my

Fond Confeffions.

III

children whilft they need me, and by my poor old father, and—”

"And not by me?" Henry faid.

"Hufh," fhe faid again, and raised her hand up to his lip. "I have been your nurse. You could not fee me, Harry, when you were in the fmall-pox, and I came and fate by you. Ah! I prayed that I might die, but it would have been in fin, Henry. O it is horrid to look back to that time. It is over now and past, and it has been forgiven me. When you need me again I will come ever fo far. When your heart is wounded, then come to me, my dear. Be filent! let me fay all. You never loved me, dear Henry -no, you do not now, and I thank Heaven for it. I used to watch you, and knew by a thousand figns that it was fo.

how glad you were to go

Do you remember away to College?

'Twas I sent you. I told my papa that, and Mr. Atterbury too, when I fpoke to him in London. And they both And they both gave me abfolution -both and they are godly men having authority to bind and to loose.

And they forgave me, as my dear lord forgave me before

he went to heaven."

"I think the angels are not all in heaven,” Mr. Efmond faid. And as a brother folds a fifter to his heart; and as a mother cleaves to her fon's breaft-fo for a few moments Efmond's beloved mistress came to him and blessed him.

CHAPTER VII.

A

I AM MADE WELCOME AT WALCOTE.

S they came up to the house at Walcote,

the windows from within were lighted up with friendly welcome; the fupper-table was spread in the oak parlour; it seemed as if forgiveness and love were awaiting the returning prodigal. Two or three familiar faces of domesticks were on the look-out at the porchthe old housekeeper was there, and young Lockwood from Caftlewood in my lord's livery of tawney and blue. His dear mistress preffed his arm as they passed into the hall. Her eyes beamed out on him with affection indefcribable. "Welcome," was all fhe faid: as fhe looked putting back her fair curls and black hood. A fweet rofy smile blushed on her face; Harry thought he had never seen her look fo charming.

VOL. II.

I

up,

Her face was lighted with a joy that was brighter than beauty-she took a hand of her fon who was in the hall waiting his mother-she did not quit Efmond's arm.

"Welcome, Harry!" my young my young lord echoed after her. "Here, we are all come to say so. Here's old Pincot, hasn't she grown handsome?" and Pincot, who was older, and no handsomer than ufual, made a curtfey to the Captain as fhe called Efmond, and told my lord to "Have done, now."

"And here's Jack Lockwood. He'll make a famous grenadier Jack; and fo fhall I; we'll both lift under you, Coufin. As soon as I am feventeen I go to the army-every gentleman goes to the army. Look! who comes hereho, ho!" he burst into a laugh. "Tis Mistress 'Trix, with a new ribbon; I knew she would put one on as foon as fhe heard a Captain was coming to fupper."

This laughing colloquy took place in the hall of Walcote House: in the midft of which is a staircase that leads from an open gallery, where are the doors of the fleeping chambers: and from one of thefe, a wax candle in her hand,

Beatrix grown to womanhood.

115

and illuminating her, came Mistress Beatrix-the light falling indeed upon the scarlet ribbon which she wore, and upon the most brilliant white neck in the world.

Efmond had left a child, and found a woman, grown beyond the common height; and arrived at fuch a dazzling completeness of beauty, that his eyes might well fhow furprise and delight at beholding her. In hers there was a brightness so luftrous and melting, that I have seen a whole. affembly follow her as if by an attraction irrefiftible: and that night the great Duke was at the play-house after Ramillies, every foul turned and looked (fhe chanced to enter at the oppofite fide of the theatre at the fame moment) at her, and not at him. She was a brown beauty: that is, her eyes, hair, and eye-brows and eye-lashes, were dark: her hair curling with rich undulations, and waving over her fhoulders; but her complexion was as dazzling white as fnow in funfhine; except her cheeks, which were a bright red, and her lips, which were of a still deeper crimson. Her mouth and chin, they faid, were too large and full, and fo they might be for a goddefs in marble, but not for a woman whose eyes were