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The Governess,

being quite unprovided, and very unwilling to become a burthen to my good friend; I, therefore, begged Mrs. Grantham to tell me what I had done to difoblige her, affuring her that I was both willing and ready to do every thing in my power to ferve and please her.

"Serve me !" replied fhe, drawing up her head, and quite miftaking the fenfe of the word "Do you imagine that a wretch so overwhelmed with poverty, and the want of every thing eligible upon earth, can be of any fervice to me? No, no, girl, my rank and fortune place me far above fuch abject creatures as you."

"Heyday, heyday," cried Mr. Grantham, interrupting her, "what's to do here with rank?-I should not have thought of that indeed; and as to fortune, I cannot fay much neither: but if we had a mint of money, it fhould not hinder one from being civil, at leaft, to every body; and now I must tell you, Mifs Hayward, (continued he, addreffing himself to me) my wife fays-"

"Hold your foolish tongue," anfwered the lady, in a hurry," and do not be always leffening yourfelf and me in fo fcandalous a manner."

"I leffen you!" replied he; "not I, faith; that is not in my power; for you are grown as round as one of my jaft hogfheads."

"Oaf!" anfwered the, in a fury; "I did not fpeak of my perfon, which is, thank heaven, fuperior to that of most people, and therefore not a fubject for your ridicule; but you are always expofing both yourself and me with your low language."

"I don't know what you meannot I, (faid he) by low, no more than I do by your being fo high; a brewer's wife is a brewer's wife, and fhould talk and act accordingly.

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"Monstrous !" cried fhe, "was there ever fuch an idiot, to expofe his family in fuch a manner to tell all the world what we are!"

"Tell all the world!" replied he, in an angry tone; "what do I tell, pray child, but what all the world

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knows already? and it's very fit they should, or how am I to carry on my trade? Did you ever hear of a brewer in a band-box, Mifs Hayward? Ha?""

Here he burst into a loud laugh, upon which Mrs. Grantham took him by the fhoulders, and fairly turned him out of the room, though he made no fmall resistance, calling to me, all the time to get out of her way-“ She will ferve you in the fame manner,' faid he," as it is on your account the ufed me in this way.'

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I could not, I confefs, comprehend, at firit, the meaning of this fpeech, nor did I think it proper to discover my curiofity to him; believing, however, that his advice was to be followed, I proceeded to make the best of my way to my own apartment: Mrs. Grantham stopped me, "Stay," said fhe," and mind what I have to say to you, or leave the house directly."

I affured her I was ready to obey her commands.

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"Pray then, Mifs," faid fhe, 66 ver trouble your head for the future about Mr. Grantham. You are not his fervant, but mine.”

I looked quite furprized, as well I might, at this interdiction; yet, as I firmly believed an explanation would not be in the leaft fatisfactory, I was again proceeding towards the doorShe then ordered me to attend her in her dreffing-room, as her own maid had afked leave to go out, and as fhe, forgetting the permiffion given her, wanted to be dreffed, it being near three o'clock.

Though this employment was altogether new to me, I made no objection to it, and had the good fortune to fucceed tolerably. She was, indeed, fo generally, fo thoroughly pleafed with herself, though displeased with every other perfon, that it was no eafy matter to put her out of conecit with her own face and figure. While I was dreffing her hair, fhe condefcended to do me the honour to talk to me all the time about her fortune and her family, and this converfation engaged her attention fo deeply, that the actually forgot her dinner, till Mr. Grantham,

who did not fuffer things of fuch importance, in his opinion, to flip out of his memory, called out, in a very loud key, after having fent feveral mesfages, which had been all difregarded, "Come, come, Mrs. Grantham, the mutton will be cold: what are you about?"

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"What's that to you," replied the "I had rather there was no dinner at all, than have fuck a fufs about it." "Why you spend fuch a confounded deal of time in dreffing," faid he, "that you fhould begin fooner."

"Yes, to be fure," replied fhe, "you are wife enough to tell me what I should do; but to fhew you that I know how to conduct myfelf without you, I can tell you that I fhould have been dreffed long ago, had Mifs ward come home in time."

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took occation to reproach him with the breach of it, by prefuming to addrefs the princefs.

In you, faid he, I little expected a rival, as well on account of your attachment to me, as the improbability of your fucceeding in your attempt; for you are not now to be told of the mutual paffion that has long joined Geneura's heart to mine, nor that I' intend foon to afk the king's confent to efpoufe her: why then do you fondby thruft yourself between me and my almost certain happiness? how differently fhould I act were I in your place!"

"Why this to me my lord?" replied Ariodant haftily: "'tis you who have betrayed our friendship; you have comHay-menced my rival, not yours. I claim a prior right in fair Geneura, as having lov'd her firft, and have been happy enough to infpire her with an equal flame; this you might have perceived had you not been blinded by obftina

I was not a little furprised, I own, to hear myself accused as the cause of her delay, not having had the flightest idea of being a waiting maid to the lady, as well as a governess to her daugh-cy; fince then the laws of friendship ters. My aftonishment, however, was greatly increafed, when I heard Mr. Grantham warmly take my part, and bid his wife not lay the blame on me, as I was hired to look after the children, and not to stand behind her hair; adding, that being employed by her about fuch nonfenfe, I was prevented from attending to the girls "Nobody," faid he, very jutly, “can do two things at once."

Mrs. Grantham replied to this fpeech with an increased violence. She fcolded her husband with an additional fererity, and to make matters worse, charged us both with carrying on an improper connection, vowing that The would not let me ftay a moment longer in the house.

(To be continued.)

The TALE of GENEURA. (Concluded from Page 100.)

demand one of us to yield, be yours the tafk, as having lefs right to perfift, and lefs hope of fucceeding than myfelf. In riches indeed you are my fuperior, but the king's favour is equally fhared betwixt us, and in the heart of Geneura the advantage is wholly mine."

"What errors does not love ecca. fion! replied the Duke; each thinks himfelf the happy object of her wishes, and yet 'tis certain that only one is loved; thus then let us decide the conteit: he who can give the most certain proofs of her affection fhall be left by the other free and undisturbed poffeffor of it; but first let us bind ourfelves by the moft folemn oaths not to dif clofe each other's fecrets."

To this Ariodant, with trembling impatience, agreed, and the artful duke went on in this manner:

"It is now almoft five months fince the beauteous Geneura rewarded my ardent love with the poffeffion of her EFORE the duke had any know-perfon; oft has the confcious queen of ledge of his paffion for the prin-night lent me her fhades to guide me cels, he had lived in ftrict friendship to my charmer, and feen me happy in with the young knight, and thence her arms,"

B

The Tale of Geneura,

""Tis falfe, by heaven!" interrupted Ariodant, tranfported with rage; "not that cold queen, whofe name thou haft profaned, is chafter than my Geneura. Traitor, with my good fword, I'll prove thou lyeft; take notice I defy thee to mortal combat, and will with my dearest blood, wash away the flanders thou haft thrown upon my princess."..

"Moderate your rage, faid the calm villain, I mean to give you proofs, convincing proofs, of what I have faid; your own eyes fhall be witness of the favours I enjoy."

143

to be within call if any treachery was offered him, but not in fight of Geneu-→ ra's window; for he would have no witness of her guilt but himself.

The duke having placed Ariodant moft conveniently for his purpose adyanced, and gave the ufual fign; une happy as I am, I heard and eager ly obeyed the welcome fummons; a dorned in Geneura's richeft robes, and covered with the veil that princeffes only wear, I appeared at the window, and threw the filken, ladder over to my lover.

Lurcanio, either fearing for his brother's fafety, or defirous of prying into his fecrets, quitted his appointed ftation, and unperceived by him, walked foftly forward till he came within ten paces of Ariodant; and now

The unhappy Ariodant, pale, trembling, and loft in fpeechlefs grief and horror at thofe fatal words, ftood for fome moments fixed in racking thoughts, like the fad ftatue of defpair; then, railing his eyes, overflow-my faithlefs duke was feen by both ing with tears, to heaven, and paffionately ftriking his groaning heart, exclaimed," And can it be that my Geneura, that princefs whom I loved, whom I adored, with fuch pure reverence as mortals pay to deities, fhould become the prey of loofe defires, and grieve her faithful Ariodant to death? Oh! it is impoffible, though a god fpoke it, I fhould fay 'twere falfe."

the brothers (though known only to Ariodant) to afcend the ladder and gain the chamber window, at which I met him with a tender embrace, wandering over his lips and eyes with eager kiffes.

This fight fo inflamed the foul of Ariodant with rage and grief, that drawing out his fword, and fixing the pummel of it in the ground, he was "Incredulous man, faid Polyneffo, going to rufh with all his force upon have I not offered to give thee proofs the point, had he not been prevented that cannot be denied; thy eyes fhall by Lurcanio, who, perceiving his rafh fee the favours fhe bestows on me." defign, fprang to him in an inftant, and "I take your word, replied Ari-having thrown afide the fatal inftruodant, impatiently; give me but to ment of death, received his finking behold her guilt, and I am fatisfied." brother in his arms. "Tomorrow night, faid the duke, I have an appointment with her: I will conduct you to a place from whence, unperceived, you yourself fhall behold me afcend her chamber window, and judge by the reception the gives me, if I am happy in her fa-like clouds, with every blast of wind; and this fair mischief that has betray

vour."

"Ah! miferable brother! faid Lure canio, by what wild fury art thou poffeffed? To fall thus meanly for a woman? Now curfed, for ever cursed be all the kind; may they all perish in one wide ruin, blown as they are,

To this the almost distracted Ari-ed thee, let us devife fome glorious odant confented; and, at the appointed time, followed the duke to thofe ruined houfes I mentioned before, and there flood concealed from view: being doubtful of Polyneffo's intentions, he had ordered his brother Lurcanio to arm and go with him, directing him to flay at a convenient diftance, fo as

vengeance for her; let not thy noble life be facrificed to her falfhood; her's is the crime; be her's the punishment; proclaim her guilt aloud, accufe her to the king; my eyes as well as thine bave feen her infamy, and with my fword I will make good thy affertion.??

Ariodant, whofe foul was torn with

various and conflicting paffions, fmiled | moft violent exceffes of defpair; fhe

beat her beauteous bofom, tore her hair, and in the wildness of her woes, a thousand times invoked the dear loved name of Ariodant; repeated the myfterious words he uttered, and as often called on death to end her.

The news of his death, with the fad manner of it, fpread grief and con-" fternation through the whole city: even the remoteft parts of Scotland felt and lamented the lofs of their valiant de

gloomily at the mention of revenge; a while he feemed to bury every thought of grief, and of defpair in that one hope of facrificing the guilty princess to his wrongs; but alas! the curelefs wound remained behind; Geneura, bafe as the appeared, he loved with fuch unceasing fondness, that wholly unable to endure her lofs, and dreading no hell like that within his bofom, once more resolved to die. To Lurcanio, however, he diffem-fender: the king and the whole court bled his defign, and went home with him at his requeft, but early the next morning he departed, leaving no traces behind him from whence it might be gathered to what place he was gone.

Lurcanio, dreading the fatal effects of his defpair, was pierced to his inmoft foul at the news of his flight: the king and the whole court took part in his affliction; no methods were left untried to difcover where he was; meffengers were fent in fearch of him, to the utmost extremities of the kingdom; but all returned without any fuccefs.

bewailed his lofs with the fincerest forrow; but Lurcanio, fuperior in grief, as more nearly interested in the dear deceafed, mourned his unhappy brother with all the tenderness of fraternal love, and all the warmth of friendfhip.

Revolving in his mind the fatal adventure of the window, which had been the caufe of his brother's diftraction, the defire and hope of revenge afforded fomé relief to the poignancy of his woe; and obftinately bent to facrifice the princefs to the manes of his Ariodant, he prefented himself before the king and council, and accufed her of incontinence, relating all that Ariodant and he had seen, and the fatal effects it had upon him he then remin led the king of the Scottish laws againft unchastity, and loudly demandjuftice on the princess.

At length a peasant came to court, and at his request was introduced to the princefs, who informed her, that as he was travelling to the city he met Ariodant; that this unhappy knight obliged him to follow him, and be witnefs of a deed he was going to per-ed form; that, obeying his orders, they journeyed on together till they came to a steep rock that hung pendent over the fea, fronting the Irish Island.

Ariodant, faid the peasant, afcending this rock, commanded me to observe well what he did, to give you an account of it, and tell you his laft words, which were, that he had feen too much; then fpringing furioufly from the top of the rock, he precipitated himfelf into the fea. Terrified at the dreadful fight, I haftily turned back, and travelled hither to bring you the fatal news.

Geneura, overwhelmed with grief and amazement for the death of her lover, and the ftrange meffage he had fent her, abandoned herself to the

Horror and amazement feized the foul of the unhappy father! Geneura, tho' dearer to him than life, tho' innocent in his opinion, he has not power to screen from the danger that threatens her; the laws indeed permit the accused to have a champion to fight in her defence, by whom, if the profecutor (who is obliged by force of arms to maintain the truth of his affertion) is worsted, fhe is declared guiltlefs of the crimes laid to her charge.

To this only remedy the king has recourfe, and caufes it to be proclaimed throughout his dominions, that if any knight of noble birth will undertake the defence of his daughter, and by force of arms fhall vanquish her ac

culer,

Tale of Geneura.

cufer, on him he will beftow the princefs with a dower suitable to her quality.

145

Meantime, Rinaldo having left the frighted Dalinda at an inn, with repeated affurances of gaining her pardon, in cafe he vanquished the princefs's accufer, advanced towards the city gate; here he was met by a young page, who informed him that an un

Notwithstanding this proclamation no knight has yet offered himself for the enterprize, deterred therefrom by the known valour of Lurcanio; the king no lefs anxious for Geneura's re-known knight clad all in fable armour putation than her life, caused all her maids to be brought to a trial, who with one voice declared they never were privy to any intrigue of their royal mistress.

Alarmed at thefe proceedings, and dreading the confequence of a further fcrutiny, I urged the duke to take fome measures for our common fecurity, he with diffembled kindness, praifed my fecrecy and affection, and fent two men to conduct me to a caftle of his at a great diftance from the

court.

Wholly relying on his faith, 1 put myfelf under the protection of thofe two villains, whom the duke, defirous of removing for ever the only perfon who could discover his guilt, ordered, when they came to a convenient place, to murder me; happily for me, chance conducted you that way; you delivered me from my impending fate, and while it fhall please heaven to preferve my unhappy life, it shall be spent in grateful acknowledgments to my protec

tor.

was arrived; that he had demanded the combat with Lurcanio, and declared he would die, or free the prin cefs from her ignominious fentence.

Rinaldo impatient to unfold the mystery, thundered at the city gates, which being opened, he rode eagerly to the lifts, there beholding the combatants engaged, he forced his way through the prefs, and crying aloud that they fhould ceafe the fight, demanded an inftant audience of the king.

The marshals of the field thereupon. parted the two champions, and Rinaldo was immediately conducted to the king; to whom he related the whole ftory of Polyneffo's treachery, as he had received it from Dalinda, adding, that he would prove the truth of it by force of arms, and begged that he might be allowed to defy the traitor duke to fingle combat.

The noble form of Rinaldo, but chiefly the pleafing purport of his fpeech, gained him abfolute credit with the king. Scarce could the raptured This account of Geneura's inno- parent reftrain the wild exultings of his cence was extremely welcome to Ri-joy at this confirmation of his Geneunaldo; for though confiding in his ra's innocence, dearer than life or emown courage, he was not without hopes pire was fhe loved by him, and freely of delivering her, guilty as fhe appear-would he have facrificed both to fave ed; yet the certainty that he was going her honour, he hesitated, therefore, to fight in ajuft caufe, animated him with not a moment in permitting the redouble fire, and gave him almost a con- quefted combat, but ordered duke Pofirmation of victory. lyneffo to be called.

Now clapping fpurs to his horse, he rode on with such eager hafte, that the noble town of St. Andrew's, foon appeared in view. There the combat was to be performed; the guards had already furrounded the lifts; the challenger's trumpet had founded, and the unhappy king, pale, trembling and full of eager anxiety, liftened with a beating heart, and fear-checked wifhes for an accepting anfwer. VOL. X.

He, by his office of high conftable, having the ordering of the combat, was riding proudly about the field, exulting in his fuccefsful treafon, and anticipating in his own mind the ruin of the fair and injured Geneura. Ignorant tho' he was of the defign of this fummons, yet coward guilt fuggefting the worft he had to fear, with a difordered air, and eyes expreffive of the various apprehenfions that ftruck

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