow
limits of a village; and though I saw not, I heard
of him....heard that, had half his outward graces
been placed about the thoughts and counsels of
his heart, he would have been one of the first of
his sex."
"Your information was just," said Jones. "Had
his mind been half as perfect as his form, half as
amiable as his manners, he would have been un-
equalled. But sorry am I to say, that was not
the case (we are among friends....at any rate his
character is pretty generally known); many, ma-
ny are the hearts upon which the libertinism of
his principles has entailed anguish."
## p. 84 (#90) ##############################################
M' NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"Aye ; Cot forgive him !" said Mrs. Conway,
"'tis all very true; he never could see a pretty woman, without trying to inveigle her in some
way or other."
"Heaven have mercy upon you, then, Mrs.
Conway," cried Jones; " I should not be sur-
prised if you and your lord went in pilgrimage
to the well of St. Winefrede."
"Cot give us all grace to resist temptation!"
said Mrs. Conway, directing her eyes towards
the glass.
"Well, don't be too much alarmed," exclaim-
ed Mr. Jones; " I fancy the whole of his battery
will not be directed against you."
The glance with which these words were ac-
companied to Jacintha, made her laugh.
Egbert, at this instant, rose abruptly, and
snatched up his hat.
"Won't you sup at home, Mr. Oswald ?" asked
Mrs. Greville.
"I don't know...., can't tell....'tis very uncer-
tain....but pray don't wait a moment for me:"
so saying, he quitted the room.
Jacintha felt greatly hurt and disconcerted at
his going out. In spite of her reason, she could
not help being uneasy, at the idea of his spending
the evening with Woodville, or rather, the sister
of Woodville, a very lovely girl, who had lately
come from London (where she resided with an
aunt, both her parents being dead) to pass some
time with her brother.
Her beauty, as well as vivacity, had drawn very
warm plaudits from Egbert: and Jacintha began
to fear, in consequence of his conduct this even-
ing, that they had made a greater impression upon
him than he would allow. Else why prefer Miss
## p. 85 (#91) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 85
Woodville's company to her's? and only to this
preference could she impute his going out, parti-
cularly as she had promised to meet him after
supper in the garden.
Her mother's visiters spent the evening at the
house; but their gaiety could neither amuse Ja-
cintha, nor induce her to remain long in the par-
lour. She withdrew to her chamber almost im-
mediately after the removal of the cloth; and,
putting out her light, placed herself at an open
window to watch the return of Egbert.
A bright moon silvered the firmament, and cast
its shadowy beams upon the high woods of Gwy-
therin park, which gently rustled in the breeze,
while, from their deep recesses, the nightingale
poured forth the softest strains of melody.
But neither the beauty nor serenity of the scene,
could divert the thoughts of Jacintha from the
object upon which they were fixed, or calm her
uneasiness.
The guests withdrew, the family retired. to rest;
but still no Egbert appeared.
"How pleasantly engaged he must be," said
Jacintha, " to be so unmindful of time! But no
wonder...the polished graces, the unchecked viva-
city of Miss Woodville cannot fail of making hours
appear as minutes."
At length she saw him crossing the green; she
directly started from the window,for not for worlds
would she have had him know how she had been
employed. Her heart, indeed, began to tell her
she had injured him by harbouring, for a moment,
a doubt of his constancy; yet, notwithstanding
this pleasant assurance, she could not overcome
the resentment she felt at his going out, after the
promise he had received from her.
H
## p. 86 (#92) ##############################################
86 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Her averted looks, and the coldness of her man-
ner, struck Egbert the instant he beheld her the
next morning; and he only waited till the boys,
to whom she was giving their breakfast, had quit-
ted the parlour, to inquire whether the alteration
in her conduct was owing to the cause he sus-
pected. Jacintha would not confess the truth;
but Egbert at length saved her the trouble, by de-
claring he plainly perceived what was the matter:
"And only I think you-have some little reason for
your present humour," said he, with an affected
seriousness, "be assured I should be very much
displeased at it; for I detest any thing like caprice.
To apologize, however, for my conduct last night,
without which I perceive I cannot regain your la-
dyship's smiles, I must inform you that I went
out because I was vexed and irritated."
"Vexed and irritated!" repeated Jacintha, in
extreme surprise; "about what?"
"Well, to confess my weakness, though you
would not make a similar confession to me, about
lord Gwytherin; I felt utterly disconcerted at the
idea of his approaching visit to Wyefield."
"On what account?" eagerly demanded Ja-
cintha.
"Need you ask?" said Egbert. "The miser
watches his treasure with unceasing anxiety; and
the lover with no less disquietude, fancies every
eye directed, every heart attracted to the shrine at
which he worships, with the most pernicious de-
signs against his peace."
"But surely," cried Jacintha, with something
like reproach in her voice, "you cannot doubt...."
"Your truth, your constancy," eagerly inter-
rupted Egbert; Oh no!....could I harbour, or ra-
ther had I reason to harbour such a doubt, I should
## p. 87 (#93) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 87
be of all men the most miserable; but the cha-
racter of lord Gwytherin, the In short, let us
speak no more upon the subject. I was very an-
gry with myself for permitting my tranquillity to
be disturbed about him. Half the wretchedness
of our lives, indeed, I believe, proceeds from giving
way to our imagination, which, when unrestrained,
is apt to raise a thousand frightful images to an-
noy us. Would your father, however, consent to
our immediate union, I should certainly feel hap-
pier than I do at present. Like Altamont, I should
then be able to exclaim, " Begone, my cares, I give
you to the winds!"
"Oh Egbertl" said Jacintha, from whose mind
every trace of resentment was obliterated, "can
you indeed suppose that union would make you
dearer to me than you are at present? No; be as-
sured, if I know my own heart, it could not."
Egbert was prevented making any reply to this
speech by the sudden entry of Mrs. Greville, whose
clouded countenance and sullen manner were so
extremely disagreeable to him, that he quitted the
room in order to breakfast with his friend Wood-
ville.
The moment he had withdrawn, she vented, as
usual, her ill-humour upon Jacintha. She asked
her how she dared to spend her time in such a ri-
diculous, not to say shameful manner?..."! won-
dered," cried she, "what made Mr. Oswald so very
early a riser; but now I have discovered the cause.
I shall take care, however, in future, to let you
have some other employment than that of flirting
with him. I'll let you see you shan't eat the bread
of idleness, or commence fine lady before your
-time."
## p. 88 (#94) ##############################################
86 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
The appearance of Mr. Greville silenced his wife,
and Jacintha now learned that he was going to
pass the day with a friend near Holywell, and that her mother and Gertrude were also going upon
particular business to Chester, which would detain
them there till night. Jacintha's looks testified
the pleasure she felt, at the idea of being unre-
strained by their presence throughout the day.
But this pleasure was of short duration: on her
father's leaving the parlour, Mrs. Greville told her
she had left out some work for her to do, which
she should expect to find finished on her return.
"Remember," cried she, "the boys will be at home, and will let me know how you pass your
time." Jacintha could not, without difficulty, sup-
press the resentment and indignation with which
this treatment inspired her.
"I trust, madam," cried she, with a heightened colour, " I shall never pass my time in any way
which can be disgraceful to myself, or which should
be displeasing to my friends."
"Oh! to be sure; but your fine speeches wont
impose upon me: so remember, I shall expect you
observe my directions."
Jacintha made no reply, fearful of saying any thing which might raise a storm that could not
easily, perhaps, be laid.
Immediately after breakfast Mr. and Mrs. Gre-
ville set out upon their respective routes; he on
foot, and she in a one-horse chaise, belonging to
the landlord of the inn; a vehicle in much use and
estimation among the villagers.
Jacintha began her task with very great reluc-
tance; but shi-. strove to banish unpleasant feelings,
by looking forward to the happy period which would
"ancipate her from domestic bondage.
## p. 89 (#95) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL visit. 89
She had not sat long at her work, when Egbert
and Woodville came to the house, to inform her
they were going upon a pleasurable excursion for
the day to the park, with Miss Woodville and some
other friends, and expected she would join the
party, as the absence of her mother, they sup-
posed, had left her at perfect liberty.
Jacintha immediately undeceived them; and
they undertook to remove the obstacles to her going
out, Woodville declaring his damsels should finish
her task, and Egbert bribing the boys to silence.
Every thing being settled, Jacintha accompa-
nied the gentlemen to the park, near the entrance
of which Miss Woodville, with two other ladies
and gentlemen, waited for them.
The whole party then proceeded to the river,
where a pleasure-boat was prepared for their re-
ception, into which they instantly stepped; and
the gentlemen, exchanging their coats for nankeen
jackets, alternately rowed and steered.
The day was delightfully fine; not a cloud veiled
the blue vault of heaven; and only a soft breeze
prevailed, sufficient to curl the water, and temper
the intense heat of the air.
The most perfect harmony reigned among the
party; and the enchanting prospects they every
where beheld, added not a little to their pleasure.
The banks on one side consisted of level and
luxuriant meadows, divided by hedge-row elms,
and valleys green, scattered over with flocks and
herds; and extending to a range of gently-swelling
hills, watered by a thousand chrystal rivulets, fan-
tastically fringed with trees, and planted with lit-
tle groves, which admitted through their natural
vistas, a view of the distant and aspiring mountains
which bounded the horizon.
X 2
## p. 90 (#96) ##############################################
SO x NOCTURNAL visit.This soft and pastoral landscape, enlivened by
groups of hay-makers, was finely contrasted by
the pomp and grandeur of the opposite shore,
where hills, or rather mountains, rose in bold
and projecting majesty above the water, clothed
to their very base with shades of ancient growth
and solemn verdure. Amidst these woods laby-
rinthian avenues were cut, which led to all the
enchantments of the place....the noble terraces,
margined with flowering shrubs and choice par-
terres, the long cathedral walks, the romantic
buildings, the velvet slopes, embroidered with
sun flowers i
"As Proserpina, ,
frighted, thou let'st fall T 1
From Dis's waggon! daffodils
That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty: violets dim:
But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes,
Or Cytherea's breath; pale primroses, ,
That die unmarried, ere they can behold ,
Bright Phoebus in his strength:....
gold ox-lips, and
The crown-imperial, lilies of all kinds, i'
Thefeur de lit being one!
SHAKSPEARE.
Egbert, as well as his companions, frequently
laid aside the oar, to take up the flute or hautboy,
upon which he in particular played with exquisite
taste and scientific skill; the ladies were not ex-
empt from taking part in the concert,
I
"And melting music stole upon the sky,
"And soften'd sounds along the waters die."
They rowed about till three o'clock, when the
heat becoming intense, and the breeze which had
refreshed them dying away, they gladly landed,
## p. 91 (#97) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 91
to shelter themselves amidst the embowering
gloom of the mountains.
The place to which they repaired was a pavi-
lion, midway up one of the most lofty of the as-
cents. It looked down upon the river, whose
windings it commanded to a considerable extent,
and which hereabouts was dotted with small
islands of singular beauty; and upwards to a no-
ble terrace, backed by the far-stretching walls -of what appeared an ancient fabric, a miniature
resemblance of the fortified castles of old. The
grey walls were nearly covered with ivy, stone-
croft, and moss; and above them rose a dark
wood, too thick to permit the eye to penetrate
beyond it, in search of any other beauties than
those so profusely scattered around.
This building, which was intended more for
ornament than use, was'the residence of the boat-
man and his wife; and this was the only part of
the domain to which any attention had been paid
since the departure of lord Gwytherin; all the
rest exhibiting wildness, confusion, and neglect.
The servants, who had followed from Wood-
ville's, had prepared dinner against the landing
of the party in the pavilion.
Jacintha had often contemplated the lovely
prospect it commanded, but never before had she
thought it so charming: for never had she view-
ed it with a mind so truly serene and happy as
at the present moment.
'Tis strange, yet true, that according to our
feelings, we behold external objects. By a kind
of wonderful sympathy, it seems as if inanimate
nature participated in our joys and griefs. When
we are pleased, we think, as Milton says, that
the earth gives sign of'gratulation....But when
black melancholy sits within our
## p. 92 (#98) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"She round us throws
"A death-like silence, and a dread repose; ..
"Her gloomy presence saddens all the scene,
"Shades ev'ry flow'r, and darkens ev'ry green;
"Deepens the murmur of the falling floods,
"And breathes a browner horror o'er the woods."
POPE.
The same good-humour and sprightliness,
which had rendered the preceding part of the
day so delightful, still prevailed; and a more
convivial party, 'than that now assembled in the
pavilion, could no where, perhaps, have been
found. .
They did not quit it till the impurpling glow
of evening was beginning to repose upon the
landscape, and a gentle breeze had again sprung
up, impregnated with the perfume of new-mown
hay and wild flowers.
"They returned to the boat, and continued
coasting about, " till twilight grey had in her
sober mantle all things clad;" the rowers often
resting upon their oars, to listen to the breath, ings of a mellow horn from a neighbouring
wood....
"By distance made more sweet,
"Which o'er the stream, with fond delay,
"Round an holy calm diffusing,
"Love of peace, and lonely musing,
"In hollow murmurs di'd away."
The refreshing coolness of the woods upon
their landing, would have tempted them to pro-
long their ramble, had not Jacintha been anxious
to return home on account of her mother.
"Oh! how do I long," cried Egbert, softly
whispering to her as she leaned upon his arm;
"Oh! how do I long for the period which shall
deliver you from this unpleasant restraint! How
## p. 93 (#99) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 93
\
busily, how rapturously has my imagination been
employed throughout the day, in picturing the
felicity that will then be ours! Like the smooth
stream upon which we have been gliding, I have
said to myself, our lives will pass....calm, serene,
unruffled."
"Heaven grant they may !" exclaimed Jacin-
tha. "Happiness is, indeed, a little in arrears
with us both, and I trust she will at length dis-
charge her debt." . . .iii'
"Doubt it not," said Egbert. .  r. .
"I do not," replied Jacintha. "'Tis by look-
ing forward to future pleasures, I have been n-
bled to bear present ills....without hope, I fear
'none of us could boast of enduring spirits to sup-
port misfortunes."
Woodville, unwilling to separate at so early
an hour, from the friends with whom he had
spent so pleasant a day, proposed collecting a
party at his house, and making up a dance ;....
this was a proposal too agreeable not to be em-
braced; but as it was unpossible to procure
Jacintha's company without Mrs. Greville's and
Gertrude's, it was settled that, as soon as they re-
turned home, Woodville should go for them.
Jacintha quitted the party outside the park
palings, and, accompanied by Egbert, directly
proceeded home, where she was happy to find
her mother not yet arrived. She put her bonnet
and cloak out of the way, and desired Egbert to
leave her; but he still lingered, and, lingered, till
at length the chaise with Mrs. Greville and Ger-
trude stopped at the door, so stuffed .with bundles
that it was an absolute labour to unpack them.
Mrs. Greville's real business to Chester was
not, as she pretended to her husband, to buy
## p. 94 (#100) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. *
"She round us th Lr"
A death-like silence, and a dread repos
Her glocmy presence saddens all the s< G *
Shades ev'ry flow'r, and darkens ev'ry M
Deepens the murmur of the falling floo ^
And breathes a browner horror o'er tht
The same good-humour and spi
-which had rendered the preceding p
day so delightful, still prevailed; aj
convivial party, than that now assem
pavilion, could no where, perhaps,
found.
They did not quit it till the impu
of evening was beginning to repos
landscape, and a gentle breeze had a
up, impregnated with the perfume o
hay and wild flowers.
"They returned to the boat, ar
coasting about, " till twilight gre'
sober mantle all things clad;" the
resting upon their oars, to listen t
ings of a mellow horn from a
wood.... "By distance made more sweet,
"Which o'er the stream, with fond
"Round an holy calm diffusing,
"Love of peace, and lonely must
"In hollow murmurs di'd away."
The refreshing coolness of t
their landing, would have tempt*
long their ramble, had not Jacini
to return home on acco:
"Oh! how do I
whispering to
"Oh! ho-
## p. 95 (#101) #############################################
"Vj
<?>
*<*i ^ <> v. ""* ^ ~"*^
?.v^
^:
'- ^
## p. 96 (#102) #############################################
96 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
having yet forgot the " joys of his dancing days,"
much to the displeasure of his lady wife.
Mr. Greville also came in a little before sup-
per, and was a delighted spectator of the amuse-
ment going on. In the happiness of his family,
he found his own felicity; and when he beheld
content and gaiety sparkling in their eyes, he
raised his'own with gratitude to heaven, for thus
giving pleasure to him and his; and, by an even-
ing of repose, rewarding the numerous troubles of his early day.
## p. 97 (#103) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 97
CHAP. VI.
"He had been taught the art of courts,
"To gild a face with smilei, and leer a man to ruin.
DYER.
LORD Gwytherin's approaching visit to
his seat, created a general bustle throughout the
village. All the inhabitants were desirous of
attracting his notice, by appearing to the best ad-
vantage ; but their preparations were slight, com-
pared to those which Mrs. Greville made, though
in such a manner as could not engage the obser-
vation of her husband; and her heart swelled
with delight at the pleasures she anticipated....
She was somewhat mortified, however, on finding Mr. Greville absolutely determined not to let her
pay a formal visit (which she had hinted to be her ,
intention) to the ladies, who, she understood were
to accompany lord Gwytherin to the castle.
"Disproportioned acquaintances," said he," are
never pleasant; and, besides, by attempting to
put yourself on an equality with the society at
the castle, which your visiting them would plain-
ly demonstrate, you would expose yourself, in all
probability, to ridicule and derision."
"Lord! Mr. Greville," said she, extremely
vexed, and utterly unable to conceal her vexa-
tion, " how you talk! I really can't agree with
you, in thinking there is such a mighty difference
I
## p. 98 (#104) #############################################
9* NOCTURNAL VISIT.
between me and the company lord Gwytherin has
invited; and certainly we should give Gertrude a
chance of being as well settled as Jacintha."
"Why, surely, my dear," exclaimed Mr. Gre-
ville, in some surprise, and looking earnestly at
her, "'tis not amongst a set of fashionable, dis-
sipated men of fortune, you would either seek, or
expect to form a connexion for your daughter!
Beware how you encourage such an idea, beware
how you suffer it to take possession of Gertrude's
mind: to such hopes, such projects, may often be
attributed the destruction of innocence and domes-
tic peace."
Mrs. Greville, anxious to do away the suspi-
cion she haclexcited of her designs, lest, if retained,
it should be the means of having them defeated,
protested to her husband, he had quite mistaken
her meaning; and artfully changing the subject
on which they were discoursing, resolved never
again to renew it, but trust to chance tobring about
an introduction to lord Gwytherin. This she felt
the more inclined to do, in consequence of Wood-
ville's declaring his intention of giving a ball
shortly after the arrival of his lordship, to which
entertainment she was convinced Mr. Greville
would not attempt to prevent her going.
About the expected time, his lordship arrived,
accompanied by a large and convivial party, com-
posed of both sexes, and attended by a numerous
and splendid retinue.
Within a few miles of the castle, he was met
by a number of his tenants, who escorted him to
it with pipes and tabors, bearing rural banners
before him. The bells rang throughout the day;
in the evening, the village blazed with bonfires;
and as many of the inhabitants as pleased, were
entertained at the Gwytherin arms at his expence.
## p. 99 (#105) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 99
Mrs. Greville and Gertrude now became all
bustle and expectation; but forbore doing any
thing to attract the notice of his lordship, or his
party, though they frequently passed their house,
until the night of Woodville's ball, for which
cards were issued the very day after his arrival;
deeming it better, since prevented from paying a
ceremonious visit to the castle, by the obstinacy
and queer notions of Greville, not to make their
appearance to its fashionable inhabitants, till they
should be dressed, as they hoped and believed, to
the utmost advantage.
Time had neither effected a change in the dis-
position nor person of lord Gwytherin. He still
retained all the profligacy of the one, and all the
captivating graces of the other....graces which ren-
dered but too successful his artifices and designs.
So persuasive was his eloquence, so polished his
manners, so brilliant his understanding, so uni--
versal his knowledge, so general his accomplish-
ments, that it was utterly impossible to converse
with him without being amused and instructed,
and gradually losing that prejudice which his
character inspired against him, or, rather, being
led to believe it was a character he had not de-
served. Thus formed to allure and to deceive;
thus uniting to all those mental advantages, a most
attractive appearance; for, to use the words of Mil-
ton,
"His large fair front, and eye sublime, declar'd
"Absolute rule,"
it could excite no surprise that lord Gwytheria
found few unable to resist his wiles....wiles, which
he was seldom without some temptation to prac-
tise. For, as he mastered others, so his passions
mastered him; nor could any tie, however holy,
## p. 100 (#106) ############################################
Joo NOCTURNAL VISIT.
any confidence, however sacred, induce him to
give up, if possible to obtain it, any thing which he
thought could contribute to their gratification.
In the course of time, his fortune became ma-
terially injured by his dissipation and extrava-
gance; and he at length determined upon a
matrimonial connection, as the easiest method of
retrieving it, notwithstanding the abhorrence he
felt to part with even the shadow of his liberty:
but desperate disorders must have desperate reme-
dies, he considered.
In consequence of this determination he return-
ed to England, from whence he had been absent
many years. The gay and voluptuous manners
of the continent being more consonant to his "in-
clination, than the more sober and decorous cus-
toms of his own country.
In hopes of accelerating his scheme by such
conduct, introducing himself again to the notice
of the public with some degree of eclat, and com-
pletely deceiving it as to his real situation, he re-
solved on being more expensive than ever in his
entertainments; and conceiving he could no where
Commence the career he meant to pursue, so well
as at his own mansion, he accordingly repaired to
it, bringing with him a chosen party, in whose so-
ciety it was impossible to find the moments heavy j
"In his train
"Came mirth, that wrinkled care derides;
"And laughter, holding both her sides.".
Amongst his lordship's guests were three or
four young men, whom Egbert had known very
intimately in London. Upon meeting at Wye-
field, this intimacy was renewed with much plea-
sure on both sides; and an introduction taking
## p. 101 (#107) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 101
place between him and lord Gwytherin, he became
a pretty constant visiter at the castle; the society
there being too agreeable to permit him often to
decline the invitations he received to it.
1 2
## p. 102 (#108) ############################################
102 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. VII.
As pirates all false colours wear,
T'entrap th'unwary mariner;
So women, to surprise us, spread
The borrow'd flags of white and red:
Lay trains of amorous intrigues,
"In tow'rs, and curls, and perriwigs."
UUDIBRAS.
ON the day of Woodville's ball, Egbert
dined at the castle; from whence he went, to it,
accompanied by a large party, leaving lord Givy-
therin, who made it a rule seldom to go to any
amusement until a very late hour, behind, with
several gay companions.
To describe the bustle and flutter of Mrs. Gre-
ville and Gertrude throughout this day, would be
utterly impossible. On this important occasion,
the former took from her chest a blue tabby, which
had not been exhibited to public view for many
years before. Her head, like Mrs Hardcastle's
was dressed after one in an old memorandum-book,
by the village barber; and upon it she wore a small
gauze cap, ornamented with red ribbon, which
vied in brightness with the full-blown roses in her
bosom. This cap, together with a fine furbe-
towed apron, treble ruffles, and laced handker-
chief she procured, as also Gertrude's dress, from
## p. 103 (#109) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 103
a milliner at Chester, who assured her every thing
was made up in the'most fashionable style, and
after the newest patterns from London.
Gertrude's dre; 3 consisted of a deep yellow,"or
rather Aurora coloured muslin, vandyked with
purple, and confined to her waist by a sash of the
same colour, which, like the gown itself, trailed
to an immense length upon the ground. Her
hair was loaded with a profusion of feathers and
flowers; and in her bosom she wore a very large
bouquet of hot-house plants, obtained from the
gardener at the park.
Jacintha, who had neither the power nor inclin-
ation to make herself as ridiculous as her mother
and sister, and who felt greatly hurt at the idea of
the remarks she was confident they would excite,
was simply habited in a white muslin robe; her
bright and redundant hair merely ornamented
with a light wreath of artificial flowers, and her
fair neck adorned with a chain of pearls, the gift
of Egbert.
But lovely as she looked, Mrs. Greville did not
entertain many fears of her eclipsing Gertrude
this evening: so greatly did she think the charms
of the latter heightened by the style in which she
was dressed.
Both she and Gertrude wisely forbore giving a
complete finishing to their dress, till Mr. Greville
went out to take his customary evening's walk;
certain it would not have met his approbation, and
scarcely less certain that he would either have
insisted upon their changing it, or continuing at
home. By this manoeuvre they were detained
till a late hour, so that most of the company were
assembled before they reached Woodville's. On
entering the house, to which they went in his
## p. 104 (#110) ############################################
104 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
chaise, though but a few yards from their own,
Mrs. Greville having requested it, lest her dress
or Gertrude's should be discomposed by walking to
it, the numerous attendants, the brilliancy of the
lights, the bustle below, and the confusion of
voices from above, increased the flutter of Mrs.
Greville's spirits to such a degree, that she could
scarcely breathe; and on reaching the ball-room,
was obliged to pause for a minute, to try to reco-
ver her composure; then assuming the most grace-
ful carriage she could command, she made her
entree.
The party whom Egbert had accompanied from,
the castle, and among whom he was now standing)
were instantly attracted by her appearance and
Gertrude's. A kind of stifled laughter prevailed
for some minutes, followed by remarks not very pleasing to the ear of Egbert; for though he nei-
ther esteemed Mrs. Greville nor Gertrude, he felt
hurt at hearing such near connections of Jacintha's
turned into ridicule; and had she exposed herself
to similar derision, by dressing as they had done,
he neither would nor could have refrained from expressing his displeasure.
The ladies having satisfied their curiosity as to
Mrs. Greville's situation in life, again laughed,'
and protested she answered exactly the ideas they had formed of a country parson's wife.
"Whathnmensepains the poor womanhas taken
to make herself ridiculous!" said one. "I dare
say her husband never took more to compose a
sermon."
"Nor ever felt more satisfied with his work
when finished, than she appears to be with her-
self!" cried a second. "It may be amusing to
have her brought to the castle; I'll certainly de-
-iirexmy lord to invite her thither."
## p. 105 (#111) ############################################
. NOCTURNAL VISIT. 165
"But the daughter is still more absurd!" ex-
claimed a third. "The girl must undoubtedly
have sketched that dress while watching the per-
formance of some strolling actress in a barn. I
wish some one would prevail upon her to dance a
minute, that she might fully exhibit herself to the
whole company."
Jacintha did not entirely escape their satirical
remarks....remarks which were in a great measure
provoked by the eulogiums bestowed upon her by
the gentlemen.
The simplicity of her dress they imputed to af-
fectation, not to taste; for how was it possible to
suppose a girl brought up in obscurity as she was,
could possess any elegantideas ? Nay, it was obvi-
ous, from the rusticity of her appearance, notwith-
standing her efforts to seem easy and unem-
barrassed, that she did not.
Not more unconscious of deserving, than
unsuspicious of the ridicule she excited, Mrs.
Greville proceeded nearly to the top of the room,
paying her compliments as she passed, in a very
ceremonious manner, to such of the company as
she knew; hoping, by an exact adherence to all
the rules of what she considered punctilio and
good breeding, to convince the fashionable folks
she knew something of life, and was not utterly
unworthy of their notice.
Having seated herself, and a little recovered
from the flutter caused by her entrance, she cast
her eyes round the assembly, and a cloud instantly
overspread her countenance at finding Lord Guy- therin was not present; this, however, was soon
dispelled by Miss Woodville's informing her that
he was expected in the course of the evening.
## p. 106 (#112) ############################################
106 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
The ball was opened by Egbert and Miss Wood-
ville. The heart of Mrs. Greville again began to
beat with redoubled violence, as the gentlemen
began to choose their partners; at length, to her
inexpressible pleasure, she saw a young officer, a
visiter of lord Gwytherin's, approach Gertrude,
and take her out; and, almost atthe same moment,
the hand of Jacintha was requested by a young
baronet, also a guest at the castle, though the
least agreeable of the party assembled there.
Vain, arrogant, and self-conceited, he thought
himself entitled to universal homage from his rank
and fortune, and to universal admiration from his
personal accomplishments. Few women, he be-
lieved, could resist the united attractions he ima-
gined he possessed; and he had not a doubt of
making an easy conquest of the heart of Jacintha,
whose beauty had fixed his attention the moment
she entered the room, and to whom he resolved
to attach himself throughout the evening; pleas-
ing himself with the idea of the envy he should
excite, by engrossing to himself the prettiest girl
in the assembly, and, perhaps, bearing her off, at
some future period, in triumph from her native
plains.
He pictured to his imagination the flutter into
which the attentions of a man of his consequence
could not fail of throwing a girl unaccustomed,
as he concluded she had ever been, to any thing
like brilliant society; and also the soft confusion?
the bashful simplicity, with which she would re-
ceive his compliments, and betray the admiration
he inspired.
Full of these ideas, his disappointment was ex-
treme when, after very little conversation, he per-
ceived that she was neither elated by his notice,
## p. 107 (#113) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. lor
nor delighted with his attentions; neither over-
whelmed with confusion at his compliments, nor
unable to reply to them with spirit; and that
though brought up in the country, she had not
been brought up in rusticity. On making this
discovery, he assumed a still greater degree of
affability than he had done before, in order to
melt, instead of awe her into admiration, as he
had at first intended.
By degrees he became so extremely trouble-
some, so free in his discourse, extravagant in his
compliments, and presuming in his looks, th at Jacin-
tha sincerely repented having stood up with him,
though, by refusing to do so, she should have been
compelled to sit the whole evening; and resolved
to leave him the moment the dance was over.
This she accordingly did, but without being able
to get rid of him; for, hastily following her, he
placed himself at her feet, since he could not pro-
cure a seat by her on the bench she partly Occu-
pied, declaring it was a situation which monarchs
might envy, and desiring her to consider herself
engaged to him for the third set.
"Indeed I shall consider no such thing," re-
plied Jacintha.
"You know the penalty then," said he. "As I
have asked you to dance, you must either accept
my hand, or sit the remainder of the evening;
and, upon my soul, I would much rather you would
do the latter, as I should then have a better oppor-
tunity of breathing the sentiments you have in-
spired."
Confused and provoked by his behaviour, which
attracted general observation, Jacintha rose, and
desired him to let her pass; but this he absolutely
refused, and, to her infinite vexation, she was
compelled to resume her seat. From this disa-
## p. 108 (#114) ############################################
l c $ NOCTURNAL VISIT.
greeable situation she was soon delivered by Eg-
bert. The conduct of the baronet during the
dance, no more than at the present moment, had
escaped his notice, and the instant he led his
partner to a seat, he hastened to Jacintha; and
pushing him, not very gently, out of the way with
his foot, he took her hand, and conducted her to
another part of the room.
Exasperated by this treatment, the baronet at 
first resolved on following Egbert, and demanding
satisfaction for it; but suddenly reflecting, that any
noise about a little insignificant country girl would
be highly derogatory to a man of his consequence,
he dropped this design, and formed the less dan-
gerous determination of revenging himself upon
Jacintha, by tormenting her to the utmost of his
power; and against whom he felt the highest de-
gree of spite and malice, in consequence of the
severe mortification she had given to his pride
and vanity, by the contempt and dislike she had
manifested, contrary to his hopes and expectations,
at his assiduities.
This resolution he had no opportunity of putting
into practice till about the beginning of the third
set; Egbert having danced with her the second,
and continued with her till the gentlemen were
again called upon to rise. But no sooner had he
quitted her, than the baronet, who had watched
all his motions from an inner room, darted into
his vacant seat; and at the same instant a gentle-
man approached to request Jacintha's hand. Ja-
cintha gave it without hesitation; but, as she was
rising, the baronet caught hold of her gown, and
told her she was already engaged.
"Engaged, Sir!" repeated Jacintha,much sur-
prised; " to whom,pray?"
## p. 109 (#115) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 109
"Tome; and you either dance or sit with me
the remainder of the evening."
"I will neither do one nor the other," replied
Jacintha, indignantly.
"Just as you please; but positively you shan't
dance with any one but me."
The gentleman who still retained her hand, now
began to remonstrate, but without effect; and Ja-
cintha, fearful of the consequences that might en-
sue from an altercation which the baronet seemed
so enclined to encourage, at last begged him to
excuse her, as she did not mean to dance any more
that evening; upon which, after some polite ex-
pressions of regret, he went to seek another
partner.
Extremely provoked, Jacintha would now have
left her seat, but was still prevented by the baronet,
who, seizing her hand, swore she should not quit
him. She was remonstrating with him on the
rudeness of his conduct, when Egbert, who still
contrived to keep a watchful eye upon her, per-
ceiving how she was situated, apologized to his
partner for leaving her for a minute, and approach-
ing Jacintha, inquired the reason she did not
dance, as he had heard Mr. Cresfield requesting
her hand?
"Because she is better engaged," exclaimed
the baronet.
"What do you mean, sir?" demanded Egbert,
fiercely.
Here Jacintha hastily interposed, to prevent a
reply, which she dreaded might be productive of
unpleasant consequences, and said a head-ache
had prevented her dancing with Mr. Cresfield.
"Then, I hope, cried Egbert, who at this mo-
ment received a summons to his partner (casting
K
## p. 110 (#116) ############################################
110 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
a look of indignation at the baronet as he spoke),
"you'll choose another situation than your present
one."
Jacintha assured him she would, and accord-
ingly started from her seat at the instant he was
turning from her; and going directly to her moi
ther, declared her intention of departing, if it met
with her approbation, assigning as her reasons for
doing so, the fears she entertained of some disa-
greeable altercation taking place between Egbert
and the baronet, if she continued much longer in
the room, as she perceived the latter was deter-
mined to teaze her.
Mrs. Greville protested she was quite right in
her intention of leaving the assembly. She was,
indeed, not a little delighted at the idea of her
quitting it before the entrance of lord Gwytherin;
still dreading the power of her charms, notwith-
standing the high opinion she entertained of Ger-
trude's.
Jacintha accordingly left the room without be-
ing observed by the baronet, whom some gentle-
men stopped to speak to, as he was following her.
## p. 111 (#117) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. HI
CHAP. VIII.
He saw her charming."
THOMSON.
JUST as Jacintha had descended to the hall,
congratulating herself upon having thought of an
expedient for preventing any quarrel between Eg-
bert and the baronet, yet highly provoked at being
compelled to give up an agreeable amusement by
the impertinence of a coxcomb, lord Gwytherin
and his party entered. Jacintha stepped aside;
and the gentlemen, lord Gwytherin excepted,
rushed tumultuously up the stairs without perceiv-
ing her, eager to partake of the gaiety which was
going forward; he alone remained behind his
companions to give some directions to a servant;
and as he, was then following them, the figure of Jacintha caught his eye, and he directly paused to
gaze in silent admiration upon her. Confused by
his ardent gaze, Jacintha averted her head; and
his lordship recovering from the surprise which
the unexpected sight of so lovely an object had
caused, approached her with that insinuating smile
which he knew so well how to assume, and which
he had so often found resistless, and said he hoped
he was not so unfortunate as to enter the house
at the very moment she was quitting it.
## p. 112 (#118) ############################################
112 Nocturnal VISIT.
Jacintha bowed, but made no reply; and per-
ceiving his lordship about addressing her again, she hastily turned into an adjoining apartment,
where the house-keeper and some other female
servants were giving out refreshments; and gently
closing the door, resolved on waiting there until
he had left the hall.
He lingered for some minutes in it, in hopes of
her coming out, during which he made many mi-
nute inquiries of one of Woodville's servants
concerning her; and was delighted to find her
situation in life was such as, he flattered himself,
would be favourable to any designs he might form
against her. Full of her idea, he ascended to the
ball-room, and having taken a general survey of
the company, and a few turns about the room, he
seated himself by lady Levally, one of his visiters, a.
lady more distinguished for beauty and wit, than
virtue or decorum. From her satirical remarks
upon the assembly, he expected to derive much
amusement; nor was he mistaken. His attention,
however, was not entirely fixed, until she began
to speak of Mrs. Greville. At the sound of this
name, his eyes eagerly pursued the direction of her
ladyship's; and having fully convinced himself
the whimsical figure he gazed upon was the mo-
ther of his new divinity, he resolved on losing no
time in introducing himself to her notice.
"Bellamy," exclaimed her ladyship, "has made
himself quite ridiculous with one of the daughters,"
pointing, as she spoke, to the spot where he stood
flirting with Gertrude; " and Ashton not less so
with the other. She did not seem, however, to
relish his attentions quite so much as her sister
has done those of the captain, from a dread, I sup-
pose, of exciting the jealousy of Oswald, to whom, �
## p. 113 (#119) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISLT. 113
Uunderstand from Miss Woodville, she is engaged,
and to be united as soon as he is of age. 'Tis
really astonishing a young man of his birth and
fashion should sequester himself in such a little
obscure village as this, or think of connecting him-
self in such a manner."
"The girl is exquisitely beautiful!" cried his
.lordship, with involuntary warmth, and utterly for-
getful of the rule he laid down....never to praise
one woman to another, from the illiberal ideas he
entertained of the sex.
"Why, pray, where did you see her?" asked
lady Levally with a disconcerted air, and violently
flirting her fan.
His lordship satisfied heron this head; and her
ladyship allowed the girl was pretty well, vainly
trying to hide the chagrin which his warm enco-
mium upon her had occasioned..." But she wants
grace, she wants ease, she wants the polish of high
life," added she..
"True" said lord Gwytherin (rising as bespoke),, "those nameless elegancies which adorn lady
Levally, and so eminently distinguish her from the
rest of her sex; but where can we hope to find
another perfect as she is?"
With a smile and a bow he then left her, and
proceeded to Mrs. Greville, who still continued
in the seat she had occupied on first entering the
room, watching every gesture, every look of Gets .
trade's, and those which were directed towards her.
Lord Gwytherin easily pracured a seat beside
her, and with the same facility entered into con--
versation. The ecstacy, the triumph of Mrs Gre-
ville at this instant cannot be described; she smiled,.
she bowed, she blushed, and looked round the room-.
K2
## p. 114 (#120) ############################################
114 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
to see whether the company observed the honour
which was done her ; without which, the pleasure
it gave her, would have been incomplete.
Not more skilled in turning the foibles of man-
kind to his own advantage, than indiscerning them,
lord a soon discovered the ruling pas-
sions of Mrs. Greville, and regulated his words and
actions accordingly, trusting the favour of the mo-
ther would ensure in some degree that of the daugh-
ter.
After some general discourse, he suddenly paused; and after looking some minutes at the
dancers, begged to know whether Mrs. Greville
could inform him who the elegant girl was that
had just then commenced the dance?
1 "Who, where?" eagerly demanded Mrs. Gre-
viUe, following the direction of his eye.
"I mean the young lady in yellow," replied his
lordship.
"Oh, my lord!" cried Mrs. Greville, "you
make me proud."
"What, is that young lady any relation of y our's?
Ah ! now I see how it is," continued he, looking
with pretended earnestness at Gertrude, and then
at her mother; "I see the strong resemblance.
Oh, madam! what happy woman you should con-
sider yourself, in being the mother of so lovely a
creature!"
"I protest, my lord," exclaimed the enraptured
Mrs. Greville, " you are quite too polite; your
praises of my girl will really make me vain."
"You wrong your good sense in saying so, my
dear madam," replied his lordship; "vanity and
you, I am(convinced, will ever remain strangers to
each other.",
In this strain of flattery he continued to pay his
court to Mrs. Greville., Net in the least degree.
## p. 115 (#121) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. H5
scrupulous or intimidated from persevering in his
designs upon Jacintha, from hearing of the engage-
ment between her and Egbert, having often dis-
solved engagements more sacred than any now
existing between them, and surmounted difficul-
ties more perplexing than any now presented to
his view by this circumstance.
He dexterously drew from Mrs. Greville every
particular he wished to know respecting her fa-
mily, and also the cause of Jacintha's quitting.the
ball, whom he acknowledged having met in the
hall (before any of the rest of the company), but
whom he ceased to praise, on finding his eulogiums
were received hy Mrs. Greville with every mark
of coldness and disapprobation; thus silencing the
sudden alarm they had given her, and still suffer-
ing her to believe he was the captive of Gertrude.
He expressed his regret at not having sooner
known his vicinity to so charming, so amiable, so
interesting a family as her's, and declared his in-
tention of paying his compliments to her the next
morning. "How highly delighted should I feel,"
said he, " if I could flatter-myself that the intimacy
I then hope to commence, would be attended with
reciprocal pleasure!"
The first opportunity that offered, Mrs. Greville
beckoned Gertrude to her, in order to introduce
her to his lordship; a ceremony he would very
readily have dispensed with, as he felt it quite a
sufficient task to flatter Mrs. Greville herself.
Captain Bellamy, however, to his infinite satis-
faction, rendered any great exertion of politeness,
on his part, to Gertrude, unnecessary, by the very
great attention which he paid her. This young
officer, being quite a stage-struck hero, could make
love, and pay compliments, in the most tender,
## p. 116 (#122) ############################################
116 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
sentimental, and sublime style imaginable, with-
very little trouble to himself, and to the very
great delight, and oftentimes surprise, of young
ladies, who, like Gertrude, were not extreme- ly well read ; and, consequently, ascribed the
eloquence which charmed them, to the talents, and
not to the memory of their lover.
Lord Gwytherin completed the farce he was
acting, by handing Mrs. Greville to the supper-
room; seating himself beside her, and devoting al-
most his whole attention to her, to the great amuse-
ment of some of the party, who fancied he was
merely quizzing the curate's wife. He insisted
on setting her and Gertrude down in his own coach,
and left them the most elated and happy of their
sex. In dreams of bliss they passed the remain-
der of the night, or rather, early part of the morn-
ing; as'' the lark, the herald of the day," had long
begun to proclaim its approach ere they returned
home.
Jacintha, having retired to rest nearly at the
usual time, was consequently able to rise at the
accustomed hour next morning. On descending
to the breakfast parlour she found her father there,
and was almost immediately joined by Egbert,
whose anxiety to learn the real cause of her quit-
ting the assembly (which he imputed to the
conduct of the baronet, and not the cause assign-
ed by Mrs. Grevii'e), would not permit him to en-
joy any repose, though he had staid out as late as
the rest of the party.
Jacintha evaded all his inquiries; and finding
them useless, he at length desisted from them;
but with a passionate declaration to watch the
baronet, and chastise him upon the smallest pro-
vocation.
## p. 117 (#123) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 117
"I hope," said Mr. Greville, "the propriety of
Jacintha's conduct will ever repel impertinence in
that of any other person. I have ever thought that
it is by the behaviour of a woman our sex regulate
d to her."
"Yes," replied Egbert, warmly, "except when
she meets with fools and coxcombs."
"True," said Mr. Greville. "The seldomer,
therefore, females of modesty mix in. societies
where they are liable to encounter such beings,
the better.
He then desired Jacintha to make breakfast, as
he did not suppose her mother or sister would rise
for some time.
"Such are the effects of dissipation," said he.
"It deprives its votaries of the power of enjoying
the real pleasures of life, the loveliest charms of
nature, the sweets of early day,
"When every muse,
"And every blooming pleasure wait without,
"To bless the wildly devious morning walk."
From their feverish couch, their wild and distem-
pered dreams, they rise, when, perhaps, half the
day is over, pale, languid, and unrefreshed. How
different in feelings, how different in appearance,
from those, who obey
"The breezy call of incense-breathing morn,"
and taste its verdure!"
Egbert, who was in the habit of
"Brushing with hasty steps the dews away,
"Te meet the sun upon the upland lawn,"
acknowledged the justness of what he said. Gre-
ville made some inquiries concerning the ball; and,
among other questions, asked Jacintha whether
she had seen lord Gwytherin?
## p. 118 (#124) ############################################
118 NOCTURNAL visit. "For an instant," she replied.
Mrs. Greville and Gertrude made their appearance sooner than was expected; but lord Gwythe-
rin's promised visit had made them rise earlier
than they would otherwise have done, in order to
prepare for it.
They had scarcely entered the parlour, when
one of his lordship's servants appeared, with cards,
inviting Mr. Greville, the ladies, and Egbert, that
evening to the castle.
"I am sure," said Mr. Greville, as his wife read
their card aloud, "tis an invitation I will not
accept: and I hope, my dear, you dont intend to
do so."
"Indeed, my dear, but I do," replied she; "that
is," softening the peremptory tone in which she at
first spoke, "if you will permit me. I imagined
you had no objection to my visiting at the castle,
provided, which you see is the case, the first ad-
vances for an intimacy came from thence."
"Indeed I have an objection," said Mr. Gre-
ville; "but since you seem so bent upon going this
evening, I shall not prevent you, upon conditions
that you do not stay out late, nor encourage any
ideas of an intimacy with the fashionable folks P.t
the castle; they are not by any means the kind
of acquaintance I should choose for you and the
girls."
"No, I suppose not," muttered Gertrude, with
a dissatisfied air; "'tis only with the old-fashioned
humdrum folks of the village, you would wish to
"have us acquainted."
Mrs. Greville readily subscribed to the condi-
tions of her husband, promising to do whatever he
wished; but, like many other people, promising
what she never meant to perform.
## p. 119 (#125) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 119
The good man, soon after, withdrew to his study,
where the boys waited to receive their daily lesson.
Mrs. Greville and Gertrude then began to speak,
without restraint, of all that had passed the preced-
ing evening. In the midst of this (to them) most
delectable conversation, lord Gwytherin entered.
On his appearance their hearts fluttered, their
cheeks glowed, they looked in the glass, and then
exultingly at each other.
He apologized for coming at so early an hour;
feared he had intruded upon them; but declared
he found it utterly impossible to delay another mo-
ment paying his compliments.
Mrs. Greville curtsied and simpered; and his
lordship having taken the chair which she offered
him at the breakfast-table, accepted from the fair
hand of Gertrude a cup of tea; glad of any pre-
text for lengthening his visit, in hopes of being
able, in the course of it, to attract the regard of
Jacintha, who appeared this morning still more
beautiful than the preceding evening.
To gain her, he thought no difficulty too great
or painful to undergo. He saw, however, that
he must act with the greatest caution, not only
on account of her lover, but her mother; and that
ere he deceived her, he must deceive them; but
to. all this he thought himself fully equal, nor
had he any doubt of completely triumphing over
Egbert.
After seducing the tender and once faithful
-wife from the arms of an adoring husband....after
estranging the doting and once exemplary mother
from a family of helpless innocents (and these
enormities he had committed), he could not think
it would be a very difficult matter to detach the
heart of a young inexperienced girl from her
## p. 120 (#126) ############################################
120 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
lover; nor did he feel the least degree of remorse
at the idea of the bright prospect of felicity he
should blast by such a measure, or the smallest
compunction at the idea of
"Cropping this fair rose,
To rifle all its sweetness; then cast it
"Like a loathsome weed, away."
But though, in pursuance of this resolution
not to pay Jacintha any attention till he could
do so unobserved, he commanded his words, he
could not controul his eyes, nor forbear directing
some glances at her, which heightened her co-
lour, and disconcerted Egbert, who felt extremely
pleased when his lordship departed, "and still more
pleased when Jacintha declared it would be disa-
greeable to her to go to the castle that evening;
a declaration which proceeded from her fears of
again meeting the baronet, lest she should expe-
rience some impertinence from him, which could
not fail of provoking the impetuous temper of
Egbert. Her mother, as she imagined, did not
attempt to oppose her inclination to stay at home;
on the contrary, she could not conceal the plea-
sure it gave her. Egbert now mentioned his
intention also of sending an excuse; but Mrs.
Greville so earnestly importuned him to chaperon
her and Gertrude, in this their first visit to the
castle, that he was compelled, most reluctantly,
to give it up.
Mr. Greville luckily dined abroad this day; so
that Mrs. Greville and her daughter had again an
opportunity of decorating their persons accord-
ing to their own taste. They made themselves,
therefore, quite as ridiculous as they had done
the preceding evening, notwithstanding a hint
## p. 121 (#127) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 124
upon the subject from Egbert; but self-conceit
was a governing principle with both.
In the course of the day, captain Bellamy call-
ed at the house ; and Mrs. Greville was somewhat
alarmed by Gertrude's confessing she thought
him the most charming of men. Her alarm,
however, was transient, as Gertrude, after a short
pause, added, with the most languishing air ima-
ginable, her eyes all the time fastened upon the
glass, that though the secret sigh of her soul must
ever be breathed for him, she would not be so
great an enemy to the interests of her family, as
to discourage the attentions of lord Gwytherin.
About seven his lordship's coach came for the
ladies; and Jacintha, on being left to herself,
retired with a book, into an inner parlour, which
opened into the garden.
Here she had read some time ; and was deeply
engaged in a very interesting story, when a slow
and cautious step behind her made her hastily
turn round, and to her unutterable astonishment
she beheld lord Gwytherin.
His -lordship could not resist making use of the
opportunity, which the absence of her lover and
mother gave him, of addressing her as he wished.
The idea of the advantages he might derive from
it, completely reconciled him to her not coming
to the castle, as he had at first hoped and expect-
ed, since even there he did not think he could
have found so favourable a one for disclosing his
sentiments. He accordingly contrived to leave his
company witht ut exciting any observation, and
hastened to her by a private path, furnished with
a plausible excuse for doing so,"if her father
should be at home.  .
## p. 122 (#128) ############################################
1M NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Jacintha, starting up, dropped her book, and
stood gazing at him, almost without power to
speak or move.
"I fear, miss Greville," said he, advancing to
her, " I have alarmed you."
"No, my lord, only surprised me," replied
Jacintha, a little recovered from the disorder into
which his unexpected appearance had thrown
her ; but without offering him a chair, as she nei-
ther liked his visit, nor wished him to continue a
moment with her.
"I am come," said he, taking her hand ere
she was aware of his design, " to reproach you
for your cruelty in not coming to the castle.
Surely, if my eyes hold any correspondence with
my heart, they must have told you I lived but in
hopes of seeing you again."
Jacintha, without seeming to notice these last
words, thanked him for the obliging solicitude he
expressed for her company; and believing, or at
least affecting to believe, that he merely came for
the purpose of bringing her to the castle, assured
him it was not in her power to go out that even-
ing, and therefore begged she might no longer
detain him.
"Detain me!" repeated he, with all that
warmth so natural to him, all that insinuation he
could so readily assume. "Oh, would to heaven
you would permit me to devote not only this,
but every succeeding hour of my life to you!
Oh, where, with whom could they be spent so
rapturously:"
"I am not accustomed to such complimentary
language, my lord," cried Jacintha, "and per-
liaps on that account, do not greatly admire it."
## p. 123 (#129) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 123
"Complimentary, do you call it?" exclaimed
he. "Heavens, what a term for such language
as mine! language which
"Breathes what love inspires,
"Warm from the soul, and true to all its fires;"
language which cannot speak, which cannot paint
half the admiration, half the adoration with which
you have inspired me! Never was I so charmed,
never .was I so enamoured. But at this I cannot wonder, for never before did I behold such con-
summate beauty, such matchless perfection."
"This is going too far, my lord," cried Jacin-
tha. "I really cannot permit you to amuse your-
self at my expence any longer. You must allow
me to tell you, I have neither the folly nor simpli-
city which I am confident you impute to me, or
you would not address me in such a manner."
"Good heaven, how you injure yourself and
me by such a supposition! I swear by all that is
sacred, I speak but what I feel, but what I think.
Your image, your idea, have occupied my whole
heart from the first instant I beheld you; and if
you do not relax a little from this coldness, this
severity, I shall become the most wretched of
men!"
"I must insist, my lord," said Jacintha, vainly
endeavouring to withdraw her hand, " on your
desisting from such language ; and excuse me for
telling you, that, considering the difference in
our situations, your present contract appears like
presumption to me."
"Does this look like presumption ?" cried he,
sinking on his knees before her, "Oh, miss
Greville! could you read my heart, you would
find that, though I aspire to your favour, 'tis with
lowliness, with respect!" .
## p. 124 (#130) ############################################
124 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"My lord," said Jacintha, whose rising colour
evinced her displeasure almost as forcibly as her
words, " I must plainly inform you, you cannot
alledge any -thing which can either excuse or
render your present conduct agreeable to me;
and positively, either your lordship or I must quit
this room immediately." 
He was beginning to remonstrate, when a sud-
den stop was put to--his eloquence by the entrance
of Mrs. Greville.
She had lost all her money at a whist-table,
where she had hoped to come off as triumphant
as she generally did at her own house, and the
houses of her neighbours; but she had now to do
with people infinitely more experienced in the
arts of the game, than either she, or those she
was accustomed to play with, and consequently
seas compelled te pay a handsome tribute to their
superior skill. She lost, however, with a good
grace; and lady Levally, who was mistress of
the ceremonies, or rather revels, at the castle,
having intimated to her that she expected her to
cut in again, she invented a pretext for getting
home,* in order to replenish her purse from a
private hoard she kept for her own use and Ger-
trude's, unwilling, or unable to find an opportu-
nity of borrowing from Egbert, who was engaged
with a large party in the music-room.
Lord Gwytherin hastily rose, upon her en-
trance, in manifest confusion; and Jacintha, the
instant she regained her liberty, ran out of the
room, too much provoked with his lordship, to
continue another moment in his company.
"Well, to be sure !" exclaimed Mrs. Greville,
as soon as the violent shock she had received
from beholding the destruction of all her hopes, �
## p. 125 (#131) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. / 125.
her airy castles; for it was now too evident that
Jacintha had made that conquest, which she had
flattered herself the charms of Gertrude had ef-
fected. "Well, to be sure !" said she, as soon
as it would permit her to speak, looking all the
time at lord Gwytherin, "I never should have
thought of such a'thing."
"I am extremely surprised," cried lord Gwy-
therin, who by this time had recovered from his
embarrassment, and who always made it a rule
to confess when he could not deny; " I am ex-
tremely surprised, madam, to hear you say so.
I imagined a lady of your penetration would at
once have perceived the impression your lovely
daughter made upon me."
"I perceive it, my lord !" cried Mrs. Greville,
her face all over scarlet, and fanning herself with
violence; " I perceive it! No, indeed, I had no
idear of such a thing; and I hope, my lord, you
have not gone and talked a heap of extravagant
speeches to the girl, to turn her brain."
"Ah, madam!" said he, with a melancholy
air, " I fear I can neither affect her head nor her
heart, except indeed I may hope to obtain your
interest."
"My interest!" repeated Mrs. Greville, seat-
ing herself, in an agitation she could not hide;
"my interest, my lord !" and she suddenly began
to muse.
She clearly perceived that every hope of ob-
taining him for Gertrude was at an end: and she
began to reconcile herself to their disappointment,
by reflecting, that his passion for Jacintha might,
if not opposed, lead to an event which would
afford her scarcely less pleasure than she should
T 2
## p. 126 (#132) ############################################
126 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
have derived from his union with Gertrude, name-
ly, the destruction of Jacintha.
With the libertinism of his character, the per-
severance of his disposition, the insinuation of
his manners, she was well acquainted; and from
all these circumstances she could scarcely doubt,
that if allowed to carry on his machinations
against Jacintha, he would, from her youth, and
consequent inexperience, notwithstanding her pu-
rity, and attachment for Egbert, ultimately en-
tangle her in his snares. Delighted at even the
remote idea of her destruction, at the idea of
removing from her daughter a person who so
continually, and so completely counteracted all
the designs she formed for her, she resolved on
forwarding to the utmost of herpower,the schemes
of lord Gwytherin, which, she was well aware,
were of the most dishonourable nature; in such
a manner, however, as should prevent him from
thinking she had a suspicion of their being so.
Her passion, entirely subdued by her delibe-
rations, and the resolution she had formed in
consequence of them, she looked up with a smil-
ing countenance, and said, " I am sure, my lord,
I should be very happy to do any thing to oblige
your lordship; but indeed I have very little in-
fluence with my eldest daughter; besides, there
is some kind of a foolish attachment subsisting
between her and Mr. Oswald. However, all I
can do, I will do; as I am confident your views
are honourable, and that if you once gain her
heart, you'll declare yourself to her father."
"Doubt it not," cried lord Gwytherin, in a
transport. "By all the saints, I swear to...."
## p. 127 (#133) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. m
"Hold, my lord !"interrupted Mrs. Greville;
"from the opinion I entertain of your lordship,
protestations are to me unnecessary."
"And you promise to do all in your power to
serve me with your angelic daughter?"
"All," said Mrs. Greville.
"Thus let me thank you then!" he exclaimed,
kissing her hand with as much transport as, per-
haps, at that moment, he would have kissed the
hand of Jacintha: and at the same time forcing
upon her finger a very fine brilliant and va-
luable diamond ring, taken from his own for that
purpose.
Mrs. Greville now hurried him back to the
castle, lest her husband should surprise them to-
gether.
Though she faithfully kept the promise she
had made him, and endeavoured as much as pos-
sible to throw Jacintha in his way, he could scarce-
ly ever procure an opportunity of conversing
with her. Whenever such an opportunity did
occur, he made the best use of it; but, to his infi-
nite mortification, without being able to effect the
least alteration in Jacintha's conduct, who, upon
all occasions, treated him with the most frigid
coldness and indifference. This behaviour, how-
ever, instead of checking his designs, or abating
his passion, rather increased the one, and ren-
dered him-more resolute and persevering in the
other.
The subject upon which he conversed with her,
as well as his visit, was carefully concealed by
Jacintha from Egbert; but his own observation
partly discovered what she would have hidden,
and he frequently inquired what lord Gwytherin
said to her. Those inquiries she constantly
## p. 128 (#134) ############################################
128 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
evaded, though it required the utmost address to
do so; but she well knew that the smallest hint
of his lordship's avowed attachment to her, could
not fail of exasperating Egbert, and would in all
probability be attended with the most unpleasant
consequences; as he had frequently declared,
that, as their mutual engagement was publicly
known, he should consider the man, who now
addressed her upon any tender subject, guilty of
as great a breach of honour and decorum, as if
she was his wife.
A month passed away, without lord Gwythe-
rin's perceiving himself in any degree rewarded
for his attentions to Jacintha. His patience being
now nearly exhausted, he determined on calling
stratagem to his aid; he accordingly issued in-
vitations for an entertainment, which, upon his
arrival at the park, he had promised to give in a
very short time to his tenantry, and all the fami-
lies of any consequence or respectability in the
vicinity of the castle.
This entertainment was to consist of a feast
to the tenants, and a sumptuous breakfast and
dinner to his own party, with a masquerade in
the evening.
The Grevilles were among the first who re-
ceived an invitation ; but to the unspeakable mor-
tification of the female part of the family; Jacintha
not excepted, Mr. Greville absolutely protested
against their accepting it. Such scenes of luxury
and dissipation, he did not think by any means cal-
culated to improve the minds of his daughters....
Besides, he had long meditated breaking the
intimacy which had taken place between his fa-
mily and the inhabitants of the castle, to his very
great annoyance, and, as he dreaded, their very
## p. 129 (#135) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 129
great prejudice: and he thought he could not
have a better opportunity than the present, for
beginning to put this design into execution....
Tears, prayers, and expostulations, were there-
fore unavailing; and Mrs. Greville found, that
whenever she did rule her husband, it was only
when his reason was on her side.
## p. 130 (#136) ############################################
130 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. IX.
"Come to the banquetall, "And revel out the day....'tis my command;
"Gay as the Persian god ourself will stand,
"With a crown'd goblet in our lifted hand;
"While antic measures beat the burden'd ground,
"And to the vaulted skies our clangors sound."
THE mortification which Lord Gwythe-
rin experienced, on first hearing of Mr. Greville's
absolute prohibition against any of the female
part of his family accepting the invitation to the
fete, was by no means inferior to that which they
themselves felt in consequence of it; but hisbrain
was fertile in expedients, and he soon contrived
a scheme which promised fair to prevent his
being ultimately disappointed by the obstinacy of
the curate.
On the day of the entertainment, Mrs. Gre-
ville and Gertrude shut themselves up in utter dis-
consolation; nor could any endeavours on the
part of Mr. Greville re-animate, or restore them
to good humour.
Egbert accompanied the Woodvilles to the
park. The company met in a superb pavilion
erected upon the edge of the water, and amused
themselves till dinner-time by viewing the rustic
## p. 131 (#137) ############################################
NOCTURNAL visit, 13J
sports of the tenantry, who were assembled in the
opposite meadows, where they feasted in spacious
tents gaily decorated; and in the evening com-
menced dancing, to the rural sound of the pipe and
tabor.
No art or expence that could contribute to ren-
der this entertainment delightful, had been spared:
the fame of it lord Gwytherin trusted, nay, deter-
mined, should reach every part of the kingdom,
not doubting it would accelerate his matrimonial
project, in which he still persevered, notwithstand-
ing his passion for Jacintha.
The dinner, of the most luxurious kind, was
served up with the most costly magnificence, in
the banqueting room of the castle, the Gothic de-
corations of which added considerably to the
splendour of the feast; music re-echoed through
the vaulted roof, and
"With wassail, mirth,andrevelry,
"The castle rung around."
At a late hour the company separated to pre-
pare for the masquerade. In the interim, some
young men, desirous of amusing themselves with
the simplicity and astonishment of the country peo-
ple, disguised themselves, and went into the village.
Among these was an Autolicus, who excited much
mirth by his pleasantry, and still greater satisfac-
tion by a generous distribution of his wares. After
parading about some time, he approached the
house of Greville, and soon attracted Jacintha and
Gertrude to the window, notwithstanding the ill-
hutnour of the latter. On their approaching it,
he displayed the contents of his basket, inviting
them to purchase. Whilst Gertrude was pretend-
ing to make bargains, he slily touched the hand of
## p. 132 (#138) ############################################
132 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Jacintha, and slipped a folded paper intoit. As to
nished by this action, and still more by the
significant glance which accompanied it, Jacintha
knew neither what to think, nor what to do. Her
mother at this moment coming forward, she re-
treated from the window, and casting her eyes
upon the paper, perceived it directed to herself, in
what appeared the writing of Egbert. She could
no longer hesitate to examine it, and eagerly open-
ing it, read as follows i
DEAR Jacintha,"The ardent desire you expressed to witness
the entertainment of this evening, has induced me
to procure you a dress for the purpose. Do not
hesitate to make use of it; if you do, I shall be
inexpressibly disappointed, as I have proposed to
myself the highest pleasure from your company j
and beholding the delight and surprise with which
a scene so brilliant and so new, cannot fail of in-
spiring you. I would have returned to the house,
in order to remove any scruples that you may,
perhaps, feel against coming out, but that I fear-
ed my real motives for doing so would be sus-
pected, and consequently my wishes frustrated, as your father could not grant that permission to you,
which he refused to your mother and sister. As
there cannot, howler, be even the shadow of im-
propriety in putting yourself under my protection, I
shall certainly expect you. Arrange matters with
the servant, so that she may let you in ; and as soon
as the family have retired to rest, make the best of
your way to the chesnut-walk, about the middle
of which, you may depend on meeting
' E. OSWALD."
## p. 133 (#139) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 133
Jacintha felt highly delighted at this attention
from Egbert, and extremely pleased at the idea of having her curiosity gratified. At the appointed
hour she repaired to the garden, where she found
the promised bundle, which she directly carried
to her chamber without being observed, and there
examining it, found it contained a long black silk
en, a mask, and a Spanish hat. She then
spoke to the maid about sitting up for her, though
not without very great reluctance, as she could
not help reflecting, notwithstanding her situation
respecting Egbert, that she was not acting right
in going, even with him, to any place prohibited
by her father; and as this reflection became every
hour stronger, she would, in all probability, have
relinquished the design entirely, but for the un-
willingness she felt to disappoint Egbert, whose
heart, by his letter, seemed set upon her company.
As soon as she had reason to think the family
were at rest, she equipped herself in the masque-
rade habit; and stealing down, with a light foot,
but a trembling heart, was let out by Gillian.
She hastened to the place of appointment, ter-
rified lest she should encounter any wandering mask, and in the spot that had been mentioned,
met, as she expected and imagined, Egbert; for
both the face and figure of the person, who stood
evidently waiting her approach, were completely
hidden.
"Jacintha!" exclaimed he, darting forward the
moment he beheld her, '; how impatiently have I
waited for you!" Jacintha, trembling from a
variety of emotions, gladly accepted his proffered
arm; and her agitation being obvious, he tried to
re-assure arid comp her.
## p. 134 (#140) ############################################
134 NOCTURNAL VISIT."
"Good heaven!" said Jacintha, suddenly in-
terrupting him, "how greatly your voice is al-
tered! 'Tis well you were so particular in letting
me know where I should find you, for I should
never have known you from it."
Egbert informed. her he had altered it on pur-
pose, and advised her to disguise her's as much as
possible.
"Oh!*as to mine," replied Jacintha, "'tis of
very little consequence; for I am sure I shan't
make much use of it this evening. I shall be too
much dazzled and surprised to do any thing but
look and listen."
Her astonishment and admiration on entering
the ball-room, far exceeded. what she had pictured
to herself she should feel; it presented a scene,
indeed, of the most brilliant magnificence and
gaiety, a scene of which her imagination alone
could never have given her an adequate idea.
The room, of a noble size, was hung with rose-
coloured silk, embossed with silver, and decorated
with wreaths of laurel, which appeared suspend-
ing the superb lustres that illuminated it. Vari-
ous coloured lamps ornamented, in a fanciful man-
ner, the balustrading of a light gallery which went
round it; and large folding doors, thrown open at
each extremity of the room, discovered an exten-
sive suite of apartments, fitted up with scarcely less taste and splendour, than were conspicuous
in the ball-room.
The sudden panic which seized Jacintha on her
first entrance amidst so crowded, tumultuous, and
motley an assembly, by degrees subsided, and she
soon joined in the gaiety and amusements of the
place.
After ranging about for nearly two hours, and
joining in several dances with Egbert, who took
## p. 135 (#141) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 135
care no one should separate his fair companion
from him, he proposed her viewing the illumina-
tions in the park.
This was a proposal very agreeable to Jacintha,
as the increasing heat and noise of the rooms were
becoming extremely unpleasant to her. They
met a number of masks in the park wandering
about the illuminated arches, bowers, and temples,
which were erected on every side, and produced
u most beautiful effect amidst the dark foliage sur-
rounding them....an effect considerably heightened
by the melody of wind instruments.
By degrees Egbert drew Jacintha from the wan-
dering crowd into a little shelving path, over-
shadowed by thick trees, and leading to a retired
building, called the druid's cave. Afew scatter-
ed lamps now feebly lit this building, which was
so remote from every other, that scarcely any
other sound than the low and murmuring noise of
a neighbouring waterfal could be distinguished
from it.
"Here,"-cried Egbert, conducting Jacintha to a
seat, and placing himself by her, "here we shall
"enjoy coolness and quiet."
"Come now," said Jacintha, pulling off her own
mask as she spoke, "remove that cloud from your
face, and speak in your own voice; for I detest
any thing artificial in Egbert."
Without obeying her request, Egbert caught
her in a transport to his bosom. "My love, my
tenderness," murmured he, in broken accents,
-"are not artificial."
He continued to speak in the most enthusiastic
manner of his passion, his adoration. Jacintha at
first laughed at this extravagance, and ridiculed
it; but by degrees she became not only displeased,
## p. 136 (#142) ############################################
136 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
but alarmed by the increasing freedom of his lan-
guage, and still greater freedom of his actions.
She tried, but in vain, to disengage herself from
him, nor were her efforts to make herself heard,
for some minutes, more successful. At length,
bursting with indignation, she exclaimed, "I see
you are determined to make me repent my having
acted contrary to my sense of what was right; this
instant let me go, or, depend upon it, I will never
forgive your present conduct."
Egbert, however, instead of releasing, held her
more firmly to his breast; and Jacintha, being now
convinced he was in a state of intoxication, for
only to such a circumstance could she impute such
language and actions, as she had never before heard
or witnessed, never before thought him capable
of uttering or committing, determined, instead
of exhausting her spirits in remonstrances and re-
proaches, which she had now every reason to
believe would prove unavailing, to collect them,
in order to try and free herself from him.
Her violent efforts to do so, caused his mask to
fall to the ground; and Jacintha beheld....not the
features of Egbert....but of lord Gwytherin!
The frightful snare spread for her destruction,
instantly presented itself to her view...the snare,
into which her own imprudence had precipitated
her; and she now perceived, that a deviation from
propriety, scarcely everescapes punishment.
## p. 137 (#143) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 137
CHAP. X.
"Restless his feet, distracted was his walk,
"Mad were his motions, and confus'd his talk."
HORROR, for some minutes, suspended
the faculties of Jacintha, during which period, lord
Gwytherin, kneeling at her feet, his arms still en-
circling her waist, tried to extenuate |iis conduct,
and soften her in his favour.
As soon as she could speak, Jacintha, assuming
an air of composure, though her heart panted with
terror, represented with calmness to lord Gwythe-
rin the enormity he had been guilty of, in inveig-
ling her from her home; but at the same time
assured him, if he would let her return thither
directly, she would bury all that had passed in
eternal oblivion.
;" Impossible!" exclaimed lord Gwytherin. "I
adore, I die for you. He, whose name I have as-
sumed, feels not half the passion, half the admir-
ation I feel for you. My life, my fortune, are de^
voted to your service, and be assured; since I have
gone thus far, I will not recede.
At these words he started up, and darting to the
door, hastily locked it. Jacintha now shrieked
aloud. "Listen to me, Lord Gwytherin," cried
*he. "Though no feeling of humanity or virtue
can sway you, yet let consideration for yourself,
M 2
## p. 138 (#144) ############################################
138 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
a reflection upon the punishment you must draw
upon your own head by offering me any further
violence, deter you from it." .
"I am well aware of the dangers I incur on
your account," replied he,'with calmness; "and
from the risk I run, I think you must be convinced
of the violence of my passion." Then, again
throwing himself at her feet, he exerted all his
eloquence to try and melt her into tenderness.
He again assured her Egbert did not feel for her
half the adoration he did. He made her the most
splendid offers, the most solemn promises....pro-
mises which, he said, he would bind himself in any
manner she pleased, to fulfil. He represented how
superior the advantages she must derive from a
connection with him, would be to any she could
expect from an union with Egbert. He hinted
the probability there was of his marrying her him-
self, if he could perceive he had any interest in
her heart; and, finally, proposed her setting off"
with him immediately for London, where a mag-
nificent house, equipage, and servants, waited her
reception....vowing she should never have reason
to repent the loss of that protection she exchanged
for his; and that she had better entitle herself to
those proofs of his regard oy a relaxation in her
severity, than forfeit them by a coldness and con-
tempt, which, though mortifying to his feelings,
could not warp him from his designs. .
Jacintha, stifling the terror occasioned by this
declaration, looked upon him with scorn and dis-
dain.
"I cannot think you, my lord," said she, " so
abandoned, as you would wish to make me believe.
I see your motive for doing so.."you want to in-
date me; but know, all your arts upon this
## p. 139 (#145) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 139
head are unavailing. It will, therefore, save both
your lordship and me a great deal of trouble, if
you will now permit me to retire: for of this be
assured, that were your proposals as honourable
as they are the reverse, I would reject them with
the same firmness, nay, almost the same abhor-
rence, I do at present."
"Then I will no longer delay availing myself
of the happy opportunity which a well concerted
stratagem has given me," cried he.
. At these words Jacintha again shrieked, and
burst from him. He again seized her, and she
was raising her hand in supplicating terror, when
the door was forced open with a violence which
rent it from the hinges, and Egbert, wild, raging,
foaming, rushed forward.
About two o'clock he had returned home, and
was let in by Gillian. He was ascending the stairs,
when she suddenly stopped him by exclaiming....
"La, sir! isn't miss Jacintha come back with
you?"
"Back with me!" cried Egbert, turning round,
and staring at her; "are you mad?"
"Now, lauk, sir," said the simple Gillian," don't go to frighten me by saying you know nothing
about her."
"Explain yourself," cried Egbert, with a sud-
den sensation of terror.
This Gillian did as concisely as it was possible
for her to do. The horror and distraction of Eg-
bert's soul at her information, can better be con-
ceived than described. That Jacintha had been
decoyed from her father's house for the vilest pur-
poses.."that lord Gwytherin was the contriver of
the execrable scheme, which had but too well suc-
ceeded, he could not doubt; and ere Gillian had
## p. 140 (#146) ############################################
140 NOCTURNAL visit* concluded, he sprang to the hall-door in frantic
haste; then recollecting that the assistance of
Greville might be necessary in searching for Ja-
cintha, he flew up stairs, and flinging open the
door with a violence which not only awoke, but
alarmed him and his wife, he exclaimed...." She
is gone, she is lost, she is deceived; lord Gwythe-
rin has deceived her!"
"Deceived whom?" asked Greville,trembling.
"Jacintha," cried Egbert; "and even now...."
Then, without finishing the sentence, he darted
from the chamber, calling upon Mr. Greville to
rise immediately, and follow him to the park, and
was out of the house in an instant.
He paused not till he reached the castle. His
paleness, and the wildness of his looks, attracted
general observation on re-entering the ball-room;
for, upon quitting it to return home, he had thrown
aside both his mask and masquerade habit; and
Woodville, who still continued amidst the gay
assembly, directly coming up to him, inquired what
was the matter?
In accents scarcely articulate, Egbert informed
him.
"This is no place to search for them," said
Woodville; "'tis in the park we must look."
They hastily descended to the hall, and inquired
from the servants whether they knew any thing
of their lord? They replied in the negative.
"Here then let us separate," cried Egbert, mo-
tioning for Woodville to take a contrary direction
to his.
Agonized, and almost despairing, he wandered
about for many minutes. At length, the remote
and solitary situation of the druid's cave recurring �
## p. 141 (#147) ############################################
l4t>CTURNAL VISIT. Ul
to his recollection, he flew to it, and arrived in a
-moment most critical to Jacintha.
"Villain, monster!" exclaimed he, as he tore
Jacintha from the grasp of lord Gwytherih, and
hurled him to the other end of the room; " how
hast thou dared....But need I ask, can I wonder?
....my life has been a continued round of infamy,
and there is no deed, no crime, too black for thee
to perpetrate."
"Insolence !" cried lord Gwytherin, who burned
at that moment with a fury as ungovernable as
Egbert's...a fury occasioned by his unexpected
disappointment. "But 'tis puerile to talk in this
manner; I do not, like a hot-headed boy, vent my
passion in words...I let my actions speak!" v
"This instant then," said Egbert, his eyes flash-
ing .fire, " this instant then, I demand satisfaction
for thy atrocious conduct; if, indeed, the chance
of taking away thy worthless, thy polluted life,
that disgrace to thyself, that curse to others, can
be any satisfaction for the insults thou hast offered,
the injuries thou has meditated."
"Follow me, then," cried lord Gwytherin, turn-
ing upon his heel with affected calmness.
"Oh no! for heaven's sake, for mercy's sake!"
exclaimed Jacintha, clinging to his arm; "do not,
dearest Egbert, think of such a measure; be sa-
tisfied with knowing the wretch's designs have
been defeated, and leave him to the punishment
of heaven."
Egbert endeavoured to compose and prevail
upon her to return home ; but nothing except an
absolute promise from him not to persevere in any
hostile intentions against lord Gwytherin, could
calm, or induce her to comply with his request.
## p. 142 (#148) ############################################
^142 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
!
Lord Gwytherin, who had paused at the door,
now suddenly exclaimed, unable to endure with .
any degree of patience the tenderness and solici-
tude which Jacintha expressed for Egbert, "am
I to suppose, sir, from this delay, that you are sa-
tisfied with the vent you have already given to
your passion?"
At those words Egbert burst from the weak grasp
of Jacintha, and conjuring her to return home,
rushed after his lordship. They walked together
with precipitation to an opening among some trees,
at a distance from the cave; here lord Gwytherin
desired Egbert to stop till he had procured pistols
from the castle.
At this instant Greville and Woodville appeared
....The former in his way to the castle, whither he
was hastening with trembling expectation, encoun-
tered Woodville; and learning from him that
neither lord Gwytherin nor Jacintha had yet been
discovered, he betrayed symptoms of the deepest
horror, and joined, if possible, with increasing ea-
gerness, in searching after them.
"Is she safe...is Jacintha safe?" he wildly de-
manded, on darting to the spot where Egbert and
lord Gwytherin stood, attracted by their voices.
"Thank heaven she is!" replied Egbert.
Greville raised his eyes in grateful transport;
then looking with severity at lord Gwytherin, who
had involuntarily paused..." Oh, my lord !" he ex-
claimed, " upon what a dreadful precipice have
you stood! You do not know, you cannot picture
to yourself half the horrors you have escaped, by
the providential frustration of your black designs;
to conceive them in their full extent, were suffi-
sient to
## p. 143 (#149) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. U3
"Make thy eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, "Thy knotty and combined locks to part,
"And each particular hair to stand on end,
"Like quills upon the fretful porcupine."
The solemn voice in which these words were
pronounced, made lord Gwytherin turn pale
"Had you succeeded," continued Mr. Greville.
"But the idea," cried he, shuddering, "is too
dreadful to dwell upon. Oh, my lord! be well ad-
vised; profit by the past, and never again spread
snares for others, lest, in doing so, you yourself
should be entangled into one that might occasion
your irremediable ruin I"
"Your advice is extremely good," said lord
Gwytherin, " and as such I shall pay it all due
attention; but really, my dear sir," he continued
(wishing to give another turn to the affair, and
prevent the disclosure of a scene which he feared
might retard, or frustrate the plan he had formed
for the retrieval of his fortune), " you think quite
too seriously of an innocent frolic."
"An innocent frolic, do you call it?" said Eg-
bert; "add not to your other vices the vice of
falsehood, nor hope to appease the resentment you
have inspired, by denying your offences."
"If you follow me, sir," cried his lordship,
haughtily, " I shall prove to you whether 'tis by
wordsI desire to appease your resentment."
"What do you mean, my lord?" said Greville,
catching his arm. "Mr. Oswald, whither are
you going? You are not so mad, you are not so
rash, I hope, as to attempt risking your own life,
nor so inhuman as to attempt risking the life of a
fellow-creature. And you, my lord, can you, in-
deed, who are the aggressor...can you, who are so
totally unfit to appear before the awful tribunal
## p. 144 (#150) ############################################
144 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
of heaven...can you, I say, encourage such a de-
sign?"
"Sir," cried lord Gwytherin, endeavouring to
wrest his arm from Greville, " did you not think
your profession would protect you, you would ne-
ver have dared to provoke my anger by the lan-
guage you have just used."
"I fear not your anger, my lord," said Greville,
with a smile of scorn. "Had I entertained such
a dread, I should not have spoken as I have now
done, convinced as I am, that to my profession you
pay not the least regard, except it is from external
appearances. The man who can violate the laws of virtue and hospitality, who can pretend good-
will and friendship to an innocent family, at the
very moment he is aiming a destructive blow at
their peace and reputation...the man who can offer
violence, and use deceit towards a woman....he,
I say, and you are he, who has committed all these
enormities, can respect no profession, however sa-
cred...no age, however reverend! What mockery
in such a one to say he respects the ministers of
God, at the very moment he is breaking the com-
mands of that God! and what folly in any one to
credit such an assertion! What still greater weak-
ness in any one to hesitate telling such a man his
real opinion of him! He who could be intimidated
from doing so, from holding up the mirror to him
which would reflect all his deformity, however
great his prowess, or elevated his rank, would de-
serve to suffer by his vices. Of jour's, my lord, I
have freely spoken; and if that freedom has in-
spired you with resentment instead of compunc-
tion, 'tis not, I am convinced, any internal or ex-
ternal respect for my profession which prevents
your giving way to it, but the still small voice of ;
## p. 145 (#151) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 145
conscience, which tells you, what I have said, is
just!"
"Follow me, Mr. Oswald!" said lord Gwythe-
rin again, trembling with passion, and attempting
to go on.
"Good heaven, my lord! are you still so ob-
stinate?" cried Greville, again interposing. "Must
I repeat, that you owe this young man obligations
of the greatest magnitude? He has saved you from
the perpetration of a crime, which, but to think on,
fills me with horror; and instead of seeking his
life, you should almost kneel with grateful thank-
fulness before him."
"Not for obligations of which I am not aware,"
said lord Gwytherin, indignantly.
"My lord," cried Greville, " I conjure, I in-
treat you to lend me your attention a few minutes
longer. And remember, Mr. Oswald," turning
to him as he spoke, " if I can persuade Lord Gwy-
therin to give up his hostile intentions, I shall ex-
pect you to do the same." He then walked to
some distance, sufficient to prevent any thing he
said from being overheard; and his lordship, im-
pelled by a secret impulse, followed him, though
with apparent reluctance.
Their conference was short; but when they re-
turned, it was visible that both were extremely
agitated by it.
"Mr. Oswald," said his lordship, in accents
scarcely articulate, while every feature was ex-
pressive of horror mingled with astonishment, "I
submit to the guidance of Mr. Greville."
"And he must follow your example," exclaimed
Greville.
## p. 146 (#152) ############################################
146 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"What, sir! do you then wish to let the man
who meditated so great an injury against you, es-
cape punishment?" said Egbert, with asperity.
"He does not escape punishment," replied Mr. Greville, in a solemn voice.
"Escape it!" repeated lord Gwytherin, raising
his eyes to heaven, and striking his breast.
"The hand of man cannot punish like the re-
proaches of conscience," continued Mr. Greville.
Woodville now interfered; and Egbert at length
yielded to the united arguments and influence of
his friends. But nothing like a reconciliation took
place between him and lord Gwytherin; as his
soul utterly abhorred and recoiled from the idea
of ever more holding intercourse with a person,
who had so nearly effected the destruction of all
his happiness.
"Remember," cried lord Gwytherin to Mr.
Greville, as he turned to depart, " I shall expect
you in the course of the day, according- to your
promise; as you have raised a storm in my breast,
so, perhaps, you may be able to allay it."
## p. 147 (#153) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 147
CHAP. XI.
"He fondly sued, and warmly press'd,
"To win her to his mind."
The moment lord Gwytherin retired,
Egbert flew to the place where he had left Jacin-
tha, and found her lying senseless upon the ground
within a few paces of it. The terror she had suf-
fered on her own, and now felt on his account, so
completely overcame her, that in attempting to
follow him, she had fainted away.
His efforts, together with those of her father and
Woodville, who had followed him, but still more
the sound of his voice, and the assurance of his
safety, by degrees revived her; and as soon as she
could move, she was conducted home.
Mrs. Greville was already in the parlour, and
also Gertrude, whom she had roused up. Mr.
Greville, judging of her anxiety by his own, and
perceiving she looked extremely agitated, hasten-
ed to her, and taking her hand, begged her, in the
tenderest manner, to compose herself, as Jacintha
had happily been rescued from all the dangers
which environed her.
"'Tis more than she deserved, then," said Mrs.
Greville, unable to controul the malignant passion
into which she was thrown, by the mortification
she experienced at finding, contrary to all her
## p. 148 (#154) ############################################
148 NOCTURNAL VISIT. -
hopes and expectations, the stratagem of lord
Gwytherin had not succeeded; "such imprudence
as she has been guilty of, merited a severe pu-
nishment."
"It has not gone unpunished, my dear," repli-
ed Mr. Greville, who imputed the warmth of his
wife to the displeasure she felt at Jacintha's con-
duct. "You yourself must allow it has not, when
you reflect upon the terror she has undergone."
"I only reflect," cried Mrs. Greville, " that she
has before been indiscreet."
"How, madam 1" said Egbert^, darting a fierce
and indignant glance upon her. " Is it in having
permitted herself before to be deceived? But con-
sider, madam, that Innocence is the sister of Cre-
dulity; and that lord Gwytherin is not the only
plotter in the world.."the only person capable of
using an honourable and virtuous name, for the
blackest purposes."
Neither those words, nor the look which accom-
panied them, could be misunderstood. Both Mrs.
Greville and Gertrude at once perceived that
Egbert alluded to the letter they had fabricated.
Shame, apprehension, or conscience; or, perhaps,
all united, instantly died their cheeks with blush-
es; and Mrs. Greville, fearful of exasperating
Egbert any further, lest he should be more ex-
plicit, directly assumed a milder aspect, and apo-
logized in some manner for her expressions, by
declaring she scarcely knew what she said, she
was so bewildered by the shock she had received
about Jacintha.
She then, in a tender accent, advised her to go
to her chamber, and try to take some repose....
advice which Jacintha did not hesitate to comply
with. Woodville, almost at the same moment,
## p. 149 (#155) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 149
departed to seek after his sister, and Egbert re-
paired to his room, but not to rest.
His mind was too perturbed to admit of his tak-
ing any. He still burned with indignation against
lord Gwytherin, and almost condemned Mr. Gre-
ville for his interference; who, he thought, had
borne too calmly, the injury meditated against his
daughter. A thousand disquieting ideas occurred,
and he felt that nothing but an immediate union
with Jacintha could restore his tranquillity. In
consequence of this conviction, he determined to
lose no time in trying to prevail on Mr. Greville
to accede to his wishes. He accordingly return-
ed almost immediately to the parlour, and, as soon
as breakfast was over, requested a private confer-
ence with him. With this request Mr. Greville
directly complied; and proceeding together to the
garden, Egbert explicitly acquainted him with his
present unhappiness, and the only means by
which, he was convinced, it could be removed.
But on this head Mr. Greville was as inflexible
as ever. He again repeated his positive determi-
nation not to permit an union to take place be tween Egbert and Jacintha, till the former was of
age: and Egbert having in vain exerted all his
eloquence, parted from him abruptly, in high and
manifest displeasure at what he deemed his unrea-
sonable caprice and obstinacy.
The day was far advanced before Jacintha quit-
ted her chamber. On returning to the parlour,
she found her father there alone. He immedi-
ately began to inquire into the particulars of the
artifice which had inveigled her from home; and,
from what she told him, it was evident that lord
Gwytherin, under the disguise of Egbert, had
hoped. to take advantage of her tenderness and N 2.
## p. 150 (#156) ############################################
150 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
credulity; not doubting but the gay, dissipated,
and voluptuous scene, into which he introduced
her, would have melted her to his purpose.
"I hope," said Mr. Greville, with a gravity of
voice and countenance bordering on severity, "I
hope the remembrance of the dreadful dangers
you incurred by a deviation from propriety, will
guard you in future from a similar error."
"From the engagement existing between you
and Mr. Oswald, you may say, perhaps, or at least,
think your conduct excusable, in accepting an in-
vitation supposed to come from him; but this I
can by no means allow. No consideration, no in-
ducement, should influence us to act contrary to
our sense of right; and that you did so in going to
an amusement I forbade, in stealing clandestinely
from your home at midnight, I have not a doubt.
Nay, that blush convinces me, that at the very
moment you were obeying the dictates of inclina-
tion, you were acting contrary to those of pru-
dence. . .
"Pain and remorse almost ever attend the
triumph of the former. And of this be assured,
that deception and dissimulation never go unpu-
nished; and also, that in trying to outwit others,
we frequently outwit ourselves. Had not Mr.
Oswald interposed, what a miserable, what a
x wretched creature, at this moment, might you
have been, from having suffered yourself to be
allured into indiscretion! But I will not shock
you or myself," he continued, perceiving she
grew pale, and shuddered, "by dwelling upon
the dreadful idea of such misery.
"Be grateful to Providence for your preserva-
tion; and still continue to deserve its protection,
by a strict adherence to what is right."' �
## p. 151 (#157) ############################################
'NOCTURNAL VISIT. 151
The heart of Jacintha acknowledged the just-
ness of what her father said; and it tended to
heighten the horror with which she reflected up-
on an imprudence, that had so nearly proved
fatal to herself, and injurious to others.
Egbert could not banish the uneasy reflections
which had obtruded upon his mind; and they
at length determined him to try his eloquence
with the daughter, since it had proved unavailing
with the father, and endeavoured to prevail on
her to accompany him immediately to Scotland.
For the purpose of making this proposal, he
returned from Woodville's, where he had dined,
at an early hour; for he felt too much irritated
with Mr. Greville to continue at home, who nei-
ther had, nor could, he believed, assign any satis-
factory or sufficient reason for the delay of his
nuptials, and whom he consequently accused of
caprice.
He contrived, in the course of the evening, to
obtain a private conversation with Jacintha in the
garden. She heard his proposal with astonish-
ment, and endeavoured to rally him, but to no
effect, out of the ideas which had caused him to
make it; she then explicitly declared she could .
not accede to it.
"I cannot, I durst not, dearest Egbert," said
she, endeavouring as much as possible to soften
a refusal, which she perceived, by the lowering
gloom of his brow, and the sudden paleness of
his cheek, at once offended and distressed him,
"consent to such a measure. The dangers I so
recently and narrowly escaped, have made too
strong an impression upon my mind, to permit
me again to act contrary to my conviction of right,
by doing which they alone were incurred. I
## p. 152 (#158) ############################################
152 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
should think myself inexcusable if I attempted to
act in opposition to the wishes of a parent, who
has ever manifested the strongest....the tenderest
anxiety for my welfare and happiness."
"Then, I suppose," said Egbert, " if he ex-
pressed a desire to separate us entirely, you would
think yourself bound to obey it."
"No," replied Jacintha; " because I think no
child is bound to commit an action inconsistent
with her ideas of honour, even for a parent; but
every thing short of that, I think a parent, such
as mine particularly, has a right to expect."
The importunities of Egbert were not to be
silenced by what Jacintha said. He renewed his
arguments. He talked of the shortness of life;
the folly, therefore, of delaying happiness, when
there was so very limited a time for enjoying it.
Jacintha, however, continued inflexible; and he
parted from her, as he had done from her father,
abruptly, and in displeasure.
Every day increased theunhappiness of Egbert;
for every day tended to increase the apprehen-
sions. which had taken possession of his mind.
With that promptitude, which so many of us
have to torment ourselves, he conjured up a thou- .
sand images to torture and affright him. He began
to fear that Mr. Greville was forming designs
inimical to his peace. His long and frequent
visits to the castle, the cause of which was never
revealed; the mild and forgiving manner in which
he spoke of lord Gwytherin; the severity with
which he checked any expression of disrespect
against him, particularly if it came from the lips
of Jacintha, all these circumstances suggested
this tormenting fear, and persuaded him into a
thorough belief that lord Gwytherin had made an
## p. 153 (#159) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 153
honourable proposal for Jacintha, if that could be
called honourable which was made in defiance of
her solemn engagement to another person; and
that her father, swayed by the powerful charms
of ambition, had yielded to it, notwithstanding
his probity and humility, and was concerting mea-
sures to bring about an alliance between them.
Egbert well knew the hold he had of Jacintha's
heart, but he also well knew the influence her
father had over it; and he dreaded to think of the
consequences, which might result from his exert-
ing that influence. After some deliberation,
therefore, he resolved not to trust his happiness
to so doubtful an issue; but at once terminate
his dis 1uietude concerning her, and prevent her
constancy being put to any test, by carrying her
off to Scotland.
This resolution was no sooner formed, than
imparted to Woodville, who (as he did not deem
the suspicions of Egbert ill-founded) not only
highly approved of it, but promised to assist him
in putting it in execution, and also to accompany
him in his journey.
Preparations were accordingly made for it with-
out delay; and the heart of Egbert dilated with
ecstacy, at the prospect he beheld of speedily
binding Jacintha to himself by a bond too sacred
to be broken.
END OF VOLUME I.
## p. (#160) ################################################
## p. 1 (#161) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT,
A TALE.
BY MARIA REGINA ROCHE,
AUTHOR OF THE CHILDREN OF THE ABBEY, MAID OF
THE HAMLET, VICAR OF LANSDOWNE, AND
CLERMONT. '. i
"Thou com'st in such a questionable shape,
"That I would speak to thee."
SHAKSPIARE.
VOL. II.
PHILADELPHIA:
PUBLISHED BY JOHN CONRAD, & CO. NO. 30, CHESNUT
STREET, PHILADELPHIA! M. & I. Conrad,& CO.
NO. 144, MARKET-STREET, BALTIMORE ( AND RAPIN,
Conrad,& CO. WASHINGTON CITY.H. MAXWELL, PRINTER.
1801.
f.f
## p. 2 (#162) ##############################################
V
## p. 3 (#163) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. I.
"In struggling with misfortunes lies the proof of virtue."
SHAKSPEARE.
ZxBOUT a week after the masquerade,
as Jacintha was walking, at the close of day, with
Egbert, through a shady lane, contiguous to the
village, she suddenly beheld, in an opening, lead-
ing to the high road, a post-chaise and four....
Egbert eagerly drew her towards it. The door
lay open, and, to her great surprise, she beheld
Woodville seated in it; but before she could make
any inquiry, Egbert, snatching her up in his
arms, placed her in it, then leaping in himself,
the door was instantly closed, and the postilions
set off with the utmost expedition.
"Good heaven! Egbert," said Jacintha, as soon
as she recovered the power of utterance, which,
the suddenness of this action for a few minutes
deprived her of, " What do you mean?"
Egbert caught her to his bosom, and, after
some passionate expressions of tenderness, briefly
gave her the explanation'she demanded.
o
## p. 4 (#164) ##############################################
4 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Jacintha highly resented his suspicions respect-
ing her father, to which he declared the project
he had so happily carried into effect was owing.
They were suspicions, she said, not more ground-
less than injurious; and she absolutely insisted on
his dropping his present design....a design which,
if persevered in, could not fail of exposing them
to ridicule, well known as was their situation with
regard to each other.
Egbert was deaf to her entreaties, and tried to
silence her remonstrances by endeavouring to
convince her he had reason for his fears. Of
this, however, she could not be persuaded, and
continued to expostulate, though without effect,
as the chaise still proceeded in its first direction;
but a sudden stop was put to its velocity. In
turning the sharp angle of a road, one of the hind
wheels flew off, and laid it, not very gently, upon
the ground.
As soon as Jacintha was disengaged from the
broken vehicle, which was not done without some
difficulty, she renewed her entreaties to Egbert
to relinquish, what she termed, his rash design.
"This accident," said she, " seems a warning
jo you to do so."
Egbert, though vexed and provoked, could not
forbear laughing at what he called her supersti-
tion ; and, without regarding her remonstrances,
hurried her on to a small public-house, at a little
distance from the spot where the misadventure
happened. Here he procured a messenger to go
to a neighbouring town for another carriage, no-
thing of the kind being to be procured at this
place; then following Jacintha into the room
whither Woodville had conducted her, he exerted
all his eloquence to try and calm her agitation,
## p. 5 (#165) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. j
and reconcile h'er to his scheme. He painted in
the most forcible colours, the misery occasioned
by his fears respecting lord Gwytherin...fears,
which he had no other method of terminating, Hian
by the present step; and concluded, by conjuring
her not to cloud the happiness of the present hour
by retaining her displeasure.
"I could have wished you to act otherwise," re-
plied Jacintha, whose countenance evinced the
perturba'.ion of her mind. "I still wish it, because
I am convinced your fears are groundless. Did
I think otherwise...Oh Egbert! you know my
heart."
"I do," cried Egbert, passionately straining her
to his bosom as he spoke, "and therefore depend
on being forgiven."
The sudden opening of the door made him
hastily turn round, and he beheld, to his unutter-
able astonishment and dismay, Mr. Greville enter-
ing.
No real or imaginary spectre ever excited great-
er consternation than was now raised by the ap-
pearance of this worthy man. Woodville looked
confounded. Egbert stood wildly staring at him,
and Jacintha turned pale, and trembled, fearful
that he would scarcely be brought to believe she
was ignorant of Egbert's -intentions, and confident
that to think she had openly defied his authority,
would provoke his serious displeasure.
"I see," said Mr. Greville, advancing from the
door, where he had paused for a minute, to survey
the astonished group, "I seel was not mistaken,
and that my presence is not more unexpected than
undesired."
Egbert, who perceived he could no longer hope
to persevere in his journey, now determined to
## p. 6 (#166) ##############################################
{ NOCTURNAL VISIT.
learn, if possible, why his marriage had hitherto,
or might still be delayed, as he could not be more
his own master, when of age, than he was at pre-
sent. He also resolved, if Mr. Greville's answers
were not perfectly satisfactory, to be very explicit
in acquainting him with the motives which had
led to the step his presence interrupted; better
able to brook the idea of incurring his resentment,
than that of continuing any longer in incertitude,
and consequent misery concerning Jacintha.
"I can no longer delay," cried Mr. Greville, as
soon as Egbert had concluded the vehement in-
quiries which passion and anxiety dictated, " I can
no longer," continued he, in a solemn tone, "delay
acquainting you with the motives which have
hitherto, and must still, I fear, even beyond the
period I mentioned, make me defer your union
with Jacintha. I have long wished 19 inform you
of them, but I still wanted resolution to do so;...
the disclosure now, however, becomes unavoidable,
and with the deepest regret "He paused.
"Speak on !" said Egbert, the paleness of death
overspreading his cheek. "Doubt not my firm-
ness....! have been the pupil of adversity."
"And doubt not," cried Mr. Greville, "that the
Merciful Being, who extricated you out of your
former troubles, will extricate you from your suc-
ceeding ones, if you still rely upon him...still con-
tinue, as formerly, to do your part."
"Relieve my suspense," said Egbert. "I would
rather feel the sword, than behold it suspended."
"In one word then," said Mr. Greville, "your
fortune is gone! The agent, entrusted with the
final arrangement of the late colonel Moreland's
affairs, has decamped with the sums received from
the sale of his estates; and it was my utter
## p. 7 (#167) ##############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 7
inability to give Jacintha such a portion as the
altered state of your circumstances required, that
prevented, and still prevents, my consenting to
your immediate union."
Egbert appeared thunderstruck for a,moment;
then striking his forehead with a distracted air, he
exclaimed....
"The evil destiny of my father pursues me, and
my short experience of happiness but renders
more dreadful the succeeding misery."
"Is this your vaunted firmness?" cried Mr.
Greville.
"Can. you wonder...can you reproach me," said
Egbert, "for feeling acutely....for being even ago-
nized by such a blow as this....a blow which
strikes at my dearest hopes....my long cherished
expectations of felicity? Yet think not," con-
tinued he, with increasing vehemence, after the
pause of a minute, " think not that I now regret
your intervention. Alas! how little do we know
what can render us happy! Had I accomplished
my late wishes and intentions, every pang I now
feel would have been doubled, at the idea of in-
volving the woman I adore in calamity. Sooner
than do so, I swear....before heaven I swear, I
would resign her for ever. Yes, my Jacintha, to
loose thee, would not make me half so wretched,
as to think I had rendered thee miserable."
"Miserable!" inwardly repeated Jacintha,
who, with rapture, would have shared his destiny,
though assured
"That the bare earth ,
"Would be their retting place, its roots their food,
"Some cleft their habitation."
"Miserable !...Oh! how impossible for thee t*
make me so, except it is by leaving me!"
## p. 8 (#168) ##############################################
8 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"The dreadful scenes of domestic misery I
have beheld," pursued Egbert shuddering, as if
with secret horror, at the retrospection, "have
made too deep an impression upon my heart, to
permit me to indulge its tenderness at the expencc
of her I love. We must part then, Jacintha...we
must part," he cried, with uncontroulable emotion,
as he felt her warm tears fall upon the trembling
hand which clasped her's to his heart," till a happier
destiny prevails."
"Patience and fortitude," cried Mr. Greville,
"not only alleviate, but overcome misfortunes;
and I doubt not their united efforts enabled you
to surmount those which have befallen you."
He then begged he would endeavour to compose
himself, and listen calmly to some further particu-
lars, it was necessary for him to hear, relative to
the late unfortunate event.
Egbert obeyed him to the utmost of his power;
and Mr. Greville proceeded to inform him, that,
very soon after the demise of lady Oswald, head received a letter from his (Egbert's) correspondent
in London, acquainting him with the perfidious
conduct of the agent, and entreating him to break
it in the best manner he could possibly do.
"I hesitated, however, to disclose it at that
period," continued Mr. Greville, "not only from
my unwillingness to add affliction to affliction, lest
the burden should become too heavy to be borne;
but from an idea which suddenly occurred, and
which upon, communicating to your friend, met
his approbation, namely, to write to the marquis of
Methwold an explicit account of the unexpected
reverse in your situation, and appeal to his huma-
nity and justice to make you amends for the deficien-
cies, or rather cruelties of fortune."
## p. 9 (#169) ##############################################
[NOCTURNAL VISIT. 9
"His humanity, his justice!" repeated Egbert
indignantly, his faded colour reviving at the men-
tion of his name. "Good heaven! these are vir-
tues which he does not possess. Had he possessed
the smallest particle of them, would he have suf-
fered but... I cannot dwell upon the dreadful sub-
ject," cried he, again turning pale, and faltering.
"I hoped," said Mr. Greville, "that his own
sorrows had taught him to feel for the sorrows of
another person; for the callous heart is frequently
softened to compassion by such means."
"His sorrows!" repeated Egbert.
"Yes, I learned that he was under the heaviest
affliction, in consequence of the languishing state
into which his darling grandson, lord Augustus
Oswald, the heir apparent, as you know, of his
titles and estates, had suddenly fallen; and flatter-
ed myself I could not have made the appeal I have
mentioned at a more favourable juncture.
"But, unfortunately, ere I dispatched my letter,
he had sailed with the invalid for Lisbon, whose
premature death, if it should take place, makes
you undisputed heir to the honours and fortunes
of the marquis; who, I also hoped, from this
consideration, exclusive of any other, would be
induced to serve you. My letter was forwarded
to Lisbon; but, as yet, I have received no answer
to it."
." A convincing proof you never will," exclaimed
Egbert, hastily.
"lownl am rather doubtful," said Mr. Greville;
"such a length of time has elapsed since I wrote;
especially as I have found means of learning, that
he has written several times to England since his
departure; and, through the same means, I have
also heard, that lord Augustus is better." �
## p. 10 (#170) #############################################
10 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"As soon as I began to doubt receiving an an-
swer from the marquis, I began to consider in
what manner I should break the unpleasant in-
telligence with which I was charged, to you. Day
after day passed away without coming to any de-
termination to speak the truth. I still invented,
or found some excuse for deferring my intended
communication, from the unconquerable unwilling-
ness I felt to interrupt your happiness."
Egbert at this instant felt the keenest remorse
at the suspicions he had suffered to pervade his
mind respecting Mr. Greville. Nothing, perhaps,
wounds a generous, a noble heart, more severely.,
than the idea of having done injustice, even in
thought, to any person; and that he had done in-
justice to Mr. Greville, the circumstances he re-
vealed, as well as the language he used, evidently
proved.
"But a letter I yesterday received from your
friend in town," proceeded Mr. Greville, " at
length made me resolve not to postpone what I
had to communicate beyond to-morrow, as I now
saw clearly I should injure you by any longer de-
lay. The purport of the letter was to inform me,
that the agent had been traced from Jamaica to
St. Domingo, and that it was the opinion of the
person who gave this intelligence, if immediate
'steps were taken, by which he meant, if some ac-
tive person went over directly, part, at least, of
the embezzled property might be recovered.
Your friend laid this'opinion before the different
legatees, but not one of them would undertake the
cause in any manner whatever. He trusted, how-
ever, that you, about whom he professed Limself
greatly interested, would not feel a similar reluc-
tance."
## p. 11 (#171) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 1!
"Reluctance !"repeatedEgbert. "Goodheaven!
I shall be all impatience till I embark. I feel new
life, new spirits, at the thoughts of recovering
something from the wreck, and still being happy."
"Many, many bright years of felicity are before
you, I trust," said Mr. Greville. "There is one
consolation, one happiness, at all events, which
must be your's...that, which ever results from the
consciousness of properly performing our part."
## p. 12 (#172) #############################################
13 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. II.
"Now Heaven, I trust, hath joys in store
"To crown thy constant breast."
Bythis time the chaise, destined at first for
a very different journey, had arrived; and, as the
night was growing late, Mr. Greville, fearful of his
wife's being uneasy at his long absence, hurried
Egbert and Jacintha to it, following them himself;
Woodville particularly requesting to take his horse.
On their way to Wyefield, Mr. Greville account-
ed for his unexpected appearance at the inn, which
was owing to accident, and not to premeditated
design, as they had at first imagined.
He had gone, early in the morning, to spend the-
day with a friend, who lived on the Holywell road.
On arriving at his house, he found him just pre-
paring to set out, about some particular business,
to a place near Chester. He asked Mr. Greville
to accompany him thither, to which he made no
objection, the day being delightfully fine, and the
ride exceedingly pleasant. On their return they
stopped at an inn to refresh their horses; and scarce-
ly had Mr. Greville been seated in a little front par-
lour, ere to his unutterable astonishment, he beheld
Jacintha and her companions entering. For a
moment he sat lost in thought, vainly trying to con-
jecture what could have brought them to such a
## p. 13 (#173) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 13
place, at such an hour. A sudden recollection
then of the impetuous temper of Egbert, and the
high displeasure he expressed at the delay of his
nuptials, made him conceive the real cause; and
he blessed the chance which had given him an op-
portunity of frustrating so rash a project...a pro-
ject which, if accomplished, could only, in the pre-
sent crisis of affairs, have been productive of sor-
row and repentance.
Mrs. Greville and Gertrude, who, in the early
part of the evening, had been at a party in the vil-
lage, were all amazement (an amazement not in-
termingled with much concern for any one of
them) at the long absence of Mr. Greville, Jacin-
tha and Egbert; and vainly inquired from the
maid and the boys, if they knew where the latter
were gone?
Their surprise was infinitely increased on be-
holding the three return together, in a chaise and
four. Mrs. Greville scarcely suffered them to
enter the parlour, before she eagerly demanded
the cause of this strange, this mysterious circum-
stance. Mr. Greville, however, declined gratify-
ing her curiosity till they were alone.
The agitation and distress so visible in Egbert's
looks, whose spirits had again sunk at the idea of
the long separation which would, in all probabi-
lity, take place between him and Jacintha; and
the still deeper melancholy that was impressed
upon her countenance, immediately attracted the
observation of Mrs. Greville, and gave rise to va-
rious surmises, which heightened her impatience
to learn the particulars Mr. Greville had promised
to communicate. When they were revealed, no
language could fully express the joy they gave her.
## p. 14 (#174) #############################################
14 NOCTURNAL VISIT. (
To hear that Egbert, whom she detested ever
since she had given up all hopes of gaining him
for Gertrude."to hear that he was sunk, distressed,
and might eventually be deprived of every stay...
to hear that all the pleasing prospects of Jacintha
were destroyed, and find that she was again thrown
entirely into her power, inspired her with a plea-
sure almost too exquisite to be concealed. Luckily,
however, for her, she had to do with a person not
more unsuspicious of deceit in her bosom, than un-
conscious of it in his own; and who, therefore,
believed to be sincere, the expressions of regret
which she forced herself to utter.
"I see, my dear," said Greville, completely
imposed upon, "to have had the power of placing
this amiable, this noble young man even in hum-
ble independence, would have afforded to you as
much delight as it would have done to me. Had
such been the case, I should certainly have op-
posed his embarking in his present enterprise."
"You do me justice, indeed, my dear," said
Mrs. Greville. "I should have been very happy
to have had the power."
"We must, we will hope," cried Mr. Greville,
"still to see him and our poor Jacintha happy."
"To be sure, my dear," replied Mrs. Greville,
"as happy as I wish them to be."
The anguish which Jacintha restrained in the
presence of her father and her lover, before whom
the paleness of her cheek, and the trickling tears
which bedewed it, alone evinced her feelings, she
gave way to in the solitude of her chamber. She
there wept, even to agony, at the idea, not merely
of (in all probability) her long separation from Eg-
bert, but at the idea of the hazards, the numerous
he might encounter. These apprehen-
## p. 15 (#175) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. IS
sums, however, she did not encourage. She en-
deavoured to exert her reason to conquer them.
Anticipations of evil, she knew, must inevitably
increase her wretchedness, if indulged; besides,
they could not avert what she dreaded...and she
also considered, that the ills she feared might never
come to pass. Why, therefore, unnecessarily tor-
ment herself? Why sharpen the sting of real sor-
row, by yielding to the terrors of imagination? The
same Almighty Providence,she reflected, presided
alike in every place, and to its divine protection
she devoutly recommended her Egbert.
She at once tried to struggle with her fears, and
with her grief; but all her efforts to subdue, in
any degree, the latter, were ineffectual. She still
wept and trembled at the approaching separation,
concealing, however, to the utmost of her power,
the anguish she endured. But it could not be hid-
den from the watchful eyes of Egbert. He dis-
cerned the conflicts of her mind. He saw what she
suffered to save him from an additional pang; and,
while his heart was flattered by this proof of her
tenderness, it was also wrung by the knowledge of
her affection.
In the bustle of preparation, he strove to lose
the agony of thought. "In a short time," cried
he, to himself, "in a short time, and we shall again
be....reunited. But in the interval, the little in-
val, which intervenes, what may not happen? Ah!
that is the reflection which maddens, which forments me! I leave my Jacintha again exposed to,
the tyranny, the artifices of an inhuman mother.
Should that tyranny be now too much for her gen-
tle heart to bear, which will not easily, I know,
forego the sorrow that pervades it on my account;
## p. 16 (#176) #############################################
16 NOCTURNAL VISIT. -
and should I, at my return, find, instead of my
love, her"
He started; he groaned at the dreadful idea
which obtruded itself upon his imagination, and
looking up to heaven, he fervently prayed that he
might never live to hear Jacintha was lost to him.
"Mrs. Greville could not conceal from him,
nor from Jacintha, the malignant joy she felt at
their unhappiness. Neither could she forbear at-
tempting to wound the proud heart of Egbert, by
remitting those attentions with which she had be-
fore distinguished him; but here her malice was
impotent...Egbert felt it not, except when directed
against Jacintha.
In the course of two days, every thing was pre-
pared for his departure, accompanied by Wood-
ville, who determined not to leave him until he
had embarked; a determination which gave great
pleasure to Jacintha. He was to proceed from
Wyefield to London, to receive final instructions
for his future conduct, and from thence'to Fal-
mor.th, to take his passage in a West-India packet.
The evening previous to his departure, Mr. Gre-
ville invited him to a solitary walk. He had many
things to say to him, which he believed would be
much better received and delivered if they were
alone. He wished to know what course he had
determined upon, or whether he had formed any
plan for his future settlement in life, if his exertions
to recover his fortune should prove unsuccessful.
Egbert, who had not suffered his thoughts for a
moment, to dwell upon the possibility of a disap-
pointment, now started, and turned pale, at the idea
of one being suggested.
"No," cried he, with a degree of wildness, " I
have thought of no course...I have formed no plan.
## p. 17 (#177) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 17
To what purpose should I do either, without friends,
without interest to assist me?"
Mr. Greville, deeply affected by these words,
did all in his power to check the progress of des-
pair; and as a proof that we should never give
way to despondence, the blackest prospect often
brightening when least expected, he lightly touched
upon his own story in the following words, as they
pursued their walk through some lonely meadows
at a little distance from the village.
## p. 18 (#178) #############################################
It NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. III.
He various changes of the world had known,
And strange vicissitudes of human fate;
Good after ill, and after pain, delight,
Alternate, like the scenes of day and night.
Since every man who lives, is born to die,
And none can boast sincere felicity; 
With equal mind, what happens let us bear;
Nor joy, nor grieve too much for things beyond our care;
Like pilgrims to the appointed place we tend;
The world's an inn, and death's the journey's end!"
Dryden. "My father," said Mr. Greville, "was
the youngest son of a respectable family. He was
brought up in the mercantile line, and, before my
boyish days were over, had realized a handsome
fortune. But the tenure of earthly enjoyments is
uncertain...by the sudden failure of a foreign house,
he was deprived of the fruits of his long industry.
The unexpected misfortunes which fell upon him,
were not half so severely regretted upon his own
account, as upon the account of his family, con-
sisting of me and one daughter.
"At this distressing period, an old friend, the
companion of his early days, and a man of consi-
derable fortune and consequence, stepped forward
to his assistance. Through his means, my father
was enabled to arrange his affairs, and re-establish
## p. 19 (#179) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 19
himself in business; but, in a very narrow and
circumscribed line, particularly when compared
with that in which he had formerly been.
"In order to lighten his expences, -his friend
proposed taking me entirely under his own care,
and educating me for the church; having it in his
power to make a very ample provision for me in
that line.
"My father received this additional proof of
his regard with the deepest gratitude; and, at the
age of fourteen, I exchanged his protection for that
of sir.Hugh Netley, and accompanied him to his
residence in Kent.
"His lady and one son, about my age, comprised
his family. This son was the idol of his parents;
not so much, perhaps, from being the only sur-
vivor of a numerous offspring, as from being the
last hope of their ancient house...the person, by
whose means their names and honours were to be
transmitted to posterity, as a consideration of deep
importance to minds swayed by pride and vanity.
"Their excessive indulgence strengthened the
violence of passions naturally impetuous; but
their blind partiality rendered them incapable of
perceiving the ill effects produced by this conduct.
"I shared all the advantages which they gave
this darling heir, in point of education, and was
placed at the same university with him in Oxford;
from whence, during the vacations, we generally
returned to Kent. In the course of one of those
visits, I had an opportunity of witnessing the un-
just lengths to which the extravagant partiality
of Netley's parents could lead them, when either
his^reputation or tranquillity were in any manner
affected* .
pi
## p. 20 (#180) #############################################
20 . NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"In a little cottage, near the park-gate, there
resided a widow, who, reduced, by the unexpect-
ed death of her husband, from a state of comfort
to one bordering on penury, had, with an only
daughter, taken refuge in this humble retreat,
from
"The cruel scorn
"Which virtue, sunk to poverty, would meet
"From giddy passion, and low-minded pride."
"Here they endeavoured to support themselves
by their industry; and their laudable efforts were
greatly encouraged and aided by the kindness and
humanity of some neighbouring families of dis-
tinction, who had known them in more prosper-
ous days. The girl was extremely pretty, and,
as Netley grew up, she attracted his attention,
and he determined to leave no means untried to
gain her; persuading himself that the affluence
in which he could place her, would be quite a
sufficient restitution to her and her mother, for
the loss of her innocence.
"He soon found, however, that they were not
of the same opinion; and with difficulty could
find an opportunity of speaking to her. But her
mother could not always be at her side, and he
surprised her one day in a wood. He forced her
to hear the most insulting offers, from which he
proceeded to the most unbecoming actions; all
his eloquence being unavailing to win her to his
wishes.
"I was luckily passing near the spot at the
time, and hearing the screams of a female, hastily
darted to it.
"Enraged at the scene I beheld, I not only
tore her from his grasp, but reproached him, in
the bitterest terms, for his base, unmanly conduct.
## p. 21 (#181) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 21
** He replied to my reproaches with insolence.
He meanly spoke of the obligations I lay under to
his family- and plainly declared, on that account,
he had a right to expect the most implicit defer-
ence and submission from me.
"I endeavoured to curb the indignation -and
resentment which he excited ; but when he raised
his hand against me, I lost all forbearance, and
falling upon him, I gave him that chastisement
he merited. Some accidental passengers sepa-
rated us with difficulty, and we returned by differ-
ent ways to the house. On reaching it, I hastened
to my chamber, too much irritated to think of
the unpleasant consequences which might result
to me from my behaviour to young Netley.
"Not so the poor widow. She trembled at
the idea of the evils I had, perhaps, drawn upon
myself by my services to her daughter; and her
grateful heart instantly prompted her to wait up-
on sir Hugh and lady Netley, in order to try and
avert what she dreaded, by giving a plain state-
ment of what had happened.
"To her extreme mortification, her narrative
was received with the utmost coldness, and she
/was dismissed without having her suspense or
anxiety in any degree lessened.
"Her fears about me, however, proved fruitless.
Sir Hugh and his lady, from a suspicion of their
son, in this one instance, not having acted cor-
rectly, did not choose to manifest any displeasure
against me for my conduct to him, lest, by doing
so, they should render the affair more public....
They contented themselves with wreaking their
revenge upon the unfortunate widow, to the im-
prudence of whose daughter they ascribed and
reported the indiscretion of their son was owing.
## p. 22 (#182) #############################################
22 NOCTURNAL visit. They withdrew their protection entirely from
her; and, as they bore a pretty general sway in
the neighbourhood, their example was almost
universally followed, and she soon found herself
compelled to seek another habitation. .
"With floods of tears and bitter anguish she
submitted to this necessity. A long residence in
it'had attached her to her little dwelling. I pitied
her distress, and while I did all in my power to
mitigate it, I vainly wished I could have sheltered
her from the despotic tyranny of offended pride.
"Netley, conscious of having used me ill, did
not resist the efforts which were made to recon-
cile us.
"I could not but perceive the errors of Netley
met with the same pernicious indulgence from
the private tutor, who attended us to Oxford, and
who was recommended to sir Hugh by a noble
family, whom he served in that capacity, that
they did from his parents; but I was too young,
too inexperienced, to discover the motives from
whence this indulgence originated ; or, that to it
was owing the complete ascendency which Bar-
clay by degrees, acquired over the mind of his
pupil.
"Though I did not perfectly esteem, I warmly
admired him. Highly favoured by nature, he
had improved her gifts by the most studious at-
tention, and a constant intercourse with elegant
society, and was altogether one of the most ac-
complished and pleasing men I ever knew.
. "He sometimes made us shorten our visits in
Kent, in order to accompany him to a little pa-
ternal seat he possessed in Norfolk a perfect
Paradise in miniature. High woods sheltered the
house at the rear; before it flowed a spacious
## p. 23 (#183) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 23
river ; on either side was a wilderness of sweets;
and vines, myrtles, and honeysuckles completely
covered it. This delightful mansion, the interior
of which corresponded with its exterior, was
graced by an inhabitant worthy of such a dwelling
....the niece of Barclay, the most lovely woman,
without exception, I ever beheld. Her manners,
like those of her uncle, were fascinating; nor
were her accomplishments less brilliant, less se-
ductive, than his.
"You may well believe such a creature could
not fail of inspiring the liveliest admiration. I felt
at once the power of her charms, but carefully
concealed the impression they made upon me,
from a conviction of her being attached to Netley.
To my utter astonishment, however he did not
take the least pains to cultivate her regard. On
the contrary, he betrayed an utter indifference to
her attractions, to the regret and disappointment,
I thought, of her uncle; who, I could not help
thinking, had some ambitious projects in his
head when he introduced her to the notice of his
pupil.
"On being ordained, sir Hugh appointed me
his domestic chaplain, until the living he had pro-
mised me should become vacant, by the death of
its old incumbent.
"Soon after this event, Netley and I again ac-
companied Barclay to Norfolk. The alteration
in the apppearance of his niece struck me the
moment I beheld her. All her florid bloom was
gone, and a deep melancholy marked her coun-
tenance, which evidently proved her gaiety was
counterfeit.
"My heart dictated an inquiry (which prudence
and propriety repelled), into the cause of this ex-
traordinary change.
## p. 24 (#184) #############################################
24 NOCTURNAL visit. "Two days after my arrival in Norfolk, Net-
ley entered my chamber one morning, where I
was reading, and congratulated me on my good
fortune.
"In what?" said I, laying aside my book.
"In making a conquest of so lovely a girl as
Edith Barclay," replied he.
"You jest," cried I; "if there be any conquest
in the case, you certainly have the glory of making
it."
"You are mistaken, I assure you," replied he,
very gravely. "'Tis for you the secret sigh of
her soul has been breathed. Her uncle made the
discovery this morning, and revealed it to me in
confidence. All her languor, all her melancholy,
have been owing to what she believed was a hope-
less passion for you, in consequence of the uniform
coldness of your manner towards her."
"I could no longer doubt his sincerity, and
eagerly accounted for my coldness, by declaring
the opinion I had conceived of her being attach-
ed to him.
'It was jealousy made you think so,' said he, 'Like love, it often blinds the judgment.'
"He then informed me my addresses would
meet with the approbation of her uncle; and
promised, on our return to Kent, to have every
thing arranged, in the most agreeable manner,
for my immediate union.
"I thanked him, in the most grateful terms,
for the interest he took in my happiness; not,
however, without feeling somewhat surprised at receiving so unexpected a proof of his regard.
"He led me to the feet of my blushing mistress,
who heard my warm protestations of affection
with a coldness and confusion which would have
## p. 25 (#185) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 25
chilled all my hopes, but for the prior assurance
I had received of her attachment. By degrees,
however, she became less reserved, and I thought
myself one of the happiest of men. Short and
delusive was my felicity. On the very night of
this, as I imagined, auspicious day, I found, on
retiring to my chamber, a sealed billet upon the
table, directed to me. Surprised at so strange a
circumstance, I hastily tore it open, and with in-
creasing astonishment, not devoid of horror, read
the following words, in a hand utterly unknown
to me:....
"Treachery is on foot....On perusal of this,
repair with caution to the reading closet adjoin-
ing miss Barclay's dressing-room, and you will
be thoroughly convinced that the writer of these
lines has not deviated from truth."
"I shall pass over the feelings and suspicions
which pervaded my soul, on the perusal of this
note; suffice it to say, I obeyed the anonymous
advice it contained, without loss of time, and
stationed myself in the closet, which was ele-
gantly fitted up as a library, and opened into miss
Barclay's dressing-room. I found the door of
communication sufficiently open to let me see
into the room without being seen myself. It was
now lighted up, and in a few minutes miss Barclay
entered, followed, to my inexpressible astonish-
ment, by Netley.
"She threw herself upon a sofa, and reproach-
ed him with having made her the most miserable
of women. He replied to her reproaches with
gentleness; declaring his conduct should not ex-
cite such bitter resentment, since it was owing,
not to his own inclination, but to his father's.
## p. 26 (#186) #############################################
26 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"In short, I soon found he had triumphed
alike over her affections and her honour; and
that it was merely from a wish to save her repu-
tation, as she was in a situation to betray her
indiscretion, that she consented to accept my
hand.
"Solely devoted to his own gratifications, Net-
ley could not be restrained by any regard for the
uncle, from taking advantage of the innocence
of the niece. He thought too, it was fair to
entrap those who had attempted to entrap him;
for it was evident that Barclay had "introduced
him to his niece, for the express purpose of draw-
ing him into a marriage with her; a measure,
from which his proud and ambitious soul revolted,
disdaining the idea of an union with any woman,
who was not of illustrious birth.
"The imprudence of Barclay gave him all the
opportunities he could desire of affecting his de-
signs."designs which he veiled under an appear-
ance of indifference.
"Thus did he turn against Barclay that art he
had infused, in a great degree, into his mind, and
foil him at his own weapons.
"But unwilling to have a quarrel with him, as
he found him necessary to his pleasure, he no
sooner learned that there was a probability of
his baseness being discovered by its consequences,
than he contrived the scheme you are already
acquainted with, to prevent any thing disagreea-
ble from happening to himself; pretty certain of
its being successful, from the admiration I in-
voluntarily betrayed for miss Barclay. He accord-
ingly prevailed on her to confess a partiality for
me to her uncle, who, I have reason to believe,
at that very moment knew the contrary, and was
## p. 27 (#187) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 2r
well acquainted with the real state of the case, but
thought it better to feign ignorance of what could
not be remedied, nor even resented, without losing,
in all probability, the patronage' of a family, who,
he yet hoped, would elevate him to the eminence
he was ambitious of attaining.
"I burst upon the guily pair with an indignation
which darted in lightning from my eyes. Miss
Barclay shrieked and fainted, and Netley, wildly
starting from his knees, hastily exclaimed...
'Greville, you cannot pardon me!'
'Pardon thee!' I cried, with ineffable contempt;
'Wretch ! canst thou pardon thyself?'
"I was quitting the room, when Miss Barclay,
slowly reviving, implored me to pause for a moment.
I hesitated and still drew nearer to the door, when
suddenly rising, she tottered towards me, and fall-
ing at my feet, implored me to have pity on her,
and not publish her disgrace.
'I do not deserve your mercy...! do not deserve
your compassion,' she cried; 'your generosity
will therefore be greater in extending any to me.
Should my uncle know what has happened, I shall
be driven from his house with infamy and scorn,
without having a friend, or home in the wide world
to receive me! What the consequences of such
desertion must be, you may easily picture to your-
self. Oh T doom me not, therefore, to more dread-
ful horrors than I already experience! Be softened
in my favour, by my solemn assurance of rejoic-
ing, instead of regretting, your escape from the
snare spread for you!'
"I told her she had nothing to apprehend from
me, and abruptly retired; fearing to continue any
longer in the room with my perfidious friend, lest
## p. 28 (#188) #############################################
28 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
my indignation against him should burst into
violence, that, on his father's account, I wished to
avoid.
"I determined to take an eternal leave of Bar-
clay's house the next morning. Miss Barclay
heard of my preparations for departing, and had a
letter conveyed to me, the purport of which WAS,to remind me of my promise, and conjure me not
to think of returning to Kent before Netley, lest
my doing so should excite inquiries that might
lead to the discovery she dreaded.
"In a short answer I satisfied her on this head,
informing her, that I was going upon a little tour I
had long meditated, and that she might depend on
the faith I had pledged to her.
"I departed, without beholding either her or
Netley, and took a cold leave of Barclay.
"I prolonged my tour to a fortnight, though
my mind was too much disturbed to permit me to
derive any great pleasure from it: I then turned
homewards. Within a few miles of sir Hugh's,
I stopped to give some refreshment to my horse.
I had scarcely entered the inn, when I was accost-
ed by one of the baronet's tenants, who coming
up to me, begged leave to shake me by the hand,
and offer his congratulations on my at length ob-
taining the long promised living; an account of
the old incumbent's death having reached Netley
house the preceding evening.
"The ideaof immediate independence reanimat-
ed my spirits. I rejoiced to think I should no
longer be obliged to live under the roof with a man
I abhorred ; and speedily remounting my horse, I
soon found myself at sir Hugh's.
"The family were just sitting down to dinner.
I entered the parlour without hesitation, and was
## p. 29 (#189) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 29
eagerly approaching sir Hugh, when I felt myself
suddenly chilled and transfixed by the coldness and
severity of his looks. In a peremptory tone he
commanded the butler, who was about placing a
chair at the table for me, where I should have told
you both Netley and Barclay were seated, to desist.
'You have no longer, sir,' said he, directing his'
eyes sternly towards me, 'a seat at my table;....
and the only obligation you can confer upon me,
or I can acknowledge from you, is that which will
result from your withdrawing yourself from my
house immediately.'
"I leave you to judge what my feelings were at
these words. Pride, resentment, indignation, rais-
ed a whirlwind in my soul, which shook my frame.
I would have demanded I would have insisted
on knowing the cause directly, of the indignity
with which I was treated, as a common act of
justice to myself, had not the swelling passions of
my heart opposed my utterance, and compelled
me to retire precipitately, lest I should afford a
greater triumph to Barclay and Netley than I had
yet done.
"I traversed my chamber in a state bordering
on distraction; nothing, perhaps, being more agonizing, than to know we are traduced, without
having the power of vindicating ourselves from the
aspersions cast upon us: and such was my case. I
saw I was vilified in the opinion of sir Hugh; but,
as I was confident the falsehood which had ruined
me, was fabricated by his son, I knew all appeals
to his justice would be unavailing.
"Netley, in short, detested me ever since I had
discovered the perfidy he meditated against me,
and was consequently determined to effect my
destruction. So true is this remark....
## p. 30 (#190) #############################################
30 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"Forgiveness to the injur'd does belong;
"But they ne'er pardon who have done the wrong,"
"Ere I had regained any degree of composure,
the butler, who had been an inhabitant of the house
long before I entered it, came to me.
* Ah! sir,' said he, 'I was grieved to witness
the undeserved reception you met to-day; but
don't despair...innocence is, sooner or later, re-
warded in this world, as well as the next, and guilt
punished. Your enemies triumph now; but, de-
pend upon it, you will yet have the advantage of
them.'
"me then proceeded to tell me, what indeed I
was prepared to hear, from the behaviour of sir
Hugh; namely, that, in despite of his solemn pro-
mise to me, he had bestowed the living upon Bar-
clay.
'Artifice and falsehood,' said he, 'have led my
poor master astray; for he has an honest heart,
and would willingly do no man injustice.'
"He confirmed all my suspicions of Netley's
being the person who had injured me with sir Hugh;
though, what his allegations against me were, he
could not tell.
"I received two letters from him, written by my
father, and their contents completed my misfor-
tunes. The first informed me of his having failed
again; the second, of his being in a most languish-
ing state of health, without any hope but what was
derived from the prospect of my independence, and
being able to support my sister, who, he had reason
to think, would soon be deprived of his protection;
and concluded by mentioning the severe shock he
had received from the cold manner in which sir
Hugh had replied to a letter acquainting him with
his misfortunes. 'He seemed to think,' said my
## p. 31 (#191) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 31
Father, ' that I had expectations of again experienc-
ing his generosity. Heaven knows, in encourag-
ing such an idea, he did me the highest injustice,
as I would rather perish than attempt to encroach
upon my friend.'
"I resolved to lose no time in going to my fa-
ther ; though I grieved to think on the little comfort,
or rather the increased sorrow, I should occasion
him. I tried to cheer myself, however, by hoping
I might find means of rendering myself servicea-
ble to him. !, 
"Ere I departed I wrote to sir Hugh, proudly
declaring my innocence, and total unconriousness
of ever having done any thing to forfeit his friend-
ship. I accused him of the highest injustice, in
having condemned me unheard; and concluded,
by protesting, if ever I found the slanders which
deprived me of his good opinion, pursued me into
the world, I should take such measures as the laws
of'my country would enable me to use, to clear
my injured character, and punish my accusers, by
exposing them to the open contempt they merited.
"On my arrival in London, whither I journied,
as you may believe, with a heavy heart, I found
my poor father in obscure lodgings, and almost in
the last extremity. To have undeceived him at
such a period as this, relative to my prospects,
would have been the height of cruelty; and I had
the satisfaction of thinking he died in peace, at
the idea he entertained of my happy situation and
ability to serve my sister, whom he recommended
in the most affecting and energetic manner, to my
care.
- * The poor girl almost sunk beneath the shock
she received on hearing of my real circumstances,
"
## p. 32 (#192) #############################################
32 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
with which, after the demise of her father, I
could not delay informing her. Unable to pro-
vide' her a proper asylum, I exerted myself to pro-
cure her one in the house of a respectable and
opulent family with whom we were connected, and
luckily succeeded. I now turned my thoughts to
my own destination, but, here, indeed, I was at a
loss. 'Tis true, from my long residence in the
house of sir Hugh, I had formed many intimacies
with people of high respectability and ampleipower
to serve me; but, to their befriending me, I was pretty confident the desertion of Sir Hugh, would
be an insurmountable obstacle, and therefore de-
termined not to pain myself by making applica-
tions which I could scarcely hope would be avail-
ing. And here I,in voluntarily thought like Fielding
...how cautious should the great be in discarding
their dependants, since, in doing so, they often
deprive them of the favour and countenance of the
world; it being natural to suppose they must have
merited this renunciation, or they would not have
experienced it. - '., ....>i . I -I.  AJ- ,
i- '" Unable to arrange any plan 'being not more
unwilling to apply to. ths connections of my fa-
ther, than to those of sir Hugh, most of them
having. sustained very considerable losses by his
.misfortunes^ I wandered about in a most forlorn
and melancholy manner. In the course. of those
wanderings, I chanced one day to behold my friend,
the widow, in a..little shop in the environs, of
iwhich-She was the mistress; her eyes encountered
mine almost at the moment I beheld heiyandshe
instantly beckoned me in. She expressed the ut-
most joy at seeing me; but after her first trans-
ports ^-ere .abated j she gazed atjiue in silenee.fpr
a few minutes, and then exclaimed, in a mournful
tone.....
## p. 33 (#193) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 33
'Alas! sir, what a pity that he, who has been
so good a friend to.others* should prove so bad a
one to himself!'  ,..I.  .i;
"I entreated an explanation of these words, and
she did not hesitate to inform me, that she under-
stood I had lost the protection of sir Hugh through
my own imprudence.
"In short, from the information I collected from
this honest creature, which she received from the
housekeeper at Net-lqy-house, who' was a kind of
confidant pf, Jady. Netley's, I was now enabled to
develope ,the: scheme which had been formed to
ruin me. Netley, by a solemn - promise of pro-
viding liberally for miss Barclay and - her infant,
and screening her from public disgrace, prevailed
upon her: to lay the guilt of her 'seduction at my
.door. Her uncle ,affec.te4 to credit.this assertion,
because it was his interest to do so, as Netley as sured him he should ;take mute to make his father
withdraw .his favour entirely.from -me, and endea-
vour to make him some reparation for the.injury
I had .done. him, by. doing for him what he had
formerly intended to do for me. This was the
-point Barclay. had. long ;been, labouring to accom-
plish; and so it was aecomplished,Ihe cared little
by what means.. . (.:.* *<? iljit - .' .'
"Sir Hugh could not doubt the veracity of his
sop,,-and heard of my supposed enormity with hor-
ror; My false accusers artfully advised him to
forbear from any reproaches on the subject, and
also from giving me .any satisfaction as to the cause
of my dismission from his house, and the altera-
tion i.n his-conduct, ,,... ..
", They, also, in .ordei'.- to prevent any after
repentance. of Miss Barclay en'tlangering their
i:heniesj.sent her tfe-FTOace,: where, I learned,
she died, soon after the birth of-her infant. ,'
## p. 34 (#194) #############################################
34 K OCTURNAL VISIT.
"Acquainted with the nature of the crime al-
leged against me, I was now enabled to stand
forward in my own defence; but ere my vindica-
tory letter reached sir Hugh, he had paid the last
debt to Nature. All hopes from this quarter being
at an end, and my prospects more forlorn than
ever, the good widow, who was the confidant of
my distresses, and who now found I had been
basely injured, interested herself so warmly in
my behalf with a literary character of her acquaint-
ance, of respectability in his line, that I was put
into a way of deriving some little advantage from
my abilities; thus did she requite the little servi-
ces I had formerly rendered her. I became her
lodger; and, in her innocent society, often lost
those melancholy thoughts which meditations ton
the future, and retrospectioris on the past, occa-
sioned. P'-!'>- ii: cj :-.v i'.-i .it ..... !/!-.:
"I had not been above twoimonths in her house,
when she was seized with a lingering disorder
which terminated fatally. Her principal anxiety
at this awful and melancholy period, was about her
daughter, who still continued with her, and whose
youth, inexperience, and beauty, made' her mother
tremble at the idea of the dangers to which she might, to which she would, in all probability, be
exposed, when deprived of her protection."
"A residence under the same roof with this
young creature, her engaging attentions, and 'ap-
parent amiableness, had created an interest, a ten-
derness for her in my heart, which nothing-but the
unpleasantness of my situation withheld me from
divulging. One day, however, as the mother:was
dwelling upon the usual theme, I was unwarily
led into a confession of my sentiments for her
daughter, and the motives; which had hitherto ren-
-*ered me unwilling to reveal them;;'"''
## p. 35 (#195) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 3s
"She heard me with surprise and delight, and
explicitly declared that, were my situation still
more unpleasant than it was, she should die happy
if she left her child under my protection.
"You may believe I did not raise any obstacles
to her wishes, nor did her daughter; and a few
days before her death we were united."
From the knowledge our readers have already
acquired of Mrs. Greville, it is scarcely necessary
to say that Mr. Greville was utterly ignorant of
her real disposition. Vain, arrogant, and ambi-
tious, she was continually forming schemes to raise
herself to the summit she sighed to obtain. Her
mother, before whom she did not practise that de-
ception she did before others, did all in her power
to correct the propensities she regretted, and which
were concealed with the most consummate art
from the eye of casual observation; but her en-
deavours to do so were ineffectual, and she shud-
dered to think of the ills to which they might ulti-
mately lead. To the imprudence they more than
once occasioned, were already to be attributed
many sorrows.
She well knew, that, to the manner in which her
daughter had acted towards him, in hopes of mak-
ing an honorable conquest, might in a great degree
be imputed the libertine attempts of Netley, and
the consequent resentment of his family; and she
gladly embraced the idea of uniting her to Gre-
ville, in order to free herself from the apprehen-
sions she entertained on her account.
To this union the young lady would scarcely
have consented, in the present situation of his af-.
fairs, had she not flattered herself he would recover
some of his former friends, and, by their means,
be extricated from all his difficulties.
## p. 36 (#196) #############################################
36 NOCTURNAL visit. "The death of the worthy widow," continued
Mr. Greville, "was speedily followed by other
misfortunes, which, from being less expected,
were more calculated to overwhelm us. I will
not exhaust your patience by recapitulating what
they were; suffice it to say, I found myself nearly
deprived of the means of subsistence, and so una-
voidably involved, that I dreaded every moment
the loss of liberty.
"Perhaps you cannot well picture a situation
much more distressing or deplorable than was
mine at this juncture. I not only found myself
almost at the lowest ebb of fortune, but saw the
woman, whom I tenderly loved, destitute of the
comforts essentially necessary for her. Yet, still
I did not suffer myself to sink into despair; and
my hope and confidence in heaven were rewarded.
"By means, not more unexpected than sudden,
I was relieved from my embarrassments. A con-
rincing proof, that oft
"When Fortune means most good to men,
"She looks upon them with a threatening eye."
"From that period I have led a tranquil and a
happy life, unenvying and unenvied by the great;
and with truth may say, without ever breathing a
sigh at the narrowness of my fortune, till I felt
prevented by it, from obeying the dictates of friend-
ship.
"But I not only hope, but believe, that the de-
lay of your wishes will add to your happiness when
they are completed; for, trust me, felicity is never
so thoroughly enjoyed, as when it has succeeded
pain and disappointment. But, my dear young
friend, be not rash...be not too impetuous in the
pursuit of those measures which you think may
accomplish it.
## p. 37 (#197) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 37
"Precipitancy more frequently retards, than
forwards our designs. I know you will excuse
what I say, particularly when I assure you any
advice I offer, is not dictated by an idea of supe-
rior understanding, but superior experience.
"Young, undesigning,aud ardent, you are now,
for the first time, about launching into the world,
your own uncontrouledmaster...intoaworld where
snares of the most destructive nature are continu-
ally spread for people of your temper, which it
requires the utmost circumspection to avoid. On
the counsels of your heart keep a continual watch.
In your disclosures be reserved. Confide not in
professions, till you have some proof of the since-
rity of those who utter them; and, above all, let
not brilliant talents allure you into society you
know to be unworthy of your esteem. For in ad-
miring, we too often cease to condemn...and what
we cease to condemn, it is not unnatural to sup-
pose, we may be led to copy."
Egbert felt truly grateful for the solicitude Mr.
Greville manifested for his welfare. He acknow-
ledged his advice was well applied to him, as he
had an impetuosity in his temper, too apt to hurry
him away, and prevent the proper exercise of his
judgment; but, henceforth, he protested his deter-
mination of trying to restrain it, from a full con-
viction of the errors and unhappiness it might
otherwise lead him into.
## p. 38 (#198) #############################################
38 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. IV.
"There's such sweet pain in parting,
' That I could hang forever on thy arms,
"And look away my life into thy eyes!"
OTWAY.
the shadows of evening were now de-
scending fast. Greville and Egbert returned to
the village. In their way thither, Greville gra-
tified the curiosity of Egbert, by informing him,
that Barclay did not long enjoy the living he had
obtained so basely; and that Netley, neither
improved by age nor by experience, still lived
unhonoured, and would, in all probability, die
unlamented. He also told him, that the person
whose anonymous warning had saved him from
the artifices of his false friend, was a servant who
attended them both to college.
On a little verdant mount, at the extremity of
Greville's garden, between two high and spread-
ing trees, a rustic bench was placed, " o'er-can-
opied by luscious woodbine." It commanded a
view of the village, and an extensive and variegated
prospect, too romantic for the eye of taste ever to
be weary of viewing. In this retreat, which he
had long dedicated to love and friendship, Mr.
Greville particularly delighted. Here he loved
to listen to the hummings of his bees, whose
## p. 39 (#199) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 39
hives were ranged on either side; and here he
cultivated the choicest flowers ;....so that it, like
"Pomona's arbour smil'd,
"With flow'rets decked, and fragrant smells."
It was here that Egbert found Jacintha waiting
his return.
The lingering sunbeams were now dying away
upon the summits of the distant mountains, and
all was becoming a dreary scene, uncertain if
beheld; when the moon, rising from behind a
thickly wooded hill, " unveiled her peerless light,"
and touched the surrounding prospects with a
meekness of colouring, which softened and in-
creased their beauties. The various sounds which
had fluctuated on the air by day were now over;
the flocks had ceased their bleatings; the village
murmur was become faint and indistinct, and the
song of the nightingale alone prevailed through-
out the woods, whilst
"The beetle, with his drowsy hum,
"Rmng the first watch of night; and
"- oft, with careless wing,
"Brush'd the dew from many a weeping flow'r."
The softness and stillness of the scene were
not, by any means, calculated to dispel the me-
lancholy which had taken possession of the mind
of Egbert and Jacintha; on the contrary, they
revived a thousand tender remembrances in their
minds* which at once tortured and afflicted.
"Oh, Egbert!" exclaimed Jacintha, in reply to
the arguments he used, at once to conceal his
own dejection and try to lessen her's; " Oh, Eg-
bert! you will enjoy comparative happiness com-
pared to me. New pursuits, new society, cannot
fail of subduing, or at least diverting your sadness;
R
## p. 40 (#200) #############################################
4ft , NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Init here, amidst scenes, among objects so fami-
liar to us both, how can I hope to conquer mine?"
"By the efforts of reason," said Egbert;
"which must convince you of the little probabi-
lity there is of a long separation between us."
"Oh! could I hope it would be a short one,"
cried Jacintha, "how lightened should I feel.
But I dread your persevering in the enterprise
you have undertaken, regardless of difficulties or
dangers. I fear that, even if you recovered part
of your property, you would still delay your return,
in hopes of regaining the whole, however distant
or .uncertain the prospect of doing so appeared."
Egbert assured her this apprehension was
groundless-, and that it was his fixed determina-
tion, if he beheld little likelihood of his exertions
being crowned with success, to return to Europe
immediately, in order to try and devote them to
some better purpose.
A long and interesting conversation now took
place, in the course of which, Egbert mentioned
some ideas which had been suggested by her fa-
ther and himself relative to his future destination,
in case he found it impossible to recover what was
lost. Several matters too, which neither he nor
Jacintha had before spoken of, from an unwilling-
ness to touch upon the moment of departure, were
now finally arranged. Egbert made Jacintha
solemnly promise to inform him of every thing
which happened to her during his absence; and
she, in her turn, insisted upon his being equally unreserved in his communications.
Most reluctantly they rose to obey a summons
to supper. Ere they returned to the house, Ja-
cintha made Egbert pause to observe a group of
villagers, who had just assembled, as was fre-
## p. 41 (#201) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT.  41
qnently their custom, upon a little " moonlight
glade" adjacent to the inn, to dance to the simple
music of the harp. The loud shouts of laughter,
which resounded on every side, proved that the feel-
ings of their hearts were in perfect unison with
the lively strains to which they kept time.
"Here, Egbert," said Jacintha, who still feared
that, notwithstanding all his protestations to the
contrary, he might be induced, by the ardent de-
sire she knew he felt, of placing her in a situation
more elevated than she had hitherto been in, to
prolong his stay in the West-Indies, if there \vas
the least chance, however remote, of recovering
his fortune; (1 here, Egbert," said she, pressing
her hand upon his arm, "is a convincing proof
that wealth is not absolutely essential to felicity.
Can imagination picture to itself, in any station*
greater happiness than is experienced by these
rustics? and yet they are not more ignorant of
luxuries, than destitute of the means of obtaining
them.
'; Of the shortness of life you yourself have
spoken. Waste not, therefore,' its fleeting mo-
ments in- toiling after riches, which we see may
be done without; and which, perhaps, instead of
adding to its enjoyments, might mar them. For
too often, I believe, our wishes increase in propor-
tion to our supposed power of gratifying them, till at length they become uncontroalable, and con-
sequently tormenting."
'' Oh, my Jacintha!" cried Egbert, who per-
fectly comprehended the meaning of this speech,
gazing upon her pale face, now" combating 'tween
smiles and tears," and clasping her to his bosom
as he spoke, " canst thou, "not less lovely than
beloved, imagine I would waste moments, which
## p. 42 (#202) #############################################
42 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
might be devoted to thee, in idle pursuits ; or de-
lay, an instant longer than is necessary, a return
which, I trust, will put me in possession of my
most ardent wishes?"
A second summons now obliged them to hasten
to the house. They found Woodville and his
sister in the parlour. A heavy cloud hung upon
every brow, except upon Mrs. Greville's and
Gertrude's, which no efforts could dissipate; and
"at an early hour the little party broke up.
Egbert had been advised, both by Mr. Greville
and Woodville, to avoid taking any particular
leave of Jacintha, which, they assured him, could
only be productive of pain; he accordingly pro-
mised, though with infinite reluctance, to set off
in the morning, without seeing her.
But when they were about separating for the
night, his emotions nearly betrayed his intention.
He seized her hands as she was quitting the room..
and pressing them with the most passionate fond-
ness to his lips and bosom, imperfectly articulated
something like a farewel. A significant glance
from Mr. Greville suddenly restored him to re-
collection, and he immediately permitted her to
retire; still persuaded that he did not mean to
depart till after breakfast the next morning,
By the first glimpse of day Egbert stole from
his chamber, where he had passed a sleepless
night, and quitted the house without meeting any
of the family, having previously taken a most
affectionate leave of Mr. Greville.
Punctual to the hour, he saw Woodville ap-
proaching at the instant he left the house, and
they proceeded together to the bridge, where, as
had been settled, they found the groom with their
horses.
## p. 43 (#203) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 43
Here Egbert involuntarily paused, and looked
back. He seemed to want resolution to tear him-
self from a place, which contained' all that was
dear to him in life. Something like a gloomy
presentiment of ill pervaded his mind, which he
condemned himself for weakness in indulging)
yet had not power to shake off. Once more he
wished to have folded Jacintha to his heart....
ence more he wished to have heard her repeat
assurances of eternal constancy and truth, almost
persuading himself he should not have felt so
unhappy if he had taken that leave his heart dic-
tated.
The melancholy appearance of every thing at
this early hour, contributed not a little to increase
his dejection. The shadows of night were as yet
but imperfectly withdrawn.. No spiral smoke
ascending from amidst the; tufted trees, which
embosomed the cottages on the green, proclaimed
the rising of the children of industry and labour.
A few straggling sheep, nibbling the wet grass,
were the only animated objects to be seen.
"This dreary prospect resembles mine at pre-
sent," thought Egbert; "but the resemblance
will not long continue. A bright and glorious
sun will soon dispel the gloominess of this; but
days, nayjnonths, must elapse, ere I can hope for
any change in mine!"
"Come, Oswald," cried Woodville, WHO began
to suspect he meant to delay his departure till he: had seen Jacintha, and who wished to prevent an
in'-erviev, which could not fail, he was sure, of
causing additional, pain. to both; " the morning
air is cold and damp : we..shall be quite chilled if
we, stand here any longer.""
a. 2.
## p. 44 (#204) #############################################
44 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Egbert laid his hand upon his horse, as if going
to mount; then again pausing, he once more di-
rected his eyes towards Jacintha's window.
"Farewell,my love I" he inwardly exclaimed.
"May peace, may health, may happiness, be
thine inti mcy we meet, even sooner than we
expect, to part no more!"
Then vaulting into the saddle, he instantly
rode off, and soon lost sight of Wyefield and its
environs. i
## p. 45 (#205) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 4*
CHAP. V.
When thy lov'd sight shall bless my eyes again,
"Then will I own, I ought not to complain,
"Since that sweet hour is worth whole years of pain."
J ACINTHA was deeply affected when she
found Egbert had departed without seeing her;
but, as soon as she had somewhat recovered from
the shock the intelligence gave her, the arguments
of her father in some degree reconciled her to
his having acted in this manner, by convincing
her that contrary conduct would only have been
productive of additional pain to both.
She now exerted herself to bear with patience
a separation that could not be avoided, and en-
couraged, as much as possible, hopes of its being
a short one.
Egbert, according to his promise, was punctual
in writing to her during his continuance in En-
gland. His last letter, written the very hour he
was embarking, was brought to her by Wood-
ville, after an absence of a fortnight, and contained
the most fervent declarations of affection, and
solemn assurances of expediting, as much as pos-
. sible, his return.
About a week after he had sailed, Mr. Greville
was agreeably surprised, by receiving a letter from
his sister, Mrs. Decourcy, who had been absent
## p. 46 (#206) #############################################
48 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
many years in the East-Indies, informing; him
that she and Mr. Decourcy were arrived in -En-
gland, and proposed paying him an almost im-
mediate visit.
These tidings gave sincere pleasure to Mr.
Greville; their long separation not having dimi-
nished the tender affection he felt for his'sister,
whom he had despaired of ever seeing again.
They also diffused a general joy throughout his
family. Jacintha was truly pleased at the idea
of being introduced to a relation of whom she
had heard so amiable, so interesting character; and Mrs. Greville and Gertrude were delighted
to think of the consequence they should derive
from the approaching visit; not dftubting, that it
would give their neighbours an opportunity of
judging, in some degree, of the immense wealth
of Mr. Decourcy. Nor were they less charmed
at the thoughts of the handsome presents, which
from former acts of generosity, they had every
reason to believe, they should receive on the backseat occasion.
These agreeable hopes and expectations almost
obliterated the grief which Gertrude felt for the
departure of captain Bellamy; who, with lord
Gwytherin, and all his lordship's visitors, had
quitted the park in. the middle of the week, and
who, during his continuance there, had contrived
to make a deep impression upon her heart; from
which, however, he was prevented-deriving any
advantage, not more by the circumspection of
her father than the vigilance of. her mother, whom pride rendered prudent, and who perceiv-
ing his designs, took care to guard against them.
But though all hopes of obtaining'the victory he
had meditated were over, he did not depart \vitU---
## p. 47 (#207) #############################################
"-. NOCTURNAL VISIT. 47
out taking a very tender leave of Gertrude, pro-
testing he meant to have married her privately,
and
"That if Jove had set him in the place of Atlas,
"And laid the weight of heaven and gods upon him,"
he could not have been more oppressed than he
was at the idea of parting from her.
A few days after he had the pleasure of hearing
from her, Mr. Greville had the superior pleasure
pf embracing his sister. Though the bloom of
youth was over, the elegance of her person, the
regularity of her features, the sweetness and ani-
mation of her countenance,- still rendered Mrs.
Decourcy a most attractive object. Nor were her
manners less calculated to please and captivate,
than her appearance. Frank, cheerful, and oblig-
ing, they evinced her disposition to be candid,
generous and humane. -:--
The figure and deportment of Mr. Decourcy
were commanding. His understanding was
strong, and highly cultivated, and he was neither
destitute of sensibility nor benevolence; but there
was a haughtiness, a reserve, a kind of sternness
in his temper, which, in a great measure, over-
shadowed the more amiable qualities of his mind.
Incapable himself of deviating from the strictest
integrity, or intentionally injuring any person, he
could find little excuse in his own mind for the
misconduct of others. His rigid notions of honour
could at all times overcome his humanity; and,
altogether, he was a man much more calculated
to engage esteem, than conciliate affection.
He formed but few attachments, and never
dissolved any without being able to assign a suf-
ficient cause for doing so. That for his wife was
## p. 48 (#208) #############################################
48 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
infinitely more fervent than perhaps might be' supposed, from the description we have given of
him. He loved her indeed with a tenderness that
might almost have been called romantic, and she
was [deserving of the passion she had inspired.
Yet, notwithstanding their mutual affection, their
affluent fortune, their extensive power of confer-
ring benefits, they were not truly happy. They
served to prove, what daily experience must con-
firm, that felicity is never perfect in this life;
and that it is only in a better and a future world,
we can hope to enjoy it without interruption or
diminution.
By the few, and they were but a few, who knew
of their disquietudes or regrets (for they were as
little ostentatious in their griefs as in their cha-
rities), the death of their children was the suppos-
ed source from whence they originated; but
there was a secret cause not ice carefully con--.
cealed than unsuspected.
The pride and vanity of Mrs. Greville were
highly gratified by the elegant style in which they
travelled to Wyefield ; but here was another con-
vincing proof that unalloyed happiness is not to
be attained in this state. That which she ex-
perienced on the present occasion, was considera-
bly lessened by the departure of the fashionable
folks from, the castle, without even knowing of
her connections to people of such fortune and
consequence as her present visiters. There was
also another, and a still more poignant cause for
regret and mortification. Mrs. Decourcy shewed
a decided preference for Jacintha, which not all. the artful insinuations of this, her supposed mo-
ther, could prevent.
## p. 49 (#209) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT, x 49
Mrs. Decourcy knew her sister-in-law too well
to be biassed by her ; though she was too amiable,
and too sincerely attached to her brother to at-
tempt communicating, or even hinting to him the
opinion she entertained of his wife. Ignorance,
in some respects, she believed, essential tohap-
piness.
The heart of Jacintha glowed with gratitude
for her attentions. They gave her the most ex-
quisite pleasure, not from any idea of the tri-
umph they afforded her over her mother and
sister, but from the pride, the delight, she felt at
being thought worthy of the regard, the particular
notice of a person she herself So highly esteemed
and admired'.
Mrs, Greville exerted all her talents to enter-
tain her guests, who, by their manner, gave her
reason to believe she had not exerted herself in
vain. It was evident, however, that their prin-
cipal gratification, in regard to amusement, was
derived from excursions about the neighbourhood,
and particularly into Wales. In these excursions
they were accompanied by Woodville and his
sister, who, I have already said, were related to
Mr. Decourcy, and very graciously received by
him, on his arrival at Wyefield.
At the expiration of a month they talked of
departing. Jacintha heard them with regret. She'
was now too much attached to Mrs. Decourcy to
think of a separation without sorrow; besides,
she felt, that in losing her society, she should lose
a charm which had diverted the sadness that
oppressed her heart ever since Egbert quitted
Wyefield, notwithstanding all her efforts to con-
quer it.
## p. 50 (#210) #############################################
50 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
She was also perfectly aware that the presence
of Mrs. Decourcy was her only shield against
the persecutions of her mother and sister, who,
she clearly perceived, were irritated to the highest
pitch of malignancy, against her, in consequence
of the partiality Mrs. Decourcy had manifested
for her.
These painful reflections and apprehensions
completely vanquished the cheerfulness she had
forced herself to assumet spiritless and sad, her
countenance denoted the dejection of her mind.
How agreeably, how delightfully, was this dejec-
tion dispelled, by an invitation from Mrs. Decour-
cy to accompany her to town, and reside with
her till her union with Egbert (of whom Mr.
Greville had fully spoken to his sister) should take
place. Mr. Decourcy seconded it with as much
warmth as he generally displayed ; and Mr. Gre-
ville, who appeared infinitely more pleased than
surprised, instantly granted Jacintha permission
to accept it.
To give an adequate idea of Mrs. Greville's
feelings upon this occasion, is utterly impossible.
The rage she felt at Jacintha's being the object
of attraction both to Egbert and lord Gwytherm,
was faint, compared to what she now experienced
at her being taken under the protection of Mrs.
Decourcy.
The agitation of her mind was discernible in her countenance ; but, though she trembled with
passion and resentment, she was prevented by
selfish motives from giving either utterance. But
the restraint she imposed upon herself before Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy, she made herself ample
amends for when alone with her husband. The
dissimulation she had so long practised then gave
## p. 51 (#211) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 51
way, and her envy and jealousy relative to Jacin-
tha were openly manifested.
"She has entered my family," she exclaimed,
scarcely articulate from passion, " to be the bane
of all my hopes and expectations. Only for her
artifices, I am sure Gertrude would have been
preferred to her by Mrs. Decourcy. But she shall
not enjoy her protection. No, Mr. Greville, she
shall not triumph over my daughter. I will in-
form your sister she is .no connection of our's....
common justice must then induce her to change
her attentions in favour of Gertrude."
"You err in thinking so," said Mr. Greville.
"Justice, if she attends to it, must influence her
to persevere in any kind intentions she may have
formed for Jacintha."
"My suspicions, then," cried Mrs. Greville,
with eagerness, " are well founded."
"No," replied Mr. Greville, in a calm and
rather solemn i>' 'ce, " they are not. I know the
nature of your suspicions. I know, from former
hints, you doubt my innocence respecting miss
Barclay, and believe Jacintha to be her child and
mine. A perfect knowledge of my disposition
had long since, I hoped, triumphed over these
unjust suspicions. I cannot express the grief I
feel at finding myself disappointed. Many men,
in a similar situation, might yield to resentment;
but I can only regret not being sufficiently happy
to obtain the esteem of my wife, after an union of
so many years."
"You wrong me," said Mrs. Greville, who
began to fear she had seriously offended him;
and as she knew, his displeasure was not easily
provoked, so neither was it easily allayed.
## p. 52 (#212) #############################################
52 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"No," cried Mr. Creville, " I do not wrong
you....for how is it possible you can esteem the
maruwhose veracity you doubt? Nay more, how
is it possible you can bring up your children to
respect a father, whose integrity you yourself
suspect?"
"Dear me," said Mrs. Greville, bursting into
tears, " how cruel to speak in such a manner!
I am sure it was in consequence of what you
yourself said, that I dropt the unfortunate hint,
which seems to have offended you so much. It
was natural to suppose there must be some con-
nection between you and Jacintha, else why
should she have a claim upon the kindness of
Mrs. Decourcy, which your words certainly im-
plied she had?"
"Rest satisfied," said'Mr. Greville, "with hear-
ing me again most solemnly protest, Jacintha is
110 way related to me or mine."
"Why then speak in such a manner?" asked
Mrs. Greville ; her apprehensions of his displea-
sure yielding to her curiosity.
"I cannot answer the inquiry," replied Mr.
Greville. "I therefore request you may not re-
peat it."
"Very well, sir," answered Mrs. Greville;
"but I am sure, if you complain of not obtaining my esteem, I have an equal right to complain of
not obtaining your confidence; by this time, I
think, I might have been thought worthy of learn-
ing the secret relative to Jacintha's birth."
"Nothing could excuse my divulging it," said
Mr. Greville, " after the solemn promise I made
to keep it; and except the restrictions laid upon
me to preserve it should be withdrawn, of which
there is little probability, it must descend with
the to the grave.
## p. 53 (#213) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 53
"But come, my dear," continued he, taking
her hand, and evidently wishing to change the
subject, " compose yourself. Let not envy and
jealousy disturb the tranquillity of your bosom.
They are malignant guests, not more destructive
to the virtue and generosity, than to the peace of
those who harbour them. Jacintha is an amiable
girl, deserving of the kindness of my sister;
which, I am convinced, she has acquired merely
from the innocent attractions of her manner."
Much more he said to convince her, that as
Mrs. Decourcy regarded Jacintha for her own
merit, she would not be induced to forego any
intentions she had formed in her favour, by
learning she was not their offspring.
Mrs. Greville, though no philosopher, after a
little consideration, thought it expedient to sub-
mit with calmness to what was inevitable; the
storm consequently blew over without doing any
mischief.
Two days after the above conversation, Mr.
and Mrs. Decourcy, accompanied by Jacintha,
departed for London ; as also did miss Woodville
and her brother, so that a very pleasant travelling
party was formed.
As the hour of separation approached, the ten-
derness of Jacintha's heart completely overcame
the involuntary resentment her mother and sis-
ter's injurious conduct towards her had excited,
and she would have taken a most affectionate
leave of them, had not the repulsive coldness of
their manner prevented her.
Greville, as if to make amends for that cold-
ness, pressed her to his bosom with the warmest
tenderness, and bestowed a fervent blessing on
her. Notwithstanding the joy she felt at being
## p. 54 (#214) #############################################
54 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
delivered from the capricious tyranny of her mo-
ther, she could not quit a place where she had
lived so long....a place endeared to her by the re-
membrance of the happy hours spent in it with
her beloved Egbert, without an emotion of regret,
which filled her eyes with tears. The kind at-
tentions and pleasant conversation of her compa-
nions, however, soon subdued these painful feel-
ings.
The third morning from the commencement
of their journey, the travellers were set down at
Mr. Decourcy's lodgings in Piccadilly, the house
he had taken in St. James's Square not being yet
ready for his reception.
From hence Mr. Woodville and his sister pro-
ceeded to Mortlake, where their aunt, Mrs. Dyer- vrcnt, re-sided, at whose house Woodville had
promised to pass the ensuing winter.
## p. 55 (#215) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 55
CHAP. VI.
"Now cold despair
'To livid paleness turns the glowing red."
MRS. DERWENT, the half-sister of Mr.
Decourcy, was by no means pleased to hear that
a relation of Mrs. Decourcy's was in future to
reside under her roof. It was a circumstance
that made her apprehensive he felt a preference
for her family, which might prove highly detri-
mental to the interests of his own; a considera-
tion that gave her extreme uneasiness, as her
niece, miss Woodville, the only being on earth
whom she really regarded, required an addition
to her fortune, which she had not the power of
making to it, though her jointure was consi-
derable, as an ungovernable passion for shew and 
expence induced her to live up to the full amount
of it.
She was too great an adept, however, in the arts
of dissimulation, to discover the jealous eye with
which she looked upon Jacintha; nor in any
instance did she betray a deficiency of esteem and
affection for Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy.
Miss Woodville appeared equally fervent in her
regard; whether it was more sincere, is a point
hereafter to be ascertained..
s.2
## p. 56 (#216) #############################################
56 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Woodville, who never spoke but as he thought ;.
who never professed what he did not feel, unlike
his aunt and sister, could not avoid making a dis-
tinction in the attentions he paid to Mr. and Mrs.
Decourcy....the former he coldly esteemed, the
latter he warmly admired.
This distinction either was not noticed by Mr Decourcy, or purposely overlooked by him, in
consequence of his ardent affection for his wife,
whose merit he allowed infinitely exceeded his own,
and whom he deemed entitled to superior homage.
Though this was neither a gay nor a fashionable
time of the year to be in London, there was suf-
ficient in the novelty of every thing about her to
afford amusement to Jacintha; who could scarcely
be persuaded that they did not mean to impose
upon her simplicity, when they told her (perhaps
the very moment she was preparing for a round of
entertainments, or almost felt her head giddy, from
the crouds which had been passing and repassing,
during the day, before the windows) that the town
was quite dull and deserted at present.
After a residence of three weeks in the metro-
polis, during which she saw every thing worthy of
notice, or that could entertain her, she accompanied
Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy into Hertfordshire, whither
they went to visit a seat which was advertised for
sale.
They took up theirquarters in Hertford, the seat
being situated near that town. They found it per-
fectly agreeing with the description given of it...a
description which had pleased them highly. Mr.
Decourcy, therefore, did not long deliberate about
becoming the purchaser; and, as the house was.
ready for the immediate reception of his
he soon took possession of it..
## p. 57 (#217) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 57
Highly as Jacintha had been amused in London,
she was not sorry to find herself again in the coun-
try. Habit and disposition had attached her to it;
for in rural scenes there is a soothing tranquillity,
which cannot fail of pleasing a mind of sensibility.
Mr. Decourcy's new mansion was a noble struc-
ture, superbly furnished, and surrounded by ex-
tensive pleasure-grounds, beautifully laid out, and
watered by a branch of the river Lea.
The landscapes Jacintha had been accustomed:
to contemplate, had more of awful grandeur in: them than those she now beheld; but pastoral
beauty here amply made up for. the want of su-
blimity.
The rich and mellow tints of autumn were now
diffused over the woods, the fields stood thick with
corn, the harvest-horn sounded in every direction,
and the whole country presented scenes of joyous,
industry, truly delightful to the benevolent heart.
The Decourcys were visited by all the respecta-
ble families in their neighbourhood, and a very
pleasant society was soon established. Their time, therefore, glided away most agreeably in visiting,,
making excursions about the country, and protecting improvements in, their new domain.
But no amusement, no avocation, could render
them, particularly Mrs. Decourcy, forgetful of the
claims of poverty, or the obligations laid upon her
by the bounty of Providence to benefit others; hee
charities, however, were without parade or osten-
tation. Like the fostering dews of heaven, they
were distributed in silence and secrecy to those
they nourished. ,
Jacintha's esteem and affection for her daily in-
creased; for scarcely a day passed in which she
had not some new cause for admiration and gratis �
## p. 58 (#218) #############################################
SS NOCTURNAL VISIT.
tude. But the regard she felt for Mr. Decourcy,
bore no proportion to that she felt for Mrs. Decour-
cy. Neither time nor intimacy subdued the re-
serve of his manner....a reserve which chilled all
the warm, the glowing feelings, the real kindness
of his actions were calculated to inspire.
The latter end of autumn, the Woodvilles, ac-
companied by Mrs. Derwent, paid a visit to Beech
Grove, the seat of Mr. Decourcy. Three months
had now elapsed since the departure of Egbert,
and Jacintha was becoming not only anxious, but
impatient, to hear some tidings of him. The Uneasi-
ness occasioned by this anxiety and impatience
was happily relieved, ere Woodville left the coun-
try, by a packet from herfather, enclosing letters
from Egbert to her and Woodville, the purport of
which were, to inform them of his safe arrival in
Jamaica; his having there received such particu-
lars as he required to know relative to the agent, and
the pleasing prospect he beheld of being able to
recover at least part of his property, and return to
England sooner than he at first imagined he could
have done. He desired these letters might be an-
swered immediately, though at the same time he
hinted the probability there was of his not receiv-
ing them directly on their reaching the place of
destination, as the business he was engaged in,
would most likely oblige him to change continu-
ally.
Jacintha obeyed his request with transport. She
gave him a faithful narrative, according to her pro-
mise, of all that had happened to her since his de-
parture, and fully expatiated on the happiness of
her present situation, from a conviction of the
pleasure she should impart to him by doing so.
## p. 59 (#219) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 59
But the delightful tranquillity diffused over her
mind by his letter, was soon interrupted by the
illness of Mrs. Decourcy. Two days after her
visitershad left her, she was confined to her bed.
Jacintha now became her constant attendant, and,
by her tenderness and assiduity, amply repaid the
kindness she had experienced from her: Mr. Decourcy, not more alarmed than distress-
ed by the illness of his wife, was truly sensible of
any attentions that had a chance of mitigating it,
and expressed high obligations to Jacintha for her
conduct; who shrunk from receiving acknowledg-
ments, which her gratitude could not permit her
to think herself entitled to.
Mrs. Decourcy continued a week in extreme
danger. At the expiration of that period the dis-
order came to a crisis, and a visible change then.
took place for the better. ....
She had just fallen asleep one morning, and
Jacintha was reading by the bed-side, when a ser-
vant softly opened the door, and beckoned her
from the room.
"My master wishes to speak to you directly, in
the parlour, miss," said the maid.
Jacintha immediately descended to it, and was
seized with a sudden panic the moment she en-
tered it, in consequence of the discomposure of Mr.
Decourcy's countenance, which she could not possi-
bly account for; having left him but a few minutes
before, rejoicing at the favourable report which
the physician had made that morning of Mrs.
Decourcy.
"I hope you have not heard any unpleasant
tidings, sir," said she, tremblingly approaching
him.
## p. 60 (#220) #############################################
60 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
He motioned for her to take a seat, and looking from her to the table on which he leaned, appear-
ed at a loss how to answer.
The idea of Egbert was ever uppermost in the
mind of Jacintha; and perceiving a newspaper
upon the table, it instantly occurred to her that it
contained some dreadful tidings from the West-
Indies, in which he was mentioned as a sufferer.
No sooner was this thought suggested, than, with-
out giving herself time to reflect how very impro-
bable it was that, had such been the case, Mr. Decourcy, in the present situation of his family,
would have permitted her to obtain a knowledge
of it, she started wildly from her chair, and caught
up the paper.
"What is the matlter?" exclaimed Mr. De-
courcy, rising, and evidently alarmed by her man-
ner.
"Oh! tell me," cried she, almost breathless
with terror, "has any thing happened to him?"
"To whom?" asked Mr. Decourcy.
"To.Egbert...toMr. Oswald," replied she.
"Nothing that I know of. But, my dear Jacin-
tha," continued Mr. Decourcy, with something
like reproach in his voice and countenance, "is
Mr. Oswald your only friend? You have rela-
tions...you have parents...a tender, and indulgent
father."
"Ah!" cried Jacintha, starting, and clasping
her hands together, " what of my dear father?"
Mr. Decourcy put a letter into her hand, which
he said he had received but a few minutes before,,
and Jacintha read as follows:
## p. 61 (#221) #############################################
^NOCTURNAL VISIT. el
."TO GEORGE DECOURCY,
' Wyefield, Nov. .....
"SIK,
"It is with extreme concern I break in upon
your domestic happiness, with the distressing in-
telligence of your worthy brother-in-law's illness; but the alarming state which he is now in, very litT
tie hopes being entertained of his recovery, ren,
ders it necessary to apprise his friends of his dan-
ger. You can better imagine than I describe the
anguish of his wife and children, at the near pros-'
pect they behold of losing the most tender of hus-
bands and of fathers.
"Their neighbours sincerely sympathize in
their grief, for his virtues have rendered him uni-
versally beloved. But, alas! common sympathy
can do little towards alleviating affliction like
their's. If you, sir, and your amiable lady, could
make it convenient to come down to Wyefield,
your presence, I am confident, would do more
than any thing else could do, to support and con-
sole the unhappy family. With respectful com-
pliments to the ladies,
"I remain, sir,
"your obedient and very
"humble servant,
"j. JONES."
"This is no time for the indulgence of grief,"
said Mr. Decourcy, on seeing Jacintha weeping in
an agony over the letter; "exertion is requisite.
At all times, the best proof we can give of our
regard for those we love, is by making efforts to
serve them. You must set out directly for Wye-
field; and be assumed, nothing but the situation
## p. 62 (#222) #############################################
62 . NOCTURNAL VISIT.
of your aunt, should prevent me from accom-
panying you thither."
He said he would himself break the melancholy
tidings of her father's illness to Mrs. Decourcy,
whom, he declared, he could not permit her to see
before her departure, lest her emotions should
agitate her. He desired her to be expeditious in
preparing for her journey, in which, he said, his
housekeeper should accompany her.
Jacintha hastened to her chamber, and soon
exchanged her present dress for a travelling- one.
Mr. Decourcy presented her with a pocket-book,
containing bank notes to a pretty considerable
amount; and charged either her or the house-
keeper to write immediately upon their arrival at
Wyef.eld; promising, in his turn, not to delay
acquainting Jacintha with every thing she could
desire to know respecting her aunt.
They proceeded to St. Albans in Mr. Decourcy's
chaise, and pursued the remainder of their jour-
ney in hired carriages.
It was now the gloomy month of November,
and every thing seemed changed since Jacintha
had, a few short months before, travelled the same
road. But the alteration in the appearance of
nature was not greater than was the difference
between her feelings now and at that period ; and
never, perhaps, had she been so thoroughly con-
vinced of the mutability of earthly happiness, as at
the present moment.
They travelled with such expedition, that, on
the second night of their journey, they reached
Wyefield. - The heart of Jacintha beat with re-
doubled violence when, from the summit of a hill,
she beheld the faint glimmering of the' village
lights, and reflected that, in a few minutes, her
## p. 63 (#223) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 63
-dreadful apprehensions would either be confirmed
or removed. Trembling and agitated, she leaned
for a minute against the garden-gate, on alighting
from the chaise, in order to try and recover a little
composure ere she entered the house, to which
her eyes were eagerly.directed.
Darkness and silence seemed to reign within it,
nor did the external scene appear less dismal and
dreary. The night was dull and dark. The
heavy clouds rested on the distant hills. No
trembling star, no moon, looked from the sky.
The wind was up in the wood, and whistled
through its leafless branches. The stream of the
valley murmured as if impeded in its course ; and
from the tree at the grave of the dead, the long-
howling owl was heard. Shivering and sad, Ja-
cintha approached the door, and knocking softly
at it, was almost immediately admitted by Gillian.
.'*-
## p. 64 (#224) #############################################
64 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. VII.
"Death ends our woes", "And the kind grave shuts up the mournful scene."
DRYDEN. THE looks of Gillian were not expressive
of any surprise at beholding Jacintha. Instead,
however, of answering her eager, though faltering
inquiries, she continued at the door.
"For whom are you looking?" said Jacintha,
perceiving she did not close it.
"Why, lank a mercy, for Mr. and Mrs. De-
courcy, sure!"
They have not come to Wyefield," said Ja-
.ti .1.
< Uc~r a me, Uo:" fyrvy T br to hear so! It
11 (> grieves ilauqs f'V ,".y pool r :<sus,"
continued .-. '.MI. (t- iX'ly i.'ntir.f iho r, 9y}
leading the way HUG M i>:ri-.-i:r, 'h jyf>.
dreary and deserted, though a cleca). ^ tr- t' :.
glimmered within it.
"Tell me of my father!'' exclaimed Jacinti.^
Gillian laid down the candle, and raised her
apron to her eyes.
"Tell me, tell me," cried Jacintha, " if what
I fear has come to pass?"
Gillian.shook her head, and turned away.
The melancholy truth now burst upon Jacintha.
Her heart sunk beneath the shock it gave her,
## p. 65 (#225) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT, 65
and she would have fallen to the ground, had not
'the house-keeper caught her in her arms. By
the aid of restoratives, which the affrighted Gil-
lian hastily procured, her senses were gradually
recovered. The house-keeper then exerted all the
eloquence she was mistress of, to try and recon-
cile her to the event which had taken place; but
the common-place arguments she made use of,
had no effect upon Jacintha. She wept in agony,
and her affliction for her father was, if possible,
increased by her having arrived too late to receive
his last blessing.
"Lauk a mercy, miss," said Gillian, on hear-
ing her express this regret; "I am sure you
should be glad, instead of sorry, that you were
not here. It was the most melancholiest thing in
the world to see the poor dear soul a dying. To
be sure, if ever there was a saint upon earth, he
was one. He was so quiet, so good-natured through
all his sickness, though he knew he could never
recover."
"Oh, my dearest father!" cried Jacintha, as
she cast her eyes around the room, which revived
in her remembrance a thousand tender recollec-
tions of his goodness and indulgence to her, " why
was I not with you? Had I entertained the
smallest apprehension of what has now happened,
nothing should have tempted me hence. Oh!
little did I imagine, when in this room, this very
spot, you bade me farewel, and blessed me, that
it was a last farewel....a last blessing I was receiv-
ing!"
She asked when he died, and was informed on
the preceding day. She inquired in the tender-
est manner about her mother and Gertrude, who,
judging from her own feelings, she concluded to
## p. 66 (#226) #############################################
66 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
he under the heaviest affliction, and for whom she
felt a sympathy that revived all the affection she
had once borne them, and only ceased to experi-
ence, in consequence of their unkindness.
Gillian informed her they were indeed in very
great sorrow; and that, worn out by fatigue, as
were also all the rest of the family, they had re-
tired to their chamber at a very early hour.
The house-keeper now urged Jacintha not to
delay any longer endeavouring to obtain rome rest,
and offered to pass the night with her; an offer
which Jacintha accepted, and they were conducted
to a chamber, which, as it had been prepared for
Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy, was extremely com-
fortable.
Jacintha's. mind was too much disturbed and
distressed to permit her to sleep. She spent the
night in tears; and rising at the first glimpse of
day, stole from the chamber, without being ob-
served by her companion, to visit the remains of
her father.
With a trembling hand she opened the door of
the room in which they were deposited...with still
greater emotion she approached the bed upon
which they were laid. She shuddered and invo-
luntarily shrunk back, as her eyes first fell upon
them; then again drawing near the bed, she gazed
upon the pale countenance of him she had sup-
posed her father. Neither sickness nor death had
deprived it of its benignancy; but for the hollow
eyes, the colourless lips, it might have been sup-
posed he was in a profound sleep.
Jacintha, as if deluding her imagination with
this idea, scarcely breathed or moved for some
minutes; then kissing the icy lips, her tears burst
forth anew, and kneeling down, she implored his
## p. 67 (#227) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 67
departed spirit, if it still hovered over this earthly
scene, to' pardon all he had ever deemed amiss in
her conduct. The little inadvertencies and errors
into which youth and inexperience might have led
her; for of ever having intentionally offended him,
her heart acquitted her. Oh! what comfort did
she derive from that acquittal! Could she now
have reproached herself with ever having wilfully
caused him painnow, that it was beyond her
power to make the smallest atonement for doing
so, how dreadfully agonizing would have been her
feelings!
Utterly absorbed in grief, she remained kneel-
ing by the bed-side, till roused by the house-keeper;
who, on missing her, had instantly risen, and was
directed by Gillian to the chamber, whither she
naturally concluded she was gone.
She informed Jacintha that her mother and sis-
ter were in the parlour, impatient to see her. Ja-
cintha longed to have the first interview with them
over, and with another lingering- look at the pale
countenance which had so often beamed with kind-
ness and benevolence upon her, she quitted the
room, and descended to the parlour.
On entering, the tears she had tried to suppress,
gushed in torrents from her, and with expanded
arms she flew to throw herself upon the bosom of
her mother, who, with miss Gertrude, was seated
at the head of the breakfast-table; but this Mrs.
Greville prevented her from doing, by extending
one hand to keep her at a distance, while with the
other she pulled out her handkerchief to cover her
face, as did Gertrude at the same instant.
Shocked by this conduct, which was not more'.
cruel than unexpected, for affliction, Jacintha ima-
T 2'
## p. 68 (#228) #############################################
68 NOCTURNAL visit. gined, could not fail of softening the heart of her
mother, she threw herself, sobbing and trembling,
upon a chair.
"Ah, miss!" cried Mrs. Greville, after the
silence of a few minutes, "you may well lament,
indeed," slowly withdrawing the handkerchief
from her face as she spoke; "for you have lost a
real friend!"
Jacintha clasped her hands together.
"But what is your grief compared to poor Ger-
trude's and mine?" cried she (here Gertrude, who
had also uncovered her face, sighed, and attempted
to look sorrowful); "for, according to the laws of
nature, you cannot feel* as she and I do, on the
present occasion."
Jacintha, ignorant as she was of what this speech
alluded to, could only suppose it was meant to in-
sinuate that she did not possess so great a portion
of sensibility as her mother and sister...an insinu-
ation which only hurt her, as it tended to prove
she was still as little regarded as ever by them;
and one of the most ardent wishes of her heart
was, to live upon terms of amity and affection with
such near relations.
"So, Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy would not con-
descend to come down?" cried Mrs. Greville,
after pausing a moment, to try whether Jacintha
would make any reply to what she had just said.
"Their refusing to do so, does not agree with the
professions of regard they made for their poor
brother."
"Good heaven! madam," exclaimed Jacintha,
who now felt a degree of resentment, which the
former words of Mrs. Greville had failed of in-
spiring; " you wrong them if you doubt the sin-
cerity of their professions."
## p. 69 (#229) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 69
She then proceeded to explain the situation of
Mrs. Decourcy at the time Mr. Jones's letter ar-
rived.
"Well, I am glad to hear their not coming
does not proceed from a want of regard," said
Mrs. Greville; "for nothing hurts one so much,
particularly in the hour of affliction, as unkindness
and neglect from those with whom we are con-
nected."
"Nothing, indeed," said Jacintha, emphati-
cally, and looking expressively at her mother as
she spoke. Mrs. Greville either did not, or would
not, pretend to understand the meaning of these
glances; and, after asking a few trifling questions
of Jacintha, relative to her journey, the house-
keeper, who had hitherto modestly forborne to
make her appearance, was summoned to break-
fast.
As soon as it was over, she sat down by Jacin-
tha's desire, who was herself unequal to the task,
to acquaint Mr. Decourcy with the melancholy
event which had taken place.
In the course of the day, Jacintha put into her
mother's hands the pocket-book which she had
received from Mr. Decourcy, and which she could
not avoid seeing, imparted to her much pleasure
and consolation. Indeed, in every instance, it
was evident, that her grief was of a yielding nature;
and that, notwithstanding the virtues, the tender-
ness, the uniform indulgence of her departed hus-
band, he would soon cease to be remembered with
regret by her.
Jacintha was astonished at this want of feeling;
she tried, however, as much as possible, to prevent
her thoughts from dwelling upon it, lest it should
utterly efface the sentiments she wished to enter-
tain for her mother.
## p. 70 (#230) #############################################
7W NOCTURNAL VISIT-
CHAP. VIII , "Envy, like the sun, does beat
'With scorching rays on all that's high and great." -  -WALLEB.
Time passed mournfully with Jacintha.
She every where missed her father. His little
study, his neglected garden, his forsaken bower,
continually brought to her view the loss she had
sustained, and impressed her mindrwith the deep-.
est sadness. All her apprehensions, her disqui-
etudes about Egbert, now returned, and she could
not help wishing to quit a place which, at present,
strengthened the most corroding regrets.
At the expected time, a letter arrived from Mr.
Decourcy, addressed to Mrs. Greville. It con-
tained the most tender condolence on her late loss,
and solemn assurance of befriending to the utmost
of his power, both her and her family. He con-
firmed to her the settlement he had made upon
Mr. Greville, of two hundred a year, and said he had also instructed his agent to settle every thing
relative to the funeral, and provide mourning for
the family. He mentioned Mrs. Decourcy *s slow
amendment, the deep regret she felt at her bro-
ther's death, and her strong anxiety for Jacintha's
: ttunx.
## p. 71 (#231) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. M
This letter, far from inspiring Mrs. Greville
with pleasure and gratitude, as might have been
supposed, from the contents, displeased and dis-
appointed her. She had flattered herself that Mr.
Decourcy would have invited her and Gertrude
to spend at least the winter at his house; and his
not doing so, together with the ardent wishes he
expressed for Jacintha's return, mortified and irri-
tated her too highly, to permit her to feel his
generosity. Indeed, on this head she did not deem
him entitled to many thanks, as she tried to per-
suade herself that, in acting as he had done, he
but merely fulfilled his duty.
She could not entirely conceal her dissatisfac-
tion from Jacintha, neither the cause from which
it sprung. She also hinted something like an in-
tention of going to town, notwithstanding the
cruel neglect of Mr. Decourcy, and her deter-
mination of keeping Jacintha with her till that
period.
Final arrangements were made for the funeral
upon the receipt of Mr. Decourcy's letter, and
two days after it took place. All the family, Mrs.
Greville excepted, prepared to attend, as did most
of the villagers; for Greville was universally be-
loved.
But when Jacintha saw the coffin removing,
when she reflected, that in this world she should
never more behold him to whom she was so
strongly attached by the ties of affection and
gratitude, the fortitude with which she had
hitherto endeavoured to submit to the dispensa-
tions of Providence, utterly failed....she fainted, and
was reconveyed to her chamber. On reviving,
she was left to indulge the anguish of her heart
alone j for those who had assisted in recovering
## p. 72 (#232) #############################################
72 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
her, were impatient to join the funeral procession,
which had already set out. Jacintha wept aloud.
The day was now declining, and its falling glooms,
together with the solemn stillness which reigned
around, only interrupted by the dull reverbera-
tions of the bell, that sounded her father's sum-
mons to his last dreary home, heightened, if pos-
sible, her melancholy. At length the bell ceased
to toll, Jacintha started from the bed on which
she had been placed, and hastened to a window
commanding a view of the church-y'ard. She
saw the mournful procession entering the church,
preceded by the clergyman. She dropped upon
her knees. She moved not. She scarcely breathed.
She seemed as if she feared to disturb the solemn
service.
The church was lit up on this melancholy occa-
sion, and by the wavering lights from its windows,
she could discern the spot where her father was to
be interred. She saw, with something like a
sensation of pleasure, that he was to be laid be-
side the tomb which Egbert had erected over the
...remains of his mother and grandfather....a neigh-
bour in death, as in life, to those whom he re-
garded! But the gleam of pleasure, if the sen-
sation she felt at this moment could be styled so,
faded away, on beholding the villagers thronging
round the grave, as if to take a last farewel.
Her tears again burst forth. "Farewell" she
cried, " my father, farewel forever in this world I
In the next, I trust, we shall meet again! With-
out such hope, how could we support the anguish
which attends a separation from those we love....
how overcome the shivering horror which seizes
us, at beholding their beloved remains consigned
to darkness and decay i"
## p. 73 (#233) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 73
After the funeral was over, the villagers retired to
their respective homes, all but a few who accom-
panied the mourning family to their habitation.
Jacintha was invited to the parlour, but she de-
clined the invitation. Real grief,, like real charity, is unostentatious, and she did not wish to leave
retirement till she could regain some degree of
composure.
She now endeavoured to do so. She reflected
upon the submission which was due to the will of
Heaven. She reflected upon the happiness to
which the spirits of the just were transported, on
their exit from this life; and, by degrees, the
acuteness of her anguish gave way to these reflec-
tions.
Her fortitude returned. A soft and pleasing
melancholy took possession of her mind, too
soothing to her feelings to wish to have it inter-
rupted.
When she thought of her father being now a
blessed inhabitant of heaven, rejoicing with kin-
dred angels in the glories of his Creator, she almost,
in the idea of his supreme felicity, lost the recol-
lection of the irreparable loss she had sustained
by his death. Nature, however, prevailed at in-
totals, and gushing tears proclaimed the keen
perception of that loss being deeply impressed
upon her mind.
Mrs. Greville and Gertrude lost much of their
melancholy after the funeral had taken place....a
convincing proof that it had originated more from
a sense of propriety, than from real sorrow. Their
evident insensibility, as well as many unpleasant
circumstances, made Jacintha ardently wish to
quit them; but to her extreme mortification, on
"expressing a desire to return with the housekeeper
## p. 74 (#234) #############################################
tt NOCTURNAL VISIT.
to Hertfordshire, which she made Mrs. Decourcy's
illness an excuse for doing, Mrs.Greville positively declared she would not let her leave Wyefield till
she left it herself, which could not be at least for
a month.
"You are really then going to London, madam,"
said Jacintha.
"Yes, ma'am," replied Mrs. Greville. "I suppose there is nothing wonderful in my doing
so. Perhaps you think I have no friends there;
but if you do, you are very much mistaken. I
have many of my own relations there, of whom I
have no reason to be ashamed, though, to be
sure, I can't boast of having a nabob amongst
them."
"If you <JouldT" said Jacintha, " it would be a
very insignificant boast. It is of the virtues, not
the opulence, of our friends, we should be proud."
"Oh dear! you always affected to be sentimen-
tal," cried Mrs. Greville, with a sarcastic smile,
"no doubt for the purpose of obtaining admira-
tion; but if every one thought as I do, you would
be disappointed in your aim, for I detest affecta-
tion."
"So I perceive, madam," said Jacintha; "for
I am firmly convinced you both act and speak
from your real feelings."
"I don't know, ma'am," cried Mrs. Greville,
her colour rising as she spoke, " whether. you
mean, by this speech, to compliment me; nor do I
care, though I am rather inclined to think the con-
trary, for I sec you are horridly vexed at my not
letting you leave this place immediately. But I
think you may reconcile yourself to a longer stay
in Wyefield, when you'reflect on nothavinghad any share in the late fatigue and trouble which all the
rest of the family underwent."
## p. 75 (#235) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 75
"Fatigue and trouble," repeated Jacintha in-
voluntarily, and with indignation. "Good heaven!
what an expression. Do you call it a fatigue and
trouble to attend the dying bed of a husband and
a father?"
"I beg, miss, you may not misconstrue my ex-
pressions," said Mrs. Greville, her colour still in-
creasing. "I hope I know my duty, and have
everperformed it as well as other people."
"Would to God I had been here," said Jacin-
tha, without attending to these last words, "to
have shared your fatigue and trouble! Would to
God I had been here to have heard my father- re-
peat the blessing which he so fervently, so sweet-
ly bestowed upon me, in our parting moments...*
blessing, which it will be my boast, my^mde, to
think I merited."
"Indeed, he well deserved all the attention you
could have paid him," criedMrs. Greville. "Of
the extent of your obligations to him, you are not
yet aware, nor consequently of tie gratitude you
owe him.".
"If you think I have not a perfect sense of these
obligations," replied Jacintha, "I shall be grate-
ful to you, madam, if you will enlighten me on the
subject."
"Depend upon it I mean to do so," said Mrs.
Greville, with a malicious smile. To such smiles,
however, Jacintha was too much accustomed, to
attach any particular meaning to this; but to our
readers it may possibly give an idea of Mrs. Gre-
ville's real intention.
She had finally determined to conceal no longer
the secret relative to Jacintha. In vain the mild
form of her husband seemed rising to her view,
to reproach her for a determination so contrary
u
## p. 76 (#236) #############################################
76 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
to his wishes... his express desire. She persisted
in her resolution of making a discovery, which she
trusted, would lessen Jacintha in the general esti-
mation of the world; and above all diminish, if
not utterly deprive her of the regard of Mr. and
Mrs. Decourcy. That they would persevere in
preferring her to Gertrude, after such a discovery,
she could not suppose; but if they did, she was
pretty confident she should, in some degree, be
revenged upon them for doing so, by the censure
which such flagrant injustice must draw upon them from the world.
To her extreme regret, her husband, as he had
often told her would in all probability be the case,
had gone to his grave, without imparting to her
any of the particulars she was so anxious to know
respecting Jacintha. When convinced he could
not recover, she artfully mentioned the name of
Jacintha several times to him, in hopes it might
lead to some inadvertent expression that would
betray the long concealed secret; but Greville,
clear and collected to the last moment, never drop-
ped a hint that could in the least degree gratify
her curiosity : on the contrary, he earnestly con-
jured her never to undeceive Jacintha or the world,
with regard to her not being allied to them. He
also spoke in the warmest manner of the virtues of
his adopted daughter, and implored Mrs. Greville,
if ever she needed it, to extend to her a mother's
care, and make her house her asylum.
As soon as she had recovered from the transient
shock his death occasioned her, she imparted
to Gertrude the secret so long and painfully pent
up in her bosom concerning Jacintha; omitting, however, to mention the real motives which
had induced her to bestow the name of daughter
## p. 77 (#237) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 77
upon her. To this measure, she asserted, she
was alone influenced by humanity, which the con-
duct of Jacintha had long since made her repent.
Not satisfied with this falsehood, or rather wish-
ing to conceal (from the desire we all have to ap-
pear amiable) the malevolence and selfishness
which prompted the present discovery, Mrs. Gre-
ville proceeded to tell the astonished Gertrude, that,
touched by a similar repentance, her father had, al-
most in his last moments, desired that Jacintha
might no longer be acknowledged one of his
family.
"And, but for the agonies with which he was
seized about this time," cried she, " I am confi-
dent he would have disclosed to me every thing
concerning her birth. However, to know she
does not belong to us, will be quite. sufficient to
prevent our friends from any longer lavishing that
kindness and attention upon her, which they have
so long done, to our detriment."
"Yes, I think she has too long, indeed, usurped
our rights," exclaimed Gertrude, when amaze-
ment would permit her to utter a connected sen-
tence. "I wonder, mamma, you could suffer her
to take my place in Mrs. Decourcy's house. No
doubt, had she known who she really was, she
never would have invited her in preference to me;
and one or other of us, I'm sure, she meant to
take."
"Well, well, my dear," said Mrs. Greville, "you
must only reconcile yourself to what is past, by
reflecting on what is to come. I'm sure you'll
soon have an opportunity of triumphing over her
. completely."
The hope and prospect of doing so, tended much
more to appease the anger and resentment Ger-
## p. 78 (#238) #############################################
78 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
trude felt, at what she conceived the usurpation *>f
Jacintha, than all the eloquence of her mother.
Impatient to gratify her malice, by humbling the
lofty spirit of Jacintha, which had hitherto soared
above it, and which she doubted not of the present
discovery effectually doing, she could scarcely be
prevented from hastening to communicate it to
her; nor would any thing have prevailed on her
not to do so, but her mother's representing
to her, that if Jacintha was apprized of it before
Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy, she would, in all proba-
bility, take such underhand measures to ingratiate
herself into their favour, or secure that portion of
it which she already enjoyed, as might render any
attempts hereafter to deprive her of it, ineffectual.
Anxious to develope the mystery which veiled
the birth of Jacintha, they carefully examined the
papers of Greville, from which they hoped to have
received some information respecting it; but their
hopes were disappointed.
The day after the funeral, Mr. Decourcy's
house-keeper departed from Wyefield; and it was
soon evident to Jacintha, that it was not from any
wish for her company, that her mother prevented
her from leaving it at the same time, as she even
studiously avoided conversing with her....an ex-
ample which was followed by Gertrude. The al-
most total solitude to which she was consequently
consigned, together with the marked unkindness
with which she was treated upon every occasion,
was not by any means calculated to diminish the
melancholy with which the death of her supposed
father had impressed Jacintha's mind. Every day
increased it, for every day gave her new cause to
deplore his loss; and, but for the sweet hope she
entertained of Egbert's return, and the prospect
## p. 79 (#239) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. . 79
she beheld of being soon restored to Mrs. Decour-
cy, her spirits would have utterly failed her. Her
only pleasure was derived from wandering through
the scenes which had been the favourite haunts of
Greville. Amidst these scenes, with a " sadly pleas-
ed remembrance," she dwelt upon the many proofs
she had received of his tenderness....his affection.
Here, in the gloom of evening, she could often,
almost have fancied she heard his mild voice
mingling in the mournful breeze, and saw his pale
form gliding amidst the distant solitudes, in mourn-
ful contemplation.
The period at length arrived for her removal from
a place, where it was impossible for her to enjoy
any thing like happiness, till time had blunted the
poignancy of her feelings.
Previous to quitting Wyefield, Mrs. Greville
placed her sons at a school near it; and from this,
and other arrangements, Jacintha was pretty cer-
tain it was not her design to make a short stay in
London. Of her intention of going thither, Mr.
Decourcy was apprized. She assured him it was
a measure dictated more by necessity than inclina-
tion, change of scene being absolutely requisite for
the restoration of her health and spirits.
Without making any observations upon what she
had said, Mr. Decourcy, in reply to her letter,, merely invited her to rest herself at his house in
her way to London, and promised to send his car-
riage to meet her at St. Albans.
Though Jacintha so ardently wished to leave
"Wyefield, she could not bid it what, in spite of her
reason, she believed would be a long farewell (from
a gloomy sadness, a kind of prophetic feeling which
had taken possession of her mind), without a sigh:
of regret so strong was her attachment for. what:
u 2.
## p. 80 (#240) #############################################
80 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
she considered the place of her nativity....an at-
tachment which can never be obliterated from
hearts of sensibility.
With feelings totally dissimilar from those of
Mrs. Greville and Gertrude, she commenced her
journey; there was, indeed, nothing of melancholy
or mourning about them, but their habits.
The second d y they reached St. Albans, and
found Mr. Decourcy's carriage waiting their ar-
rival. As soon as Mrs. Greville and Gertrude
had adjusted their dress (at all times a matter of
importance to them) they stepped into it, and pro-
ceeded to his house. He received them in the hall
with kindness and sensibility, and conducted them
to Mrs. Decourcy, who, though able to leave her
chamber, was still in a very languid state: her re-
covery having been greatly retarded by the shock
she received from her brother's death. She was
deeply affected at beholding Mrs. Greville and the
girls. Grief, however, did not prevent her from
welcoming them to her house; but, though she
displayed much tenderness in her manner to Mrs.
Greville and Gertrude, it required no great discern-
ment to perceive, that her heart was not so much
interested about them as Jacintha.
As soon as the painful emotions, occasioned by
this meeting, had subsided, Jacintha felt a sensa-
tion of happiness she had for some time been a
stranger to, at finding herself again in a house
where she was certain of meeting kindness, sym-
pathy, and affection; but the tranquillity this idea
was calculated to diffuse over her mind, was soon
interrupted.
## p. 81 (#241) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. hi
CHAP. IX.
"Not the last sounding could surprise me more,
"That summons drowsy mortals to their doom."
DRYDEN. GERTRUDE having been previously in-
structed by her mother, contrived a pretext for
drawing Jacintha from the parlour soon after din-
ner. The moment they retired, Mrs. Greville
hastened to make the discovery which, she trusted,
would sink Jacintha in the estimation of Mr. and
Mrs. Decourcy. She began by repeating her
acknowledgments to them for their kindness and
attention on the late melancholy occasion, and pro-
ceeded to say, she had been impatient for the pre-
sent interview, in order to disclose to them a secret
which Mr. Greville, upon his death-bed, command-
ed her to reveal.
At these words Mrs. Deccurcy, who had hither-
to sat with her head resting pensively upon her
arm, started, and fastened her eyes with the most
anxious expression upon Mrs. Greville. Abashed
by her looks, which Mrs. Greville thought expres-
sive of something like a doubt of her veracity,
she involuntarily paused. Her confusion, how-
ever, was but transitory, and she briefly and un-
hesitatingly informed them of all she desired them
to know, or indeed had to disclose, concerning
Jacintha.
## p. 82 (#242) #############################################
82 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Surprise seemed to seal the lips of Mr. De-
courcy for some minutes. Mrs. Decourcy ap-
peared 'infinitely more shocked than surprised,
nor did she attempt to break the silence which
prevailed when Mrs. Greville ceased speaking.
"'Tis a strange affair," at length cried Mr.
Decourcy, raising his eyes from the table on.
which they had hitherto been bent, as if in pro-
found meditation. "Did Mr. Greville never dis-
close to you whose child she was?"
"Never," replied Mrs. Greville, "though I
frequently importuned him to do so."
"And what motive could actuate you to re-
ceive a child, of whose connections you were
ignorant," cried Mr. Decourcy, " and pass her
for your own?"
"Good nature, and a wish to oblige Mr. Gre-
ville," replied she.
"Oh, heaven !" exclaimed Mrs. Decourcy, at
these words.
The suddenness of this exclamation startled
Mrs. Greville, and, for a few minutes, silenced
Mr. Decourcy.
"Did you never," he then interrogated with
renewed earnestness, " even conjecture who her
parents were?"
"Never," said Mrs. Greville. " It was utterly
impossible for me to do so. I own I should have
been tempted to imagine she was, in some way
or other, connected to Mr. Greville, from the ex-
treme fondness he always manifested for her, but
that he assured me to the contrary."
"Has JacAitha been told that she is not your
child?"
"No, I thought it better to inform you and
Mrs. Decourcy."
## p. 83 (#243) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 83
"Why should she be told?" asked Mrs. De-
courcy.
Mrs. Greville hesitated for a moment, at a loss
to form any excuse for making a communication,
which it was natural to suppose, must be so pain-
ful ; then suddenly recollecting herself....
"Your brother commanded me to tell her;
and I cannot bring myself to disobey any of his
commands."
"Undoubtedly not," said Mr. Decourcy. 
He then, with the utmost earnestness of voice
and manner, inquired particularly the age of
Jacintha when received by Mrs. Greville; and
how, where, and at what period, she had been
brought to her.
Mrs. Greville fully answered all these inquiries,
and he again expressed his surprise at Mr. Gre-
ville's never having entrusted her with the secret
of Jacintha's birth; then resting his head upon his
hand, he continued for some minutes in deep and
gloomy meditation. At length raising his eyes,
and looking earnestly at Mrs. Decourcy....
"Did your brother," said he, " never give you
a hint on the subject? You have frequently told
me he was very unreserved in his communica-
tions to you."
"Is it natural to suppose," replied Mrs. De-
courcy, " that the confidence he denied to his
wife, he would repose in me?"
"And to this hour you believed Jacintha to be
his daughter?"
"Till this hour, I knew not that he meant to
deny her," said Mrs. Decourcy.
The dark brows of Mr. Decourcy, at these
words, became contracted, his cheeks flushed, his
eyes lightened with indignation, and starting from
## p. 84 (#244) #############################################
84 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
his chair, he traversed the room with a disorder-
ed step. Not more surprised than confounded
by his manner, Mrs. Greville sat wildly staring
at him, till her attention was attracted by Mrs.
Decourcy; who, on attempting to leave her chair,
sunk back, almost fainting.
"Bless me, what can be the matter ?" exclaim-
ed Mrs. GreviHe, as she tried to raise the languid
head of her sister-in-law. "Do pray, dear sir,"
addressing herself to Mr. Decourcy, " call for
assistance?"
Mr. Decourcy flew to the bell, and having rung,
it with a violence sufficient to alarm the whole
house, darted from the room.
Among those who obeyed his hasty summons
to the parlour, were Gertrude and Jacintha....
Trembling and alarmed, they assisted in recover-
ing Mrs. Decourcy; who, the moment she was
able to move, quitted the room, leaning upon the
arm of Jacintha, to the extreme mortification of
Mrs. Greville, who had offered her services,
but which were rejected with the most repulsive
coldness.
On reaching her chamber, Mrs. Decourcy
threw herself into a chair without speaking, and
appeared violently agitated.
"Dear madam," said Jacintha, " something,
I fear, has happened to disturb you."
"That invidious woman!" exclaimed Mrs.
Decourcy, and paused.
Inexpressibly shocked by these words, which
she could not doubt alluded to her mother, Jacin-
tha was unable to repeat her inquiry concerning
the cause of Mrs. Decourcy's agitation. She was
also equally unable to repress her tears, at the
idea of her mother having given uneasiness to
their kind, their mutual benefactress.
## p. 85 (#245) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 85
"That invidious woman !" again repeated Mrs.
Decourcy. "She you called your mother....she
has disclaimed you....disowned you....renounced
you forever!"
"Good God!" exclaimed Jacintha, with up-
lifted hands and eyes. "What have I done to
merit such conduct? What has she alleged
against me to justify it?"
"Nothing. Nor has she uttered an untruth,
in saying you were not her child."
"Not her child!" repeated Jacintha, starting
and gazing upon Mrs. Decourcy, as if she ima-
gined her senses were forsaking her.
"Be composed, my dear girl," said Mrs. De-
courcy, who appeared struggling with her own
feelings, in order to try and calm the emotions
of Jacintha. She then briefly acquainted her
with all that Mrs. Greville had communicated....
"which, I am convinced," continued she, " from
many circumstances, she never was desired to
disclose by my brother. The motives which have
actuated her to divulge what has been so long,
so carefully concealed, are evident to me; but
her hopes, her intentions, shall be frustrated to the
utmost of my power."
Though Jacintha had no reason to be attached
to Mrs. Greville, nor those of her family who
now existed, she could not hear that she was
cast off, unacknowledged, unowned, unclaimed
by any relative, without feeling the severest an-
guish. Her pride, her sensibility, were alike
wounded; and overcome by the violent and vari-
ous emotions of her soul, she dropped in trem-
bling agitation at the feet of her benefactress.
Mrs. Decourcy raised and embraced her. She
said every thing she thought could compose her
## p. 86 (#246) #############################################
86 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
feelings. She assured her, that the late discovery,
instead of lessening, rather increased her affec-
tion for her.
"It was not because I thought you my rela-
tion," cried she, " that I esteemed and loved
you; it was because I thought you amiable and
engaging. While, therefore, you retain the qua-
lities which first acquired my esteem, my regard
must remain undiminished."
"Oh I madam," said Jacintha, bathing her
hand with tears, " I am fully sensible of your
goodness ; but I cannot immediately get the bet-
ter of the shock which your information has given
me. You, I am sure, can picture to yourself
what my feelings must be, at the idea of not know-
ing a being in this vast universe, whose protec-
tion or assistance I have a right to claim." -
"Your own merit must ever give you a claim
to the friendship of the worthy," said Mrs. De-
courcy.
"Ah! madam," replied Jacintha, " that is a
claim, I fear, which very few would allow; and
even were it admitted, to incur continual obli-
gations, can never be pleasing to a heart of real
sensibility."
"My dear Jacintha," cried Mrs. Decourcy,
"life is chequered. Our pleasures are seldom
without alloy, or our pains without mitigation.
In finding your happiness imperfect, you but
share the common lot of humanity; let that re-
flection, therefore, reconcile you to your situation,
and prevent you from foregoing the power of
enjoying the present good, because it does not
come to you^exactly in the manner you could
wish."
## p. 87 (#247) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 87
** It shall be my study to profit by your ad-
1 vice," replied Jacintha; " but you yourself, my
dear madam," she continued, as if anxious to
find an excuse for the painful feelings she could
not conquer, " seemed shocked and distressed by
the discovery Mrs. Greville has made."
"I wished to have prevented it," said Mrs.
Decourcy.
"Were you then aware that she intended to
make it ?" asked Jacintha, with eager quickness.
"Did you then really know that I was not the
child of your brother?"
"I have not said that I did," cried Mrs. De-
courcy, with uncommon gravity.
"No; but you implied it, I thought, madam."
"I did not mean to do so, then," said Mrs.
Decourcy.
"Is there no clue, no means by which I could
trace my parents?" asked Jacintha.
"None," said Mrs. Decourcy. "All Inquiries
relative to them, must forever be unavailing!"
"Forever!" repeated Jacintha mournfully.
"Forever must I remain in ignorance of the
authors of my existence? Perhaps at this very moment they liVe....they think of their deserted
daughter!"
'. "If they do, believe me, it is not with any
wish to acknowledge her," replied Mrs. Decour-
cy ; " that their long relinquishment of her must
convince you."
Jacintha clasped her hands together, and, by
her looks, expressed the deepest sorrow.
"Once more," said Mrs. Decourcy, " I advise
you not to let unavailing regrets poison your pre-
sent enjoyments."
## p. 88 (#248) #############################################
^8 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"I will endeavour to conquer them, my Sear
madam."
Mrs. Decourcy's woman now appeared to in-
form her lady that Mr. Decou'rcy wished to speak
to her. She immediately rose to attend him,
in her dressing-room, where she understood he
was; affectionately pressing Jacintha's hand at
the same moment, and bidding her remember
what she had said to her.
Jacintha retired to' her own chamber, to try
to collect and compose her spirits ere she rejoin-
ed Mrs. Grevilie; whom she was desirous of
seeing, for the purpose of interrogating her more
minutely than she had interrogated Mrs. Decour-
cy, concerning the late discovery; indulging a
faint hope that, by inquiring particularly into
the affair, she should be able to obtain some in-
formation respecting her parents.
As soon as her agitation had a little subsided,
she descended 'to the parlour, where she found
Mrs. Grevilie and Gertrude, seated by them-
selves, engaged in an apparently interesting con-
versation, Which her presence interrupted.
"I suppose," said Mrs. Grevilie, turning round
as Jacintha approached, and looking earnestly
in her face, where the traces of tears were still
visible, " Mrs. Decourcy has saved me the pain-
ful necessity of informing you there is'no con-
nection between us; though, indeed, I don't know
why I should call it painful, since I am sure the
discovery will occasion you no regret."
Jacintha attempted to reply, but her voice was
unequal to the effort, and she hastily averted her
head, to conceal the tears which gushed from
her eyes. She soon, however, conquered this
emotion, and then, with as much calmness as
## p. 89 (#249) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 89
she could assume, informed Mrs. Greville she
had been told of the particulars she had revealed
to Mrs. Decourcy, and which she entreated her now to repeat, frankly acknowledging the mo-
tives which made her wislfto hear them recapi-
tulated.
"I cannot be more circumstantial to you,
than I have already been to your friends," replied
.Mrs. Greville. "I know nothing of your parents;
and," added she, with a malicious look, " there
is every reason to believe it could not add to your
happiness to know any thing of them."
"I understand your meaning, madam," said
Jacintha, colouring; " but I cannot, I will not
believe, that my parents were unamiable. Mr.
Greville's being their friend, is a convincing proof
to me that they were not."
"Pray how do you know Mr. Greville was
their friend?" demanded Mrs. Greville.
"By accepting the guardianship of their un-
fortunate child," replied Jacintha. "What but
friendship could have induced him to take her to
his bosom, and educate her as his own?"
"Why, indeed, it is very natural to suppose
nothing else could have induced him to do so,"
said Mrs. Greville ; " but his having had a regard
for your parents, is no proof of their worth; for,
poor dear man! he was so good, so innocent
himself, that it was an easy matter for any one
to impose upon him by false appearances."
"That I firmly believe," said Jacintha; " and
I also believe that much of his felicity proceeded
from his not detecting the imposition practised
on him. Simplicity and credulity are in some
cases essential,to happiness."
## p. 90 (#250) #############################################
90 . NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Jacintha involuntarily fastened her eyes upon
Mrs. Greville, as she uttered these last words,
whose rising colour clearly proved she understood
their meaning.
At this instant a servant entered with an apo-
logy for Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy's not appearing
again that night, as the former had letters on
business, to write, and the latter was extremely
indisposed.
Jacintha flew to Mrs. Decourcy's chamber on
receiving this intelligence, but was stopped at
the entrance by her woman, who said her lady
had retired to rest, and wished not to be disturb-
ed. She had the satisfaction, however, of learning
that her indisposition was not of a nature to cause
any alarm.
She could not bear, in the present disturbed
state of her mind, to return to the parlour; she
accordingly repaired to her chamber, where, with
increasing wonder, she revolved all that had pass-
ed throughout the day. She tried to reconcile
herself to the unexpected discovery that had
taken place, by reflecting, that it had neither de-
prived her of the friendship, nor would lessen her
in the estimation of those she regarded. But
though she endeavoured to banish the regrets it
occasioned, she could not divest herself of a
strong anxiety to learn something concerning her
parents. A conviction, however, that this was an
anxiety which could never be gratified, determin-
ed her at length to try and subdue it. But though
she did not imagine Mrs. Decourcy could have
satisfied her curiosity on this head, she could not
avoid thinking, from some inadvertent expres-
sions which had dropped from her, that she knew,
previous to Mrs. Greville's disclosure, that she
as not the child of her brother.
## p. 91 (#251) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 91 *
Why Mr. Greville should desire this long-con-
ct aled secret to be revealed, when no purpose
could be answered by its disclosure, was a cir-
cumstance which astonished Jacintha, and made
her at length suspect that he had never express-
. ed such a desire. This suspicion, Mrs. Decourcy's
recollected words confirmed; and Mrs. Greville's
motives for divulging it were perfectly compre-
hended. The indignation with which this new
instance of her cruelty and falsehood inspired
Jacintha, made her almost rejoice that Mrs. Gre-
ville had no further claims upon her duty and
affection.
On entering the breakfast-parlour, the next
morning, Jacintha found only Mr. and Mrs. De-
courcy there. The latter still looked pale and
languid, and by the countenance of the former,
it was evident that his mind was greatly disturbed.
After the usual compliments were over, a silence
of some minutes ensued. Mr. Decourcy then,
though with visible reluctance, took the hand of
Jacintha, and desired her not to let the late dis-
covery affect her spirits, as it could make no al-
teration in the sentiments her friends entertained
for her.
His words were kind, but his manner was the
reverse ; and Jacintha could not help thinking, a
thought which wounded her to the very heart,
that, on the present occasion, his language and
feelings were totally dissimilar.
She endeavoured, however, to dissipate the in-
voluntary gloom which this idea threw over her,
by trying to persuade herself it was erroneous;
that it was not from any diminution of his regard,
but something which had happened to discom-
x 2
## p. 92 (#252) #############################################
92 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
pose his mind, that his air was so cold when he
addressed her.
On the entrance of Mrs. Greville and Ger-
trude, a general, though evidently forced conver-
sation took place, every one present appearing
much more inclined to indulge their own thoughts
than enter into discourse.
Jacintha could not avoid noticing the cold and
ceremonious manner in which Mrs. Decourcy
behaved to Mrs. Greville and Gertrude, whose
looks proved they had not been less quick in per-
ceiving it.
Mrs. Greville, indeed, to her extreme regret
and mortification, perceived it was not Jacintha,
but herself, she had lessened by the late discovery;
a convincing proof that doubts were entertained
of her being desired to make it by Mr. Greville.
So humbled did she feel at the idea of having her
veracity doubted, that but for the pain it was evi-
dent the disclosure had given Jacintha, she would
have regretted it.
Unable to bear the supercilious conduct of Mrs.
Decourcy, which her heart told her she but too
well merited, she resolved on departing for Lon-
don the next day. This intention, which met
with no opposition either from Mr. or Mrs. De-
Mo she announced at dinner; and accordingly,
the ensuing morning, departed for the metropolis,
to the great joy of Gertrude, who was impatient
for its pleasures, and who, besides, detested a re-
sidence under the roof of Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy,
from the involuntary restraint she felt in their
presence.
Mrs. Greville affected to take a tender leave
of Jacintha, and said, though she had no longer
the honour of being considered as her mother,
## p. 93 (#253) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. . 93
she should still retain for her the same regard she
had always felt.
"I am convinced you will, madam," replied
Jacintha, with a sarcastic smile she could not
suppress, " nor will my gratitude for it be dimi-
nished, though I should receive fewer proofs
than'you have hitherto given me of it." �
## p. 94 (#254) #############################################
94 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. X.
"I fancy
"I'm now turn'd wild, a commoner of nature,
"Of all forsaken."
WHILST Mrs Greville and Gertrude
were enjoying the pleasures for which they had
so long panted, the happiness of Jacintha was
gradually declining, like the tender blossoms of
a too early spring before a nipping wind ; and her
short-lived felicity but rendered more acute her
present sorrow; as transient gleams of sunshine,
on a wintry day, but render more oppressive the
glooms by which they are succeeded. The dimi-
nution of a happiness, which she had so sensibly
felt, and gratefully acknowledged, was occasioned
by the striking alteration which took place in the
conduct of Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy towards her, .
soon after the departure of Mrs. Greville.
From the most conciliating tenderness, the
kindest attentions, and expressions of regard,
they suddenly became cool and neglectful. Mr.
Decourcy no longer sought opportunities of con-
versing with her, as he had formerly done, on
subjects which were calculated to expand her
ideas, and improve her judgment; but observed,
upon every occasion, to her, an almost total silence..
## p. 95 (#255) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 95
Nor did Mrs. Decourcy appear to feel more plea-
sure in her society than he did.
This cruel, this unexpected change, Jacintha
imputed to the late discovery. She knew no other
cause to which she could ascribe it; for her me-
mory could furnish her with no instance of ever
having acted in any manner that could excite their
displeasure. She concluded she was indebted to
her supposed relationship to them, for their past
kindness; and, that since they could no longer
consider her as a connection, they sincerely re-
gretted having taken her under their protection;
though they could not think of withdrawing it af-
ter their solemn promises of continuing it to her
...promises which, she now had reason to suppose,
were made from the impulse of the moment, with-
out consideration or reflection. Oh! how did she
lament not having the power of releasing them
from these, as she imagined, repented promises;
but she knew no roof, except their's, which would
afford her a shelter.
She now began to experience a misery, which
can only be exceeded by that attendant on a guilty
"conscience...the misery of dependance; and wept
with bitterness over the disastrous fate which ob-
liged her to receive favours from those, whose re-
gard for her seemed so totally extinguished
favours which, except bestowed by the hand of af-
fection, must ever be oppressive to a noble and a
feeling heart.
Humbled and afflicted; wounded to the very soul
to think it was only imaginary ties which had in-
terested Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy about her, her
nights were often passed in tears, her days in rest-
less inquietude. She could no longer attend to
her usual avocations, but strove to beguile the
## p. 96 (#256) #############################################
ft6 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
wretchedness of her thoughts in rambling about,
whenever the weather would permit her to leave
the house.
There was a mournful sympathy between her
and nature in the present season, which was sooth-
ing to her feelings. ,
"But the sympathy will not long continue,"
she exclaimed. "Ah! will my hopes, like the
verdure of these groves, revive? Will my heart,
like them, again become the resort of harmony
and joy?"
She loved to walk beneath the trees, amidst the
leafless boughs of which,
"Barren as lances, the wind
Makes wintry music, sighing as it goes;"
where no other noise was heard, save the faint
warble of the red-breast, content
With slender notes, and more than half suppress'd,
Pleas'd with his solitudes, and flitting light,
From spray to spray, shaking where'er he rests,
From many a twig the pendant drops of ice,
That tinkle in the wither'd leaves below.
Stillness, accompany'd by sounds so soft,"
charmed Jacintha even more than total silence
could have done, and often lulled her anguish.
But though the calm scenes of nature could
sooth, it was only the idea of Egbert's love....the
hope, the expectation of his quick return, which
could console her. That the alteration in her
situation, would occasion any alteration in his sen-
timents, she never for a moment fancied; on the
contrary, she was convinced that sorrow would
doubly endear her to him, and that, with eager
transport, he would snatch her from misery and
dependence. These thoughts sometimes almost
^restored her to perfect tranquillity; but too often.
## p. 97 (#257) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT.
the pressure of present ill, repelled the plea
which prospects of future happiness were ct
lated to inspire. "'
Severely as her pride was wounded by this tered conduct of her protectors, her sensibility
still more severely injured. She esteemed,
loved them, particularly Mrs. Decourcy, will
utmost fervency; and, in the most exalted,
most independent situation that fortune could I placed her, the diminution of that lady's rei
would have cast a cloud. over her happiness.
But her painful feelings were not entirely
cited on her own account. The change w
took place in the conduct of Mr. and Mrs.
courcy to her, was not more striking than
which took place fn their conduct to each ot
Their mutual tenderness, their domestic harm
were gone. Pensive and unsocial, they sat in <
other's company, and Jacintha felt scarcely n
grief at their altered manners to her, than to
another. The cause of this change it was utt
impossible for her even to conjecture, and the
prise was not inferior to the regret it excited
Three weeks passed away, unmarked by
occurrence, and without decreasing the cold
and reserve of Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy. A glo
melancholy seemed to have taken possessio
their minds. They admitted no company,
forbore entirely to speak of returning to Lon
though apprized of their house being read) their reception.
The dejection of Jacintha daily increased.
natural cheerfulness of her mind, which ha
often given her strength to bear up against so and oppression, was completely subdued by
idea of her forlorn situation. Her warm,
## p. 98 (#258) #############################################
98 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
glowing, her affectionate heart, was chilled, was
agonized, at the idea of her being so totally disre-
garded as she now believed herself to be. The
existence, which appeared so little esteemed in
the eyes of others, would soon have lost all value
in her own, but for the assurance she retained of
Egbert's love; the hope of his soon returning,
and again connecting her to society. At present,
she seemed to herself a blank, a cipher in the great
account...a solitary being, who, like the lonely
flower of the rock, might fade away, unmissed and
. unlamented.
^ .
-  i. ;-.. -i ":^ '*'//- s) j7:?:i..:i J.;.'-.
' -'; -
-.'i  T. /T
.iii ,I,) 
## p. 99 (#259) #############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 99
CHAP. XI.
"Dissembled quiet, sits upon my face,
"My sorrows to my eyes no passage find,
"But sink within."
IT was now about the season that, on the
two preceding years, Jacintha had been so near
in idea to, but so remote in reality from, happi-
ness; and she often reflected, with mingled sur-
prise and regret, on the many strange incidents
and vicissitudes she had experienced in her short
journey through life. Deeply meditating on them
one day, she heeded not how far she had wandered,
nor thought of returning home, till the glooms of
evening began to gather round her, and reminded
her that, in all probability, she should keep Mr.
and Mrs. Decourcy waiting dinner. This idea
had no sooner occurred, than she hastened for-
wards.
The path she took, wound between a thick shrub-
bery, where clumps of evergreens almost excluded
the faint light that still lingered in the sky, and
spread such an additional gloom around, that had
not this been the shortest way to the house, Ja-
cintha-would have avoided it. She was still far
from home, when she suddenly heard some one
hastily following her. She felt somewhat startled,
Y
## p. 100 (#260) ############################################
160 NOCTURNAL VISIT,
and her alarm was not diminished, when, casting
a timid glance behind, she perceived the person,
who evidently pursued her, was a man, so muffled
up, that even had the light been stronger than it
now was, his features could not have been distin-
guished.
She moved on with redoubled quickness; but,
notwithstanding the swiftness with which she
walked, or rather ran, she was soon overtaken.
"I almost gave up all hopes of seeing you," ex-claimed the stranger, catching her hand as he
spoke.
His voice was not unfamiliar to Jacintha, though
she could not recollect where she had heard it.
"Me!" cried she, in a tremulous accent, and
endeavouring at the same moment to disengage
her hand, " me did you expect to see?"
"You," he replied.
Jacintha now recognized the voice of lord Gwy-
therin.
"Oh heaven! miss Greville, this is indeed an
unexpected happiness," said he, eagerly pressing
her hand to his lips.
This action excited the indignation of Jacintha,
and restored the faculties which surprise had sus-
pended. She forced away her hand, and attempted
to pass him.
"Stop," cried lord Gwytherin, still impeding
her progress, " stop, I conjure you....if but for a
minute."
"I insist, my lord," said Jacintha, trying to
speak composedly, though her heart fluttered with
terror, " I insist, my lord, upon your not detain-
ing me!"
"I cannot, I will not let you pass," replied he,
"till you have heard what I wish to say....till you
have heard that...."
## p. 101 (#261) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 101.
He paused, for at this instant approaching steps
were heard, and in the next, the voice of Mr. De-
courcy, discoursing with his game-keeper, with
whom he was returning homewards after a day's
sport. Jacintha had no further occasion now to
repeat her commands to his lordship to let her
pass. He turned from her with precipitation, and
hastily disappeared; but he was not quick enough
to elude the observation of Mr. Decourcy, who,
advancing to Jacintha, desired to know who the
person was that had fled with such quickness from
her.
Jacintha was too much agitated and confused
to attempt concealing the truth, had she even been
inclined to do so; she accordingly replied, it was
Lord Gwytherin.
"Lord Gwytherin," repeated Mr. Decourcy in
an accent expressive of surprize and displeasure;
"you know him then?"
"Yes, he was at his seat at Wyefield, last sum-
mer."
"And did you never know him till that period?"
"Never, sir," replied Jacintha.
"Never felt interested about him till thenP resumed Mr. Decourcy.
"Till then!" repeated Jacintha, indignantly;
"good heaven I sir, you err extremely, if you
suppose I ever was interested about lord Gwy-
therin."
"Why should you meet him then?"
"The meeting was accidental...not more unex-
pected than undesired, I assure you."
"But do you not imagine he came hitherto see
you?" asked Mr. Decourcy, in an anxious voice.
"I cannot tell, sir, whether he did or not," an-
swered Jacintha; who now began to suspect that
## p. 102 (#262) ############################################
102 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
he was acquainted not only with the character of
lord Gwythcrin, but his conduct to her; and
meant, in consequence of this knowledge, to resent
his having again obtruded into her presence; not,
she flattered herself, from any regard for her, for
that, she believed, had long since ceased ; but from
the pride of his nature, which could not brook the
idea of having any person under his protection,
injured or insulted; injurious treatment to them
. being, she supposed, considered by him a kind of
indirect indignity to himself. But to whatever
motives she ascribed the resentment she imagined
he now felt, the apprehensions it excited in her
bosom were still the same. She trembled to think
of the consequences which might result from his
giving way to it, well acquainted as she was with
the haughtiness of his spirit, and the vindictive vi-
olence of lord Gwytherin's disposition.
She endeavoured to speak of something else
than the incident which she imagined had caused
it, but in vain. Mr. Decourcy persisted in dwell-
ing on her interview with lord Gwytherin, and
questioning her concerning it. These questions
teazed and perplexed Jacintha, and she rejoiced
to enter the house, as she hoped she should there
be able to avoid them; of this, however, she be-
came very doubtful, on his desiring her to follow
him into the parlour. But contrary to her expec-
tations, he did not appear inclined to renew his in-
terrogations; and his discontinuing them, dissi-
pated, in a great measure, the apprehensions of
Jacintha.
He ordered a servant to acquaint Mrs. Decourcy
of his return; the man came back in a few mi-
nutes, and said his mistress was not at home.
## p. 103 (#263) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 101
"Not at home!" repeated Mr. Decourcy start-
ing in manifest agitation from a chair upon which
he had thrown himself. "How...whither is she
gone?"
"I cannot tell, sir," replied the man, " nor do
any of the servants know; but she has not been
long out, for 'tis not half an hour since her maid
was with her in her dressing-room."
Mr. Decourcy bit his lips, knit his brows, and
traversed the room in an agitation which Jacintha
could no longer place to her own account; and
which she was astonished so trivial a circumstance
as that of finding Mrs. Decourcy out, when he
expected to have found her at home, could inspire,
and to this circumstance it was evidently owing.
That he should be surprised at hearing she was
out at such an hour, unattended, Jacintha could
not indeed wonder at; nor could she possibly ac-
count for her being so, except by supposing, that,
like her fellow-mortals, she was now and then a
little whimsical.
A quarter of an hour passed in profound silence;
Jacintha wishing, but fearing to quit the room,
lest she should displease Mr. Decourcy. At the
expiration of this period, Mrs. Decourcy enteredj
but without appearing to have been out.
"You have just returned from your walk, I pre-
sume," said Mr. Decourcy, with coolness.
She answered (Jacintha thought) rather con fused said somethingof havingbeen tempted
down the avenue by the clearness of the evening;
then ringing the bell as if to prevent any further
inquiries, she asked whether dinner was ready, and
being answered in the affirmative, directly led a way to the dining-parlour.
## p. 104 (#264) ############################################
104 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Soon after the cloth was removed, and the at-
tendants withdrawn, a few words inadvertently
dropped from Mr. Decourcy expressive of a wish
to speak to Mrs. Decourcy alone. In conse-
quence of these words, though without seeming to
have noticed them, Jacintha immediately formed
an excuse for quitting the parlour; from whence
she hastened to her chamber, where she endea-
voured to amuse herself by reading; but the dis-
turbance of her mind prevented her from deriving
any entertainment from books.
The unhappiness of Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy oc-
cupied her thoughts; and, if she ceased to think
of that unhappiness for a moment, it was but to
think of lord Gwytherin, who, she could not avoid
believing, after the late adventure, still persisted
in his designs against her. Neither could she
avoid thinking, from the place in which she had
met him, and which was her most favourite haunt,
that he knew some person in the house, who ac-
quainted him with her movements. This idea
alarmed her, as she knew it was difficult to guard
against' *he designs of a secret enemy; and none
but an enemy could, in any manner, attempt to
betray her into the power of lord Gwytherin. But
the Being on whom she depended for protection,
was equal, she knew (and the idea calmed her
mind), to .defeat all the machinations that could
be formed against her, and conduct her with safety
and honour through the mazy path of .life.
From herself her thoughts again reverted to
Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy....unhappy and dejected
in the midst of blessings.
"Ah!" cried she, "how little can the world
judge from appearances! If it could look into
their hearts, I fear it would find there was more
## p. 105 (#265) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 105
cause to pity, than to envy them. What can this
untold sorrow be, which has power to poison all
their enjoyments? But for me to attempt to con-
jecture it, would only be to bewilder and distract
myself. The thorn which rankles in their breasts
is carefully hidden; and why should I wish to
discover, except I thought I could extract it.
". That I could in any degree, occasion their
present unhappiness, is surely impossible," said
she, endeavouring to dispel an idea, which at thist
instant obtruded itself upon her mind, of having,
in some way or other, been the cause of it...an idea
calculated to annihilate her little remaining peace,
and inflict the deepest distress upon her.
"If I really thought so," cried she, wildly
starting from her chair, and traversing the room
with a disordered step, "no consideration should
detain me longer in their house. But no, 'tis im-
possible this can be the case."
She resumed her seat, and again tried by read-
ing, to divert her thoughts; but her efforts to do
so were vain: there was a weight," a sadness on
her heart, which could only be relieved by tears.
The loneliness of her chamber, which was remote
from the inhabited part of the house, and the
mournful howling of the blast without, added not
a little to her melancholy, by making her feel as
if she was utterly deserted. She involuntarily
contrasted the solitary evenings she now passed,
with the social, the pleasant ones she had been
accustomed to spend at Wyefield. x
"Oh, blissful evenings!" exclaimed Jacintha,
"more prized in the remembrance, than even in
the, enjoyment; for, alas! we seldom know the
full extent of our felicity till it has departed. Will
such domestic pleasures ever again be mine?.....
## p. 106 (#266) ############################################
106 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Shall I again enjoy the social happiness for which
my heart is formed? Oh! my friend, my father (for so I will ever call thee), how prophetic were
my feelings upon thy death! How truly did they
inform me, that in loosing thee, I had sustained a
loss which would bring upon me various sorrowsI.
Wert thou living, I should not be as I now am, a.
stranger upon the earth...a being about whom no-
body seems interested!"
This idea brought with it an ardent wish to
know whether her parents were in existence; a
wish, however, which she endeavoured to dismiss,
from the very little probability there appeared of
ever having it gratified.
"If they are dead," said she, " and the dead
are ever permitted to review the world, perhaps at
this very moment they may behold my sorrows
with regret...perhaps at this moment..."
Here alow noise startled her. She rose with trem-
bling eagerness, but it had ceased; and concluding
it was the moaning of the wind she had heard, she
was resuming her seat, when again the noise re-
turned. Ere she could reach the door, however, to which she now hastened, it was thrown open
by a house-maid, who entered to make up the fire
for the night* A momentary blush suffused the
cheek of Jacintha, at the idea of her weakness, in
suffering herself to be so easily alarmed; and she
determined no longer to indulge the dejection to
which she imputed it, convinced that, if she did,
her mind would at length become totally enervated;
"Lord a mercy, miss, why don't you ring for
something for the fire ?" said the maid.
Jacintha now cast her eyes upon it, and, for the
first time, perceived it was almost out; for she
had been too much engrossed by her reflections}
to attend to any thing else.
## p. 107 (#267) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 10*
She learned with astonishment that it was past
ten, and that Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy had already
retired to their chambers.
"I dare say, miss," said the maid, " you were
surprised at not being called down to tea; but,
Lord, there has been neither tea nor supper in
the parlour to-night. Master and mistress," con-
tinued she, lowering her voice, and looking back
to see whether the door was closed, " have had a
little misunderstanding, I believe; and so they have
gone to their rooms without taking any thing."
Startled by this intelligence, Jacintha was
eagerly opening her lips to inquire what reason she
had for supposing so, when a sudden reflection on
the impropriety she should be guilty of, in con-
versing with a domestic on so delicate a subject,
prevented her, and made her change the inquiry
she had been about making, into one of a very dif-
ferent nature; then taking up a book, she affected
to be entirely engrossed by its contents, in order
to prevent any further conversation. The girl
perceiving this, ceased to speak, and soon with-
drew; but not without offering to bring Jacintha
some refreshment, which she declined.
Left again to uninterrupted meditation, she felt
more distressed than she had done before, in con-
sequence of what she had just heard; and, not-
withstanding her recent determination to resist the
influence of melancholy, she retired to rest with
an oppressed heart. ,
She was relieved from many apprehensions con-
cerning Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy, by finding them
together in the breakfast-parlour, the next morn-
ing; but the pleasure this circumstance inspired,
was soon dispelled by perceiving a deeper shade
of melancholy than ever upon their countenances:
she also found them more reserved than usual.
## p. 108 (#268) ############################################
108 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
The unsocial silence which prevailed was in-
terrupted, however, ere breakfast was over, by the
unexpected arrival of Woodville, who brought with
him his usual cheerfulness and vivacity. His ap-
pearance revived the languid spirits of Jacintha.
In him she beheld a person with whom she could
not only converse on the subject most interesting
to her heart, but a person who, she imagined, had
some regard for her...an idea truly consolatory at
this period.
Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy Jost somewhat of their
gloom on seeing him; but it was evident to Jacin-
tha, that the sudden cheerfulness which brightened
their looks, was derived, not from any satisfaction
they felt at his visit, but from a wish of conceal-
ing from him their unhappiness, lest he should at-
tempt to discover the source from whence it ori-
ginated.
Relative to their happiness, or her own, Jacintha
resolved not to drop a hint; honour and pride
alike prevented her from communicating either.
She deemed herself bound to conceal whatever
she thought her protectors wished to conceal; and
she shrunk from the humiliating idea of having it
known to any being, that she was indebted to hu-
manity, not to affection, for an asylum.
She found an opportunity, soon after breakfast,
of inquiring from Woodville, whether he was yet
acquainted with the late discovery respecting her.
He replied in the affirmative. He had met Mrs.
Greville accidentally, in London, he said, and she
had informed him of it.
"But," added he, "I could scarcely credit what
she told me."
"'Tis but too true, however," replied Jacintha,
with a deep sigh, and starting tears; " I belong
to nobody!"
## p. 109 (#269) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 109
"You will not long be able to say so," cried
Woodville, affectionately. "You will soon, I hope
and believe, belong to one of the noblest, the wor-
thiest of human beings."
The train of sweet ideas which these words in-
troduced into the mind of Jacintha, diffused such
a serenity over it, as enabled her, without any
great difficulty, to conceal its sorrows, and con-
verse, if not cheerfully, at least composedly, with
Woodville.
About the decline of day, a secret impulse car-
ried Mr. Decourcy to the spot where, on the pre-
ceding evening, he had met lord Gwytherin and
Jacintha. Woodville perceived him, from the
parlour window, crossing the lawn to the shrub-
bery; and not conceiving that he wished to be alone,
he followed him thither. Mr. Decourcy could
readily have dispensed with his company; he did
not permit him, however, to perceive that he was
disconcerted by it, and forced himself to enter
into conversation about some improvements he
purposed making in the grounds the ensuing
spring.
They had not proceeded far through the shrub-
bery, when they perceived a man slowly walking
before them, who, on hearing their steps, turned
round with quickness, and after glancing a moment
at them, darted into an obscure path and disap-
peared; but, iiotwithstanding his disguise, and the
precipitation with which he fled, Mr. Decourcy
recognized him to be lord Gwytherin, and starting
back, he uttered his name with something like an
execration.
"Lord Gwytherin!" repeated Woodville, with
scarcely less emotion. "What, does he reside in
this neighbourhood?"
## p. 110 (#270) ############################################
110 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"He has some secret residence in it," cried Mr.
Decourcy, in an accent expressive of displeasure. "You have seen him hereabouts, then,before?"
"Yes, yesterday, at this hour, and in this walk,
with miss Greville."
"Good God, is it possible!" exclaimed Wood-
ville. "Surely the meeting must have been acci-
dental."
"So she said," replied Mr. Decourcy, moving
towards the house as he spoke; "but they ap-
peared in a deep and interesting conversation, which
my approach interrupted; and from which circum-
stance, I am rather doubtful of the truth of her as-
sertion."
Woodville felt agitated and alarmed by this in-
telligence. He began to fear that the insinuating
manners of lord Gwytherin had not altogether
failed of making an impression on the mind of
Jacintha; else, surely, he thought, she never
could, for a moment, have been prevailed on to
hold any intercourse with a man, whose conduct to
her had been so atrocious...a man, whom delicacy
and propriety should have made her shun with con-
tempt and abhorrence. He felt deeply inter-
ested in her conduct, not only from the regard
which his knowledge of her, from her earliest
years, had inspired; but because with it was con-
nected the happiness, the honour, of the friend he
most loved and valued. After a little deliberation,
he resolved on speaking to her concerning it; to
inform her of what he had heard, and admonish
her of the dangers, difficulties and disgrace, which
the slightest deviation from propriety could not
fail of drawing upon her. The eternal stigma
which would be affixed to her name, if, situated as
she was respecting Egbert, she attempted to en-
## p. 111 (#271) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 111
courage the attentions of any other man, particu-
larly of such a man as lord Gwytherin, whose de-
signs relative to her, she knew to be of the most
injurious nature.
He wished to have inquired into her actions from
Mr. Decourcy; but the reserve of his manner, or
rather the unwillingness he betrayed to speak upon
the subject, prevented Woodville from doing so,
and inclined him to believe the apprehensions he
entertained of Jacintha'b being prepossessed in fa-
vour of lord Gwytherin, were not erroneous; and
also that that prepossession had led her into some
indiscretion, which had incurred the displeasure
of her protectors.
When once a suspicion is excited, the most tri-
vial circumstance can strengthen or confirm it,
like glowing embers, which the weakest breath
can fan into a flame.
The coldness of Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy's man-
ner; their too visible uneasiness, which not all
their efforts could conquer or conceal, counteracted
as these efforts were by internal wretchedness,
were proofs to Woodville that Jacintha had dis-
pleased them; and he felt impatient for an oppor-
tunity of warning her of the unpleasant conse-
quences which might, and would, in all probability,
result from forfeiting their esteem and affection.
But, eagerly as he sought for this opportunity,
it did not occur till the ensuing morning, when
perceiving Jacintha alone in the garden, within the
limits of which she had determined in future to
confine her rambles, he joined her, and after a lit-
tle hesitation, and many assurances of being urged
to speak in the manner he was about doing, by his
sincere regard and strong anxiety for her happi-
ness, he briefly explained himself.
## p. 112 (#272) ############################################
idS NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Jacinth a listened to him with profound attention,
but by degrees the blush of indignation suffused
her cheek, at the idea of his unjust suspicions.
When she reflected, however, that appearances
were against her, and that nothing but real
friendship could have prompted him to speak, to
counsel her, as he had done, resentment gave way
to gratitude; she warmly acknowledged her obli-
gations to him for his anxiety about her, and has-
tened to exculpate herself in his eyes. To do this
was not a difficult matter. Woodville could not
doubt her solemn assurances of having met lord
Gwytherin but by accident, and being detained by
him against her inclination; and perhaps, had
Egbert doubted her truth and constancy, he could
not have felt a purer joy at finding her able to
vindicate both, than Woodville experienced.
## p. 113 (#273) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 113
CHAP. XII.
"Forgive me, if I cannot better answer,
"Than by weeping."
Rowe.WOODVILLE and Jacintha separated
soon after the explanation which had taken place
between them; and the former went to amuse
himself, by rambling about the grounds.
As he was returning through the shrubbery,
which curiosity to know whether lord Gwytherin
would again be there, induced him to do, he
thought he heard a low murmur of voices from
a path at a little distance, and which was thickly
shaded by tall evergreens. With trembling ea-
gerness he paused a moment to listen; then light-
ly stepping forward, he beheld two persons slowly
advancing down the path, one of whom, he knew,
at the first glance, to be the disguised lord Gwythe-
rin, and the other greatly resembled Jacintha, in
figure ; but a thick veil which shaded her face,
together with the dusky light that now prevailed,
for he had prolonged his walk to a late hour, prevented him from distinguishing her features.
Determined not to lose such an opportunity
of ascertaining whether the suspicions, which
again began to pervade his mind, were well P" �
## p. 114 (#274) ############################################
114 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
ill-founded, Woodville sprang forward without
hesitation; but the moment he did so, lord
Gwytherin and his companion, who had not till
then observed him, separated, and taking oppo-
site directions, were almost immediately out of
sight.
Woodville could not hesitate a moment which
to follow. His anxiety to know who the lady
was, made him eagerly pursue her steps; but not
all the expedition he used enabled him to overtake
her, and he reached the house breathless and
disappointed.
The first object he cast his eyes upon, on en-
tering the hall, was Jacintha, muffled up exactly
as the person was whom he had seen with lord
Gwytherin. That she was that person, he now
could scarcely doubt; and it would have been
difficult to determine whether regret or indigna-
tion were most predominant in his mind at her
supposed duplicity. Jacintha, who was ascending
the stairs at his entrance, paused to speak to him;
but, instead of replying to what she said, he cast
a disdainful glance upon her, and passed into the
parlour.
Confounded by this conduct, Jacintha stood
for a few minutes transfixed to the spot. She
could only account for it by supposing, that either
his suspicions had not been entirely removed in
the morning, or had since revived...an idea which
wounded her as severely as their disclosure had
done; and nothing but the horror she felt at
lying under them, could have induced her to
follow him into the parlour, in order to receive
an explanation of it; or, at least, to inquire his
motives for treating her in a manner so. little ex-
pected.
## p. 115 (#275) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 115
v
Their long intimacy, the connection which ex-
isted between him and the family to whom she
had imagined she belonged, and the friendship
he had always professed for her, authorized her
making this inquiry ; yet, when opening her lips
for the purpose, pride and resentment opposed
her utterance, and she burst into tears.
WoodvLlle appeared extremely aflected.by her
emotion.
"If I have distressed you......" said he.
"If," repeated Jacintha; "Oh! Mr. Woodville,
can you indeed doubt having done so. Can you
indeed believe I am so insensible as not to feel,
acutely feel, contemptuous.treatment from those,
whose esteem I flattered myself I had possessed.
Be assured, nothing could alleviate the anguish it gives me, but the consciousness of not having
deserved it."
"I must, I do believe you," cried Woodville,
"notwithstanding all I have heard and seen. And
I must, I will believe, that when you hear what
I have to say, you will forgive the pain I have
caused you."
He then proceeded to relate the circumstances
which had impelled him to act as he had done
....circumstances, which Jacintha was almost
brought to acknowledge, were sufficiently strong
to lead him into error. She assured him solemn-
ly, that beyond the precincts of the garden she
had not been that day, nor meant to go, except
she could be assured that lord Gwytherin had
quitted the neighbourhood.
That she was not the person who had attracted
him to it, she sincerely rejoiced. Who it was,
she, could not possibly conjecture ; but that it was
z.2
## p. 116 (#276) ############################################
116 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
no one belonging to Mr. Decourcy's family, she
was almost certain.
The pardon which Woodville solicited with
humility and contrition, she granted, and promis-
ed, if possible, to think no more of the uneasiness
he had caused her.
## p. 117 (#277) ############################################
NOCTURNAL visit. 117
CHAP. XIII.
"She thrice essay'd to speak; her accents hung,
"And falt'ring dy'd, unfinish'd on her tongue,
"Or vanish'd into sighs; with long delay
"Her voice return'd, and found the wonted way."
DRYDEJT.
THE next morning, at breakfast, Mrs.
Decourcy proposed to Woodville to drive her out
in the phston, as the day was remarkably fine,
and asked Jacintha whether she chose to accom-
pany them. Jacintha said she would with plea-
sure, had she not received a letter that very day
from Mrs. Falkland (Mr. Frankland's eldest
daughter, lately married), which she wished to
answer immediately, as it contained some very
severe reproaches for her long silence.."reproaches which, she was anxious to convince her friend,
she did not merit.
Her excuse was admitted; and, as soon as they
drove off, she repaired to her chamber for the
purpose of writing a long and explanatory letter.
When finished, as Mrs. Decourcy and Woodville
were not returned from their ride, and the day
still continued fine, though the bright sunshine
had gone off, she quitted the house with an inten-
tion of walking into the gardens. They lay at a.
little distance from it, and the intermediate space
## p. 118 (#278) ############################################
118 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
. i
was thickly planted with trees and clumps of ever-
greens. From behind one of these clumps, ere
Jacintha had advanced many paces, to her great-
surprise (for she had do idea of meeting him so
near the house) lord Gwytherin rushed forward,
and, ere she could make an effort to avoid him,
seized her hand.
"Suffer me to detain you," cried he, "I con-
jure, I entreat you....if!but for a minute."
"I will, my lord," said Jacintha, with a kind of
calm disdain in her voice and'countenance; "I
will suffer you to detain me, that I may have an
opportunity of telling you, if you continue to per-
secute me in this manner, I must be under the un-
pleasant necessity of requesting the interference of
my friends."
"Your friends have used me cruelly," exclaim-
ed he, in a passionate accent, "or you would not
speak to me in this manner. Good God! why
have they left it to me to make a discovery so pain-
fully interesting? Why left it to me....to tell you,
that"
He paused, apparently overcome by the violence-
of his emotions.
Jacintha became agitated; resentment gave place-
to curiosity.
"What," asked she, in a tremulous accent, and turning as pale as death, "What is it my friends
have leftjwtt to tell me?"
"What I wish I could natter my self would give you pleasure."
"Be explicit, my lord ;....you torture me by this
suspense," cried she, with increasing agitation.
"They have left it to me to tell you," said he,
in a solemn voice, and looking earnestly at her as
he spoke, "that I "He again paused, for.
Jacintha seemed ready to drop at his feet.
## p. 119 (#279) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 1 If
"Go on, my lord,".cried Jacintha, in a faint
voice. "You can scarcely pain me more by any
discovery you have to make, than by the conjec-
tures you have excited."
"They have left it to me then, to inform you,"
resumed he, " that I am your father!"
These words acted like an electric shock upon
Jacintha. Her senses, which appeared gradually
receding, were instantly revived. She shrieked.
"YOU my father!" exclaimed she wildly, "youmy
father! Oh God! it is impossible!"
"You doubt, because you wish to disbelieve,"
cried lord Gwytherin, resentfully; "but Mrs. De-
courcy will confirm the truth of my assertion. She
will"
He ceased, for Jacintha at this moment sunk
almost fainting against his shoulder, overpowered
by the suddenness of this discovery, or rather by
the horror she felt at finding herself the daughter
of a man who had meditated her destruction.
Terrified by her situation, lord Gwytherin laid
her gently upon the grass, and tried, by chafing
her hands, to revive her. In a short time she came
a little to herself; but the moment her half-opened
eyes glanced upon him, they were again closed,
with a shivering sensation of disgust and abhor-
rence, and she involuntarily withdrew her hand.
"I see," cried he, in a voice expressive of re-
sentment and anguish, and starting from the
ground on which he had knelt beside her, " I see,
you detest me. Would to God, I had withstood
the pleadings of my heart..Jon would not then
have been distressed by the present discovery;
nor should I have been agonized, by knowing I
was an object of hatred to my child."
"If I have said or done any thing to displease
you, my lord," said Jacintha, who now felt it a
## p. 120 (#280) ############################################
120 .NOCTURNAL VISIT.
duty to endeavour to conceal the sentiments with
which he had inspired her, "impute my having
done so not to design, but to the confusion into
which surprise has thrown me."
"May I then flatter, myself," cried lord Gwy-
therin, as he raised her from the ground, "that you really do not hate me; or rather," added he, hesi-
tatingly, " may I hope that you will endeavour not
to do so? That, when time has proved the sinceri-
ty of my affection for you, as well as repentance
for the conduct which gave you pain, you will give me a place in your regard? Had I sooner known my relationship to you, I should sooner have en-
deavoured to render myself worthy of that regard,
and should also have avoided many errors and in.
discretions, which I can never cease to regret."
"Mention them no more, my lord, I conjure
you," cried Jacintha, inexpressibly shocked, as
she well knew to what he alluded. "For mercy's
sake," she exclaimed, with a wildness of look which
alarmed him, " never again recur to what is past!
But tell me," she added, "to what strange cause
is it owing, that you were kept so long in igno-
rance of my connexion to you?"
"To do so," said lord Gwytherin, "to relate
the variety of circumstances which conspired to
keep me in ignorance, not only of your affinity to
me, but of your very existence, would require
more time than either of us can command at pre-
sent."
"Good God !....my very existence!" repeated
Jacintha. "I am all amazement at what I hear,
and shall know no peace till I am acquainted with
the mysterious circumstances you have alluded to. My mother too...she......"
## p. 121 (#281) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. r 12 r
"Who she is," said lord Gwytheriri, * you
shall"
He was interrupted by Jacintha.
"Who she is," repeated she, and grasped his
arm...." She lives then...I have a mother!"
"Who she is," resumed lord Gwytherin, with
a calmness which, had Jacintha been sufficiently
composed to have observed it, would have surpris-
ed her, "you shall hear; as well as every par-
ticular of our unfortunate story, whenever you can
give me an opportunity of conversing with you in
private."
"In private," said Jacintha, "must it be now
in private-!"
"It must," replied lord Gwytherin ; " 'tis dan-
gerous for us to be seen together."
Jacintha started, and cast an apprehensive
glance around.
"I think, cried she, "you spoke as if Mrs. De-
courcy knew of our relationship."
"I did," replied he; "she is acquainted with
it."
"And she only?" asked Jacintha.
"Yes; and with her the knowledge of it must
rest. Fame, honour, happiness....nay, life itself,
depend on its being kept a profound secret."
Jacintha lifted her hands in astonishment.
"Oh that you could now," she cried, "gratify
my ardent curiosity I"
"'Tis impossible," said he; "but sure you
could soon contrive to give me an opportunity of
speaking to you."
"I know not how I can do so," replied Jacintha,
"for I am watched...! am "She paused, for she
could not bring herself to say she was suspected;
' could you not, therefore, write:" she added.
## p. 122 (#282) ############################################
124 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"Impossible ",...a letter could never fully explain
the circumstances you wish to learn. Besides,
even if it could, I should be too much agitated in
retracing those circumstances, to be able to write."
Jacintha considered for a moment.
"This evening, perhaps," said she, " I"
"Hush !" cried lord Gwytherin, in a low voice;
"did you not hear a rustling amongst the trees?"
Jacintha, without attempting to listen, motion-
ed for him to leave her; terrified almost to death,
at the idea of his being seen with her by Wood-
ville.
He instantly obeyed her motion, and had scarce-
ly disappeared, when she beheld Woodville ap-
proaching.
She endeavoured to calm her perturbation, and
walked towards him as fast as her trembling limbs
could carry her.
"Have you been long out?" asked Woodville,
as he met her.
"Not very long," she replied, and tried to shun
his eyes as she spoke, from a conviction that her
countenance was a faithful index of her mind.
Woodville was too quick, however, in his ob-
servations not to perceive at once the disorder of
her looks, and, in an accent of surprise, exclaimed.
"Good heaven! what is the matter? You look
pale and frightened! Has any thing happened to
alarm you?"
"No, nothing," said Jacintha, still more agitat-
ed, from finding he had noticed her agitation. She
then endeavoured to change the discourse, by ask-
ing whether he had had a pleasant ride.
If Woodville mused for some minutes before he
answered her, and then, in a cold and careless
manner, said....
"Yes, a very pleasant one."
## p. 123 (#283) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 123
Jacintha asked a few other trifling questions,
which he continued to answer with the same air
of indifference, and on entering the house they
separated; she being wounded to the soul by his
behaviour, which evidently implied a revival of his
unjust suspicions concerning her. That time,
however, would prove their unjustness, and fully
eradicate them, she could not doubt; and from
this idea, felt the pain they at present gave her
much diminished.
## p. 124 (#284) ############################################
124 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
CHAP. XIV.
With how secure a brow and specious form
He gilds the secret villain! Sure that face
Was meant for honesty; but Heav'n mismatch'd it,
And furnish'd Treason out with Nature's pomp,
To make its work more easy.
See how he sets his countenance for deceit,
And promises a lie before he fpeaks!"
SAID OF DOLABELLA BY ANTHONY.
A FEAR of agitating Mrs. Decourcy, by
too suddenly revealing her knowledge of a secret
which it was evident she never wished to learn,
checked the impulse which would otherwise have
carried Jacintha immediately to her, for the pur-
pose of doing so; and she retired to her chamber,
in order to try and compose her spirits ere she ap-
peared at dinner: but to succeed in this attempt
was at present impossible. What she had so re-
cently heard, as well as what she still expected to
hear, kept her mind in a state of agitation, which
rendered all her efforts to regain composure una-
vailing. Nor could she divest herself of the hor-
ror which had seized her the moment she learned
she was the daughter of lord Gwytherin; and so far
from increasing her happiness, she was convinced
the late discovery would considerably lessen it,
since it could not fail of being a lasting source of
anguish to her, to know a parent, to whom her
## p. 125 (#285) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 125
heart could pay no homage, whom she could
neither love nor esteem.
In vain she endeavoured to awaken tender sen-
timents in his favour, by representing to herself
his affection for her; to which alone she could
suppose his disclosing their relationship was
owing. The remembrance of his former conduct
could not be obliterated, and her soul recoiled
from the idea of even calling, him her father.
She rejoiced to think that they would seldom,
if ever, be together, in consequence of the neces-
sity there was for keeping their connection a
profound secret....a necessity which too clearly
proved the unhappy circumstances under which
she was born.
With a flood of tears she resigned the pleasing
idea she had heretofore cherished, of her parents
being virtuous; yet she still hoped she should hear
something that might palliate their conduct.
She regretted not having been more urgent
with lord Gwytherin, to inform her who her mo-
ther was. A thousand strange conjectures began
to float upon her brain; and, in consequence of
them, she felt pleased she had not been abrupt
in her communications to Mrs. Decourcy, and
finally determined not to acquaint her with what
she had heard, till she had again seen lord Gwy-
therin, and conversed with him.
Absorbed in thought, she forgot the lateness
of the hour, till restored to recollection by the
entrance of a maid servant, who informed her
dinner was nearly ready. Jacintha started up at
this intelligence, and hastening to the toilet, be-
gan to adjust her dress.
"I have brought you a letter, miss," said the
maidv presenting her one as she spoke, " which
## p. 126 (#286) ############################################
186 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Nanny Wilson's little boy gave me a few minutes
ago for you. He says it is from his mother,
about some work she was to do for you."
"For me," repeated Jacintha, breaking open
the letter, in astonishment, which was not dimi-
nished by perceiving the signature of lord Gwy-
therin. The contents were as follow:
"I am obliged to go to town to-morrow; and,
as I do not know when I may have another oppor-
tunity of conversing with you, I earnestly entreat
you to let me see you this evening. Just before
we parted, I think you said something of being
able to do so. Let me know whether I was mis-
taken. Be under no apprehension of this letter
leading to any discovery; the person entrusted
with the conveyance of it, does not know who it
comes from. Adieu! Believe me with the truest
affection, "Yours,
GWYTHERIN."
Jacintha hesitated a moment, then sitting down
to her writing-table, she wrote as follows:....
"MY LORD,
"Between the hours of eight and nine, this
evening, come to the glass door, on the south
side of the house, which opens from the lawn into
the breakfast-parlour. I will receive you there,
if it be possible for me to do so; if not, I flatter
myself you will contrive some method of acquaint-
ing me with the particulars I am so anxious to
learn. With respect,
"I remain, my lord,
"Your obedient
J. G.
## p. 127 (#287) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. I2f
The moment she had sealed her note, which
she did not direct, she dispatched the maid with
it, and crushing lord Gwytherin'%, was proceed-
ing to throw it into the fire, when the sudden
ringing of the dinner-bell, made her hastily put
it into her pocket, and descend, without altering
her dress, to the drawing-room, where, besides
the usual family party, she found three gentlemen
and two ladies, who resided in the neighbourhood,
whom Mrs. Decourcy had met in her excursion,
and invited to, dinner.
Jacintha considered their coming a very for-
tunate circumstance for her, as- she naturally
thought Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy's being engaged
with company, would enable her to see Lord Gwy-
therin with greater ease and less danger of detec-
tion, than she could otherwise have done; yet,
notwithstanding this idea,'she still looked forward
to her meeting him with trembling apprehension,
and so great at times were her terrors of the
consequences which might ensue from doing so,
that nothing but her strong anxiety to be informed
of her mother, could have kept her faithful to her.
appointment.
The conversation during dinner was pretty general, and tolerably lively, and it was past eight, ere the ladies retired from the parlour.
Confused and irresolute, Jacintha hesitated up-
on the stairs whether she should follow them into .
the drawing-room or not. During this hesitation,
they had entered it, which she no sooner-perceiv-
ed, than she turned into a passage which led to,
a flight of back-stairs, by which she descended
to the breakfast-parlour, where a dull fire still burned; she fastened the door by which she en--
tered, and then lightly stepping to the one. that?
.Mi 2-
## p. 128 (#288) ############################################
128 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
opened upon the lawn, unbolted it, and beheld
lord Gwytherin at a little distance, slowly walking before it. The moment he saw her, he hast-
ened to her, and taking her hand, pressed it in
expressive silence to his lips.
Jacintha trembled violently as she admitted him
into the parlour, and for some minutes could
scarcely articulate a word.
Lord Gwytherin endeavoured to re-assure her.
As soon as she was a little composed, he inform-
ed her that after they had parted, he had received
a letter requiring his immediate return to town.
"I should have been miserable," continued he,
"had I departed without satisfying the curiosity
I knew I had excited in your mind, and again
entreating you to try and overcome the unhappy
prejudices which, I know, you have conceived
against me."
"I am all impatience, my lord," said-Jacintha,
without appearing to notice these last words,
"for the particulars you have promised to com-
municate. Besides, I am fearful of being too long
absent."
"I cannot," said lord Gwytherin, in a low
voice, and seating Jacintha and himself as he
spoke, " reveal the circumstances which you are
so desirous of learning, without previously de-
claring, that the errors (if you will permit me to
call them by so mild a term), which, in the course
of my narrative, I must acknowledge having com-
mitted, were owing more to education than to
disposition, lest, if wholly unexcused, they should
lead you to imagine me totally unworthy of your
esteem and regard; which, to obtain, would, I as-
sure you, confer upon me the highest happiness."
## p. 129 (#289) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 129
Here he paused, and looking earnestly at Ja-
cintha, expecting, perhaps, some complimentary
answer from her. If he did so, however, he was
disappointed, for Jacintha was too sincere to
speak a language foreign to the feelings of her
heart; and, after a short silence, he resumed his
narrative.
"Instructed rather in the art of gratifying than
restraining my passions, which, from being natu-
rally ardent, particularly needed controul; brought
up amidst scenes of dissipation, and launched, at
an early period of life, into a world abounding
with temptations for the rich, the great, and the
inexperienced temptations, which sometimes
not all the boasted stoicism of the philosopher can
enable him to resist; can it excite wonder that I,
who neither possessed coolness nor caution, and
was a stranger alike to moral precept and exam-
ple, should yield to their seductions, and be led
into actions inconsistent with virtue?"
Here he again paused, in hopes, perhaps, of
hearing something from Jacintha, which might
enable him to ascertain whether she admitted the
apology he offered for his conduct; but she was
silent, and he soon proceeded.
"The sensibility of my heart, and the warmth
of my disposition, rendered me particularly sus-
ceptible of the attractions of your sex ; but, not-
withstanding the homage I paid to them....the
tenderness, the admiration they inspired, I was
resolutely determined against marrying; not so
much from a consciousness of any inconstancy
in my temper, as from the many instances I had
seen of conjugal infidelity and infelicity. If I ever
felt inclined to change this resolution, it certain-
ly was in favour of your mother, who was un-
## p. 130 (#290) ############################################
130 NOCTURNAL VISIT,
doubtedly the most lovely and bewitching creature
I ever beheld."
"Tell me," cried Jacintha, no longer able J.O.
controul her strong impatience, "tell me," said
she, scarcely able to speak, and involuntarily rest-
ing her hand upon his arm, " who was my mo-
ther?"
"A sister of Mr. Decourcy's."
"Good heaven! a sister of Mr. Decourcy's!"
exclaimed Jacintha, with uplifted hands and eyes.
"Yes. She was educated in Ireland, and sent,
when about seventeen, to an aunt in London, for
the purpose, I believe, of being advantageously
settled. She received the very particular atten-
tions I paid her, almost from the moment we be-
came acquainted, with evident pleasure ; but not-
withstanding my vanity, that vanity so natural to
the youthful mind, I could not avoid perceiving I
was more indebted for her smiles to my rank and
fortune, than to my person and accomplishments..
I was piqued on making this discovery. We all
like to be regarded merely for our own merits, and not for any accidental advantages we may pos-
sess; and, in consequence of it, I thought myself
justifiable in forming designs against her. la
these designs I was soon too successful: while she
imagined she was drawing me into her net, I com-
pletely entangled her in mine. You shudder. My
conduct certainly was very culpable, and I review
it myself, I assure you, with very great remorse:
but, after all, it is your total ignorance of man-
kind which makes it appear so very atrocious to
you. Vices and virtues are lessened and increased
by comparison; and I have no doubt, when you
acquire a greater knowledge in the world, of the
deceits which are practised, the dreadful crimes
## p. 131 (#291) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 131
that are daily perpetrated in it, that you will look
with more lenity than you do at present upon my
actions."
"Heaven forbid," said Jacintha, "that I should
only be taught mercy for the frailties of one fel-
low-creature, by hearing of the superior enormi-
ties of another!"
"And yet nothing is more common, nothing is
more natural," cried lord Gwytherln. " We think
of the plunderer with indignation, till we hear of
the assassin; and rail with severity against the
flattery of the sycophant, till we hear of the ingra-
titude of the friend."
"I allow the justness of what you say, my lord,"
replied Jacintha; " but pray proceed in your
narrative. I am all impatience to learn the fate of
my unfortunate mother."
"Sorrow and repentance followed her deviation
from virtue," continued he, "both of which, I
assure you, I afterwards felt in their fullest extent,
for my conduct towards her."
"Tired by her incessant reproaches and impor-
tunate demands to make atonement for her wrongs,
I at length detached myself entirely from her,
and flew to amusement, as a resource against the
regret and compunction which would now and
then, even at that period, when I was volatile and
unthinking, misled by company, and hardened
byexample, obtrude upon my mind on her ac-
count."
"Ah!" said Jacintha, involuntarily, " you
might have found a much easier and more effec-
tual way of banishing those feelings, than by fly-
ing to dissipation."
Lord Gwytherin sighed deeply, or at least af-
fected to do so; and, after the pause of a minute,
proceeded. ^
## p. 132 (#292) ############################################
132 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"I almost dread to go on," said he, "lest I
should injure myself irrevocably in your opinion."
"Oh, my lord !" exclaimed Jacintha, " surely
you would not have the barbarity to leave me in
this state of suspense?"
Well," said he, " I will proceed, begging you
to remember, that if my enormities have been
great, my penitence is sincere. In a short time
after I had bidden your mother a last adieu, I be-
came acquainted with Mrs. Decourcy. She was
then unmarried; from the beauty which she still pos-
sesses, you may judge what she must have been in
the early part of her life. To the unrivalled love-
liness she then possessed, were united a simplicity,
an innocence irresistibly attractive. I beheld her
with instantaneous admiration, and as instantly resolved to attempt the conquest of her heart.
Success crowned the attempt; but the designs I
hoped to accomplish, in consequence of that suc-
cess"
"Were defeated," exclaimed Jacintha.
"They were. Through your mother's means
she was rescued from my snares."
"Oh, blessed and happy interference!" cried
Jacintha.
"Be assured," said lord Gwytherin, " though
provoked and disappointed at the time I lost her,
I have since sincerely rejoiced at her preservation,
after what had passed; for she eloped from her
home with me, under an idea that my intentions
were honourable. She could not think of return-
ing to her friends; she was therefore compelled
to accept the protection of your mother ; and for-
tunate was it for her that she did so, as it was the
means of introducing her to the amiable man she
afterwards married. From the period I lost her
## p. 133 (#293) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 133
till the present, I never saw her; nor, without the
utmost difficulty, could I now procure an interview
with her, though I came hither merely for that
purpose."
"But she was the person whom you met in the
demesne," said Jacintha.
"She was," replied he. "On coming hither,
I took up my abode in an obscure inn at Hatfield,
from whence a confidential servant had a letter
conveyed to her by a country-boy, containing an
earnest request from me, to be permitted to con-
verse with her a few minutes in private relative to
you. She at first refused this request; but, on
its being repeated, at length consented to meet
me; but not all my solicitations could prevail on
her to make you acquainted with the secret of
your birth, for the purpose of doing which I alone
sought an interview with her."
"And what reason," asked Jacintha, rather
hesitatingly, " did she assign for wishing me not
to know it?"
"Oh ! many reasons, too tedious here to repeat,
none of which I could allow to be just; in short,
my heart was bent upon making the discovery, for
I could not endure the idea of still continuing to
be an object oft error and aversion to you. Besides,
the love I felt for your mother....a love which,
little as my conduct agrees with the assertion,
never knew any great diminution, urged me to
assure her child of my affection, and endeavour to
inspire her with some degree of reciprocal tender-
ness.
"As I could neither intrude into Mrs. Decour-
cy's house, nor force her to reveal the secret I was
so desirous you should hear, I resolved, from time
to time, to hover about your habitation till I could
## p. 134 (#294) ############################################
134 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
obtain an opportunity for disclosing it myself. I
have at length succeeded in doing so; and should
it occasion any alteration in your sentiments....
should it create in your bosom any interest in my
favour, I shall feel greater happiness than I ever
before experienced. Tell me then, my dear and
charming girl, tell me that you will, in future, try
to look upon me as a father, and forget and forgive
my past offences."
"May Heaven forgive them !" said Jacintha.
His lordship piously ejaculated, " Amen !" Then
taking her hand, he was pressing it with fervour
to his lips, when Jacintha, shuddering, involuntarily
withdrew it from him.
Immediately, however, recollecting herself, she
said, though without returning it....
"I hope, my lord, I shall never be forgetful "of
the duties of a daughter."
"Those duties," thought she, " which were so
early taught me by the best of men. Ah ! if he
who now acknowledges himself my father, re-
sembled him whom I believed so long to be so,
what very different feelings should I at this instant
experience!" 
"I am sure you never will," replied he, " and I
derive pleasure from the assurance; but it is a
pleasure, damped by the idea of not being able to
acknowledge you publicly, and proudly boast to
the world of such a daughter; but the fame of
your mother, as well as many other considerations,
totally prevent such a measure."
"You have not yet, my lord," said she, " grati-
fied my anxious curiosity respecting my mother;
nor informed me by what, or rather by whose
means, I was placed under the care of Mr. Gre
ville.
## p. 135 (#295) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 135
"Your mother," resumed his lordship, " made
Mrs. Decourcy her confidant; and she was the
person who consigned you to the protection of Mr.
Greville, to be brought up as his child, and with a
strict injunction to secrecy, which I am certain he
would not have adhered to; but"
Here lord Gwytherin faltered; and appeared
embarrassed ; and Jacintha again became violently agitated.
"The moment I learned our relationship," con-
tinued lord Gwytherin, recovering from his con-
fusion, "I would have acquainted you with it, had
not Mr. Greville dissuaded me from doing so, by
a variety of arguments not necessary here to men-
tion; but so restless and unhappy did I feel in
consequence of yielding to them, that I was on the
point of returning to Wyefield, when I received
an account of his death, and your departure from
it."
"But my mother," interrupted Jacintha;" Tell, me, my lord, of her."
"She lives," said he, " in the possession of every
blessing this life can bestow."
Jacintha started, and uttered an exclamation of
surprise.
"In the possession of happiness and honour," re-
sumed he, " she lives. A faithful wife, an estima-
ble mother; beloved by her intimates, and admir-
ed by all who know her."
"Then I find," said Jacintha, " I have been ut-
terly mistaken. I imagined my mother to be the
eldest sister of Mr. Decourcy, who, many years
ago, I have heard Mrs. Decourcy say, conceived a
dislike to the world, and retired to a convent in
France, though without taking the vows."
B b
## p. 136 (#296) ############################################
136 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
"No," replied lord Gwytherin, " your mother
is his youngest sister, the countess of Dunsane.
Soon after your birth (of which it was her intention
I should never hear,) she accompanied some
friends to the continent, where she met the earl,
the descendant of a noble Irish family; who, in
consequence of their attachment to the cause of
James the Second, lost the principal part of their
property in Ireland; but, by splended alliances in
France, regained nearly an equivalent for it. The
earl became her captive almost the moment he be-
held her, and soon made proposals, which she ac-
cepted without hesitation."
"Without hesitation !" repeated Jacintha.
"Yes; by him she has obtained dignities she was
always ambitious of possessing, and has two lovely
daughters, over whom she watches with all the
solicitude of a tender parent."
"Is she then so much engrossed by these happy
daughters,"said Jacintha, with starting tears, "as
to be utterly regardless of me? Alas! have the
unfortunate circumstances under which I was born
drawn so great a curse upon me, as to deprive me
f my mother's love?"
"Regard for her reputation prevented her from
noticing you," cried lord Gwytherin; "but I can-
not suppose you are either forgotten or disre-
garded."
"Oh! could I hope so," said Jacintha. "Oh!
could I hope ever to be known to her....ever to ex-
perience from her the kindness, the attention of a
mother, what happiness should I derive from the
idea!"
"Well, do not despair," replied lord Gwytherin;
'' some lucky chance may yet introduce you to her;
and I am certain she could not know you, without
admiring and esteeming you."
## p. 137 (#297) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. 137
"I wish I could think so, " said Jacintha, with
fervour. She then proceeded to ask so many
questions concerning this mother (for whom, not-
withstanding the high disapprobation with which
her conduct had inspired her, she felt all her ten-
derness awakened), that lord Gwytherin at length
became weary of answering her, and shifted the
discourse, to question her, in his turn, concerning
Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy's conduct towards her.
On this she expatiated with all the warmth of
gratitude, carefully avoiding any expression which
could convey an idea of her ever having thought
their affection on the decline.
Lord Gwytherin professed himself highly pleased
with what she had told him; but begged to know
whether she yet knew what their intentions were
respecting her.
"I never bestowed a thought upon such a sub-
ject, my lord," replied Jacintha.
"Well, well, I dare say they'll act nobly by
you," said his lordship.
"They have already done so, my lord," cried
Jacintha, warmly. "But for them, disclaimed
and unacknowledged as I was, without a home,
without a refuge, in how unpleasant a situation
might I have been at present!"
"True," said he, with an indifference in his
manner which hurt Jacintha, and seemed strange,
after his professions of affection for her; "true,
their taking you under their protection was a very
fortunate circumstance indeed; and I assure you, I should be much more miserable than I am at
present, from not being able to take you under
mine, but for the happy manner in which you are
situated/'
## p. 138 (#298) ############################################
138 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Jacintha sighed deeply, but did not speak; and
he proceeded to ask her a few other questions re-
lative to Egbert, which she answered very briefly,
as they evidently appeared to her to be dictated
more by curiosity, than any solicitude about his
welfare. .
He then rose to depart; but ere he bade her
adieu, he put into her hand a miniature resem-
blance of himself, which had been presented by him
to her mother, and returned by her, when all hopes
of an honourable union between them were dis-
solved. Jacintha received with trembling emo-
tion, what her fancy immediately represented to
her had been bedewed with the repentant tears of
a mother, and placed it in her bosom.
He repeated his assurances of regard, and ex-
pressed his earnest hopes that she would endeavour
to cultivate other sentiments for him, than those he
feared she at present entertained; and made her
promise she would, as often as possible, give him
an opportunity of conversing with her, which, he
said, he doubted not she would often have the
power of doing, through Mrs. Decourcy's means,
to whom, he supposed, she meant to communicate
what he had told her.
Jacintha replied in the affirmative. For her in-
tended communication to Mrs. Decourcy she had
indeed a double motive; first, to obtain a more
circumstantial account of the particulars she
wished to learn, than she had received from his
lordship, whose broken, disjointed and cursory nar-
rative had not by any means gratified her curiosity;
and, secondly, to consult with her how she should
regulate her actions with respect to him; for since
their relationship was to be kept an inviolable se-
cret, she dreaded, from the peculiar delicacy of
## p. 139 (#299) ############################################
NOCTURNAL visit. 139
her situation, the irreparable injury she might do.
herself by having any correspondence with him.
And yet, notwithstanding this dread, she almost
felt a reluctance to decline it entirely, from the
impression which his repeated assurances of af-
fection had made upon her. Could she have looked
into his heart, however, this reluctance would in-
stantly have vanished; for she would then have
perceived that he was not more a stranger to any
thing like tenderness for her, than to any thing
like repentance for his past enormities; that the
most selfish considerations had alone induced him
to disclose the secret of her birth; and that, had
she been unnoticed by her present protectors, she
would have never been noticed by him.
When his atrocious designs against her impelled
Mr. Greville to divulge the connection between
them, he perfectly agreed with that good man, in
thinking it right to keep her still, as well as every
other person, in ignorance of it.
The remorse and horror with which his conduct
towards her had involuntarily inspired him, were
of short duration, and on quitting the country, he
ceased entirely to think about her; nor was she
ever recalled to his remembrance till he heard of
her being taken under the protection of Mr. and
Mrs. Decourcy, and that she was considered as the
person who would possess the largest portion of
their wealth.
The advantages which might, nay, would result
(he doubted not, from her general character, and
his own knowledge of her disposition) to him here-
after, from his relationship to her being known,
immediately occurred to him, and determined him
to conceal it no longer from her.
b2
## p. 140 (#300) ############################################
140 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
The measures he took to put this determination
into execution, have been already explained. He
possessed too much discernment not to discover
the feelings which Jacintha at present entertained
for him; but he flattered himself his affected ten-
derness, and insinuating manners, would by de-
grees completely overcome them, and give him
such an ascendancy over her mind as, for his own
sake, he wished to acquire. Though he doubted
not her receiving a more particular account of
past occurrences from Mrs. Decourcy than she
had received from him, he felt no great apprehen-
sions at this idea; as he was almost persuaded,
that Mrs. Decourcy was far too amiable to dwell
upon any circumstances which had a tendency to
create or strengthen a prejudice in the bosom of
a child against a parent.
"My ardent anxiety to discover my parents, is
then at length satisfied," said Jacintha to herself,
as lord Gwytherin departed from her; "but has
it occasioned me any pleasure? Ah! no. Whilst
they were unknown to me, I believed them virtu-
ous, and rejoiced in the belief; but now"
She checked the reflections that were rising in
her mind, and crossing the room with cautious
steps, unbolted the door.
## p. 141 (#301) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT, 141
CHAP. XV.
"Methought, ev'nnow, I mark'd the starts of guilt
"That shook her soul."
HOWE.
"Under how hard a fate are women born!
"Friz'd to their ruin, or expos'd to scorn!"
WALLER.
To give a just idea of the consternation
into which Jacintha was thrown, when, on opening
the door, she beheld Woodville speaking to a ser-
vant within a few paces of it, is utterly impossible.
She started back, and for a minute remained im-
moveable; then recollecting that her confusion of
itself was sufficient to confirm any suspicions he
might entertain against her, she again came for-
ward, and passed him in silence to the stair-case.
Had she indeed been inclined to speak to him, his
conduct would have effectually prevented her from
doing so; for, as she approached, he turned from
her with an angry and contemptuous glance, which
clearly proved the ideas that then predominated
in his mind.
Confused and agitated, Jacintha would have pre-
ferred going to her chamber, to the drawing-room,
had she not feared exciting unpleasant inquiries or
surmises, by longer absenting herself from the lat-
ter ; thither therefore she repaired, and found all the
## p. 142 (#302) ############################################
U* NOCTURNAL VISIT.
dinner party assembled. No questions were asked
concerning her long absence from the company,
and she would have felt happy could she have flat-
tered herself no observations were made upon it.
But that this was not the case, the behaviour of
Woodville convinced her; and she resolved on
acquainting Mrs. Decourcy the next morning with
what she had heard this day, and advising with her
on what measures she should take for endeavouring
to remove his injurious ideas respecting her. Soon
after she had entered the drawing-room, he return-
ed to it, but continued cool and reserved through-
out the evening.
The uneasiness of Jacintha was considerably in-
creased by finding, on retiring to her chamber,
that she had dropped lord Gwytherin's letter from
her pocket. She would immediately have gone
in search of it, could she have flattered herself the
search would prove successful; but that this would
be the case she could not think, from the length
of time which had elapsed since she lost it. She
dreaded its having fallen into Woodville's hands,
from the necessity such a.circumstance would lay
her under of revealing (in order to remove the un-
pleasant suspicions it must naturally confirm ia
his mind) the truth concerning lord Gwytherin,
which she couldxhave wished, from pride as well
as other feelings, only to have disclosed to Egbert.
The agitation of her mind precluded sleep; and,
at an early hour the next morning, she was in the
breakfast-parlour, where she endeavoured to amuse
herself by reading, till Mrs. Decourcy made her
appearance.
" I have got a letter for you, Jacintha," said
Mrs. Decourcy, as she entered the parlour.
## p. 143 (#303) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. US
"For me, madam," cried Jacintha, in a joyful
accent; for it instantly occurred to her that she
had found the letter about which she was so un-
easy.
." Yes. Woodville set off for town this morn-
ing before it was light; and, in a letter which he
left for me to apologize for his abrupt departure,
owing, he said, to the sudden recollection of some
business he had to transact in town to-day, he en-
closed one for you; about the contents of which,
he added, if I felt curious, he was certain you
would inform me."
"Undoubtedly, madam," said Jacintha, as she
received the letter, which contained the following
lines:
"I should ill deserve a title which has hitherto
given me pleasure....the title of your friend, if,
perceiving the dangers you are incurring, I did
not warn you of them. The most fatal conse-
quences can scarcely fail of resulting from your
continuing to have private interviews with lord
Gwytherin. If your heart feels a preference for
him, for heaven's sake, avow it to those who have
a right to inquire into his intentions respecting
you (which Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy undoubtedly
have, from your being under their immediate pro-
tection), and no longer trifle with your reputation
and happiness....blessings which, be assured, if
once lost, can never be regained. The most ar-
dent solicitude about your welfare has dictated this
letter, and to hear you have attended to it, will
confer real pleasure upon
"H. WOODVILLE."
"How unfortunate," thought Jacintha, " that
he should have left the country with such unfa-
vourable impressions against me!"
## p. 144 (#304) ############################################
144 NOCTURNAL visit. "What's the matter, my dear girl?" asked
Mrs. Decourcy, with a greater air of cheerfulness
than she had for a long time before spoken to Ja-
cintha, observing her change colour. "I really
am beginning to feel some curiosity about the
contents of that letter, since I perceive it has af-
fected you."
"Your curiosity shall be gratified after breaks fast, madam," replied Jacintha, " if you will per-
mit me to attend you to your dressing-room. I
have much, besides the contents of this letter, to
impart to you."
"To me^* said Mrs. Decourcy, with a look
expressive of surprise ; and she was about making
some inquiry, when the entrance of Mr. Decourcy
prevented her.
Jacintha could no longer entertain the smallest
doubt of Woodville's having found her lost letter,
and discovered her interview the preceding even-
ing with lord Gwytherin. She was not mistaken
in thinking so; he had indeed done both. On
-rising to accompany the other gentlemen to the
drawing-room, he found the letter, which she had
drawn from her pocket with her handkerchief,
near his chair, and which an irresistible curiosity
immediately prompted him to read. Fired with
indignation by its perusal, he hastily ascended to
the drawing-room, to see whether she was there;
on missing her, and learning from Mrs. Decourcy,
to whom he made a trembling inquiry respecting
her, that she had been long absent, he abruptly
quitted it, for the purpose of searching for her
without the house; and was taking his hat from a
servant, when he heard her unbolt the parlour-
door, and saw her coming from it.
## p. 145 (#305) ############################################
NOCTURNAL VISIT. US
A sudden impulse of resentment and disdain
made him turn from her, and he did not re-enter
the drawing-room till the agitation, which her
supposed duplicity had thrown him into, had in
some degree subsided.
To remonstrate with her upon the impropriety
of her conduct, after all he had already said to her
upon that subject, would, he feared, be unavail-
ing; and the only expedient he could devise for
saving her from the destruction he believed im-
pending over her, was to acquaint the friends,
with whom she resided, of the danger she was in-
curring. From an open and abrupt disclosure,
however, his feelings revolted; all he could bring
himself to do, was to lead to an inquiry which
should discover it. For the purpose of exciting
this enquiry, he contrived a pretext for writing to
Mrs. Decourcy, dropping such hints in his letter
to her, about the one he enclosed in it for Jacin-
tha, as could not fail, he thought, of making her
solicitous to learn its contents, and oblige Jacintha
to disclose them.
The moment breakfast was over, Mrs. De-
courcy repaired to her dressing-room followed by
Jacintha, whose promised communication she was
impatient to hear. The emotions she betrayed,
while listening to it, were not inferior to those
Jacintha manifetsed.
"I own," said Mrs Decourcy, after she had
concluded, " I was very unwilling you should be
acquainted with the secret of your birth, from
a conviction that a knowledge of it could impart
no happiness to you. 'Tis infinitely more dis-
tressing, I think, to know we have relations, who
either cannot, or will not acknowledge us, than
to know we are unconnected. But, since lord
## p. 146 (#306) ############################################
146 NOCTURNAL VISIT.
Gwytherin has disclosed what I was so desirous
of concealing, I can have no objection to gratify-
ing the curiosity he has excited. The account he
has given of past circumstances is brief indeed,
and slightly has he touched upon his own conduct;
this, however, is but natural. We generally draw
our own portraits in flattering colours. Do not
imagine, however, from what I have said, that I
think him now by any means the character he for-
merly was ; no, I really am inclined to believe him
sincerely penitent for his past errors."
"I hope so," said Jacintha, with fervour.
"Indeed, I cannot doub this being so," con-
tinued Mrs. Decourcy; "and, but for the idea
I have already mentioned, and some apprehen-
sions I shall hereafter explain, I should, without
hesitation, have introduced him to you by his pro-
per appellation. That he disregarded all I said,
to dissuade him against the discovery he has made,
I do not wonder at; for who that had such a child,
would not wish to claim her, if but for the pur-
pose of trying to inspire her with favourable sen-
timents for them?"
"Could I hope my mother would ever receive
me "said Jacintha.
"Publicly she never can," replied Mrs. De-
courcy; "nor situated as she is at present, could
she in any manner do so."
. Jacintha sighed, and remained silent for some
minutes. She then entreated Mrs. Decourcy to
favour her with the particulars she was so desir-
ous of learning.
END Of VOLUME. IJ.