UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY ATURBANA-CHAMPAIGN BOOKSTACKS ^ \ YA^^^^: i^- B E L M O U R A N O V E J. IN THREE VOLUMES^ VOL. L LONDON: FRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, IN ST. Paul's church yarp. 1801. Luke Haoferd, Printcrj Lincolh's-Inn Fields.- V i B E L M O U R A NOVEL. CHAPTER THE FIRST. IT was towards the end of Junc,„ when the earl of Delavcre quitted the hotj dnfiy town^ for his caiHe, in the county of , on the weflern coall ^ of England. The earl, though already - in an advanced age^ was full of health ,^ and activity 5 and was one of thofe - few fortunate beings/ who had been placed precifely in the fituationof life» ; which bed fuited his tafle and capacity, and was bed calculated to difplay tha VOL. I, B really 2 BELMOUR: really good qualities of his mind — ge- nerofity and benevolence. While his princely fortune fervid for the gratifi- cation of all hiswifhesjhis hand was ever open toaffift the indigent; and his pride, which was great, led him Hill more to thedefireof praife for munificence, than to the mere oHentation of richer: but to the nice difcrimination of real genius, and unaiTuming merit, the powers of his mind were by no means equal; he therefore fometim.es aiTifted the lefs worthy, and afforded his protedlion to inferiour talents. Leaning back In his carriage as he drove up a fine double avenue of limes, which led immediately to his m.agni- ficent caflle, attended by a numerous train of fervants, he viewed with a com- placent t A NOVEL. 3 placent feel of enjoyment the many fur- rounding beauties of the fcene, be- Itowed by nature, and improved by art, at the feat of his anceftors, together with an unalloyed fenfe of all the advantages- he derived from fortune. He was accompanied by his only fon, lord Belmour, and his daiighcer, lady Caroline Belmour: — turning to the latter, who fat in a penfive reverie by his fide, he waved forward his hand to make her remark the increafing growth of the trees, and the fine bright even^ ing fun, that lighted up every objedl, but finding her inattentive, and that ihe anfwered only by a faint fmile, after gently prefTing her hand, he addreffed the remainder of his difcourfe to lord Belmour. B 2 They 4 BELMOUR: They were received at the caftle with the accuftomed difplay of grandeur and ceremony. The old porter bowed low at the gate ; all the fervants " each particular of duty knew," and were exadl in the perfornnance of their feparate offices. Two fat chaplains at- tended in the great hall, their faces not a little exhilarated by the earFs being come nnuch earlier than ufual, to pafs the fummer at his caftle, and already in imagination devouring the venifon and other dainties ofhisprofufe table, which united the plenty of an ancient Englifh baron, to the elegant nicety of the beft French cookery. The earl, after a Ihort compliment to the obfequious chaplains, and a nod of protedion, pafTed on to his ftudy, whither A NOVEL. 5 M'hitherhe was followed by his fteward, impatient to receive the orders of his lord, and welcome his arrival. Lady Caroline, although the lail day's journey had been but fliort, feel- ing herfelf fatigued, retired im me- diately to her own apartment. Her fine frame funk under a prefTure of grief and difappointmient,and her health was daily impairing. In vain could Ihe feek relief from refledling on the many advantages fhe poiTefled ; her high birth, youth, and beauty, with a mind far from uncultivated, as they gave her greater claims to happinefs, often made the fad reverfe more fenfibie to her heart. Her affecllons had long been deeply engaged, and her too-conPiding fpiiic- « 3 had 6 BELMOUR: had hit her unprepared agalnfl the polTibility of indifference or negledl fronn the man, by whom flie had once thought herfelf tenderly beloved. — It was at Spa that fhe firft faw Derville : he jo'yied to an uncommonly pretty figure the moil captivating eafe of manners.— Sure of pleafing, by an appa- rent carelefihefs he but made his objedl more certain, and gave a value to the flighteil attentions he deigned to pay, akhough thfiv always tended to feme graiificaiion of his own. The general admiration, which lady Caroline excited at Spa, firfr attraclcd his notice; and as he was then unen- gaged in any other purfuit, his atten- tions to her foon became marked, and we're received by her in a manner, to vhich his vanity could not fail of being fenfible ^ A NOVEL. 7 fcnfible i for the natural modcrty and referve of her charadler were little cal- culated, to impofe on one fo well verfed in the knowledge of the female heart as Derville. He was already known to lady Newport, a near relation of lord Delavere's, who had obtained leave of him, to take charge of his daughter for a part of the fummer> and carry her with her to Spa. '■ To lady New^port, therefore, Der- ville immediately addreffed his atten^ tions, and familiarly claimed an ac- quaintance, that had, indeed, before been but flight — little more than hav- ing feen her at every afTembly in town, and having occafionally honoured her with a bow, when they met in a door- way. — She on her part was agreeably , B 4 furprized t BELMOUR: furprizcd at having fo fafliicnable a young man in her train, and cared not to what fhe owed a diftindion, that to lier appeared fo flattering. — Seizing the ton of intimacy, with which he addrefled her, file prefented him to lady Caro- line, with a com.placent air of protedlion, cxprefTive of the greaS acquifition made to their fociety in a perfon of Derville's figure, to whom there cculd be no ob- jedlion. He was from that moment their conflant attendant, no party was formed without firfi confuking him, 2nd kdy Newport, foon gave him a general invitation to her houfe. She failed not fhortly to perceive, what was the real caufe of attraction to Derville ; but being one of thofe offi- cious charadcrs, glad to make them- felves. A NOVEL. 9 felves agreeable at any rate, and fuffi- ciently a woman of the world not to make her intentions too obvious, fhe without appearance of defign encou- raged the wifhes of Derville, and pro- moted an intimacy, which Aie fawgrew daily to have more charms for her un- fufpicious young friend. — Every thing thus confpircd, to engage her afFcdions in that dangerous errour, which' after- wards clouded all the bright profpedls of her early life. The very place, in which llie faw •Derville, was calculated, to make him appear to peculiar advantage in her eyes. He rode well, danced well, and pofieflVd a thoufand perfonal ac- compliihments, which could not have been displayed in London j where he B 5 found lo BELMOUR: found, that to appear an indolent loung- ing fop, was the eafieO: road to fuccefs. His paternal eflate was not very con- fiderable, but what with loading one part of it with mortgages, felling ano- ther, and having been fortunate at play, he continued to live in the nnofl: falhion- able flyle of expenfive difTipation. Week after week pafTed on innper- ceptibly at Spa, and the tinne fettled for their return to England nearly ap- proached. Lady Caroline felt an un- difguifed naelancholy at the thoughts of leaving Derville, tempered however by the idea of his following them to England, which he had declared he fnould do, whenever they returned thi- ther. His attentions to her had been for fome time more marked, and the turn A NOVEL. tt turn of his difcourfe often fo ferious,that Ihe doubted not, but that the inconfider- ableneis of his fortu ne, compared to her*s, alone prevented his fpeaking openly to her of marriage ; which, far from difpleafing her, was, (he thought, a mark of the delicacy and truth of his pafTion; and fhe was perfuaded, that her father would not long rcfufe his confent, when he found her happinefs deeply intereiled. Her mother was a confiderable heirefs, and having died not many years after her marriage with lord De- lavere, almoil the whole of her fortune had devolved, According to the mar- riage fettlements, on lady Caroline, as tiic only younger child. She felt therefore, from the generofity of her 6 6 diipofition 11 BELMOUR: dlfpofidon, much fatisfadlion in the idea of being perhaps able thus to remove, as ihe thought, the only objeclion, that could be made to her marriage with Derville, whofe fortune certainly wa# not fo am.ple, as Ihe might have had a right to expeft. A part of the enfuing winter after her return to England had however already clapfed, without Derville's having come to an)^dire6l explanation; when a rich uncle of hisjthinkin^5 himfelf near dying, offered to fettle his whole eilate upoa him, provided he would imjpcdiatcly marry. Derville, although he really admired lady Caroline, and was ienfible to her too vifible tendernefs for him, was by no means difpofed to iriatri- mony, and thought with horrour of the immexifi A NOVEL. 13 immenfe trouble of breaking-offa con- nedtion, in which he had been for fome time engaged with the v/ife of his par- ticular friendy a woman of a high and violent fpirit j to fay nothing of a fa- vourite French figurante^ widi whom he a6lually lived. Yet, as the advan- tage to himfelfin the offrr of his uncle was fo manifefc, and as be was at the time fomewhat prefied on the fcore of money, he determined to undertake the management of thefe feparate in- reits. • Full of this idea, and lady Darford( for fo fhe was called) being at the time abfent from town, he actually made propofals in form to lady Caroline ; taking his chance for what might be the confe- quence at lady Darford's return. The U RELMOURr The unfufpeding lady Caroline now thought all her brighteft hopes realized, and the high opinion her fond imagi- nation had entertained of Derville's honour confirnned. She knew not the particular circumftances, but merely that Derville was made heir to a great eftate, and that he had feized that mo- ment for an explanation her heart had long wifhed; which left no doubt in her mind of the generous and difintercfted motives, that had hitherto prevented him from openly declaring his fenti- ments. The earl, her father, although a nnarriage with Derville did not by any means fatisfy his expedlations for the eftablifhment of his daughter, WouI(i not withhold his confent, as fhe can- didly A NOVEL; 15 didly avowed to him the fituation of her heart. Lord Delavere however, as he was fhortly going for a few months to Ireland, in order to fettle fome bufinefs relative to eftates which he had there, begged that all final ar- rangements refpe6ling the marriage might be deferred till his return. •to' A ihort month pafled after her fa- tlicfs departure; during which poor lady Caroline indulged in every flatter- ing hope of future happinefs, little forefeeing the florm, that was gathering over her head,— when lady Darford arrived unexpededly in town.— Der- ville had been extremely in love with her, and was ftiil kept in her chains by every effort of the mod artful cap- tivation on her fide. — She had heard of t6 BELMOUR: of his intended marriage, but not fronnt himfelf, and came purpofely, full of pafTion and violence, to reclaim at any rate her captive. — Derville was ex- tremely difcompofed -, at her arrival and it was with the greateft difficulty, that he could at all pacify her, and bring hertoconfent to a meafure, taken mere- ly, as he faid, to extricate himfelf from pecuniary difficulties, and oblige his dying uncle. — But fuch were the con- ceffions on. which fhc infiiled, fuch her unguarded jealoufy of lady Caroline, whofe youth, beauty, and unblemifhed charadtcr, might well excite her fears, that her preterfions foon became too evident to be miflaken. — She followed them every where in public, watched every lo<"k, and prevented every com- mon attention, that Derville's prefent engage- A NOVEL. 17 engagement with lady Caroline ren- dered in a manner unavoidable. Lady Caroline could not long fail of being fenfible of Derville's ennbarrafT- ment and change of manner. Yet ihe for fome time endeavoured to deceive her- felf, and was willing to make every allowance for the quicknefs of her own, feelings; till the frefh marks of negled, with which fhe found herfelf daily treated, miade it impoITible for her any longer to miftake an indifference, which he fcarcely attempted to conceal, while he only lauglied at her uneafinefs as trifling and childiili. A melancholy (late of feeming apa- thy took place in the mind of lady Caroline, and not a fingle complaint efcaped 1^ BELMOUR: cfcaped her lips.-— She was now near two and twenty, and knew enough of the world, to be lenfible of her own fituation; fhe had too much honeft pride, and too much real tendernefs, to bear the thoughts of dividing the afFec- tions of the man fhe loved with another; and Hie plainly faw, that, if fhe married Derville, fhe mud condefcend to be- come the companion of his miflrefs, or be wholly deprived of his fociety. She determined however, to wait till her father returned, whofe abfence had been prolonged from week to week, be* fore (he declared her final determination, which indeed the behaviour of Derville more and more confirmed. — He was no longer (hackled, or diHrt^ifed by pe- cuniary confiderations, as his uncle had 5 adually A NOVEL. ip actually fettled his whole eflate upon him ; and lady Darford on her pare ipared no pains, nor hefitated at any facrifice, that might contribute to render the dawdling attendance on her, to which he had been fo long accullomed, and which was fo con- genial to his difpofuion, every thing he wifhed. He therefore felt lefs and lefs folicitatious about his marriage,' which he faw would entail on him an endlcfs conteft; and he doubted indeed much, whether in any cafe marriage were, or were not a good thing. He therefore contented himfelf with ho- nourably declaring, that he was ready- to fulfil his engagement with lady Caro- line j and with the moft perfed eafc and compofure trufted the final event to chance. Lqrd ao BELMOURi Lord Delavere at his return would not have much regretted the breaking off of a marriage, ^vhich he had never thoroughly liked, had he not been fhock- ed on his arrival at the pale cheek and emaciated form of his daugliter ; who throwing herfelf into his arms, with her face bathed in tears, declared in broken and fcarcdy intelligible accents, that (lie fhould henceforward look for no other proteftor on earth but him- felf. Lord Delavere was much affe6led, for he tenderly loved his daughter 3 but he knew not how deeply fhe felt this cruel difappointment ; — nor had fhe any thoroughly fympathetic breaft, into which file could pour her afflidtion. Her brother, a few years older than her- . fclf. A NOVEL. 21 fclf, to whom fhe was infinitely dear, had been for fome time abroad, and the period of his return was uncertain ; and indeed much as fhe required the confolation of his friendfhip and affec- tion, knowing the extreme quickncfs of his feehngSjfhe could not but rejoice, that his abfence fecured her againfl the pofTibility of his calling Derville to an account for the failure of her happinefs —an idea, that of all others, fhe moft dreaded. Above a year had pafTed fince this cventi during which Derville never took the trouble, to attempt vindicating himfelf in lady Caroline's opinion, and was then fuddenly married to another woman. Lord Belmour had returned late in the following fpring, and the particular 2Z BELMOUR: particular circiimflances relative to his fifter and Derville having been at her earneft requeft withheld from him, he attributed the melancholy and languor, by which he at times faw her opprefTed, in a great meafure to the confequences of mere ill-health, an idea fhc always endeavoured to^enGourage, Both lady Caroline and her brother were glad to leave London, the former to avoid the fight of Derville, which fhe often found her refoiution fail her in acccmplifhing while inhabiting the fame tov;n, and the latter wifhing to ^ feek the peaceful and romantic fcenes of Belmour caftle ; difgufted with the world, from the difappointments his too fenfible heart, and too ardent imagina- tion, had met with j although placed by fortune A NOVEL. «j ^ fortune in that envied fphere, in which he was formed to (hine a real orna- ment. It was towards dufk when they arrived — the evening, after an uncom- monly hot day, was calm and ferenc, and the odour and freflmefs of the nu- merous ^^r/^rr^-j of flowers, which in the old (late of gardening furrounded two jet'd*-eaux immediately at the back of the caftle, confpired to charm and tran- quilize the fenfes. Belmour, his mind occupied by many painful refledlions, flrolled out alone, fcarcely knowing which way he ' went.— He continued for fome time walking flowly under a long avenue of trees, that led from the caflle, on the fide of a part of which, and clofely ad- joining, was a fmall ftrip of garden be- longing 24 BELMOURi longing to the redlor of the parifh,— Juft as he came to this garden, he was rouzed from the deep reverie, into which he had fallen, by founds, which, he thought, were not wholly unknown to him, and which feemed the fweeteft> that had ever reached his ear. — He heard a Toft female voice go through a favourite Italian ballad, with the moil touching expreflion. The well-known words were melancholick, and brought a thoufand recolledlions to his mind ; while the plaintive tone, in which they were uttered, appeared to fympathize with his own feelings. — Fie flopped, and liftened with aftonifhment ; at the fame time looking through the boughs, which in places were but thinly fpread, he difcovered a woman fitting, half reclined, on a bench of turf, with her back A NOVEL, 2S back towards him. — Juft as fhe ended the air, Belmour*s dog, who had fol- lowed him, and was hunting among the fhrubs near, came running by him barking loudly — flie turned her head towards the noife, but appeared not to fee Belmour, and getting up walked ilowly away. It was too dark for him to diftinguifh the perfon's face ; but the tall, flender, and uncommonly elegant form, that he faw moving on !;)efore his eyes, filled him with furprife and admiration. — He remained for fomiC time nearly on the fame fpot, in hopes of catching another glimpfeofthe figure, but at laft conclud- ed that the perfon he had feen was gone towards the re61:or's houfe, and it being then almoft dark, he thought it impro- voL. I. c bablc i6 BELMOUR: bable ihe fliould return. — He walked on however fome way down the avenue, and failed not, after turning again to- wards the caflle, to peep anxloufly, though in vain, through the boughs, as he repaired the redor's garden. "When he got near the caftle, he could not help fnfiiling at himfelf, for by that time his imagination had been fo deeply at work, and had painted to him in the fame being a nfind fo fuitable to the graceful form, which had prefented itfelf to his fight, that a fancied interefl had almoft taken place in his mind, of which he thought his heart no longer capable. On his return to the caftle, at the bottom of the great ftaircafe he faw one A NOVEL. *7 one of lady Caroline's maids, who faid, that her lady had had one of her bad fainting fits, and was already gone to reft. — Belmour therefore fupped tete* a-tete with his father, who was occupied in talking to him onbi^finefs; this, and a fort of awkwardnefs, which he (dt in beginning the fubjed, prevented his making any inquiry concerning the perfon he had feen ^ in the garden, which he had intended doing— but he deferred all inquiry till the next morn- ing, when he propofed to himfelf to call upon the re6lor, and con- cluded he fhould there receive full in- formation. The next m.orning, having rifen trarly, as it v/as liis cuflom, he had thought the time would never come, C 2 whcrt t% BELMOUR: when he might with propriety make his vifit at the re6lory, and was walking to and fro in the great hall, with his watch in his hand, when his father pafTing that way, and feeing him from the end of the hall, called to him, and, full ofa new alteration he was going to make in one of the apartments, taking him by the arm, kept talking to him, and confulting him about what was to be done, for above an hour. "When Belmour at lad got to the re6lor's, a maid opened the door, and faid that her mafter was juft gone out. — ' When would he return?' — fhe * could not fay,'~ and indeed looked fo ftupid, and fo frightened, that Bel- mour gave up all hopes of gaining any intelligence from her;— and not being in A N'OVEL. ig in the habit of calling upon the re6tor, an ignorant vulgar man, whom he did not fee five times in a fummer, except on public days at the caftle, Belmour could not, without particularity, think of returning to make him a fecond vifit on the fame day. RepalTing the great hall of the caftle, where in fummer they often dined, he obferved two addi- tional covers, which on inquiry he found to be for captain Plumewell and captain Dafh, two officers quartered in the adjoining town, who having come to pay a morning vifit at the caftle, had been invited to dinner by his father.— Belmour felt, that he could willingly have difpenfed with any additional company — his fifter wis low and un- well, and his own mir.d occupied, not only by many bitter rememibrances of c 3 events 30 B E L M O U R : events ftill painful, but by fome views for his future efbablifhrnent in life, which his father had of late prefied with more than ufual anxiety, and of which he himfelf faw the reafonable advan- tage. In this difpofition of mind he fat down to table, covering as well as he could the thoughtful reverie, into which he was every moment falling, by that politenefs and eafe of manners, which were peculiar to himfelf. — In the midil of dinner Belmour was rouzed from one of thefe moments of thought by the iliarp tone of captain Dafn*s voice, who fuddenly laying down his knife and fork, and addreffing himfelf to lord Delavere, faid — * Pray, my lord, has * your lordiliip fccn the wonder , our * new A NOVEL. 31 * new beauty ?~but I forgot, your * lordlLip has not yet been here a * Sunday, and fhe only appears at * church, he! he! he! — the reflor ^ locks her up on Vv'eek days.' — Lord Delavere, v/ith a gentle inclination of his head, replied that he might not have feen the beauty in queflion, if he had been longer in the country, unlefs Ihe had deigned to pay her devotions at his chapel. — * O Lord ! beg a thou« ' fand pardons, my lord, — 1 forgot the * chapel in the caftle — but never v^^as * there fo handfome a'~ ^ dowdy/ interrupted Plumewell, eying with complacency his own trim perfon. — * Yes, yes,' refumed Dafn, * dowdy '^ as much as you pleafe, but any thing * more beautiful I never beheld.*— Lord Belmour, now all attention, inter- c 4 Tupted 3 ? B E L M O U R : rupted them in a tone, that> however gentle, commanded a ferious anfwer.— Upon this Dafh, impatient to tell the flory, filenced his companion, and pro- ceeded to acquaint lord Belmoiir with all he knev/ on the fubjedl, which was, that a beautiful young woman, whole drefs was uncommonly plain, had ap- peared on the Sunday before the lad in the redlor's pew, where indeed {h^ had been feen before, but not by them, as they had only lately changed their, quarters to where they were— that every body v/as anxious to know who flie was, but that nobody could find out^ and that be him/elf had fliiled in the at- tempt, and, noiwithftanding repeated queflions, all he could get out of the reclor, whom be faid he nevtrr fufpedted before o^ftanding a fiege^ was, that fhe was A NOVEL.. 33 was with him upon a vifit, but as for ivho fhe was, or whence flie came, there was no getting a word from him, or even from his wife, and flill lefs from the young lady herfelf, whom he had, he faid, accompanied, as it feemed ra- ther againfl: her will, almoft half way . from the church door to the re6lor*s, till it began to pour with rain, without ever getting beyond a ^ yes,* or a « no/ — that he ^ thought it d — d * odd," but he " believed, upon his * honour, that flie kept from church * the laft Sunday for fear cf being ad- * mired* ' Pray let us endeavour at lead to * fee this wonder^* interrupted the earl, fmillng. — * Belmour,' laid he, turning to his fon, ' I really have fome c 5 * bufinels 34 BELMOUR: ' bufinefs with the redlor, as you f know ', and it would be but a right * thing for us, to invite him and his ' wife to dinner, for T know not when * I can name a time for our public ^ days to begin; and we will not for- * get, and their company , on tlie card, * that we may make fure of the young ' lady. — Thefe gentlemen, I trufl, will 5 do us the honour to m.eet them/ — Plumewell and Dafh bowed low — xhe neceffary order was then given for the invitation, and the day named for the following Saturday. After the comapany were gone in the evening, lady Caroline remarked to her brother, as they were fitting toge- ther in the garden, how odd the account was, which the officers had given of the young A NOVEL. 35 young woman, and wondered who it polTibly could be — The redlor and his wife, {he obferved, had neither chil- dren nor relations, that fhe ever had feen with them, and were befides fo rulgar themfelves, that nothing at all like what had been defcribed could poffibly in any way belong to them. Belmour, on this, recounted to her the vlfton he had feen on the preceding evening — he fpoke with fo much de- fcriptive warmth and energy, that it ex- trafled a fmile from his fifter. — ^ What * can you mean?' faid he, colouring> * — Ah I my deareft brother,' replied fhe, gently preffing his hand, ^ beware * of romance — remember the views of ^ a father ever moil kind to us— his * earneil willi to fee one of us at leafk c 6 ' fettled/' 36 .BELMOUR: * fettled/ (here a tear flarted into her eye) ^ and his proje61:, to which you ' certainly have liftened of late, if not * conjented' — ^ But my dear fifler/ faid he, recovering hinnfelf, * what can * make you fo ferious? — can you ^ pofiibly fuppofc mc fo ridiculous ? — *■ alas!' added he, nnournfully ' the *■ too fenfible difappointments of my * heart tend rather, I fear, to baneful * apathy, than to the chance of any * new or lively intereft.' — Here they were interrupted by the voice of lord Delavere, who called to lady Caroline^ to come in and make his tea, and their converfation was not again renewed that evening. A NOVEL. 57 C H A p. ir. In fpite of the way in which Behnour had anfwered his fifter, what Ihe had faid did not fail to make an inriprefTion on his mind. — The warmth with which h^ had fpoken in defcribing his adven- ture, and flill more what he had felt, made him appear almoft ridiculous in his own eyes — The two following days, which preceded the Saturday, although he did frequently walk by the redor's garden, and once or twice thought he faw the fame figure at a diftance through the trees, he made no attempts to fee more of her; and when the Satur- day came, had by that time half per- fuaded 38 BELMOUR: fuaded himfdf, that he was indifferent whether or not he even faw her at all, certain that Yiq Jhould ^^t her, he began to believe, that his imagination, afTifted by the dufk of the evening, and her un- expe6led appearance, had deceived hinrii and that moft of the ideal charm would fhortly vanifh, and feme, at bed, ordi- nary beauty^ prefent herfelf to his fight. A little before the hour of dinner the company were affemblcd in the drawing-room, when, foon after, the re6lor and his wife were announced. — all eyes were inftantly diredled towards the door, when in rolled the fmug, fat parfon, grinning from ear to ear, pre- ceded by his wife, curtefying ail round to the very chairs^ which ?n^ feemed jn her A NOVEL. 39 her confufion to take for lords and ladies — but in vain they expected the young ftranger would follow. — The dif- appointment was general. — Belmour bit his lips, and could fcarcely com- mand himfelf fufficiently, to be com- monly civil — all his curiofity, and all his intereft in the ftranger returned, as the expecflation of feeing her vanished. — The earl, making a few fteps for- ward, faid — * but we were in hopes you ' would have brought your company * — the young lady, of whom we * have heard v/onders.' — * Much * obliged to your lordfliip,' faid the parfon, ^ yes, my lord— no, my lord, ' xould not perfuade her, my lord-— * never yet got her to go any where * but to church, that, my lord, you * know is quite in my i^ay, this he feeiT.ed ^ BELMOUR: fcemed to think a prodigioufly good joke, and laughed at it himlelf immode- rately.— Here the inquiry would for the prelenr have ended, had not Dafh, who thought himklf now backed by lord Dclaverej fkipped up, and with a look that exprefTed, you dare not no-w refufe me, faid — ' But pray, doctor, who is * this (Iranger?* — ' Strangei i" re- plied he, * almoft as much a ftranger ^ to mey as fhe can be to^y^^, captain, < know Y^ry little of the young per- * fon. — Doflor Stanmore, an old friend « of mine, who helped me to this liv- * ing, by faying a good word to the * biihop for me, begged that my wife ' and I would s;ive her a lodgino; for * fome time, as his parfonage was * painting and repairing, that's all.* At A NOVEL- At dm mooimt ^mcr w3bs ass* fxmoccd, modi mo ioccfcfliB^aya evcit to Mr. R JCDC, for lum assy kMng^ to tdscaa^ even a frcwKl jcd^Cy or atrrnEl CO OQC wofd^ eidier Dafli or asij cidbcr periba could polEEbltf fijr to MinnL— — Ouriw ffismer^ thoo^i ^reinzl crisis were made, fiode was got om. of ci^ reAor orhis wi^ T^oQmg dat jaas^ fimigcr, bat diat her bsbemx w^ M^ ViDe. The fermcr was too mmdi oc« cupicdbj tlae exccMecBCC of doc Awvu^ sssd die htier ndabilT tzkea iip br tiae hoooor Of haTBieg been tbos lEnrinsi ia pisivate, as flae bad ecvct dxsBcdjBC doe cz&lc bcJbie but on |iab& dqfs. — There was, moreover, evodbodf foaoe* disn^ £kc mjftcry, which die carl was too pofice, and kadred too m- diSrr^fiir, co aoempt p cu ettiJtia Bgi asid BehnouTy 42 BELMOUR: Belmour, from the fear of faying more than he intended, avoided any further inquiry^ or even convetfation on the fubjedt. — Da(h and Plume well kept up a continual joke about friars, novice?, and convents, at which nobody laughed but themfelves, and which never ad- vanced them a ftep further towards the information they wifhed to ob- tain. The dinner over, and the company gone, Belmour took his evening-walk as ufual, along the avenue, that led by the redlor's garden — ^out of humour with every thing, and every body— all feeming combined in the mod teafing manner, to delay the gratification of his curiofity 3 and ftill more out of humour with himfelf for the eagernefs of that curiofity. A NOVEL. 43 curiofity, which, although he could not conquer, he was deternalned not to indulge. — Belmour, though he had never been excrcifed in the fchool of worldly adverfity, yet, as his heart was warm and pafTionate, his nature con- fident, open, and generous, a delicacy of fentiment, ill fuited to the commerce of a falfe and felfifh world, had early taught him to fufFer, and given him a degree of command over himfelf, which is rarely the portion of the for- tunate. — Juft as he got back to the door of the caftle, he was met by his filler with an open letter in her hand, which announced, as llie faid, the arri- val of lady Clementina Alton for the next day. — It was then nearly dark, which prevented her in part from feeing the chagrin too vifible on Behnour's countenance ^». 44 ^^ BELMOUR: countenance at this news, bur perceiv- ing that he anfwered coldly, fhe added, * — My dear brother, you know her ' conning a little fooner can make no * difference — and then our aunt connes * with her, furely nothing can appear * lefs particular— but> for Heaven's ' fake 1 if you do diflike it, take no * notice to my father. — I have fancied * hinn not quite well of late, and no- * thing wcuid hurt him fo much, as the * idea of diftreffingyou on this fubje<^ * — befides, I am certain, that he knew * no more of her coming to-morrow * than I did myfelf, which was not till * I opened the letter I have here, ' v.'hich flie fent on by ha Croixy from ' the inn where fhe fleeps — 'Tis juft * one of Clementina's freaks! — I fup- ^ pofe (he found fome ball dull, or the * iiew A NOVEL. 45 * new opera too long!, — for fhe has * not the leaft idea of my father's * willies ; if fhe had, for aught I know, * this might be the laft place, to which * ihe would direfb her flighty fleps.* To this Belmour made no anfwer, but went up flairs to his father, who he fancied looked paler than ufual : this, with what his fifter had faid, was more than fufficient, to make him curb his own fenfe of vexation at what he had jufl learned. — He inquired with anxiety of his father, how he found himfelf, and then talked of lady Clementina's fudden intended arrival as of a matter of indifference. — Lord Delavere*s eyes gliftened, and his look tacidy thanked his fon for a delicacy of attention, which was not loil upon him. On 46 BELMOUR: On the day following, towards the middle of dinner, lady Clementina's carriage was heard clattering through the courts of the caftle. — "Lord Dela- vere made his fon a fign, who flew im- mediately to hand her out — flie was accompanied by her aunt lady Eliza, an unmarried fifter of lord Delavere, who had had the care of her education, her parents having died young, by which (he had the misfortuncy for a misfortune it too generally is, to become a very confiderable heirefs. As Ih.e alighted from the carriage, lord Belmour was ftruck with her as looking uncommonly handfome, which efcaped not her obfervation, but ferved to heighten the youthful glow of health, which fhe pofTefled in an eminent de- gree, A NOVEL. 47 gree, and added a thoufand playful charms to her naturally fweet counte- nance — Her fine fair hair was difhevel- led, and her whole drefs fomewhat in diforder, from the hurry of having rifen at the early hour of ten, to be certain of arriving at her uncle's in good time for dinner, as (he knew, that he did not like late hours in the country. — As Belmour offered his hand, Ihe feized his arm, and in a familiar way hurried him along, faying — * For Heaven's fake ! ^ let us make hade, I am fo afhamed ' of being fo late — never mind aunt * Eliza, fhe m ill take care of herfelf c —won't you, dear aunt?' In this manner fhe entered the din- ing-room, where Ihe was received by lord Delavere with open arms, who afTured 48 BELMOUR: afTured her, that he Hiould never com* plain of the hour, that brought her to him. — Seated between the earl and lady Caroline, fhe difplayed all the gayety of nineteen, that never yet had known forrow. — She declared herfelf * ftarving^ devoured whatever was fee before her, found every thing * charm- * ing,* every thing ^ delightful/ *— * London,* fhe faid, ' was grown * fo dull, there was no bearing it with ' patience, every body there was ftupid ^ — nothing jhe loved fo much as the ' country! — and now fhe was deter- * mined to rife every morning at fe- * ven, then (he fhould be fo well, * and kok fo well next winter— and be * able to fit up ten times later at all * the balls. — What will poor aunt * Eliza do ! but fhe never minds, for 1 The A N O V £ L. 49 ' fhe alv/ays falls adeep v. hen the firft * dance after fupper begins — never was ^ fo good a chaperon ! they all envy ' nne, for as fhe never knows what it is * o'clock, fhe never 'wants to go home.* — * Fie, fie ! Clementina, how you ' talk !* cried lady Eliza, fimpering with delight on her pupil. — It was, indeed, not eafy to view her but through the medium of partiality — her faults were thofe of youth, par- taking of the various follies by which it was furrounded, and her native mirth, good nature, and excellent dif- pofition, were yet unfuUied by a fingle felf-reproach — fhe never meant to offend, or knew offence in others bu: by name — (he had hitherto leen the world in all the gayeft colours of fpring, and had only read of wintry blafts- in the ficlitious pages of a novel, VOL. I. D 5* BELMOUR: CHAP. III. About a week palTed without any other occurrence, than the arrival of lord Fenmofs and Mr. Saunter, two fafhionable admirers of lady Clemen- tina, who, finding their tinne hang heavily on their hands, as the town began to grow empty from the ap- proach of a general eledion, claimed a flight invitation from the earl, to vifit him in the country. One morn- ing,' the reft of the company having gone out in various carriages to enjoy a view of the fea, of which the earl was particularly fond, and which wa$ beft feen from a diftant part of his do- main, Belmour alone had remained at home, A NOVEL. 51 home, reading in his room, inteiiding to follow them on horfeback. Having finiihed his book, he went down flairs to replace it in the library. The door happened to be open ) he walked thoughtfully oil without looking before him, and was half way up the long gallery which contained the books, be- fore he perceived, that there were per- fons at the other end. Imagining that they were ftrangers come to fee the caftle, he was retiring with precipita- tion, when he faw the redor come towards him, bowing and making a thoufand excufes for the ^ intrufion/ which he had * ventured to make, ' thinking,* he faid, ' that all the family * were gone out to take the air, having * feen lb many of the earFs carriages * pafs through the village that morn- P 2 * ing/— 52 BELMOUR: ' ing.* — At the fame time that he faw the redlor, Belmour*s eye caught a glimpfe of the perfon with him, whom he immediately knew to be the fame, whofe figure he had indiftindly fcen in the garden. Her extreme beauty, and the foftnefs and dignity of her counte- nance kept him for fome time in filent admiration. When he had a Httle re- covered from his furprize, he defired that the redor would prefent him. — The young ftranger had remained on the fame fpot without advancing ^ and when Behnour came up to her, he thought he faw a half fmile on her lips, which (he immediately checked, that feemed at firft to indicate fome former acquaintance, or recolledlicn — yet he was very fure, he never had elfewhere feen her. After the ufual compliments A NOVEL, 55 romplimenrs of prefentation were over, fhe feemed dlfpofed to take her leave, and was retiring towards the door, when the re6lor interpofed, faying, * Sure, mifs, you will not now run ^ away — my lord can tell you the * nannes of the portraits, about which * you were fo curious.' — Belmour, who on feeing her going, had immediately dcfpaired of finding any pofTible excufe to retain her, offered hin^fclf with ea- gerncfs as a condudlor, to fliow her any thing flie might think worthy of notice in the cafile — adding, that * the por- * traits in queflion, which fhe faw over ' the book-cafe, were family portraits ^ merely, and perhaps might be unin- ' terefting to her. — Some of the ' later heads, indeed,' hefaid, ' were by ' good mafters.' — * O loid !' — ex- D 3 claimed 54 :B E L M O U R : claimed the rc6lor, interrupting him, * your lordfhip's quite miftaken — it * was thefe portraits brought mifs to ' the caftle — thought 1 never fhould ' have got her to come — till lad night * (he by chance lit on the catalogue, ' explanation, and little hiflory, begun * in I don't know what king's reign, Vand fo downwards — your lordfhip * knows — telling the portraits one by * one, of all your ancellors. — The book ' fell off the fhelf, as nny wife opened ' the corner cupboard — whip mifs here * picked it up, and I thought we never ' fhould have got her to fupper ; — ' though I don't fee why (he gave * herfelf fo much trouble to read, * for the moment fhe faw a name, fhc * knew all about it better than our * book could tell her. — This morning ' Hie A NOVEL. 55 * fhe wai^ for coming to the caftle, when- * ever I was Jure the family were all « out/ — ' Well fir', interrupted the young ftranger, diftrefied at the volu- bility of her companion, ' do not let ' us detain his lordlhip longer than is * neceflary ; fince he is fo good, I will * beg to know a few of the portraits, * that are without written nam.es on * them, and then we really ought to.rc- * turn home, as it js now late/— Saying this, flie kept drawing towards the door, in fpite of lord Belmour's v/ifli to delay her, which, however, he fcemed afraid of making too evident. After thus gliding along the gallery, (he had come to the head of the great llair- cafe, which Belmoiir was oiiering her his hand to defcend, when a confufed found of voices, and rattlinff of car- D 4 riages. 56 B ELM OUR: riages driving up to the door, an- nounced nhe return of the whoie party from their airing.— Lady Clementina was in an indant half v/ay up the flairs, laughing ready to die — when perceiv- ing the flranger handed by lord Bel- mour, fne ftopped for an inflant v/scfi un exprelTicn of the utmoll afl:onilli- ment— then flew up to him, and in a loud whifper exclaimed —* for Heaven's ' fake ! Belmour, who is that beautiful ' creature ? and what are you going to * do with her r' — The (Iranger now ap- peared a good deal embarraffed, but recovering herfelf, bowed with much unaffeded dignity, and feemed looking for the re6lor to accompany her homiC y — but lady Clem.entina was down ftairs again in an inflant, and, hanging on her uncle's arm, infifled on his A NOVEL. 57 his making the flranger flay dinner, « — Nay, ilie had rather have the fat ^ parlbn too, than let her go — Come, * dear uncle, and invite them in your ' heji manner '--hovd Delavere was always difpofed to do what his dear Clementina wlflied, and this was, indeed, little more than civilicy, as the hour of dinner drew near. The redlor, think- ing his own early dinner long fmce over no fort of impediment, catched at the propofal with too much eagernefs, filencing all attempts the young ftranger could mjake towards excufing herfelf, on the plea of his wife's ex* pedting them home, to leave her €ven a pofllbility of efcaping. As lady Ca- roline and lady Clementina were talk- ing to her, lord Fenmofs ruilied by, without taking the kaft notice of P 5 theoj. 5« BELMOUR: them, upon which lady Clementina again began laughing. His figure, in- deed, was truly ludicrous, for he had half a dozen handkerchiefs tied round his throat, and one of the fervant's great coats on.—' Look at him/ faid lady Clementina, * he thinks it is all over * with him— he is going to take to his * bed — was there ever fo ridiculous < a mortal ! — Mr. Saunter,' faid flie, ' how could you be fo cruel !' — * What * could I do !' replied he carelefsly, as he was lounging up the flairs-—' it * was fo damned hot, I could not hold * the reins any longer — they dropped ' out of my hands, and the curricle ' tipped over jull in a puddle 3 — not ' enough, I fwear, to wet more than the * end of his toe, though he is in fuch a * fright A NOVEL. 59 ' fright about catching cold — befides, * as I told him, he mufl be ufed to be ^ up to his knee an water half the ^ year, when he is at his eftate in Cum- * berland. — Faith! I believe it was * that made him fo curfedly angry, for ' he has done nothing but bounce and * fly ever fince.' — They were inter- rupted by the arrival of major lleartley, an old friend of the family, an officer, who after much fevere fervice had retired, with the lofs of an arm, upon half pay, with the confcious fatisfadion of having dejerved more of his country, than he ever hoped to receive — and enfign Melford, a younger brother of a noble family, who had undergone the immenfe fatigue of a campaign abroad, and had returned with ail the fafhiona- ble difgufl: for exertions of any fort, and D 6 mod 6o BELMOUR: inofl particularly fuch as might en- danger his own elegant perfon. In addition to the company above- mencioned, Mr. Mortimer arrived, by invitation, to dinner. He was a near neighbour of lord Delavere^s — had been long an hnmble admirer of lady Caroline -, but, confcious of the little pretcniions his rank and fortune could give him to the earl of Delavere's daughter, he was ftill proud of the fcn- timents with v/hich flie had infpired him, and voluntarily nourilhed a hope- lefs pafilon in his !>:C: ft j endeavouring to content himfelf ^s\n\ feeing, from time to time, the objed of his admi- ration.— He was a man of blamelels character, and amiable manners 5 but his fortune was fmalj^ and his health in' early A NOVEL. 6i early youth having been fuch as to difable him from following the law (the profefTion for which he was in- tended) he had retired into the country with an intention of paffing the re- mainder of his life on his own eftate, a farnn of a few hundreds per annum, and abandoning a world, in which he felt little hopes of fuccefs. His pafTion for lady Caroline confirmed this refo- iution ; as, without her, he felt all fituations mull be nearly equal to him, and fought, therefore, only to difpofe his mind to the quiet enjoyment of the rational purfuits Hill within his power. - Thefe gentlemen had fcarcely made their bow, when the dinner bell rangj the earlieil fummons lady Cle- mentina 62 B ELM OUR: mentina ever obeyed for beginning her toilette, which often was of more than equal duration with the firft courfe. — That day fhe declared fhe would not be a minute ; and hurrying away Mifs Melville with her, who Ihe faid * mtijl juft come and arrange her ^ hair/ away fhe flew, and did adlually return as the company were fitting down to dinner. — Mifs Melville, being a flranger, was placed next to lord Delavere, at the head of the table, and every, body, as if by common accord, left a feat next to lady Clementina vacant for lord Belmour, although he ufually fat at the bottom of the table. — At firft he was not forry for the change, as it gave him an opportunity of more nearly obferving Mifs Melville, for whom every inftant increafed his ad- miration A NOVEL. 63 miration and intereft. — A fettled nae- lanchoiy evidently hung on her fine ex- preirive countenance — her manners were eafy and unembarrailedj and though fhe Teemed to cafl an obfervant eye on every thing around her, the un- common profulion of magnificent plate, number of attendants, and general elegance, with which the earl's table was ferved, appeared as things fa- miliar to her, and to excite in her no degree whatever of furprize. — Lady Clementina exceeded that day even her ufual flow of fpirits, and her mirth was much increafed by fcveral of the perfons at table. — Lord Fenmofs, who fat ihivering, wrapped up to the chin in a large fur Jurtout^ as far as poiTible from every door or window, inquiring every moment if the $4 B E L M O U R : the phyficlan he had fent for were come, and the fal farjoriy were to her irre- fifllble fubjeds for laughter. She talked with her innocent freedom con- tinually to lord Belmour, and leaned fanniliarly towards him, whifpering and endeavouring to make him partake of her jokes. — She had often wondered^ that lord Belmour never made love to her— a thing, as fhe thought, almoft of courfe, from every man of figure and politcnefs : but fhe was not in the lead offended ; fhe concluded, that one day or other he zvould, but without any further determined idea, or intention of treating him at all differently from the reft of her many admirers. Belmour, who wanted wholly to oc- cupy himfelf with obferving Mifs Mel- ville, A NOVEL. 65 ville, was teafed and eaibarralTcd by the inceffanc interruptions of lady Cle- mentina. — He had caught Mifs Mel^ ville's eyes, as it feenned to him whea (he thought herfeif unobferved, turned towards him with an exprefllon of in- quiry j—but it might be fancy.— Towards the end of dinner, a dif- cuflion arofe between Heartley and young Melford, on the advantages and duties of a military life. The former commonly fupported his opinions with more freedom and warmth than he poffibly otherwife would have done, from a confcloufnefs of the fituation in which he might appear to the ill- judging world, who, from his contracted fortune, and his attachment to lord Delavere*s family, in whofe houfe he in a manner liv^d, m.ight^ without further obfcrvation, 66 E ELM OUR: obfervation, {i:i hina down as a liangcr- on, or led -captain, although the real worth and fpirit of his chara6ler infured him againft the flighted degree of per- fonal offence from any one. — Melford, after a lively defcription odh^inpfferahU ennuiy attending tht^atigues of fcrvice, looked towards Bslmour, as if certain he Ihould be fupported in his argument by an heir apparent^ who he, of courfe, conceived cotdd think nothing bearable biiteafe and amufement. — ' You fhould ' not/ faid Heartley, ' addrefs yourfeif ' to lord Belmour on thefe fubjeds. — * His lordfhip has very different ways of * thinking, fince he voluntarily fought, ^ on board one of his majefty's frigates, * what I believe jfi;^, fir, would have * thought ftill harder fervice than any ' in which you have been engaged.* Melford, A NOVEL. 67 Melford dared Co long, and with fuch aftonifliinent, at lord Belmour, that a general filence enfued; and, he, finding fome explanations of Heartley'sfpeech necefiary, faid carelefsly, but with afigh, tliat he had taken the opportunity of going out with 1ms friend captain Harcourt, who commanded a fix-and- thirty gun frigate, wifhing to fee the manoeuvring of a fliip of war, having formerly wiflied to follow the profef- fion himfelf.—He did not add, that his friend fell bravdy fighting, in one of the mod brilliant anions of the war, in which he was engaged i and that he, with the courage of a hero, v. as the firft who boarded the enemy*s vefTel, after the lieutenant had taken the command of the frigate j — and, as a ferious look which 68 BELMOUR: which he afTumed after he had finiihed his (hort account, at the fame time offering to help Melford to feme difh placed near him, plainly fhowed, that he chofe to put an end to the conver- fation, no queftion was afl^ed on the fubjecl. — But Heardey related to the perfons who fat next to him the whole in detail, in a whifper loud enough for Mifs Melville, who was liflening with particular attention, to hear.—' Don't * llRen, Mifs,' faid the recSbor, fuddenly turning towards her, ' you will be « frightened/- Mifs Melville's' pale cheek was in a moment changed, a deep blufli was fufFufed over her face, and Ihe haftiiy turned her head the other way, while the redor continued to laugh immoderately at the triumph he . thought A NOVEL. 6g thought he had attained in putting her out of countenance. — All this, it naay eafily be fuppofed, did not efcape Bel- mour,wholamented inwardly the impof- fibility he felt of penetrating at all into the fenfations excited in Mifs Mel- ville's bread, which certainly feemed to be both ftrong and various during the. courfe of the dinner. Early in the evening, though much prefTed to (lay. Mils Melville retired, to which the re6lor confented with a Icfs degree of reludance, from the ex- treme impatience he felt, to relate all that he had fecn, and all that he had heard, in full liberty. The moment he entered his own houfe, he ran up to his wife, rubbing his 70 BELMOUR: his hands, and chuckling with figns of the greateft exultation, — * I have ken * her,' faid he, * I have feen our new * countefs, yes count e/s, for the earl is * to be made a marquis — the marquis * of Belmour, becaufe they have found ' out it's the oldeft tide in the family, * and lord Belmour is to take the * fccond title (I know not what) and "* to be an earl — and they are to be * married in the caftle — there's for * ye! — I got it out of old Worthy, the ' fleward — that is, he did not deny * it— and he's as clofe. — Well, JI:e is a < beauty^ and as gay as a lark, and as * frolickfome as a doe. — No wondet* * my lord Belmour admires her as he ' does ! — Well, they will be the hand- * fomeft, fweeteft couple— God blefs * 'cm, fayl'. — ^ My dear,' interrupted 3 ^ His A N O V E L. ri his wife, ^ I believe the ale has got ' into your head.' — * Ale ! where is ' your foolifh head T— he then, to the bed of his recolledion, gave her a cata- logue of the different wines that were ferved at table, of the various diflies, and a nninute defcription of the plate, and of every fingle article of magni- ficence, with an attempt to relate all that was faid by every one of the coip- pany feparately.— The whole with a volubility, that at lafl put him fo com- pletely our of breath, a paufe of ne* ceflity enfued -, — at which interval, Mifs Melville took an opportunity to fay, that fhe felt fome degree of head- ach, and fhould.go and take a walk, as the evening was fo fine. — ' Now, what, * the devil ! makes her look fo glum /*— faid'he, as Mifs Melville fhut the door — * but 72 B E LM OUR: * but fome people never are pleafed— ' that's fure enough !*— ' Nay, my * dear/ faid his wife, ' don't fay that^ ' I am fure Mifs always feems pleafed ^ and fatisfied with every thing fhe has * here, though I often think, I don't * know why, poor thing ! that fhe has * been ufed to better fare— and as for ' that, if fhe does love to fit fometimes ' in her own room,- why, as they fay, * it's nobody's lofs but her own, and * better than always being in the way, Mike fome folks 1'—' You're a fool, ^ Peggy, fo come along,' faid the par- fon, twifting his wig (Iraight, which he had more than half rubbed off in the warmth of his narration, and putting on his hat — * come along, I don't care ^ if we f,itcb a walk too, before it's * quite dark, for, now I think of it, my ^head A NOVEL. 75 * head feels a little queer, and the frelli ^ air will do me good/ — So faying, ouc he ftrutted, and foon overtook Mifs Melville, who was walking flowly be- fore them. — After their return home, the redor was Ihortly quieted, by filHng faft aQeep in his great chair i and Mifs Melville fat the refc of the evening at work, little interrupted, as his wife, feeing her more than ufually thought- ful and ferious, did not obtrude her converfation. VOL, I. 74. BELMOUR: CHAP. IV. From the time Mifs Melville had left the caflle, lady Clementina had talked of nothing but her — her beauty, her manner, and who fhe could he — not that it fignified,. fhe faid^ who anybody was, when they were fo charming. — * Do, coufin,' faid flie to lady Caroline, the next morning at breakfaft, * do let * us go and fee Mifs Melville, it will * be but civil, and aunt Eliza will go ^ v;ith us— fhe is always preaching cU * vility to me/— Lady Caroline, rather gravely, faid that fhe would go with her rhe next day, but that they mufty that morning, make a vifit another 'Way. The A NOVEL. 71 The next morning, lady Clementina was down at breakfaft earlier than ufual, protefting, that fhe ^ would go that ^ morning, to fee Mifs Melville/ and colleding all thofe fhe could to accom- pany her on her walk ; ^ for walky* fhe would, fhe declared, ^ it was fo near, * and fo fhould lord Fenmofs, in fpite ' of the crick In his neck, and Saunter, * in fpite of the heat.' — Melfcrd was ' always ready,' he faid, ^for expeditions * of this forty and Belmour bowed af- fent — but lord Delavere, at the fame moment coming into the room, told lady Clementina, that fhe v/as welcom^e to difpofe of all the gentlemen that morning except ' Belmour, who muft go with him to meet a perfon of bu- ftnefs, who was then waiting for them £ 2 at 76 BELMOUR: at the neighbouring town, at the fannc time making a fign to Belmour to follow him, as the carriage, he faid, was ready .—Belmour, however vexed, had not a word to fay, and ftill lefs ven- tured to oppofe his father, and objedl to his propofition, from feeing lady Caroline's eyes fixed upon him, while the earl was fpeaking. The reft of the party, headed by lady Clementina, proceeded, and were joined by Dafli and Plumewell, whom they met in their way — On their arrival, they completely filled the little parlour of the parfonage. The redtor was hap- pily always at his eafe -, but his wife, what with having that day an uncom- monly dirty gown on, and a ragged old A NOVEL. 77- old cap, which flie fqueezed every moment with both her hands— in vain — ilie felt it never could fet tolerably— and the want of feats for naore than half the connpany, was in a perfect fever. — It feemed to her fo unlucky ^ that the honour of fuch a vhlt fhould not have come to her on the day before, or on the day after — any day in the whole year, fhe thought, would have found her lefs unprepared. — Mifs Melvlli?, who was called down ^flairs on the ar- rival of the company, gave her all the afliftance in her power. ^\\z appeared herfelf unembarrafled. Her manner, indeed, on all occafions, partook of that eafe, which obfervation, good fenfe, and a knowledge of the world, alone can give, and which is equally E 3 fuited 78 BELMaUR: fuited to a court and to a cottage.— This manner was, in Mifs Melville, accom- panied by a native modetly, which gave agentlenefs and grace to all her actions. Lady Caroline made lord Delavere's cxciife for not having been able to pay his rcfpeds to her that morning, but faid not a word of htr brother.— They afterwards were led into the redor's garden, where lady Caroline took notice of the neatnefs, with which the flowers were tied up, and particularly of an arbour compofed merely of willow flakes, but a luxuriant honey- fuckle and jefTamine were entwined over the litde arches with fo much tafle, and fuch advantage taken of a fine pyracanthus, which grew near and covered A NOVEL. ^ covered the remains of a bit of ruined wallj that it was impoflible to remark it without admiration. — ' All Mifs\. faid the redor, * all Miffes doing. — ' Faith, fhe has improved this garden * more in fix weeks fince fhe has been * with us, than our Jemmy, the gar- * dener, in fix months — he ! he ! he 1' f — ^A perfefl Flora,* faid lord Fenmofs,, gliding up to Mifs Mel/ille with a familiar and ianguifhing air, who, after this claffic compliment, of which he felt not a little proud, he thought muft, as a perfon of tade, be flattered by kis notice. — Lady Eliza could never view the flighted attention paid to any but her dear Clementina, without jea- loufy, and immediately biifiled up to them in order to interrupt further con- verlation. Lady Eliza had, moreover, E 4 a par- tC BELMOUR: a particular predile6llon for lord Fen- niofs^ and would wiiiingly have favour- ed his addreffes to her niece In prefer- ence to thofe of any other— for of all lady Clennentina's admirers be was the only one, v;ho ever took the flighteft notice of her, or ever appeared to per* ceive that fhe exifted. — He would even frequently hand her out of the Opera, rather than lady Clementina ^ as he knew, that he might keep her fnugly Handing by a warm Hove, till the car^ riage was a6tually at the door -, while lady Clementina would unmercifully drag him into the ftreet, among links and footmen, in the open air, in froft and fnow, impatient to proceed to fome other place of amufement — or on pur^ po/e to divert herfelf at his expenfe, and laugh at him, as his dread of catching A NOVEL. 8i catching cold was a {landing joke; and, in addition, his finical drcfs and perfon never failed, on thefe occafions, to attrad the notice of fome honefl: Englifh byflander, whole remarks af- forded her frefh fiibjefl for mirth and diverfion. — Then lady Eliza always inc^iiir^d Jympathetically after his health, and recommended po/fets^ caudlesy and conjerves^ and aU the pharmaceutical pre- parations of a lady Bountiful, and, above all, cm'e ofhmjelf^ adding, with emphafis, that ' nons of the young men of fafliion * Hie faw, were at all like him.^ — All thi^ not only flattered his vanity, but en- couraged his hopes of fuccefs with the rich heirefs ; a confideration by no means indijferent to his lordfliip : and he thought it well worth while to fub- mit, to be now and then laughed at, for E 5 the ft BELMO.UR: the chance of a great fortune^ and ima- gined thus cunningly to outwit his an- tagonifts. After having hurried all over the re6lor*s houfe and garden, infilling on feeing every thing, and fo good hu- mouredly admiring every thing, that it vf2^s impoflible to be angry with her, lady Clementina returned with herfoU lowers to the caftle, not without having made feveral attempts to perfuade Mils Melville, to accompany her thither, and jpafs the day— but this fhe civilly dcclinecU Lady Caroline, at their return home, found herfelf fo unwell, that, unable to dine below flairs^ fhe immediately re- tired toherov/n apartment. — Belmour and his father arrived at the door^ juft 2S A NOVEL. 85 as the reft of the company were fitting ^ down to table, after having waited for a confiderable time, every moment in ex- pe6lation of their arrival^ their biifinefs having detained them later than they, fuppofed. The dinner over, Belmour Inquired for his fifter, whom he found fllll alone in her room. — He had fcarcely had time to exprefs his anxiety about her health, when Ihe interrtipted him by afking what could have happened, and why he had an appearance of fo much agitation. — ' I was not aware of my * looks,' faid he, * nor did I mean, at * this time, when I find you fo low and * fo oppreffed, to have troubled you * with any thing merely relative to * myfelf— but left you fhould think E 6 * this g4 BELMOUR: ' this fomething worfe than it really Is, I * vvfU tell you, that my father, during * the whole of our long drive, has been .* prefling me wich more than ufual * earneftnefs, nay, with eagernefs little ' ihort of violence, on the fubjed of * my marriage, claiming zpromijt which certainly I never made, never could * make, never will make,' faid he, rifing and walking haftily about the room. — ^ Why fhould I voluntarily * poifon the remainder of a life, which ' has not hitherto been happy T— - * My dear brother !' faid lady Caroline, with a half leproving tone — ' no/ he replied, / I repeat it, my life has not * been happy. — It is not on fituation * that happinefs depends, but on the * mind's-being adapted to that fituation * (whatever it may be) in which it is 'placed.—^ A NOVEL: 85 ' placed. — Mine was not fo. — Fortune, * it is true, feemed to fmile on me— * but my heart was often at the mo- ' ment agitated by anxiety, or torn ' with grief and difappointment ; — de- ^ ceived, cruelly deceived, in the obje6b * of my early afFeftion, I have fince * wandered vainly about, feeking to ^ curb, nay, extinguifh thofe very * feelings and fcnfations, that I know * might have made me blefied. — No, * no,M — continued he with much agi- tation — * if I ever do marry, it Jhall ac * lead be a woman of {tnk^ one by^ * whofe judgment my own can be ' both flattered and correded. — I will * not m.arry a girl, a child — nay, if I * love her, my own reafon muft con- * dcmn the folly of fuch a pafTion.— * What have I not already facrificed to * my 86 BELMOUR: * my father I — My difpofition led mc * to die choice of an aftive life, and « fronn what fatal errors might I not ' have been faved^ had I been allowed * a rational and ferious occupation !— * I wifhed, earneftly wifhed, to have « followed the profeffion of the navy*— * to have accompanied a loved and va- * lued friend in the fame purfuit. — He ' fell r (here Belmour's eyes were filled with tears)— ^ in this my father ftre- * nuoufly oppofed me/ — ' I was an only * fon/ he faid,— ^ I knew myfelf inde- * pendant — His commands I might have * refifted — his entreaties I could not ! — * In politics, again, with the idea at 'leaft of being in fome meafure fer- * viceable to my country — my youth- * fill ardour would, in a general line of * condudb, have prompted me to follow ^ «as A NOVEL. 87 ' as a leader that one bright genius *, * on whofe heart I could repofe, fliould * his judgment on any occafion for a * moment fail him. — He was in oppofi- * iion. — Miniftry, my father infifted, ' mtift always be fupported, and he had * private obligations, as he faid, more- * over, that rendered that fupport, in * the prefent cafe, indifpenfable . to * him J — in fhort, every view, every * profpe(5i: he could form, would have * been frudrated by my retaining on * this fubjefl the privilege to think for ' ^yj^^f' — Endlefs difputes would have * arifen, or a coldnefs have taken place * between us, which, from a really kind * and afFedionate father, my heart * never could have fupported. — But to ' become * Honourable Charles James Fox. «3 BELMOUR: * become the humble fervant ofdnjy and ' every minifter, and blindly to fupport ^ his meafures, I never could fubmit — * againft that every honed principle * within my bieaft recoils. - Idetermin- ' ed, therefore, wholly to abandon poli- * tics. — To this coirpromife my father, * not without fom.c difficulty, conlented * — butjaccufcomed to ccncefllon on my * part, if in this inflance he expe61: obe- * dience, I fairly and openly declare, that * he will find himfelf miilaken. — I * know all his prejudices, yet fhould * never, I think, be led to offend him in * my choice ; but no power on earth * ihall compel me, to fhackle myfclf * for life, without even a pofiible * hope of future comfort or happi- ' ncfs/ Lady A N O V E L. 85 Lady Caroline had remained filent — the image of Derville wholly occu- pied her mind from the moment Bel- mour uttered the words ^ deceived by ' the objed of my early affedlion •/ it was too forcible an appeal to her own heart!— But by this time, endeavour- ing to recover herfelf, fhe attempted to fay fome thing in favour -of lady Clementina; as her father had entreat- ed her to ufe her influence, to afTifi in perfuading her brother to a mar^ riage he had fo much at heart -, and in which, indeed, fhe herfelf thought fhe faw many ferious advantages. — * Sure- * ly,' faid fhe, ' Clementina is uncom- ' monly handfome, and, fetting apart ^ her high birth, her being an heirefs, ^ and her near connection with us, ^ always an agreeable circumftance, as Mt ^6 BELMOUR: » It avoids the inconvenience of a * thoufand new, and, ten to one, ' troublefonne relations, I cannot, when * I look round, fee any young per- * fon to compare to her — fhe is * fo amiable ! fo good-natured ! and 'I am fure, fince fhe has been * here, fhe feems pleafed with every * thing.* — * Yes,' interrupted Belmouf ■with fome vehemence, ^ pleafed with * every things and with every hody,—^ ' You are perfeftly in the right, filler, * but I muft tell you, that, in my opi- * nion, fuch perfons are more to be *^voidedin a ferious connexion, even * than thofe who are f leafed with ' nothing, — At lead, they fuit neither * my temper nor difpofition, except * for a common acquaintance, what- *ever others may think of them. — And * this A NOVEL. 91 * this Is really the ftrangeft fancy * in you ally to perfecute me about a * girl, that I am perfuaded never cafl: * away a more ferious thought upon ' me, than on Fenmofs, Saunter, ot ' any other man, that could hand her * out of an Opera, or would dance *a country-dance widi her! — But I * am too warm,* faid he, ' I flurry you ' now you are ill : forgive me, my * dearefl fifter, forgive me,' he repeat- ed, in the mod afFedionate tone, * let ^ us drop this fubjedl for the prefent, * I will leave you, and come again * by and by, if you ft ill remain In * your room.' — Saying this, he left his fifter — went precipitately down ftairs, and diredly out of the gate, bending his hurried fteps towards a wood at fome diftance from the caftle, backed by 92 BELMOtJR: by craggy rocks, which overlooked the Tea— a favourite walk of Be}-- mour's, where he pafled many a foli- tary hour, fometimes fixing his eyes in filent adnniration on the vaft expanfe before him, fometimes loft in endlefs reverie. — Alone here, and fecure from interruption, as the agitation of his mind, from his recent converfation with his fifter, began to fubfide, a thoufand recolleflions crowded on his imae^ina- tion.—The quiet ftillnefs of the even- ing, indeed, led infenfibly to thought and refledlion ; no found reached the ear, but the gentle murmur of the ebbing tide on the fands beneath ; the fea was fmooth as glafs, and the diftant lirde barks fcarcely feemed to move on its furface. — The fun, veiled in a light mift, was now already drawing near A NOVEL. 93 near to the horizon ; and the whole fur- roundnig fcene was fuch, as, on a mind like Belmour's, could not fail to make a fenfible imprefiion. Yet he felt not half the foothing charm i — no o^e be- loved objed now filled and occupied his heart. — Young as he was, the airy phantoms of imaginary blifs had long vanifhed from his fight ; and, in their place, appeared to his maturer judg- ment no flattering hope of m.ore rational enjoyments, fuch as tempered by reafon could fatisfy a mind like his, tender, delicate, and fufceptible in the ex- treme, yet confident, open, and ge- nerous. — When lord Belmour, not then one- and-twenty, returned firft from his tra- vels, he came into what is called t be w or M, with every poiTible advantage nature or . ^4- BELMOLTR: or fituatlon could give.— The grace of his uncommonly fine figure was heightened by all the elegance of drefs, and by the mod polilhed manner3i and while his native fpirit and approved courage made him not lefs feared than envied by the men, he was courted and idoUzed by the women. — But to vanity, that could flatter neither his under- flanding nor his heart, he was little fenfiblej and although his youth and pafilcns led him for fome time to follow, without reflraintj the impetuous torrent of diffipation and pleafure, yer, as his mind, was naturally both of a ferious and thoughtful turn, even in the rnidft of that perpetual vortex, which is termed fcciety in London, ke flill found moments to indulge his love of reading, and the cultivation of his mindi for Belmour not only left Eton A NOVEL. 95 Eton and the Univerfity the allowed bed fcholar, but had never difcontinued his purfuics in claflical learning, and in every other fpecles of elegant litera- ture.-^Such moments, indeed, were for fome time lliort and interrupted j but he foon grew difgufted with the infipid buftle of general fociety; his head, not kfs than his heart, requiring fome more real occupation and intereft. — The profligate difcourfe of his young com- panions he never could fupport with patience; a;id as his known fpirit always made him feared, he Ihortly became a reftraint upon them j which circum- ftance, as he could not fail to perceive it, rendered their company at beft but dull and infipid to him.-r-In this ftate of mind he firft began to diftinguifh lady RQftberg, and to feek every op- portunity 96 BELMOUR: portunlty of exprcfllng his refpcclful admiration of her, for fuch indeed it was. — He believed her, what Ihe ap- peared, all that was amiable, all. that was virtuous, and approached her with a reverence little fl-.ortof that due to a divinity j — for though he had followed the allurements of pleafure, his heart was uncorrupted, and he attributed the fuccefs, he had hitherto met with among wom.en, to their too great facility, not to indifcrimlnate vice, and flill lefs to his own merit. Lady Rofeberg was then at the very pinnacle of faihion, admired and refpeded. — She had been married at fixteen, as it was fuppofed againft her inclination, to lord Rofeberg, who, bc- fides being above fixty, v/as in his ap- pearance A NOVEL. or pearance dilguding, and his under- ilandino: and manners were by n6 means calculated to redeem the faults of his perfon; but he had an hnmenfe eilatc entirely in his own power, ni children by a former marriage, and ofrered car*e hianchf as to fettlements. — Mifs Rayficld had not fixpence in the world ; and the aff;^irs of Sir Samuel Rayfieldj her father, were fo involved in fon.e Eail- India traofa^ons> not much to his credit, that fixMn him fhc had nothing to expedl j and his only hopes for her fliture eftablilhment, were to be derived from the bargain made in confideration of her youth and power- ful charms. — Lord Rofeberg appeared to both the very perfon on earth bell adapted to their purpofe* VOL. r Mils 98^ BELMOUR: Mifs Ray field, on her part, had fo well profited by the maxims of her fa- ther, aflifted by certain intuitive prin- ciples, inherent in her own breail, chat ilie favv in pcrfpedlive all the advantages fhe might derive from fuch a marriage; and was little lefs anxious for its accom- plifhment on the firft overtures made by his lordlhip, than her prudential and calculating father. The marriage was therefore fhortly concluded, and, as the whole of the bufinefs had pafled in the country, where at a race-ball fhe had been feen, admired, and followed by the enamoured peer, fhe made her appear- ance for the firft time on the theatre or fafhion in London, in the charader of avi^im, cruelly Sacrificed to age and uglinefs, and was almoft as univerfally pitied, as fhe was univerfally admired. She A NOVEL. 99 She was received with kindnefs and attentions even by lord Rofeberg's fa- mily, for though they would rather he had not married at all, as they all thought that unavoidable, they were well fatisfied that he had not fallen a prey to fomething much worfe, as he was known all his life to have been led by feme woman — and indeed to be the certain dupe of aimoft any woman, that would take the trouble to impofe on him by cajoling and flattery : yet the taflv was not eafy, as the narrow-nefs of his mind rendered him fufpicious, and his total dependance on others for amufement and occupation, fretful and difcontented. — But once thoroughly lulled into a fecurity, in w^hich he found his own eafe, and conftant atten- tion to humour his every trifling ca- F 2 pi ice lOO BELMOUR: price and fancy, there was little to fear from his penetration. Lady Rofeberg had not naturally a vicious charade r—fhe was good-na- tured and compalTionate; and, perhaps, under other circumftances than thofe in which (lie was placed, miglip-in fome meafure have really merited the refpedt and confideration (he for a long time obtained from the world -, but an ex- celT) ve love of pleafure, and a too great facility in its gratification, proved her ruin, and finally overfet all the barriers her good fenfe, prudence, and judg- ment, had oppofed to it*s violence.— She ceafed wholly to refpedl herfelf, and fliortly after loft the refped (lie vainly hoped by art and duplicity to extort from others. When Belmour became attached A NOVEL. 101 attached to her, ftie was in the zenith of her charms i her condu(5l to her lord had appeared exemplary, and fcarcely was the voice of calumny heard louder than a whifper againft her. Young men, it is true, were always of her fo- ciety — but her manner to them was eafy and unconftrained, and the firll (lep to admifiion into her houfe, was by proper attentions to her hufoand — and though (he followed the full torrent of fafhionable amufements, went late to every place, and came late from every place, it was always in company with women of approved character and re- putation, near relations of her lord, or fuch as in themfelves, according to the opinion of the world, could but be of advantage to her. In private fociety, Ihe never was known to iLew either a F . 3 Ihadow 102 EELMOUR: fliadow of dlfguft or contempt for her huPoand.—Some indeed were of opin- jc n, that in her manner to him fhe car- ried this forbearance too far the other way^ and mujl have reafons for thus af- fediing, what could not be fincere. — Be this as it rnay, fhe had by her prudence gained a degree of confideration, which, united to her youth, beauty, and capti- vating manner, rendered her the mod followed and moll admired woman in the bright circle of fafhion. Belmour came an humble fuppliant to this (hrine of perfc6lion — he had hi^- therto admired lady Rofeberg only at a diflance, but now took an opportu- tuniry of being prefented to her, as one deiirous of being admitted to her fo- ciety, In confequence he left his name with A NOVEL. 103 with her hiifband, with whom, from his naturally agreeable manners, he foon became fo great a favourite, that lord Rofeberg was always inviting him to dinner, and foon grew fcarcely to be eafy, if he pafled a day without feeing him. This fo well fuited Belmour's growing paffion for lady Rofeberg, that he willingly fubmitted to all'the ennui of his converfation i and, whenever he could flatter himfelf, that it was not ^b- folutely difagreeable to her, accepted his invitations. For fome time fhe feldom herfelf invited him, except to her affem- blies; and lord Rofeberg at lad became peevifh at the omiffion, and afked her, ^ why llie invited a pack of imperdnent ^ coxcombs every day, who had neithet * common fenfe, nor common civility ' for him^ and negleded lord Belmour, F 4 ' becaufe 104 BEL M Oy R : * becaule he was his friend?' — She af- fiircd him, in thegcntkft tone, that ilie fhould always invite thofe, who were moftpleafing to him-, — * you know, my * charefl lord, that you choofe your own * fociety, and that my iirft ftudy is to * make the houfe agreeable to you,' — A look of fclf-complacency and fatis- fadion followed from his lordfhip j he told her, flie never looked handfomer, ihit her head-drefs became her, alked her if (lie had not of late been unlucky at play, put a no^e of two hundred pounds into her hand, and then limped down to his own apartment, in th^ mod perfe6l harmony of temper, beg- ging her not to ' hurry herfelf,' or come home a moment looner than llie liked on h's account:— Thefe, or fcenes like thefe, palled daily^ and lord Rofeberg was A NOVEL. 105 was perfuaded, that no man ever was fo much mailer in Iiis own houfe as himfdf. Lady Rofeberg, to whom Belmonr from the firft was by no means indiffer- ent, which indeed had been the caufe of her redoubled caution, now faw him ofcener at home, and allowed him to be one of her conflant attendants in public — but his real and unaffe6ted paCTion was fo evident to others, that it obliged her to greater referv^e and appearance of indifference to him, than Ihe fliewed to moft of her followers. — This, poor Bdmour conllrued into difapprobation of his attachment; and he was frequently tempted, in defpair, wholly to relinquiHi a fociety, in which he often experienced fo much pain and mortification— but r 5 as io6 BELMOU^: as Hie never loft fight of him, and care-* fully watched thefe workings of his heart, a fmile, a look were fufficient to recall him ten times more her captive than before. Still the tafk on her fi.de was difficult. -—He was. young, and though his ho- nour, {he thought, might be trufted, his condufl might be imprudent. — She knew him to be quick, and believed him jealous — and then his Cnthufiaftic admiration of her virtues ^ much alarmed her — What would be the confequence, fhe refledled, if he ever difcovered her Jefs rigid principles! — Yet he was not to be given up — //^/V,paflion had already- forbidden in her own breaft. Thus the remainder of the winter pafiTed, and her lord had natped his day for leaving London^ A NOVEL. 107 London, with an intention of pafTmg the early part of the fummer at his villa, whither flie meant, according to a little plan flie had formed, that Belmour Ihould be invited, but 7Wt by herfelf. Lord Rofeberg, fhe v/as certain, would infid on Belmour's being of the party. — To him, therefore, flie tacitly left the invitation, referving to herfelf not to forbid his coming, when he fhould ia confidence afk her leave; as, on alloc- cafions of this fort, fhe well knew, that Ihe might depend upon his delicacy^ and that he would rather avoid her fight, than rifk ofiending her ; but, as it often happens to thofe even of the moft confummate art, fhe this time carried her policy a.ftep too far. Belmour was at her houfe one even- ing, only a few days before her intended F 6 departure^ loS B ELM OUR: departure ; when lord Rofeberg, who had feveral times before mentioned the fiibjedl to him in general terms, now particularly and diredly invited him, and requefled him earneftly to accom- pany them out of town. Lady Rofe- berg, who was ftanding clofe by them at the moment, afFe<5led not to hear what her hufband had faid, but, with an air of carelelTnefs, turned round and walking up to a groupe of men who were talking together in the middle of the room, began laughing with the greateft appearance of indifference. Belmour, who was quite fure fhe had from the beginning heard every word lord Rofeberg faid, and who was anxioufly watching her countenance, in jordcr to difcover whether or not he ip.ight venture to accept an offer, that gratified his every wilh, v/as fo much vexed A N O V £ L. 109 vexed and difappointed at her manner, which argued, it feemed to him, fome- thing even beyond indifference, that after muttering a few indiftindt expref- fions of thanks to lord Rofeberg for his invitation, and cading a look of anger and mortification at her, he fud- denly left the room — went home, and ordered horfes to be ready for him at a very early hour the next morning, in order to leave town. But whither to go, he fcarcely knew— his mind was in a flate of refllefs agitation — he then recolle6ted, that the friend of his earlieft youth, and, though a few years older than himfelf, for fome time his fchool companion, captain Harcourt, wha commanded a fix and thirty gun frigate, was juft now at Plymouth. — Thither Bclmour went, and found relief for his opprefled 4IO BELMOUR: opprefied heart, in the warm and fincere expreflions of attachment of the honed tar, who, though he knew not the refine- ments of modern and fophifticated gal- lantry, could pity the real fufFerings of his friend. Not long after Belmour's arrival at Plymouth, captain Harcourt was or- dered out on a cruife. Belmour was delighted, on every account, to accom- pany him. The circumilances followed already, mentioned by Heardey — the imprefTion on Belmour's mind was deep and lafting, he had received the lad look and dying breath of his friend, who mortally wounded actually fell into his arms.— He was a young man of uncommon expe6lationsj unallied to any thing great or powerful. — He had early A NOVEL. Ill early rifen to the rank of captain^, and the command of a frigate by his own perfonal merit and valour. — His cha- ra6ler indeed, uniting the mod enter- prizing fpiritand undaunted courage to every gentle grace of humanity, did honour even to that of a Britifli failor. Lady Rofeberg, on the morning fubfequent to Belmour's leaving her, had with peculiar care attended to every circumftance, that could heighten the elegant negligence of her drefs, had Juppofed a bad head ache, and ordered only fuch and fuch perfons to be ad- mitted, among whom Beimour was not forgotten. She deoended on his coming, and had arranged all fhe w^as to fay, and all fhe. was to look — the whole of which, fummed-up,wasto ex- prefsj tiz BELMOUR: prefs, that fhe feared, yet wijhed he fhould accept of lord Rofeberg's invi- tation. — No Belmour came— - that day and the next pafied without her knowing what could have beconne of him, and her mind already mifgave her 5 when (he accidentally heard from lord Sanfterre, whom flie met, that as he was returning from the club towards fix in the morn- ing, two days before, he had feen Bel- mour*s chaife, with four poft horfes, galloping out of town; — ^ what could * poflefs the damn'd fellow ?* he afked, * every body living is in town.' — Lady Rofeberg with difficulty concealed her e mo don. — She was ;/c/ mortified^ flie too well knew the real caufe of Belmour's leaving her, but fhe was vexed and pro^ yoked at herfelf. — She ought, it now feemed to her, to have known Belmour 5 better^ A NOVBL. jjj better. — ' Yet who could luppofe any ^ ir»anj who had ever lived in the world, ' fo ablurd?* — What was to be done ?-^ her whole plan had failed — to pafs the fummer with lord Roleberg, without one fingle inlerefi, was intolerable even to think of !— She pretended indiipo- fition i retired to her own apartnnent, where fhe wrote above a dozen letters to Belmour, all which fhe one after another threv/ into the fire ; and at lad determined to /)<2/?p(?;^^ this growing and already powerful inclination, and to encounter for the prefent the unfpeak- able emui of her hufband's conftant company, as long as fate fhould deftine her to remain in the country; and rather take her chance of Belmour's returning to her of himfelf, whenever they fliould meet, than rifle the opinion he might entertain 114 BELMOUR: entertain of her, fliould Ihe, clrcum- llanced as things were, unexpedledly write to him. A refolution once taken, was fupported by few better than lady Rofebergj little alteration therefore was perceivable in her manner, during the few weeks, which they pafled at their villa. Yet her mind was by no means equally compofed. — The brilliant ac- tion, in which Belmour had been en- gaged, had not failed to fill every newf- paper, and for fome time to become the general topic of difcourfe. — She did not require to he put in mind of her lover— in fa6l, flie grew every day more anxious and uneafy, and began to fear in earneft fhe had loft her cap- tive. She was agitated by a thoufand various fenfations, which^ if not new, were at ieaft ftronger than any fhe had hitherto A NOVEL. IIS hitherto experienced. She looked for- ward with abfolute horrour to an autumn, pafled at their chief country fear, fur- rounded by neighbours and relations, whither lord Rofeberg talked of lliortly goings and to the ftill more painful idea, which now often prefented itfelf, of finding Belmour engaged in fome new purfuit, at her return to London. — But it fo happened, that lord Rofeberg was fuddenly feized with a cramp in the flomach, which exceflively alarmed him, and he confuked with lady Rofe- berg, whether it would not be more prudent for him at once to remove to town, where he could be certain of every medical alTiftance at a moment's warning. Lady Rofeberg did not fail warmly to fecond this propofal, and accordingly, in a few days afterwards they Ii6 B ELM OUR: they adlually fet out for town. As the coach-and-fix drove along Piccadilly, almoil the firft obje(5l that prefented itfelf was Beimour, walking flowly along the pavennent. — They both faw him at the fame infl:ant,and lord Rofe- berg, pulling the check-firing with ve- hemence, as foon as he could get the carriage (lopped, threw himfelf half out of the window, extending both his arms, and fcreaming out in a Oirill harih voice, ' Come hither, my dear boy, this mo- * ment! we have been loft without you * — how couid you go fighting there for ^ nothing, when we have fo many beg- ^ garly younger brothers, that might as ' well take the chance of being knocked * o'the head, as not! —bur come along, * we have got you again now, and, by * G— ! we won't let you go a fecond ^ time/ A NO VEL. 117 ' time/— Saying this, he began making room in the carriage for him, and with a tone of impatience ordered the fer- vant to open the door. — Belmour had advanced bowing, and, as it were pur- pofely, not looking towards lady Rofe- berg — when, in fpeaking to lord Rofe- berg, he raifedhis eyes, and immediately met her's, fixed on him with the fot'teft expreflion of tendernefs and concern. — • The dejeded appearance of Belmour, the melancholy expreffion of his coun- tenance, really excited her pity, and (he had not time to compofe her own looks, or to recover from the furprife of meeting him thus unexpe(5tedly, after an abfence that had caufed her fo much pain. — Nor did fhe wifh it, but now no longer fought to conceal the emotions, which his prefence excited. — Belmour for nS BELMOUR: for fome time remained with his eyes fixed on her*s, not hearing a fmgle word that was faid to him, and found himfelf actually feated in the carriage with her, almoll without knowing how he had gotten there. Lord Rofeberg ordered the carriage to proceed to his ownhoufe, and, of courfe, retained Belmour to dinner, and for the remainder of the day. Poor Behnour drank deeply of that dangerous poifon, to which his ardefs mind expofed him — he for the firft time believed himfelf beloved, not only by the obje6l of his paffion, but by the objedofhis admirationand refpedlj for he never for an inftant had doubted lady Rofeberg's virtues, which, though he might confider them as a bar to his happinefs, he ftill revered. Day A NOVEL. 119 Day after day now pafTed v\ith him, in a (late of intoxicating joy. — Not a creature at Hrft was in town, and con- ftantly invited as the guefl of lord Rofe- berg, he pafTed almoft his whole time in the fociety, for which only he felc the kafl real interefl. An intimacy took place, which rendered him, he thought, fupremely blefled : yet from a variety of caufes his happinefs was by no means without alloy. The open, generous candour of his mind, often revolted at the means, which were taken to en- fure the continuance of their commerce without fufpicion ; though necefiary, as lady Rofeberg aflured him; and it re- quired all the force of flrong pafTion, the dominion of which he was then under, to reconcile him in any degree to the conflant fcene of deceit and hy- pocrify. i:ic BELMOUKt pocrify, to which he was hourly witnefii. The advantage alfo taken of the cre- dulity of one, who certainly to him fliewed every mark of attention and partial kindnefs, cafl a gloom over his thoughtful moments : but there was no alternative} he muft fubmit to what his honeft heart could not approve, or for ever lofe the objed moft dear on earth to him. He moreover often looked forward to more lading ties. — The age and infirmities of lord Rofe- berg could not poflibly fail to fug- ged the idea of lady Rofeberg's being one day free to difpofe of herfelf; and his weak and contemptible character, dwindling then into peevifh and fretful childifhnefs, the inftant he was not in- dulged in whatever might be the fancy of the moment, made it impoflible that fhe A NOVEL. 121 ihe could feel any lading regret for his lofs. Thus two years pafled, during which, tinne eveiy art was difplayed on her fide, to retain her captive by the only means, on which flic could depend to fecure his tendernefs. — Hadflie indeed been what flie feemed, no art was ne- cefTary : his paflion was too fmcere not to be conftanr, while he could think himfelf not deceived in it*s objedl.— This (he felt, and felt too her own (itu- ation-^-nay, fometimes even almoft wifhed flie had not given Belmour an opinion of herfelf, which it coft her fo much pains to maintain; yet flie at other times enjoyed her triumph over his unfufpedting heart, and applauded the fubtlety of her own invention, by which vox.. I. G ihe 132 BEL M OUR: fhe governed the minds either of diofe who flood in her way, or of thofe who contributed to her pleafure— -but the reign of deceit and falfehood is never lading. About this time Belmour, having one day as ufual pafied the greateft part of the morning at lady Rofeberg's, was {landing by the fire, liflening to her ar- rangements for the evening, meaning foon after to take his leave. — When the door fuddenly opened, and a man he had never feen hurried into the room without vv/aiting to be announced, ran up to lady Rofeberg, and with an air of the greatefl familiarity, taking hold of both her hands, which he kifTed one after the other, afked her. If fhe ever were ^ fo furprized* in her life, as at feeing A NOVEL, f23 feeing him. ' My laft letter did not * announce this/~She did indeed feem jM'priJedy for fhe turned as pale as afhes the moment he entered the room.— * I have tired them out, and finilhed * the bufinefs/ faid he, ^ and am, thank * Heaven ! returned to the only place on ^ earth, after all, that one can live in.' — Then only perceiving Belmour for the firft time, as it feemed, he eyed him from top to toe, with an inquiring, fu- percilious glance, not even bowing, and, ftill holding lady Rofeberg's hands, led her, without the lead ceremony, to a window, where a long whifper began between them, during which he fom.e- times cad his eyes towards Belmour, as if inquiring who he was. — Lady Role- berg had already feveral times repeated the ufual fign for Belmour to retire— ^ c 2 he 124 BELMOUR: he was petrified— at lad, however, though unwillingly he took his leave. — ' Who can this be,* faid he to hinn- felf, as he walked (lowly from the door, agitated by fenfations he could not entirely define. — The perfo.n who had thus entered the room was a man ra- ther genteel in his appearance, not young, but tall and well made j his fea- tures were marked, and not irregular; but his countenance was fharp and far- caftic. — He was drefled in a foreign furtout, and had the appearance of hav- ing lately come from abroad. Belmour had not gone fifty paces from the dcor, v hen he met one of thcfe frequenters of every public place, and of every private fociety, to which they can obtain admifliun, who make 2 it A NOVEL. 125 It their whole and fole bunnefs, to dawdle from one place to another, re- tailers of every tittle tattle lie, and newf- mongers ordinary and extraordinary— • a Mr. Barnvclt by name, a diligent in- vefligator of all fubje£ts that con- cerned others, and didnoi concern him- fcif. — * So,' faid he, familiarly taking Belmour's arm and walking; on with him, ' St. Fort is come back fuddenly, * when nobody expedted him. — I think * I faw him going into lady Rofeberg's ' not ten minutes ago— but you inufl ' knovv', for you are jufl: come from * thence, was it not he?' — * Who is St. * Fort?' replied Belmour, without an- fwering Barnvek's queftion. — ^ Damn * it! you muil know St. Fort — but no, * no, now 1 think of it, when firfl you G 3 * appeared 126 BELMOUI^: ' appeared in the world, he was already * gone to Munich, having gotten him- ' fdf appointed envoy, becaufe he had * not a fixpence in the world, and was * over head and ears in dcbu-^Wbo He ■ is I cannot eafily tell you, I doubt whe- ' ther he knows that hinnfelf, and I am ' fure I do not — but wba^ he is I can tell ' you, and that is, one of the damnedefl * fiy fneering rafcals that ever exifled — * Egad! he made himfelf fomehow or ^ other ufeful to miniftry, and was, as I ' faid, appointed envoy to Munich; and * now^j becaufe it fuits him, I fuppofe, has * made them recal him, for no creature * expelled him back — but you muj^ * have heard of him at lead,' continued he, looking Belmour full in the face.—" Vl never did.*-^* Humph!* — here the' converfation A NOVEL. i^iij converfatlondropti and Barnvelt, feeing that Belmoiir was not at all in a com- municative nrsood, pretended that he faw fome perfon on the other fide of tl^e flreet, to whom he mnft ipeak, and hurried away.— Bclmoiir was heartily glad to get rid of him ^ he wiilied cer- tainly for information concerning the perfon he had feen^ but hated Barnvelt for every fingle word he had uttered on the fuhjecl, which he thought might be all lies, or mifreprefentations. — Yet what he had heard added confiderably to a thoufand teafing uncafy fenfations, which tormented him. — He now much quickened his pace, that he might not be (lopped a fecond time by fame other impertinent fool, hurried home, went diredly up to his own room, and order- ed no one to be admitted to him. G 4 Here ii8 BELMOUR: Here he paced backwards and for- wards, his mind wholly occupied by confufed ideas and painful fufpicions, w'hich he difmifTed as foon as they were formed — he looked to the hour of going to the opera, where he was to fee lady Rofeberg, with an impadence fcarcely fupportable — yet a dinner in company was to be firfl endured. — His flither (with v/hom he lived) had particularly defired his attendance that day, and whatever might be the feelings of Eel« mour, he never, on any occafion, facri- ficed to them a fmgle particle of duty or goodnature. — ^At lafl: the hour of the opera came. — When he arrived at the theatre, the firft obje6t that prefented itfelf to his fight was lady Rofeberg, quietly and compofedly feated in her box. — He looked at her for a few fe- condi A NOVEL. 129 conds at a diftance, before he went to her — fhe was alone — on his enterino; the box, (he turned round with her back entirely to the ftage, and making him a fign to come and fit in a chair clofe by her, fmiled with fuch perre<51: eafe and unconcern, that Bclmour inftantly felt afhamed of all he had thought and all he had fulFered, and was abfolutely in dr^ad of her beginning on the fubjed of what had pafled in the morning, which he had com.e with fuch a deter- mination to have explained' — ' By the * by,' faid fhe, * you were in a pretty * humour this morning, when you left ' me — T thought you meant to retain * your poft on the hearth by force of ' arms.' — Belmour muttered fome in- coherent fentence, reddening and much embarraffed, * Weil, well,' added fhe, G 5 * I have 136 BfiLMOUK: ' 1 have no time to fcold you now, I * have fomething to fay of real confe- * quence to us both, and, God knows! ' how foon we may be interrupted.— * Beware of St. Fort, the perfon whom' * you faw this morning.* — ' Beware!' faid Belmour, haftily — ' Do not inter- ^ rupt me, I know that what you faw * mufl: appear llrange to you — the * whole will be a long ftory, I know not ^ how it happened, that I never rold you * all this before, but it is to me a hate- ^ ful fubjed— one thing I do inftjt upon,- * if St. Fort (hould come into the box, * that you will be eivil to him— 'tis an ' age ago, when I was firft married, and * knew nothing almoft of the world, * that I found St. Fort the eftablifhed < and intimate friend of my lord, who * had known and protected him from a * boy. A NOVEL. 131 ' boy, as I underftood, and he never * was out of the houfe — At firfl I really * liked him, his talents and knowledge * are fuperior, and his converfation, ' when he choojes if, infinitely entertaining ' and inftrudtive/ — She paufed — Bel- mour was all attention — * In fhort, he * fell in love with me, or thought he * did, which is the fame thing — I then * could not bear him, as you mayfu-ppje * — on this he grew ill-natured, jealous, * and every thing that is odious — Had I * at the firfl: mentioned his ingratitude * to my lord in attempting to feduce ^ his wife, after all the obligations he * owed him., St. Fort would have been * forbidden the houfe, and I fhould have * had no further trouble about him 3 but * he, taking advantage of my good- ^ nature, grew quite infolent and over- o 6 ' bearing. 132 BELMOtlR: * bearing, and under the pretence of ^ friendjhipy and care for my reputation^ ^ he fcarcely would allow me to fpeak ' to a creature — However, as he was * ^ben welcome to watch me as much as * he pleafed/ (faid {he with a figh) ' and * as I had nothing then to conceal— * I determined only to continue on my * own way, and truft to his being tired ' firft, which fo far happened, that, con- ' vinced I had no other attachment, he * fubmitted to be on terms of friendfbip * only with me, and grew again trad- * able and agreeable — In this flate of * things he left England, fome months * before I for the firft time faw you. — * I dare fay that now he does not really * care a ftraw for me, and if you have * but common prudence* — here they ^erc interrupted by the very perfbn of whom A NOVEL. 135 v/hom they were fpeaking, and feveral other men, who at the fanae time came into the box. — Lady Rofeberg imme- diately introduced Belmour and St. Fort to each other, the latter made-ex- cufes to Belmour for not knowing who he had the honour to meet in the morn* ing. — Shortly after Belmour, as the box grew full, retired to another part of thehoufe. — The perfed eafe with which lady Rofeberg had talked of St. Fort, and the natural manner in which fhe had accounted for his behaviour, with- out even attempting an excuje for herfelf, relieved his mind at the moment from the fufpicions he had formed ; yet he felt uneafy at the thoughts of additional caution, which lady Rofeberg feemed to announce as necefiary — already the moments appeared too fhortto him, in which 134 B ELM OUR: which he was allowed to partake of her fociety in any degree of liberty, and the idea of fuch an ohjerv^r as St. Fort was to him intolerable. — All this, however, he kept within his own bread \ his firft and conftant rule was never to diftrefs her, and while Ihe allured him of her tendernefs, he was content to bear any thinff. Thus a few weeks pafled, St. Fort was frequently at lord Rofeberg's, who, however, did not exprefs any very parti- cular regard for him, or tafbe forhiscon- verfation; which fhewed indeed fome genius, and, on many fubjecls, much information 3 but he was opinionated, haughty, and obllinate, and, when he was not fpeaking himfelf, unlefs where he wifhed to plcafe, his look was al- ways A NOVEL. f35 ways fneerlng and contemptuous. Bel- mour and he, whenever a dlfcufllon arofe, whatever the fubjetft, feldonn. failed to fupport a different opinion, and often with a confiderable degree of warmth. — Belmour always argued from the heart, and St. Fort always from the head. There was nothing, indeed, in St. Fort's manner to lady Rofeberg, that abfolutely excited Belmour's jea^ loufy; but he difliked her intimacy with fuch a chara6ler, and though he avoided complaint, he grew thoughtful and me- lancholy — A new comer, too, whonri he could not but defpife too much ever to think of as a rival, was continually in his way — a Sir Harry Wilburne— one of thofe frelh -looking half- formed animals, who pafs for handfome till they are five-and-twenty, and then become overgrown. ^36 BELMOUR: overgrown, fat, unwieldy monders. This Sir Harry Wilburne had juft emerged from his country feat, in the vicinity of a provincial town, where he had Ihone the brighteft ftar, and left all the mifles inconfolable for his lols. On the acquifition of a baronetage, and a very confiderable ellate, he had come up to London, and, with little intro- dudlion, was in an inftant generally re- ceived into what is called the beft com- pany — fought after, and invited to every party. — He was ignorant of the com- moneft rules of good-breeding, forward and familiar — but he played atall games —cared not what he loft — put down his money to every fubfcription — made love to every woman — employed the moft expenfive coach-maker — drefTed in the very excefs of the fafhion, and imitated A NOVEL. 137 imitated, as far as his very contemp- tible genius would allow, the moH: re- fined coxcombs and fpendthrifts of the day.— Such was Sir Harry Wilburne ^— yet even ladyRofeberg would allow him to fit by her at public places, whif- per in her ear, hang familiarly over her, and often, when poor Belmour (lood refpedfully waiting to lead her away, he would feize her too willing hand, and brufh by with the mod provoking eafe and felf-fatisfaftion. When at any time Belmour ventured to touch onfub- jeds of this fort, which he never did but in the gentled terms, rather of en- treaty than reproach, he was always told, that (he rmiji fpeak to other men, if fhe fpoke to him; that fhe had rather appear particular in public with any man, that was really indifferent to her, than 13^ BELMOUR: than rilk the chance of expofing herfelf to what he knew would make her wretched — The world, fhe faid, was not to be defpifed; but ihat was not all, for if ever lord Rofeberg grew for an in- flant to think he had caiife for fufpi- cions, he would immediately forbid Bel- mour the houfe — All this was feafoned with every exprefTion, that the moil re- fined and captivating art conld fug- geft. It happened one morning, that Bel- mour had, with more than ufual earned- nefs, preflcd lady Rofeberg to meet him at a mafqiierade, which was given that night at the Pantheon, and was likely to be very numerous. — Lord Rofeberg had the gout, and fat at home, which file pleaded as an excufe, faying, that he had A NOVEL. 139 had * been peevifh of late,' and com- plained that fhe ' negleded his fociety, * and could never ftay at home iinlels * the room was full of company i'— that fhe had, therefore, determined to dedi- cate that evening entirely to fitting with him, and even particularly requelted of Belmour nol to come. To this he re- lucflantly confented. At night Belmour, not finding his carriage at the-door of the place where he had fupped, had walked away, and in pafTing by one of the fliCps where there was a difplay of mafquerade drefles, it ftruck him, that he might as well look in at the Pantheon for an. hour— He entered the fliop, and in aa, inftant a variety of dreffes were pro- duced — That of a black- friar ilruck him as t^o BELMOUR: as well calculated for difguife, which fuired his difpofition at the moment, from expofing him lefs to the plague of im.pertinent interruptions. He had walked about the rooms for fomctime, when, fitting down on one of the long fofas placed behind the columns which fuppcrted the gallery, he found himfelf near two perfons, who were in very clofe converfatioo. The man he thought looked like Sir Harry Wilburne, but the wom^an (on the fide nearefl to him) was fo completely difguifed, that he could not even guefs at her, and his curiofity indeed was then very little ex- cited. Shortly afterwards he faw St. Fort come, and ftand oppofite to the two perfons who were in converfation^i- He could not miftake him, as he v/as merely in a domino, with no attempt at A NOVEL. 141 at dirguife-^Prefently the perfon whom he took for Wilburne got up, and St. Fort took his place by the lady — he feemed extremely agitated, and fpoke with great vehemence — Belmour then diftinflly heard thefe words, ^ God * d — mn you ! if you fpeak a fingle * word more to that puppy, by God ! * I will expofe you to the whole room * — the world lliall know, as well as /do, * what you are/ — Eelmour fbartled, and concluding St. Fort mud be in liquor, was preparing, like a true knight errant, as he ever v/as in the caufe of the oppreffed, to defend the lady, though completely, as he believed, unknown to him. — A mafl< at the mo- ment had fo fad hold of him by the fleeve, that for a few feconds he could not difengage himfelf, and in the inte- rim 142 BELMOUR: rtm he faw the lady take St. Fort by the arm and, abfolutely clinging to him, lead him away towards another part of the room, whifpering in his ear wiih the greateft exprefiions of famili- arity and earrieftnefs pofllble.— Belmour was infinitely furprifed, that any woman fhould thus fubmlt to fuch an affront; and, his curiofity being now excited, he followed them — For fome time the crowd, which was immenfe, prevented bis approaching— he at laft faw them again feated together, and, as it feemed, their difference fettled — then again they got up, and Belmour foon after found himfclf clofe to the lady, and preffed on every fide by a crowd of mafks, he then overheard her fay to St. Fort — let * me go home, I intreat you : would to * Heaven, 1 had not come with you ! I ' am A NOVEL. 143 * am frightened to death, and feel that * I fhall be difcovered.' — Tiioiigh fhe fpoke in a feigned voice, fomewhat of a well known tone made him fhudder —He liftened — again fne fpoke — the fame tone — flill it could not be — the agony of doubt was too great to bear, and at all hazards he refolved to know the truth — He followed them clofely, juft fo far oiF as not, as he imagined, to be obfervcd by them — They went to- wards the door— arrived there, a hackney-chair was called, and St. Fort, in an audible voice, diredled the chair- men to carry the lady to the Adelphi. On this Belmour for an inftant revived —he was however too deeply interefted, thus lightly to believe — indantly flip- ped off his friar's habit and cowl, and followed the chair — The night was un- commonly 144 BELMOUR; ^ commonly dark and foggy— almoft breath lefs he kept up with the chair, diredled by the lantern, which one of the chairmen held. — They proceeded —already they had gotten nearly as far as Charing Crofs — Belmour was begin- ning to accufe himfelf of folly and un- juft fufpic ion— when the chair was {ct down — what the perfon within faid he heard not, but the chairnnen, after feve- ral hearty oaths for having been brought fo far out of the way, as they faid for nothing, took up the chair again, and turning Ihortly round, haftened along Pali-Mall, and up St. James's Street — Belmour's heart now funk, and his limbs with difficulty fupported him — ► Clofely however ftill he followed, till the chair was let down in Park Street, at the door ofladyRofeberg — Heleaned againft A NOVEL, 145 againfl the rails. — A fervanr, who had ofcourfe ftood ready, inftantly at their approach opened the door, and, recom- mending to the chairmen to make no noife again when the chair retired, the door was clofed. — Belmour for fome time remained motionlefs, his head red- ing between his hands, dunned and opprefTed with the painful fenfations, which crowded on his imagination. The fog w^as now difperfed, and day- began to appear— the morning was cold, and a drizzling rain fellfaft. — Belmour was without his hat, wholly infenfible of his fituation, or whither he was going. — He walked on for fome time with hafty Reps, when finding himfeif fud- denly enclofed, and hurried along by an impetuous crowd of people, he was VOL. I. H recalled 145 BELABOUR: recalled to himlelf in Oxford road, where the firft objed that met his eyes was the horrid figure of a criminal going to execution. —' Ah, miferable wretch 1' faid' he to himfeif, ' how wouldft thou * wifh to change fituations with nn.e ! yet is ' that wifhalmofl: mutual l—%pains will * Hiortly end!' — He inftantly turned from the dreadful fpedacle, and getting out of the crowd as fail as he could, made the beft of his way home to his father's houfe, in Grofvenor Square. — His own valet-de-chambre was at the door, a Swifs, who had ferved him for many years with uncommon fidelity and attach- ment: he was anxioufly waiting for his mafter, and on feeing the difordered ftate of his appearance, tlie poor fellow w^as ftill more alarmed. ^ Oh I mon * Dieu ! mon cher maitre^ qiC eji-il done < arrive? A NOVEL. 147 * arrive? — un duel? — Mais noftj vous ^ Jerier plus tranquille —je me rappelk ' quand! — * Ne park pas ft hauty faid Belmour, as he lightly flepped up ftairs, ' ce rieft rien — va te coucher^ Bertram^ ' et laijfe moi' — But Bertram followed him into his room — * Laijfe mci/ he again repeated ; and flinging himfelf as he was, on his bed, he made a fign, that he would be left alone. — In vain did he try to find the repofe he fo much wanted — a fliort interrupted fleep for a time, indeed, clofed his eye-lids ; but his imagination, wandering, led him o'er unknown regions and agitated feas, ia- volved in inextricable mazes of endlefs fufferings. — He awoke unrefrellied,but endeavoured to colledl his fcattered thoughts — to be at lead compofed— 'twas all he had left to him '.—the vifions H 2 of 14? BELMOUR: of future happincfs were no more. — As he was walking with agitated fceps about his roonn, a note was brought to him from lady Rofeberg, requefting that he would come to her. — ' Yes I * will go y faid he, * 'tis a laft farewell/ Then calling in the fervant, he fent word, that he (hould attend her. — It was yet too early — he was impatient for the time— he had no Jpeech to frame — no anger to conquer — no rejolution to form —the veil was torn from before his eyes ; and the delufion had ceafed for ever. Lady Rofeberg, notwithftanding his difguife, had recognized him at the mafqueradej andatthem.oment Ihe had fpoken to St. P'ortwith fo muchearnefl- nefs,to beg he would allow her to return home, A NOVEL. 149 home, had perceived Bchnour clofe to her. — Whether or not/:?f had heard what fhe faid, (he was not certain, or how farihe was difcovered — However, tak- ing her part like a true woman of the world, fhe determined immediately to fend for Belmour, make the beft Ihe could of what had pafied, and truft to his honour for the future. — When Bel- mour entered the room, the fleady and determined look of grief painted on his countenance, his hair difordered, and his fine manly form fhaken with agony of mind, ftruck and afFefted her more than fhe expeded — Ihe felt a keenefs of regret and fhame for which fhe was not prepared. Belmour ftood in filence before her— a flood of tears came to her relief, the ufual refource! — ill e could fpeak only in broken incoherent fen" H 3 tences ISO BEL M OUR; tences—At lad, making an effort, llie was attempting to jufiify her condud, to plead her youth and inexperience, when firft (he found herfelf expofed to the dark defigning arts of St. Fort, to whom fhe W2ls forced to alloiv (he long ago had fallen a prey. — Sir Harry Wil- burne, fhe begged him to believe Here Belmour interrupted her. — ' It * is immaterial,* faid he, ' further to * dwell on painful and degrading fub- * je<5ls — you have deceived me, cruelly ' deceived me ! fince others befide my- * felf have been fortunate, or miferahle * enough to please you. — Whether it be ' St. Fort, or fr Harry Wilburne, or * any others, is to me indifferent — I < conie to take a lad farewell, and to * affure you, lady Rofeberg, that with * me. not only your reputation is fafe, 'but A NOV EL. 151 * but that I would defend y ou^ guard you, ' even at the hazard of my life.' — He paufed, unab)e to proceed — the fteps of fonne one in the anti-room were at this moment heard. — Belmour fcized her hand, which he eagerly kified, and haftily retired, unfeen, by the oppofite door. He went the next mornini^ to his father, told him that, with his leave, he fhould immediately, go for feme months abroad \ that he entreated of him not to inquire into the caufe of this hafty departure, as he did not feel himfelf at liberty to fpeak to him with that opennefs, that on all occafions he wiihed. — Lord Delavere was a man of the world \ he eafily guefled the caufe, or near it, of his fon's intended depar- ture ; and as, in all refpe^ts, this hap- pened perfectly to fuit his ovv^n views H 4 and J5S BELMOUR: and intentions for him, he readily con- fented — He was informed by others of Eelmour'sattachnrient to lady Rofeberg, and likewife of her charader ; and though, in a worldly way, he did not aC all difapprove of a connexion of that fort, which he thought might contribute to fornn his fon, and keep him out of wQrfe company; yet, as Ihe wasjuftly fuppofed to be extremely feducing, and to pofTefs in no common degree thearta of captivation, he was ^ot at all forry to find, from whatever reafon it might proceed, that Eelmour fliould have broken chains, which , began to give him fome uneafinefs from their dura- tion, and from the fear of fuch an at- tachment interfering with the favourite plan of his life, the marriage of his fon with lady Clementina Alton, his beloved niece, A NOVEL; 153 niece, who from an infant had been left under his protedion, and who in fa(5l he con fide red as a favourite child. He had phiced her, together with his daughter, under the care of his fifter, lady Ehza, when they were children, and had always had the fame fatherly attentions for the one, as for the other. Lady Clementina was then extremely young, and lord Delavere thought, that at Belmour*s return fhe would be more formed, and more likely to pleafe him —he therefore, without any injunctions as to time, allowed Belmour to depart, depending on his own wiih for his re- turn. Belmour however a little ouc- ilaid his father's expectations, in not coming back to England till nearly two years were elapfed from the time of his departure. H 5 To '154 BELMOUR: To a mind like Belmour's, a fecond vifit to Italy was likely to be yet more entertainingj than a firft had been — to that enchanting country, therefore, he immediately determined to repair, and there to feek, from change of fcene, and ' variety of objeds^.that tranquillity of mind, of which he was unfairly robbed. Stopping at Paris only a fufficient time to procure a pafifport, he hurried, over theuninterefting road, Vv'hich leads from that capital by Champagne to Lyons. The romantic beauties of Savoy firft rouzcd his attention, and, while loft in admiration of the grand features of na- ture, he for a time forgot his griefs, and fell into a compofed and penfive melan- choly. The remains of Grecian and Roman art, fo profufedly fcattered over Italy, in which the refined tafte of Bel- mour A NOVEL. 155 mour took peculiar delight ; mufic, of which he was pafTionately fond ; and literary fcience, in which he found con- flant opportunities to indulge, contri- buted to footh and occupy his mind j and his perfect acquaintance with the Italian language gave him ev^ery advan- tage, in the purfuits which he followed. Yet ftill the early leflbn of deceit and falfehood, which he had received, weigh- ed heavily on his heart, and he felt the abfolute want of that interefl; in life, which he no longer hoped to find. At his return to England, he found that lady Rofcberg had much loft herfelf in the opinion of the world; her condu6lhad been lefs circumfpecl, and her manner and appearance, though flieprefervedher beauty, were confiderably changed for the worfe — But as llie reded on thofe H d ftcady T56 BELMOUR: fteady props to a tottering reputation,' an enduring hufband and a large for- tune, flie was ftill received in moft fo- cieties, and courted by many indivi- duals, v^ho found their account in the fort of protection it was yet in her power to afford. Belmour was much affedled the firft time he faw her after his return to England -, and on all occa- fions, where he could do fo without the appearance of particularity, fedulouflv avoided her. He felt this fiill an effort, and therefore was rejoiced when his father, foon after his arrival in London, fignified his intention of going for the fummer toBelmourCaftle — Thither he infbantly offered to accompany him. This proportion, as it may eafily be fuppofed, was gladly received by the earl, who had previoufly fettled with lady A NOVEL. 157 lady Eliza, that the moment his niece could be perfuaded to leave town, fhe was to bring her to him. — Thus all his fond expedlations feemed to be real- izing J for, accuflomed only to profpe- rity, he looked not, where there was a poinbiiity of fuccefs, for the failure of a favourite plan ; nor did he eafily liflen to any thing like con trad id ion, or op- pofition to determinations he had once made. Lord Delavere having been born to an iinmenfe eftcite, and much patronage, all which fell into his hands early in life, by the death of his pa- rents, was taught by thofe who fur- rounded him, that he was always in the right ; this he fo firmly believed, that he ^became the more determined and the more obllinate in the pro- fee ul ion 158 BELMOUR: ftcution of all his plans, from a fpirit of reditude; as thofe always are led farthcfl aftray, whofe errors ori- ginate from honeft principles. A NOVEL. 159 CHAP. V. We lefr Belmour In contemplation of the fctting fun on a calm lea. — Night was now coming on fa ft— he had been for a confiderable time fitting on a fragment of rock, his eyes fixed on the ocean, but lofb in thought, and quite unmindful of approaching darknefs, when his dog fuddcnly called forth his attention by fpringinguuinto his arms. The poor little animal, afcer hunting for fome time in the wood clofe by, had, unheeded by Belmour, creeped gently along, trembling and hanging it's tail, till it found itfclf under the pro- tection of it's mafter j when barking outrageoufly, and looking towards the wood 1^0 B ELM OUR: wood behind, it obliged Belmour to turn, and among the trees he Indiflindlly faw the figure of a man, who, as he thought, was endeavouring to hide himfelf. — Belmour inftantly fprangfor- Vvard, and feized the man by the collar, concluding him to be feme poacher, or ill defigning perfon.— The man, dread- fully alarmed, hollowed loudly, intreat- ing to have his life fpared — ' I am a * poor man — for God fake ! let m.e go * — you can get nothing from me/— * Fooir — faid Belmour, letting go his hold, * doft thou take me for a robber ? * But what art thou?' continued he, * what is thy bufinefs here, out of every * road or path?' — The man, recovering from his fright, anfwered rather fulkily, * Why, Vm doing no harm, I loft my ^ way, and 1 need not be put in fear of 2 ' my A NOVEL. i6i ^ my life for that!'— Belmour regretted inflantly the alarm he had occafioned the poor man, and in the gentleft tone aflced him whence he came, and if he could afiift him? * Came/ faid he, * why I came along with my cattle, ' left them in yonder field there, for * the night, and was going on to doctor, * what d*ye call him, at the parfona^.* — ' Have you bufinefs with Mr. Rey- ' cott, the re6lor?* — 'And what matters ' all that, I don't fuppofe you*ll fhow * me the way!* — * Indeed but I v;ill,' replied Eelmour -, * if you will follow * me, I will diredi: you to the parfonage * — but it is fome way, and you feem ^ very lame — here, friend, lean on my * arm, and I will condufl you.' ' That's ^ main good of you, Cir,* replied the man, flruck with an offer he fo^.ttle expected. The i62 BELMOUR: The moon, which had jiid then rlfen, allowed hlnn to dlftinguilh the figure of his condu6lor, which much increafed his confidence, and he felt remorfe for the furly manner, in which he had at fird fpoken. Wifliing to repair his fault, he of himfelf continued, ^ my bufinefs ' is not with the dodor, but I ha' got * feme letters for the y^ung lady as is « with him/— ^ For Mifs Melville r interrupted Belmour haftily. — * From * whom?* — * But what right have 1/ faid he to hinifelf, ' to pry into the fe- * crets of others?— -no matter, no mat- * ter,'faid he, again turning to the man, —The man continued, * nay, an' pleafe * your honour, I don't knov>^ i^bo it was * as give rne the letters, it was a young ^ gentleman I never feed before — at « the fqu ire *s there, down in Cornwall. < — I oftca A NOVEL. 163 * — I often carries letters and parcels * for the fquire, and for other folks in * my way, as I corfies along with my ^ cattle ; there was another gentleman * by, too, and they bid me be fure * and deliver the letters fafe — that's all * I knows o* the matter — oh dear! * dear! I don't know how I fhall get 'along! — I almoft broke my leg ' againft yonder piece of ftone there,'— After proceeding fome Jittle way, the man appeared to be in fo much pain, that it feemed impoflible to get hirn on any further, when, finding that they were oppofite to a cottage, Belmour propofed to him to remain there for the night, if he could be lodged, and to give him the letters, which he faid he could deliver, as in his way home he mufl: pafs almoft clofe by the parfonage.— To this propofitioa i6ij. BELMOUR: propofiilon the man readily agreed, and a night's lodging was procured. Belmour put a guinea into the man's hand, telling him that he would fend the apothecary to him, and then taking the letters in his hand, lightly iieppcd away. Belmour, from the moment he had received the packet for Mifs Melville, had felt an indefinable fenfe ofpleafure —He would have done juft what he had done for any other perfon. No fcruple therefore occurred to him as to the charge he had undertaken -, but as he came to the villaQ;e, the church-clock ftruck eleven ; this firft informed him of the latenefs of the hour, which had wholly efcaped his notice, and made him hefitate whether or not he fhould attempt A NOVEL. 165 attempt delivering the letters that night, as it was more than probable, that the family at the parfonage would be retired to bed — StiJl he walked on with quick- ened fteps, and found himfelf clofe to the houfe, before he had made his de- termination. — Seeing a light in one of the windovv's, and the cafement open, he ventured to knock — no one anfwered —he gently repeated the ftroke— frill all was filent, and he was jufl leaving the door, fomewhat unwillingly, with an intention of returning to execute his commifiion in the morning, when Mifs Mclviile appeared at the open window, and inquired who was there. — She half retired back, on feeing lord Belmour, v/ith an exprefliun of much furprize; but as he immeGiately bowed, by which ilie found that fhe had been feen, i66 B E L ?vl O U R : feeo;, Hie again advanced, and leaned out of the vvindow. The moon now Tnone brightly, and it's fofc rays fell diredly on the beautiful face of Mifs Melville — her fine flovv'ing hair hung in profufion ever her Hjoulders. — She had on a light fort of wrapping gown, and her airy form feemed to acquire new grace from die negligence of her attire. — Bel- nnour v/as loft in admiration — he held the letters in his hand, without fpeaking f — < Why A NOVEL. }75 ^ V7hy Ihould you be adiamed of where * you have been ? I ani lure I only ^ vvifh/had been with you, for' — 'Lady * Clementina, lady Clementina/ inter^ rupted lady Eliza, * you muft not tallv ' To — fie, fie, child, you never confider ' what you fay. — Come, brother, do let ' us all go to bed, I am fure it is time.* Saying this, flie got up, candles were brought, and the company retired for th^ night. i4 ^76 BELMOUR; CHAP. VI. ijELMouR Mt ferloufly difturbed at the inanner, in which his accidental vifit to Mifs Melville had been taken. His father^ he perceived, thought more of ir, than he chofe to exprefs, from his wholly avoiding the fubjccci and the reft of the connpany, according to their different difpofitions, all took it up in a v/ay, that was extremely difpleafing to him, — What flill more alarmed him, was the growing intereft he felt in his own heart, for a perfon of whom he knew nothing, one too much involved in a cloud of myftery, which, without avow- ing pretenfions neither pfuder.ce nor honour could jufblfy, it was extremely 9 difficult A NOVEL. 177 difficult to attempt penetrating, — His father's decided objedlion to any perfon of infcrionr birdi, to fay nothing of the anxious defire, to which Belmour was no (Iranger, of his union with lady Clementina, made him dread the idea of an attachment, which might deftroy all the flattering hopes of an indulgent parent, or his own peace of mind for ever. He had fuffered too much al- ready from paffion, not to dread its effedls— he wifhed therefore to curb the fenfations of pleafure and admira- tion, which he had experienced on this occafion, before they gained further power, and determined to avoid any attention towards Mifs Melville that might appear particular, and take hi* chance of future events for their fur- ther acquaintance. I 5 Lord ijB BELMOUR: Lord Delavere continued his filenc5^, never once touching on the fubjedl of the vifit to Belmour ; but after that occurrence, appeared more ferious and referved in his manner to him than ufual. Belmour, though he had long^ ed to go the ne?;t morning to the par- fonage, and v/ould, in another cafe, have thought it but a common atten- tion, in confequence of the fort of didurbance he had occafioned on the preceding night, had had fufficient comm-and over himfelf not to go, and it was now nearly a fortnight fince he had feen Mils Melville, or heard a fingle word fromvthe ledory, when he happened one evening to go out alone on horfeback.— Lady Clementina, as ufual, vsas. wanting to make a pariy to go Jomewhere^ no matter to her v/here, and A NOVEL. . 170 smd hadthat evening been able to colled only Heartley and lady Caroline.-^ The weather was uncommonly fine, and ihe declared^ that fhe would take a long walk out of the park, and frighten her uncle, and her aunt Eliza, by com- ing home late, and ' making them think * fhe had I'un away,' — With this deter- mination fhe fet out, accompanied by the pcrfons above-mentioned. — They were fcarcely out of the park- gate, when they perceived Mils Melville, taking her evening walk alone. Lady Clementina flew up to her, feized her arm, and protefted (in fpite of a wink and a grave look from lady Caroline) that fhe fhould not only walk with them wherever they Vv^ent \ ' which way 'that was to be, fhe had not*, ihe faid, ' determined i but come back v/ith I 6 ^ them. i9o BELMOUR: * thcin, and pafs the evening at the * caftle/ — She would take no refufal 5 and lady Caroline^ feeing that it mud be fo, out of civility joined her entrea- ties to her coufin's. Mlfs Melville, thus taken unawares, and havlner, in fa6l, no fingle excufe to offer, did not long oppofe their requeft. They had continued their walk for nearly a mile, along a narrow by-lane, leading to a fnaall village, when, at a turn, they per- ceived Belmour at no great diflance be- fore them, on horfeback , he was alone, unattended even by a groom— his arms were crofiTed over his breaft, and the bridle thrown on the horfe's neck j the animal moved flowly on, jufl putting one foot before the other, with it's head carried horizontally before it. — Lady Clementina, looking round to her com- panions. A NOVEL. i8i panlons, put her finger to her mouth, in token of filenccj and advanced gently till fhe came, unperceived, al- mod clofe to Belmour -, then flyly drawing out her handkerchief, fhe threw it at the horfe. The animal thus fuddenly ftruck, made a violent ilart, then plunged, then reared, and mufl inevitably have flung any lefs adtive, or lefs expert rider than Belmour. — Lady Caroline fcreamed, and almon: fainted* Lady Clementina put both her hands before her face, and held them clofe. Mifs Melville advanced a few paces, her face paler than adiesi and Hearcley Hood Hill, feeing clearly, that no afliftance could be afforded. — Bel- mour firft allowed the horfe, infligated by fear, to make it's various efforts, then checked and brought it back, and gently itz B ELM OUR:' gently patting it's beautiful fhining neck, alighted with the moft perfect compofure, and fmiling at the alarm into which the ladies had been thrown, he thanked them for the concern they exprefled, for what he termed his ' imaginary danger.' — * Well/ faid lady Clementina, * iince you are fafe, and * aunt Ehza is not bere to fcold me, * I don't care, and fo come along with ' us, coufin.' — Belmour obeyed, and accompanied them, leading his horfe after him. As they pafTed a few ftrag- gling cottages, lady Clementina faw in the window of a little fhop, a ribbon file declared to be ' heautlfuV — In they went. — .S'/^^ had no purfe— Belmour im- mediately produced his, which feemed heavy, and feme filver at the fame time, which latter more than anfwered the A NOVEL. 1^3 the demand. They came foon after to a fmall cotcage, before the door of which were a few trees, with a ruftie bench on one CidCj and on the otJier a quantity of fine rofe-bufhes, growing luxuriantly, half hanging from the ccttage-v/all, againft which they had once been nailed. — The fliade and fra- grance of the fpoc tempted them to fit and rcfh themfclves ; and it was already growing dark, v% ithout their having per- ceived, that the fun had tinifhed it's courfe. As the converfation had taken a more ferious turn than ufual, and Mifs Melville had a principal part in it, Belmour was all attention -, when in the midft of dicir difcourfe, a poor little ragged dirty child, who had for fome time, unperceived, (lood in the door- way of the cottage, fct up a fudden cry. l^ BELMOUR: cry, bellowing, ^ the horfe ! the horfe !' The mother of the child, alarmed, ran in hafte from within, to fee what was the matter — then, with the bit- tereft exclamation, repeated, ^Oh ! * dear ! dear ! the horfe ! the nady « horfe ! he has torn, and trampled < down all my ^i/ of potatoes. Oh * Lord ! what will Thomas fay, when ' he comes home ?— Oh dear ! dear !' then, happening to turn, and perceiving the company that were near, the poor woman checked her gufhing tears, ready to fall from her full eyes, and fupplicating for pardon, hoped Ihe had * faid no harm.— -I did not fee who ^ was here, indeed -, indeed, I did ' not— pray, your honour, excufe * me '/—^ Good Heavens!* faid Bel- mour, fnatching away the horfe, and turning A NOVEL. i8'5 turning It loofe, * am / the caufe of * Co much pain !* — the ncatching up the dirty llctle urchin in his arms, he prefTed it clofely to his bofom, and followed the woman, who had retired into the houfe. — He prefently return- ed, flill holding the child in his arms, and endeavouring to footh and com- fort it. — The woman again appear- ed at the door, her eyes flreaming. with tears, but with tears of a far dif- ferent exprefilon— furprife and gra- titude were too ftrongly marked on' her countenance, to be miHaken.— Belmour, v;ith a look that impofed fiience, put the child carefully Into her arms— then turning to the com- pany, allied them if they would not * begin their walk homeward, as it was * growing late.* — They arofe from their feat, and lady Ciiroline, complaining of iU B E L M O U R : of fatigue, leaned on Heartley's arm.— »* Lady Clementina^, running up to them, feized his other arm, faying, fhe ' would Mp ihem on, and now,* turn- ing to Mifs Melville, * 1 leave you * Belmour, and his horfe, all to your- * feif, to make the mod you can of.' — Eelmour, having configned his horfe, which Heartley had already caught, to the care of the woman of the cottage, till he fhould fend his groom for it, faid, that the horfe at lead iliould not be troublefome, and that he Ihould be happy in cffcring his fervices to con- duct r\^ifs Melville.— As fne took his arm, ^-iq felt him tremble. — The road was in many places rough, and the evening fo far advanced, that they could fcarcely difcern their way— often did Belmour^ as he thought, merely to fave A NOVEL. 187 fave her from the danger of falling, prcfs her arm clofer to his beating heart, but with an exprefTion fa autho- rized by refpetl, that it could not of- fend. — They followed their compani- ons, who walked flowly, on account of lady Caroline, fcarcely fpeaking dur^ ing the whole of the way.— Their thoughts were too much occupied by the fingularity of finding themfelves in a fituation ihey a few hours before had fo little expe6led, either to admit of indifFerent fubjedls, or of indulging in more interciling converfation. When they arrived at the cadle, con- trary to lady Clementina's expedation, flie found her aunt, lady Eliza, per- fectly at eafe on her account, from knowing her with lady Caroline and Heardey,, 188 BELMOXJR: Heartley, on v/hofe conduct and pro- tection fhe could depend ; and from being herfelf deeply engaged at the moment in a pool at commerce, fomc of the neighbours having come on a vifit to the caflle, and remained there for the evening, which, with the ad- dition of Saunter, and her dear lord Fenmofs, had enabled her, much to her fatisfadion, to make up a party. Determined one way or another to torment her aunt, lady Clementina in- fifted on hijmg In^ to win the pool from her, as fhe faid, becaufe flie faw, fhe thought herfelf ^JureJ-^ ' Bclmour,* faid fhe, leaning back, and holding out her hand, 'give me ' your purfe again, for, you know ' I have none of my own.'^ — Belmour immediately put his hand into his pocket. A NOVEL. 189 pocket, then recolleding himfelf, faid, he had not his purfe. — ' Well !* faid lady Clementina, * was there ever * any thing like that ? Why you took * out your purfe at the lliop, as we went * along. — Can you fay you have m ^ purfe now? — I believe you think ^ I mean to embezzle your money ! — * Come, come, give me your purie, ' you fhabby creature/ — ^ I have ' none,* faid Belmour, ^ but I will * fetch you immediately what gold you * want/ — * No, no/ replied fhe, * I ' can get money enough from my ' uncle, or from aunt Eliza here, * though Jhe wont much like to * give me her*s — but, mercy on me ! * I begin to guefs — no, you could not * give your purfe to that fright of a * woman, at the 'cottage ! — I never ' faw I5» BELMOUvR: * favv fuch a poor (larved looking crea>- ^ ture, nor fuch a dirty ugly child.* — Belmour coloured, and the laugh be- came almoft general againil him. — Lady Clementina, with her ufual flow of fpirits, and fome hurnour, began an account of their adventures that even- ing — but his eyes, at the m.oment, met Mifs^ Melville's, and how v/as he not repay ed ! — The look of fympathy, ^^nd fomewhat more than approbation, which Hie feemed not even to wifli to difguife, touched him to the very foul. — Lady Clementina continued her narration — he heard her not. The pool at com- merce was (hortly finiflied, and lady Eliza vi6loricus, which put her into fuch good humour, that, although at the rifl^ of the fupper, which was an- nounced as ready to come, being cold, Ihe A NOVEL. 191 file did not oppofe lady Clementina, who, taking Mils Melville by the arm, and leading her towards the piano-forte, declared that flie muft hear her fing, for. fhe knew « fhe could/ Mifs Melville, with that compofure and flmplicity of manner, which heightens the grace of every a<5lion, faid that fhe Ihould obey inftantly, not to give her the trouble of repeating her orders. — A mufic- book was placed before her, with the favourite Italian airs of the preceding fealbn. Several of thefe flie went over, acconripanying herfelf with uncommon fpirit and expreflion. — Her voice was touching and harmonious — all were lavilli of their praifes, Belmour ex- cepted — his admiration was felt, not uttered. S\\q then, on being defired to cofltinue, fang feveral plaintive airs in ihc 292 BELMOUR: * the Venetian dialed. — E elm our begged of her to fing one of thofe airs, he was, he faid, ^ Jure* fhe knew ; a faint blufh o*cr fpread her cheek as fiie be- gan, '' Perche amor ink hen nafcoyidiy the very air, Belnnour, unfcen, had firil heard her fmg in the garden. — The blufh, however faint, and a fomewhat of increafed tendernefs in *the tone of her voice, did not efcape him — to what could he attribute this ? to the rccolleclion of fome abfent and interelling objedl? — How painfully did Belmour already feel this conclufion ! —Still too, as in the garden, Mifs Melville's voice feemed to convey to his ear founds not wholly new to him ; yet this, he thought, muft be fancy. Supper, a fecond time announced, in- terrupted the mufic, and lord De- lavere. A NOVEL. 193 lavere, who had involuntarily, with the reft of the company, been delight- ed, offered his hand to Mifs Melville, and led*^ her into the fupper-room. During fupper, the converfation turned on various literary fubjects,^ on all of which Mifs Melville feemed perfe6liy well infornaed, and fpoke with tafte, precifion, and judgment, whenever her opinion was called for. Italy was then mentioned, in praife of which fhe dwelt, it feemed, v/ith peculiar inter- eft. ^ Lord r exclaimed lady Cle- mentina, ^ have you really been In * Italy ? how I envy you— well, I * fliould like to fee the pope — and * what amazing good fun it muft be to * walk about all night in the open air, * without having aunt Eliza thinking * it neceffary to come and fmother one VOL. I. K * ^lip 194 BELMOUR: ' up with a nafliy fur-cloak— don't you « hate fur-cloaks, Mifs Melvilk ? — ' but were you long in Italy ? — that ^ I am not fure I Jloould iiTce/ ^ J * was abroad nearly two years. Ma- * dam.' ' Two years/ repeated Bel- mour, half aloud, and half to himfelf. ' When, may I aflc, did you return ?* — Some one, at the moment, fpeaking to Mifs Melville, prevented her hearing, or at leaft anfwering his queftion, and, as it grew late, fhe foon afterwards begged leave to retire. — A carriage was called for, but, as fhe cxprefled her wiih rather to v/alk, the company, lord Delavere and lady Caroline ex- cepted, all infifled on feeing her home. The night, indeed, was fo warm, that even lady Eliza could not fear catching cold. Lady Clementina was no fooner out A NOVEL. ij>5 out of the firft gate, but fhe propofed a circuitous walk to the parfonage, faying, it was * much too fine to go ' home to bed.' — Belmour, who was walking by Mifs Melville, feconded this motion, and it was pad twelve o'clock, before they got to the par- fonage, ^ The redor was pacing backwards and forwards before his door, wi^ his wig in one hand, and a handkerchief in the other, with which he kept wiping his head ; and the heat from which he fuffered feemed to be con fide rably increafed by his impatience for the re- turn of Mifs Melville, that he might, as he called it, ^ Jhut up /hop-,' an tlegant metaphor, which he was ac- cuftomed to ufe on many occafions. i( a The 196 BELMOUR: The moment he faw Mifs Melville, he tofTed on his wig, and, waddling on forwards fome way to meet her, cried, * fo Mifs, you are come at" * lail! — I fuppofe you think folks ha*^ * got nothing better to do, than to waic * for you, he ! he ! he ! — however I * knew where you were, fo there's no * harm done.' — He then made a thou- fand bows and curvettes to the company in general, and to lord Belmour in par- ticular, hoping his lordfhip was well, and begging pardon for what he had faid. Then, with a loud laugh, he added, nodding and winking, * but, * you know, ycung women muft be * looked after, and Mifs is under my * care.'— "Mils Melville, colouring, en- treated not ro detain the company, but; Ihortening ihc 'ufual compliments as 9 much A NOVEL. 197 much as pofiible, thanked them for the honour they had done her. — They re- tired to the caftle, to luxury and mag- nificence 'y — fhe to her humble dwel- ling — yet, if ' fweet be the flumbers * of the virtuous mind/ to fuch Ihe had ^ right. ^3 J^t BELMOUR; CHAP. VII. 1 HE next morning, lord Delavere, ac brcakfail, announced his intention of going immediately to town, as by letters which he had juil received, he had learnt, that his patent for the marquiface he had been long foliciting was made out, that it would appear in the gazette that very week, and that he had now only to kifs hands. He told" Belmour> that he fhould keep him but a very few days, but muft take him with him ; * though/ added he, * you muft not kifs hands, ' for I am in doubt between two titles, * of almoft equal antiquity in our * family. A NOVEL. 159 * family, and cannot yet decide which ' to choofe for you. — I iliali the lefs be ' difpofed to ilay in town/ continued he, ftill addrefTing himfelf particularly to Belnnour, * as our men of bufinefs * are arrived liere this morning, with * all the papers relative to fettling our ^ exchange of lands with your pretty * coufin here, and they will not like * waiting long — however, wait they * mufl, for a few days, till we return.* Belmour was by no means pleafed with this fudden departure ; however, as he began now to indulge in the idea of knowing more of Mifs Mel- ville, the opportunities of which, from the probability of her vifits at the caftle being repeated, he trufted, would in future be frequent, he felt lefs pain K 4 in 200 BELMOUR: in acqulefcing in his father's propo-- fition ; to which, indeed, he had no reafonable objedlon to oppofe. He had inoreovcr of late obferved Melford's attentions to lady Clementina appear to take a nnore ferious turn, and fhe feemed at lead to liftm to hirn.^ — This helped to encourage a thoufand vague ideas, which he ventured dot to fearch his own heart fufficiently to define. An early dinner was ordered^ after which they fet out— the carriage driv- ing through the village, had not failed to attra(5l the attention of the inhabi- tantSj and the redor was one of thp firfl/who failled forth, from his door to fee them pafs— -In vain did he re- peatedly try to fiop fome one of the fervants. A NOVEL. 20I fervants. In order to inquire the caufe of this unexpeded departure. — They flew after the chaife, in which for celerity the earl now travelled, driving all before them, and Ihortly difappear- cd in clouds of duiV. — The redor flill was not difpofed to give up his in- quiry — on he walked towards the caftle, from the outermoft gate of which, as he approached, he faw the two lawyers ifTuing. — They .were in quefl of fome perfon, to fhow them the way to the inn, where they expe6ted to find their baggage, which they had or- dered to come down by the ftage.— -Rycot v/as in queft of intelligence from the caflle — equally eager on both fides, they foon met, and prelimina- ries were inftantly fettled. The redior was to fhow them to the inn, and then K 5 give .2GJ BELMOUR: give them a bottle of his bed ale at the parfonage.— He had not gone ten paces in company with them, when a luminous ray fhot acrofs his imagi- nation — 'it muft be fo— it is fo,* faid he, muttering to himfelf, and eyeing his companiens from top to toe. — * I think gentlemen,' faid he, pulling up his breeches, * I guefs ymr bu^ * linefs.* — * Our hufinejsy fir, will foon be * fettled, I fancy,' * Huzza V cried Rycot, attempting a, jump, and aftually clearing the ground with his feet, * huzza !-^well God blefs them, 'fay II— -foon be fettled ?^ — aye, Pll * warrant ye ! — all agreed, no falling out * there ! — And when, tell me the ' day — I'll fee why, if we be not all ' ready.' * The day^ replied one of the lawyers, with an expreffion of much furprifc A NOVEL. 203 furprlfe at the vehemence of thc^ redtor, ' the day, fir, we cannot exaflly * tell, but the writings will be drawn ^ up within a fortnight; and as the * parties feem perfedlly agreed, there * will only be to ' ' Say no more, fay * no more/ interrupted the parfon, in a perfe(5l ecftafy. — ' Come along, and you * Ihall drink their healths in a bottle of * fuch ale as, I muft needs fay, who * ihould not fay it, you never tailed in * your lives.' — The reft of his difcourfe, which was chiefly in broken fentenceSj was wholly unintelligible to the lawyers, and they both, by fignificant looks to each other, expreifed that they thought him a little crazy. From the inn, they all proceeded to the parlbnage, where they found Mrs. k6 Rycot 204 B E L M O U R : JRycot and Mifs Melville In the little parlour.— The former was flill Tipping her tea, and the latter fitting by her at work. The redor having ulhered in his company, with as much form as his joy would permit, bullied up to his vnky and, in a half whifpcr, faid, * mind * you're civil now to thefe gentlemen. * I Ihan't fay any more — alFs fettled— * d*ye hear that, cIJ girly all's fettled — ' but :num —xmnd what I fay to you, * that s ?A\-tobe m a fortnight. — Why 'thou look'ft as fiupid, woman! — I. * fay they are to be married in a fort- * night— dofl untkrftand thatV — At this inftant the bells accidentally began ringing — * never mind, gentlemen ; fad * crazy old affairs, I know—one of ' them quite cracked— but never mind, * I fay, all fhall be in order — fet your * hearts A NOVEL, 20§ ' hearts at eafe.' — The lawyers looked at each .other with aftonifhment. — * Lard, my dear/ cried Mrs. Rycot, at the moment catching hold of Mifs Melville's hand, * you look very pale, * what's the matter ? fure you an'c * well ?' — * Some folks never are/ mut- ' tered the parfon, ' when othw folks ^ are pleafed.' ^ Come along with me * into tlie air/ continued Mrs. Rycot — * there lean on my arm^, my dear, ' mercy on me ! why how you change * colour !* — Mifs Melville got up with fome difficulty, and left the room with her condudlrefs, owning that (he fck herfelf unwell, and begging leave to retire to her own room. ' Here then,' faid the redor, calling after her, ' take * this letter, Mifs, I have had it in my ' pocket for you all day, and forgot to ' give jtoS: B ELM OUR: ^ give k you. — I don't know who ic ' comes from — there, take it with- * you — TCiY Jarvicey and good night, * fince you're not for coniing back to * A very beautiful young lady that,- faid the younger of the lawyers, as the door fhut.^^ — ^ Pray, doctor, who is ' ihe ?' — ' that^' replied he, rather tcflily, * I have been often afked, « but never yet could tell ; when I cany ' I will— but come, let's drink and * drive care away/ — * We will pledge * you in one glafs,* faid they, * but * mud begone immediately.— We have * much to do, were up early this morn- * ing, and muft be up earlier to moF- ' row, as we mean to make a vifit fome *^miles off^.at a gentleman's, where we 'have A NOVEL. srcj ^ have bufinefs, and then meet my lord * at his return, and have befides many * things to fetde together to nighty *' which good company i fir, v/ould inter- ' rupt— and fo, you will excufe us.' Rycoc, though rather diiappointcd at their leaving him fo foon, had nothing to oppofe to their determination, and felt fo well fatisfied with his day, that he the more eafily confented to their going. Having feen them, to the door, he returned to his little parlour, where, after finifhing his bottle of ale by himfelf, he as ufual fell fad aileep ia, his arm-chair. 20$ BELMOUR c H A P. viir. Belmour, from the moment he left the caftle, had felt his fplrits finjc, and as he proceeded on his journey, be- came more and more thoughtful and me- lancholy. His hopes of improving hij acquaintance withMifs Melville feem- ed to fade— and, if he did, to what mufl: that not leadP — He no longer deceiv- ed himfelf, as to the fentimcnts with which fhe had infpiredhim, but dreaded the confequences of finding his heart further engaged, before he could know even to whom. — Much lefs if there could ever be a chance of any thing but mifery for him, in fuch an attach- ment. — Yet voluntarily to give up feeing A NOVEL. io^ feeing her, was an effort he felt not difpofed to make. Every thing appeared tirefome and unintereiVmg to him in town, and after a very few days, as the bufinefs on which they came appeared fettled, and that his father was in poflefTion of his long win^ied for title, finding that he propofed naaking a vifit of fome days , more near town, Bclmour determined to return without him. The ma'rquis did not chjeSly but lhov;ed fome figns of furprife at his fon's propofition, and fixed his eyes at the moment on him, in a manner that brought the blood into Belmour's face. — Nothing how- ever further was faid, and the next morning, Belmour, with an agitated feding of impatience, threw himfelf into the 210 BELMOUR: the chaife, that was to convey him back to the caflle. On the morning of the third day after his departure, he arrived there. — Caution had by this time given v/ay to the foothing idea of again feeing the objeft of his admi- ration. -^-As he alighted, his filler and Jady Clementina flew to meet him.— He thanked them for their eagernefs— inquired after their health with more than ufual warmth, and aiked every queftion but the only one he was really- anxious to have anfwered. Lady Cle- mentina, however, fo far lliortly re- lieved him; fcr, turning to lady Caro- line, fi^*e faid,. * my dear, don't you * think we miglit fend for Mifs Mel- * ville, to come to us this evening ? ^ we have not heard of her thefe tv/o * days, and;, poor thing! ilie iooked ^ wretchedl^r A NOVEL: 211 * wretchedly the night Ihe was here^ * tliough (l-iC would not allow fhe was * ill, and fang more like an angel than * ever.' — To this propofition lady Ca- roline afTcnted, and Belmour took cou- rage to fay, diat he would be their embaHador, and carry their mfffage to Mifii Melville. The monnent dinner was over, Bel- mour, with a beating heart, flew to the parfonage — he found the reflor Walking to and fro* before his door, who immediately came up to him, bowing with even more than his ufual obfequloufnefs. — ' Humbly thank your * lordlhi-p for this honour — juil come, *I find*-left my lord marquis well, I * hope — but pray, my lord, v/aik in— * or would your iordwiip pleafe to reft * yourfdC 2\z BELMOUR: ' yourfelf firft on this bench?* — Ex- tending one hand forwards as he held his hat in the other — * I am always * happy to wait on you, fir/ Bel- xnour politely replied, * but my vific * this time was intended for Mifs Mel- ' ville — to whom I bring a mefTagc ' from lady Clementina and my fifter — * may I be allowed to fee her ?*— * Mifs Melville !— O dear 1 my lord, * Mifs Emily went this morning—^ ^ bird flown, my lord,' faid the redorj fmiling with complacency at his own lively mode of expreffion. — ' Went * this morning !' repeated Belmour, endeavouring to conceal the painful furprife he felt. — * When does fhe re- *turn?' *0! my lord, Mifs Emily * does not return. — 1 received a letter * from do6tor Stanmore, the day after * your A NOVEL. 215 * your lordfhip and my lord marquis * went, to thank me, as he was pleafed ' to fay, for my care of Mifs Emily, ' and telling me, that (he was to leave * us immediately — thought, indeed, we ' fhould have kept her here all the ^ fummer, which to be fure would not * have been quite fo convenient, as they * fay, but glad to do any thing for * doftor Stanmore, my beft friend.^- ^ Worthy man, my lord — got me rc- * commended to the bifhop for this * living — glad, indeed, as I was fiving, ' m.y lord, to do any thing for him>, and * I know he loves Mifs Emily as much ' as if fhe were his own child — nay, * fome think (he is fo, not that I believe ' it —though we all are young atone * time or other, he ! he ! hel' Bclmour 214 B E L M O U R : Belmour gravely refumed, mth an affedled air of indifference—^ Mifs * Melville is, I conclude, returned to * dodor Stanmore's' — ' No, my lord, no, * Mifs faid (he was going for the prc- * fent to a relation's in town — zvbom flic * did not fay — fonne folks, you know, * never like talking of themfelves, and * / never like afking qucfcions others * don't choofe to anfwer. — So I took a * place for Mifs Emily in the flage, at ' her defire, and off flie went. — My ^ Vv^ife there was whimpering and * crying to part with her — but Ihe's a * fool ! — l?eg your Iqrdfiiip's paidon.* Seeing that Belmour continued to liften, the reclor, highly flattered by being encouraged to continue his con- verfation, wiflied inwardly that he had known more on the fubjed than he didi A NOVEL. 11^ did y for this, owing to various circum- ftanccs, was in reality very little : but what he did not know, he endeavoured to fupply the place of by furmifes and tnuendoes ; fo that afcer a rhapfody of nearly a quarter of an hour, poor Bel- mour was left more in the dark than before, as to any eflential part of Mifs Melville's hiftory. — It was evident to him, that fome myflery hung over her birth and education, which do6lor Stan- more had not thought fit to explain to the redlor — Having no hope therefore then of further intelligence, and wifli- ing to free himfelf from fo unpleafanc a companion, Belmour took his leave. -*-He had gone but a few paces, when the re6cor, with his ihort arm thruft to the bottom of his coat-pocket, fkipped afcer him, faying, that he had forgotten a note 2i6 B ELM OUR: a note, which Mifs Melville had left for lady Caroline, and defired might be de- livered, — ' With your lordHiip's leave ' I v/ill take it up to the caftle r — * By * all means, fir,' Behnour replied, for guefiing it to be merely a formal com- pliment at parting, he felt little curiofity as to it's contents, and v>/as not forry, that anotber {hould firft Carry the news of Mils Melville's fudden departure to the cafde. — He was fenfible, that- the cha2:rin he felt- would be but too vifi- ble on his countenance, were he to ex- pofe him.fcif to more penetrating eyes than the redlor's, before he had had time to compofe the agi ration of his mind. He flew to his ufual refuge, when his mind was affeded, a folitary walk, and dirt6led his ileps to the ter- race already m.endoned, overlooking A NOVEL. 217 the fea. — The evening was cloudy, cold, and bluftering, and his favourite fcene overcaft— a few diftant fails only appeared in the horizon. — He went on haftily to the further extent of the cliff/ which there furmounts the coaft ; and then returning, flackened his pace as he came within fight of the caflle, Belnnour was itiaturally romantic (a difpofition frequently inherent in noble minds) of quick perception, and lively feelings. -^The circumflances, therefore, which had attended his fliort acquaint- ance with Mifs Melville, and the myfterious cloud, which enveloped her hiftory, added not a little to the in- tereft (he infpired. — Yet this half- formed pafTion, though it much agitated his heart, left him not without the ufe of his reafon. VOL. I. 1, Even «i8 BELMOUR: Even the clew was now lofl:, by which he might have traced her fteps — and, were it not, on what pretence could he follow her. ? The teafing combination of un- toward circunnftances in which he felt hi mfelf involved, and the degree of un- certainty, which, in fpite of reafon and propriety, he experienced, how to adt on an occafion, which fomething whif- pered to. his mind mights decide the future deftiny of his life, embarrafled and confufed him. By this time he drew near the caftle, doubtful flill whether he fhould enter ; but on feeing his fifber at the v/indow of her own apartment, it occurred to him at the moment, that pofiibly the note left by Mifs Melville, which lady Ca- rolinc A NOVEL. . 219 roline muft have long received, might afford fome light refpedling her fadden departure ; and judging his filter to be alone, he went direftly to her room. Lady Carofine came forwards to him, holding the note in her hand, with an expreffion of more Jurprife ■than regret on her face. — ' Was there * ever any thing fo ftrange 1' fhe ex- claimed, ^ as this fudden flight (I know * you have feen the re6lor).— Well, * thefe myfterious doings do not look * well for our I^eauliful friend! --which « I am forry for,' fhe added, rather as if fhe could have fa id, I am glad. * Your remark, fifler, is not very cha- * ritable/ replied he, dryly—* but pray ^ give me the no'ce/ * Not a fingle L 2 ' word 220 BELMOUR: * word or hint did fhe give of * her intention, though, by the re6bor's * account, fhe mufi have known * of her going, when fhe, was laft ^ with us'— -continued lady Caroline, endeavouring to make good her ilory. Belmourwas attentively reading over the note, which contained nothing but an acknowledgment of the civilities received, exprefled in the mofi: polite terms, — ^\\^ then ended, by wifhing that it might at fome future time be allowed her farther to excufe the, per- haps, feeming inattention of not having waited on them to take leave in perfon, and to explain the caufes, which had prevented her. ' Well/ A NOVEL. 221 * Well/ faid lady Caroline^ ' and is ' net this {Irange, brother ? I muil ' think/ continued ilie, * as Mr. Cran- * ford faid, who was here this evening * to T.iake a vlfit, juR- as the redor * came, and who particularly knows * the Melville family, tliat fhe mud have * taken that as a name merely to con- * ceal her own, or be at bell fome na- ^ tural daughter 3 for Cranford protefts, ' that he never heard fuch a perfon ^ even mentioned among them/ 'Sir « Charles Melville,' he faid, ' always re- < fided at his eftate in the north, and * has only one filler.— They are im- * menfely rich ; andj(5« will allow, bro- ^ ther, that it is not probable, were fhe * indeed of that family, that tliey fhould * wholly neglefl fuch a relation-, Vv^ere ^ there not fome caufe, that cannot well * be to her honour.' L 3 ' This zn BELMOUR: * This is a fubjefl/ returned Bel- mour, ^ my dear fifter, on which we * are not likely to agree, therefore at * prefent we will fay no niore upon * it, — I know what has given an afpe- * rity to your exprefllons, not natural to * you— but all this is quite unneceflary; * you mayj believe me, be candid with- ' out fear, I am no knight errant' — fay- , ing which; he left the room* It was now the ufual time for affem- bling in the evening at the caftle, and candies v^ere already lighted. — Bel- rr:0ur, wilhing on this occafion to avoid' any appearance cxprefTive of the fenfations of his hearty went di- redly into the mufic-room, v/here the company often palTed the evening — There he found lady Clementina drag- ging her aurit Eliza about the room, in A NOVEL. 2i3 In continued fits of laughter, and pro- ttfling (he fhould dance an aUemande with her, which a fervant of Belmour's, who touched the welch harp admira- bl)', was, in obedience to her coai- naands, then playing. The moment flie faw Belmour, whom fhe thought rather a better fub- 'y^€t for her purpofe, (he flew up to him, and feizing his arm, told him he muft take her aunt Eliza's place. Belmour made no refidance, he danced ir;imitably, and on no occafion thought it a mark of good breedings to refufe when he was called upon. On lady Caroline's coming in, who' vainly pleaded fatigue, and Heartly, L4 who 224 BELMOUR: who arrived at the fame time, as vainly the rheumatifm, the allemande was convert- ed into a Scotch reel, andfrom one dance to another, in the wildeftflow offpirits> did lady Clemcndna continue till fup- per-time. — She had been q^uke melan* choly at hearing Mifs Melville was gone — but ten minutes after alniofl: forgot Mifs Melville had ever been there — At fupper, however, (he re- fumed the fubjed, ending by faying, flie was certain, that Mifs Melville would turn out to be fome princefs in difguife, or fome fairy fpright, for flie furely feemed no common being* A NOVEL. 225 CHAP. IX. Two days afterwardj and before he was'cxpefted, the marquis re'nrned— He no fooner faw Bclmour^ than. lie told himj that he was forry to fend him away, but that his prefence was abfolutely ne- cefTary for a day or two in town, on par- ticular bufinefsj and to fign fome deeds of confequence. ' It's your own fault * though/ faid he, ^ for you would * have avoided this journey, had you * only (laiJ quietly- with me, and not * have been in fuch prodigious hafte to * return hither.' Belmour had wifned, he fcarcely knew, or would not allow to himfelf, L 5 why, 2^6 BELMOUP.; why, for any excufe, that might ferve to carry him to town ;. for his going at that m.omentj he was aware, mud be thought particular, wdthout an affigned caufe.— When his father therefore made his fpeech to him, he could fcarccljf conceal the relief it brought to his mind. Imagination foon fuggeded the pof- fibility of again feeing Mifs Melville^ fhould chance favour him, and from that moment his whole thoughts were occupied on various plans to enable him to difcover where &e had takers up her abode in town. Behnour v/as to fet out, by his f thrr^s defire,, in tv/a days time j he again tried the rector for intelligence — but in vain. The (lage coachman (whom he faw under the- pi etext A NOVEL. 227 pretext of having fome books, of which he was particularly careful, conveyed from town) was next tried; and, with the affiftance of Bertram (pretending it was at his fifter's requeft) he aclually did, in part, fucceed in his inquiries. On his road to town, he found, that Mifs Melville had flopped a day at Exeter, it feem^d, by the inn- keeper's account, from having been uir- v/ell. On his arrival in town, having pre- vio'jfly informed himfelf where the Exeter ftage put up,, and feeling pretty fure of not being known, he without delay went himfelf to the inn. The peo- ple there could give no account of any fuch perfon as he defcribed having been feen, but the innkeeper, at laft re* L 6 coVudling 228 BELMOUR: co]le6ling himfelf, faid, * our Jack* (meaning the ftage- coachman) ' may * perhaps know, and he's in town * ro day — only jufl ilepped out a ' bit/ The man foon after returned, bill fo drunk, that it was impofTible to get a word out of him, and the ilage- coach was to (ct out that very night. Belmour, vexed, unable to turn his thoughts to any thing, and believing his father's bufmefs might very well be de- layed for a day, would not eyen go home, left he Ihouid be (lopped and prevented from profecuting his pre- fent intentions, but walked about the llrects in the neighbourhood of the S-ivan with ^wo Necks^ anxioufly wait- ing for the time, when he thought the coachman A NOVEL. 229 coachman likely to be in a ftate to anfwer his queftions. On returning to the inn, he found the man (Iretched on the bench where he had left him.—On their rouzij^g him, rubbing his eyes, he afked >vith an oath, why he was to be difturbed be- fore his time.—' G— d damn ye, why * ye know, I never have but to ihakc * myfelf, take sL/nack, and away V But on Belmour's addrefTing him, whofe figure always, commanded invo- luntary refped, he begged ' his honour's * pardon,' and fecmed anxious to give him every informadon in his power. The man was naturally intelligent, and, on Beimour's defeription, feemed perfectly 230 B ELM OUR: perfcdly to recoiled the perfon in queflion — he told him, that ' the lady ' as he talked of "had Hopped at ' Staines— though,' faid he, ' fhe was * quite genteel, and payed the fame as * though fhe had come to London/ Belmour's prudence almofl: wholly now forfook him, "to find that he was again difappointed. — That but the day before he had pafTed through the very place, where he might have received intelligence, nay, where pofTibly Mifs Melville might actually be ! — This was too much, and he determined, at all events, to return to Staines, trufling to the bed excufe he might be able ta make for his appearance, fhould he be fortunate enough to fee Mifs Melville. —He however firft fent to his father's agents A NOVEL. Z51 agent, with • whom he appointed a meeting, and for that purpofe delayed fetting out till fome time in the day following, hoping thus to finifli his father's bufinefs in town ; but the agent talked of fome days more, at leafl, before the papers could be ready for figning. Waidng for this, Bel- mour confiJered as impoiTible to his im- panence ; leaving word, therefore, that he fhould be in town again in a day or two, he fet out on horfeback, accompanied only by Bertram, for Staines. On his arrival, he found no difBcuIty in procuring what information the landlord could give him, who was loquacious and communicative. It 132 BELMOUR: It appeared, that MIfs Melville (for by the defcription and coincident cir- cumfVances it could be no other; had been met, on her anival at the inn, by a young man, and that a chaife had been ordered for them to go away together almoft immediately ; but that flie had found herfeif fo ill, as to be unable to profecute her journey, and that, hav- ing inquired for a private lodging near, fhe had gone thithe*', and he be- lieved the lady and genden'an v/ere there llili, ^ and like to remain.* Belmour*s colour went and came during this account — when the land- lord ended, he defired to be conducted to the houfe, where the lady was — * 'Tis * juft out of the town, my lord,' fald he, * ril fhow your lordfhip the way/ Belmour, A NOVEL. 233 Belmour, though ftryck with the idea of all the innkeeper might fur- mile, and aHiamed of his own folly, was unable to refift the impulfe of his heart. — He walked on v/ith hurried (leps, till they came within fight of a fort of cottage, furrounded by a fmall garden, enclofed with a low paling — * That's the houfe,* faid the man, pointing towards it, ^ and there's th« * lady a walking,^ Belmour made him a ^xg'cxy that he need follow him no further, and walk- ed up towards a fmall gate opening into the garden — It was indeed Mifs Melville : fhe was leaning on the arm of the young man who was with her — On Belmour's appearing (and he was cer- tain fhe had recognized him) flie turned away, &3-;» BELMOtTR: away, and, walking flowly, wentdiredly inro the.houfe— the door was fhut. The young man having feen her into the houfe, walked up to Belmour with fome quicknefs, juft as he laid his hand on the latch of the gardens- gate, with a defign to enter, * Do you want any thing here, fir :^ faid he, fpeaking rather in a foreign accent. * I wilh, fir, to fay a few * words to that lady,' replied Belmour, fom.ewhat furprlfed at the manner, m which he had been addrefied, * and * flia-11 beg leave to wait on her now, or * at her own time/ ' nat ladyy fir, is ill, and cannot fee * any body/ 'Sir,' refumed Belmour, eying A NOVEL. 235 eying him from head to foot, ^ I (hall ' however take the liberty of fending * her a note, and of afking at lead this ' favour from herfelf * If you pleafe^. * fir, but fne will not fee any body.' The perfon who fpoke feemed to be between twenty and thirty, his face was hard and much pitted with the fmall pox, but his figure was manly and fine— he had a black ilock round his neck, and a fhort hanger by his fide — his appearance was fomewhac that of a feafaring perfon. Belmcur feeing him fo little difpofed to enter into converfation, and fearing to create any fufpicion, that might in* jure Mils Melville, if he then further intruded, took his leave. — The young man 236 BELMOUR: man only juft touched his hat as they paftedy and {landing at the gate till Belmo^jl* was out of fight, Teemed de- firous to make fure of his not return- Belmour, beyond meafure chagrin- ed, went back to his inn. — A thoufand painful ideas affailed his mind — It feem- ed evident, that Mifs Melville avoided him t yet he wiflied for further certainty, though to what purpofc he dared not alk hiaifelf. — Note after note was written and torn 3 at laft one, that, as he thought, could not give offence, was finifhed, which he was juft folding up, deliberating whether he fnould fend it that night, or wait till the next morn- ing, when the fudden clattering of a chaife was heard in the courts and pre- fendy A NOVEL. 237 fently a voice not unknown to him re- peated, * lord Belmour ! lord Bel- * mour ! you fay is here ! O ! fhow * me in to him/ — The door inftantly flew open, and fcarcely leaving Bel- mour time to huddle the note into his pocket, St. F6rt appeared^ a being of all others he would leaft have wifhed to have feen at that moment — He knew him to be penetrating, curious, and malicious; while he alked Belmour * carelefsly how he ^ came to be Jettled * there !' inquiry lurked in his eye.— Belmour, reddening, anfwered, that he had expe6led to meet a perfon there on bufmefs, ' whom, not finding, he meant the next day to return to tov/n. « Well,' faid St. Fort, ' I am lucky, for * I felt d — mn*d tired and little dif-v ' pofed to go on to night, yet the « thoughts 233 BELMOUR: * thoughts of a Jolo in a dirty inn ' ftaggered me, and mw (bowing) if * I am not troublefome to your lord- *■ fhip, I fhall certainly not think my * evening dull' — There was no pof- fible excufe to be made ; poor Belmour was therefore forced to fiibmit to hear hiftories of perfons he did not know, and fcandal he did not be- lieve, told, it was true, with much dry humour by St. Fort ; but fo little adapted to the ftate of Belmour^s mind was this fort of converfation, that he could no way keep up his attention to t)ne half of what he faid. St. Fort announced his intention of fetting out the next morning on his road to Weymouth, at eight o'clock ; this fuited Belmour, as nine, he thought (being A NOVEL. 239 ^being prevented that evening) would i)e a proper time to fend his note to Mifs Melville. At about eight o'clock the next morning, Belmour heard a chaife drive out of the inn-yard: he doubted not but that it was St. Fort's, and rifing im- mediately, he drefled,.and came down iilairs, with the note in his hand— Calling to a waiter, he had begun ex- plaining whither the note Vv^as to be car- ried, when St. Fort appeared.— Bel- mour ft artedi the waiter, half frightened at the inftantaneous change in' Bel- mour's countenance, flammered. — ' The lady^ and pleafe your lordfliip, I * believe it is fhe your lordfhip means, ' that lodged juft out of town, had a ^ chay from our houfe this morning 'at 240 B E L M O U R : ^ at eight o'clock, and I» believe fhe's * gone, my lord, but majier knows * better.' — St. Fort, who clearly had heard all that was faid, brufhed by, with a half checked fneer on his face, and going diredly into the room where they' had pafled the evening together, the door of which (lood open, walked up to the window, and leaning out, began humming an air with affedled unconcern. Belmour, whom no man dared to queftion, when he decidedly forbad it by his looks, followed St. Fort into the room, and ordered breakfail. — St Fort, rubbing his eyes as he fat down, faid he had over flept himfelf— the breakfaft was tacit on both fides, and fhortly afterward St. Fore adually did fet 6 out. A NOVEL. 241 out. He was no fooner gone, than Belmour, giving way to the impulfe of pafTionj deternnined to follow Mifs Melville, and try to f^zisfy his cu- . riofity at lead, as to her prefent deflina- tion, which he fancied might afford lights to affifl him in his future con- dud: towards her. He inquired which road the chaife had taken, then mount- ed his horfe, and at the ftage follow- ing, eafily procured the fame intelli- gence ; but when he came to the fecond ftage, on the Hertfordihire road, he was told that a chaife, to whom be- longing they knew not, had come up to the door of the inn, and that the gentleman and lady he inquired for were ' gone off together.* — What road did they take? Ubat, your honour,* fliid a waiter, pointing to a fort of VOL. I. M by- 242 B ELM OUR: by-lane, turning out of the great-i^ad^ ' IJee'd them go up yonder hill.* Belmourj fliaking the reins on his horfe's neck, fet off in a fwift gallop-* He continued for fome miles, plainly tracing the recent 'track of the wheels, when fuddenly the lane ended, along which he had gone, and opened into a wide fandy common, cut by fifty different roads — He was forced to (lop — no polTibility feemed now to remain of difcovering which way the carriage had gone, one only miferable cottage appeared in fight, at which he could inquire. Thither he went, but coujd learn nothing— a poor old wretch, in tattered garments, was fpinning at the door, fo deaf, that he could with dif- ficulty make her hear, and by no 6 means A NOVEL. 245 means comprehend what he faid — ihe feemed hardly to know what a chaifc meant, but always anfwered — * Nay, * farmer Blade's cart han't gone by to- ' day/ Belmour, though himfelf in defpalr, forgot not to aflill the wretched, but dropped a guinea into the hand of the old woman, as he turned away his horfe from her door, and was followed by her benedi6tions, till the found of her feeble voice was loft in the wind# After vainly riding round and round the common, in hopes of catching again the loft track of the wheels, Belmour was at laft forced to fcek the lane by which he came. M 2 Thus 244 B E L M O U R : Thus foiled every way in his fearch, he felt a degree of anger again ft the caufe of fo much, hitherto, fruitlefs inquietude. — He was evidently, he thought, avoided by mifs Melville,- why he kne a' not -, and arguing from the fenfations of the moment, it feem- cd, to him ridiculous not to give up all further inquiries after her, and not to endeavour at leaft to obliterate the imprefTiOnjWhich, unauthorized by hope or reafon, Ihe had made on his heart. In this flate of mind, harafled and fatigued, Belmour was met on his re- turn to Staines by Bertram.—' Mau- ' V(2i/es muvelles milcr,* faid he, taking hold of the bridle with a trembling hand, as Beimour alighted from his horfe.— ' Good heavens T faid Bel- mour, A NOVEL. 245 mour, * my filler is ill.' — ' Non milGr, * non — not lady Caroline— my lord ' marquis — he is very ill indeed.* — * Who brought the news ? where is * the fervant ?' faid Belmour in an ago- ny. — ^Thomas, the groom, he brought * the news, my lord, but he*s gone on ^ to tov/n for milord's pliyfician. — IJee i him luckily as he was changing his * horfe — for he thought your Icrdfhip * was in town— but he could not flop, * as he fay it was lady Caroline's order ' to lofc no time, but bring the phy- * fician — and indeed they think he come * too late, for the do6lcrs from . . . . , ^ v.'ho are with him, think he cannot * live many hours.' — ' Order inftanty a * chaife/ faid Belmour, in a fcarcely ar- ticulate voice. — * A chaife, and four ' of the beft horfes they can give — M 3 'you. 246 B ELM OUR: ' you, Bertram, I fhall take in the ' cliaife with nne, be quick.* — Bertram flevv, and having ordered the chaife, while it was preparing, filently put fomething to eat before his nnaftcr,who, he judged, as was the fad, had touch- ed nothing fince breakfafl. — He dared not fpeak, but as he put down what he had brought on the table, the poor fellow caft a fuppliant look towards Belmour, fo expredive of his folicitoiis care for him, that it brought the tears, ready before to flart, into his eyes. — * I thank thee, Bertram,' faid he, ' I ' will try to eat,' and waving his hand to be left, he fat down to the table. TliC chaife was foon at the door> and from that moment, Belmour flopped A NOVEL. 247 Hopped only to change horfes^ till he came to Belmour caftle. When he alighted, he faw a general gloom fprcad over every fiice- — he afked not a fingle queftion, but hurried to his father's apartment. — At the door of the bedchamber he was flopped by his fifter, who, coming to meet him, held up her hand in fign of filence — fhe gently fhut the door, — ^ My father is * jufl dropped afleep, make no noife.' — * Oh God !' exclaimed Belmour, throw- ing himfelf on her neck — ^ T fhall then ^ again fee my father!' — ^ Yes, my ^ deareft brother — but I fear there is ^little hope,' lady Caroline mourn- ' fully refumed. — She then told him, that their father had been feized by a fudden and violent attack, the fymptoms of Ms^ which, 248 BELMOURt which, although not clearly urnierftood by the phyficianswhohad hitherto ftcn him, were by them pronounced to be very dangerous ; that, however, he did not now appear to fufFer much ; and that it was their opinion, that he might live for fome time. The marquis's- own phy- fician, who fhortly afterwards arrived from London, and who, at Belmour's jKirticular requefl, remained to attend him, confirmed this opinion. Every refource of medical art was in vain exercifed with confummate ikill, for tliC poiTible chance of his recovery— fix weeks had now pafTed fince the firfl: feizure, during which Belmour had anxioufly remiained in the exercife of the mofl tender and unremitting attea- tions to his father, v.hen m.eeting the ] hyfcians in the morning jufl after their A NOVEL. 149 their firil vifit that day, he was told by them, that the marquis appeared To much refrefhed by the more than ufual repofehe had gotten thepreceding night, and fo much himfclf, that, Ihould he have a fecond night as favourable, they fhould not be without hope of a final recovery. — Belmour, revived by this encouraging fpeech, went immediately into his father's room, and, fitting down by his bed fide, with a glow of fatisfadion on his countenance, to which it had now long been a ftranger — ' I re- * joice,' faid he, ' to hear fo good an ^ account of you/ — ' The phyficians * flatter you/ returned the marquis, with difficulty raifing his heavy eyelids, and looking towards his fon — * I fay ^ Jlatter you — few fathers in this age, I * fear.' — Bcimour's face was in an in- flanc 95<3 BELMOUR: ilant covered with tears.—* My child/ connnued lie, ftretching out his arms — then holding his Ion for a long time clofely prefTcd to his bofoni — * be * aflured, that your afFedion — the re« * colleflion of your conftant tender- * nefs, and unremitted duty towards * me, now foftens all I fuffer, and * makes even thefe moments more ^ than tolerable— but I afFed you too * much,' faid he, feeing Belmour choked with tears, and unable to utter a word — * compofe yourfelf, my fon, * I have lived happily— die happily, * and truft; in the mercy of that Divine * Power, that doubtlefs watches over < us — what mortal can fay more ?-— * Something yet I would requeft,' he continued, ' but I fear to diftrefs * you' — his voice aimcft failed him. — < You- A NOVEL. 251 ' You know my earneft wifh — Cle- « mentina, the child of my adoption — * but no more — I wifh your happinefs j ' only, my fon, be not too hafty in your * choice-— /^/V I do entreat, and it m^ay ' be a weaknefs, but a long line of ho- * noured anceftors, whofe pedigree re- * mains hitherto unfullied, I would wiih ' not to think, even in that particular,- * could ever be difgraced by you — but * I am fatigued —go, my fon,* faid he, leaning back on the pillows which fup- ported him, and ftretching forward his hand, which Belmour afFedtionately kiiTed — 'go, my fon, farewel.* — Again waving his hand, his eyelids clofed as Belmour left the room — he fcarcely fpoke again afcer this lad farewel to his fon, but falling into a ftate of ftupor, in the courfs of the following nighty. 552 BEL M OUR: night, to appearance without pain or effort, expired. The marquis was fincerely re- gretted, not only by his children, but by all his domeflicks and dependants, to whom he was kind and generous. His pride, tliough exceflive, being al- ways accompanied by benevolent at- tentions and politencfs to thofe, who v.ere fubordinate to him in rank, rather ferved to increafe refped and deference, than to give offence. Bejmour was much afTedled at the death of his father, and his lad words made a ferious hnpreffion on his m.ind — he wiihed even, could it be confjil- ent v/ith his own future happinef , fully to comply with his dying requell. Lady A NOVEL. 255 Lady Clementina had remained ac Belmo'jr caftle, unmindful of all her youthful vanities, in conftant and af- fedlionate attendance on her uncle and lady Caroline, whofe health vifibly de- clined : her eyes were fometimes filled with tears at their fufFerings, and fome- times Ihe relieved their drooping fpirits by her natural and unaftefled flow of mirth and gayety. — Treated with the affe6lionate familiarity of friendfhip by this lovely and amiable girl, Belmour, at times, almoft thought he loved her, and the image of mifs Melville, for the moment, faded on his imagination -, but before thefe impref- fions v;ere ever fufficiently ftrengthen- ed, to allow him to take a decided refo- lution, fome fudden and childifh fally of lady Clementina*s, or fome mark of 254 BELMOUR: of thoughtlefs indifference for him, at once deflroyed them, and made him doubly fenfible how much his heart re- quired fympathy, both of characSter and feelings, to render a ferious engage- ment in any degree conducive to his happinefs. — Then again that image, ever moft dear to him, returned with renewed power, although he feared to yield to what he rationally confidered might be only the efFedl of delufive paffion. — Thus pafled about a fort- night after the death of his father, when the ftate of lady Caroline's health grew fo confiderably worfe, that immediate change of climate was recommended by the phyficians as the only chance of faving her from a decline. Belmour, alarmed for his filler, inftantly deter- mined to accompany her to Liibon, and A NOVEL, 2SS and from that moment, was wholly oc- cupied with preparations to make the journey as eafy and tolerable as pof- fible to her, who, naturally of a gentle, timid nature, was now, from ilhiefs and deprelTion of fpirits, wholly incapable herfeif of making the lead exertion. In little more than a month from the time of their father's death, they fet out on their road to Falmouth, taking leave of lady Clementina, who had re- mained at Belmour caftle, and would not quit them till their departure, but gave them the lail farewel with ftream- ing eyes, and faw them actually drive from the door, before lady Eliza could perfuade her, to get into her own car- riage, though fometimes fcolding, and fometimes foothing j fhe had repeatedly remonftrated againft crying, which fhe faid 256 B E L M O U R. fald was at once the worfl thing pofliblc for the health, and the mod unbecom- ing to the connplexlon^ and, raifing her voice, ' lady Clementina, my dear,' faid Ilie, fobbing herfelf, * if you cry * fo, you will not be able to fhow your ' face at Weymouth* (whither they were going for the latter feafon), * and ^ I hear that all the world is to be ' there.' Thus the coufms parted, and, taking oppofite roads, bade adieu to Belmour ^ cafllc. END OF THE FIRST VOLUME, Printed by Luke Hanfard, Gjcat Tunillile, Lincoln's-Inn Fields.