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a sensation of shame, the time when good humour was her shield against injuries, and hope her consolation under them. She thought, with bitter tears, that she had now neither good humour, nor hope!--but she had not yet learnt, that if she had exerted her strength rather in the regulation of her own mind, than in a worse than fruitless emulation of the guilty aberrations of the rival whom she strove to outshine, she would have retained, in the midst of every other loss, the inesti-. mable treasure of self-esteem.-It was intolerable to her generous temperament to think for a moment that she had no right to retain it!-she drove away the thought, by erecting in her imagination a false standard of vice and virtue.

What did she do that others did not? Her understanding told her that she was wrong; but by the maxims of

the world in which she lived, she was told every hour in the day that she was right. All seemed to live for their individual interest or pleasure.-Society was little else than a warfare, where all stratagem was allowable. Each had their circle, into which no other foot must intrude but at its peril; and all was justified, was sanctified by the undisputed aphorism, that "We must take care of ourselves." Isabella asked herself, what this care was?

The care which at this moment seemed most incumbent on Isabella, was, that she should keep Lord Thomas Orville at a distance. Notwithstanding the ever ready interposition of Sir Charles Seymour, Lord Thomas was not easily repulsed-he knew she was a neglected wife, and he saw her a dissipated one. He had believed himself irresistible, and the evident coldness of Isabella towards him had picqued

his pride, and what might at first have been little more than an idle gallantry was now become with him a point of honour to accomplish. Mr. Willoughby's negligence, and the sense which Isabella betrayed that she had of it, seemed to those who composed the circle in which she moved as having broken down more than half the barriers that any woman could oppose to the cajoleries and the perseverance of such a man as Lord Thomas. She was already pitied by the good as but another victim to be sacrificed to his profligacy; and Isabella had heard Lady Charlotte's sarcastic remark, that the laurels of her fair cousin would soon be laid at the feet of Lord Thomas. Even Mr. Willoughby had gently warned her that he should be pained to hear her name joined with his. But this had been the voice of kindness, not of suspicion. His reli

ance on the integrity and purity of Isabella was unshakeable as a rock! The

"Graceful acts,

The thousand decencies that daily flow'd
From all her words and actions."

gave him so firm an assurance of the soul within, that never did a thought cross his mind that man or devil could sully such a chastity.

Isabella felt the justice which he did her, and blessed him for the caution which was pointed against her inexperience, and not her weakness. The happiest moment which she had known for many weeks was that in which he exercised a guardianship that it was her fondest wish never to have had withdrawn for a single instant. Nothing could be more strange than that it ever should be so withdrawn; but, left unguarded by her natural protector, she more than ever clung to

the friendly support and the kind interposition of Sir Charles Seymour.

Nothing could appear more disinterested, more unstudied, than his attentions towards her; and yet, whenever they now met, they never failed to find themselves seated by each other engaged in a conversation so interesting, and exclusive, that in the midst of crowds they were alone. The subject was still upon Mr. Willoughby. From Sir Charles, Isabella could learn a thousand little circumstances that were interesting to her. By his means she could trace the progress of a day which would otherways have been a blank. Her heart was for ever on her lips; but she had not yet let one word escape her that spoke the feeling she had of Mr. Willoughby's neglect; nor had she heard one word from Sir Charles Seymour that could awaken a thought of his wish to supply the place of the negligent husband. Yet

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