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delight, and perfect confidence. With all the obliterating conciliation of real affection, she not only appeared to forget her former trials, but with never ceasing solicitude strove to reconcile him to himself. This was a task of no small difficulty. By pondering on all the circumstances which led to his infatuation, the earl unwound the clue of Paulina's artifices, and traced the causes of his credulity to his culpable vanity and fastidious respect for his own deserts. The consequence was, that he detested her and despised himself. This latter was a new and exquisitely painful sentiment. The generosity of his faithful wife deepened his self-dissatisfaction, and even the smiles and playful endearments of his child could only for a moment interrupt the anguish of remorse. That faithful wife he had resolved to abandon. He was on the

eve of blasting the fortunes of that lovely child. And for what? To become the tool of a perfidious wanton, the bravo of a courtezan, the defender of one who deserved punishment, the interrupter of justice, not the protector of innocence. O, degraded Avondel! what can restore thee to that self-esteem so dear to thy lofty spirit? Of all the labours which an heroic soul can undertake, of all the duties which magnanimity is called upon to perform, no labour is so painful as that of retracing thy own backslidings, no duty so agonizing as that of disclaiming thy long-cherished superiority, and confessing not merely mistakes and infirmities, but the shameful degradation of gross offences.

CHAP. XXXI.

Come, all you spirits

That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here
And fill me, from the crown to th' toe, top-fulk
Of direct cruelty, make thick my blood,
Stop up th' access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose.

SHAKESPEARE

LADY PAULINA, on returning home, took no pains to conceal her emotion, or to give any colouring to her sudden return. Finding that the general was not arrived, she summoned her servants and charged them to

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say nothing of her absence, in a manner that rather excited than silenced curiosity. She then dismissed them with a liberal gratuity, and prepared for the return of her husband with all the apparent fondness of an affectionate wife, and succeeded so well, that she met the man she had so lately wished immersed in a watery grave, with a tender joy, dimmed by a sort of latent melancholy, the result she said of a recent indisposition.

A few days after General Monthermer's return, she required a private conference with his secretary, Mr. Villars, of whom she inquired if her husband had received any communications from Lord Avondel. On hearing that the latter had only sent the usual complimentary message, and that the gene al expressed his surprise that his old friend did not greet him with a personal welcome, Paulina re

iterated the word "friend," and with a sarcastic smile lifted her eyes to heaven in a sort of expostulatory indig'nation at the prophanation of that word.

"I thought," said she, seeming to recollect herself, "you had left the room Villars. I charge you do not notice my emotion to your master." Villars bowed. "I also strictly prohibit you from making any inquiry among my servants." Villars again signified acquiescence. "Tis my last command," continued Paulina, "that you punctually acquaint me with whatever passes between the general and Lord Avondel." On uttering the earl's name she seemed to thrill with involuntary horror, and Villars, who had exactly the degree of prudence and discernment which Paulina imputed to him, retired, the prepared, but unconscious, tool of revenge.

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