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CHAPTER XXVI.

"There-if, O gentle love, I read aright.
The utterance that sealed thy sacred bond,
'Twas listening to those accents of delight."
Campbell.

In this society, Anne's life passed like a "summer dream." The purity of heart, the refined and cultivated intellects of the party, came like "sweet music" over her spirits, and she seemed placed in an atmosphere peculiarly framed for her own moral constitution.

She was left, at intervals, a great deal in the sole companionship of Sir John Scarsbrook, the earl having left them to transact some business in town, and her ladyship, spending part of every day on her couch-rest and absolute quietude, proving the best restoratives for her nervous debility.

Anne was treated by Sir John with all the delicate attention due to an equal. He read with her -walked with her-rode by her side-and never, by word or deed, called to her mind that she was a defenceless and unprotected woman; his own elevated tone of thinking would have prevented this in any case, and Anne had a shield before her, stronger than "triple brass," made up of her simplicity and loveliness.

It was impossible, however, for two beings like

Sir John Scarsbrook and Anne, without loving each other. The disparity of their rank could not long be a barrier, as

"Love laughs at pedigrees,"

and though the nameless foundling, ever in her fondest mood, could never think of him as an equal, or as one with whom she could share her fate, this did not prevent her loving him with all the deep devotedness of her young heart, now first awakened to a knowledge of its own sensibilities.

Sir John's feelings towards her were of a blended character, admiration and love forming the principal ingredient. Every hour he spent in her society, served more deeply to drive home the dart of the boy god, and though he strove to hide the emotions her presence excited, the instinct of mutual love soon made them aware of how much value each was to the other.

To Anne, indeed, the baronet had been from the first day of their acquaintance, a kind of divinity -his person, his manners, and his attentions, had enthroned him on the altar of love, which has its seat in every woman's soul. All that she had seen of him to the present time, had only served to enhance the beauty of the idol of her affections, and make her worship with more intensity its attributes. In poverty and in exile from his society, she had found how dear he was to her, and though she trembled and despaired, and would even have shunned him, under ordinary circumstances, the thrill of happiness that ran through her frame, when his mellow voice again fell upon her ears, made her blush and shrink within herself. Day

after day she had yielded to the delightful fascination, and though she strove with all the subtlety of a loving woman to conceal her feelings, there were momentary gushes of tenderness that filled her eyes with tears, and betrayed how intense and profound was the love now dwelling in her breast,

Several weeks passed away in this delightful association-the baronet became abstracted and silent-and Anne, in place of the elastic step and beaming eyes, which at first marked her presence, now moved shyly and timidly about, as if she were ever fearful some eye was upon her, to note and watch her minutest actions.

The health of the countess improved apace, and it had been determined to remove to a seat of the the earl's, in one of the southern counties, about the middle of June, and to visit London for a week or two, on their route. The earl on his return noticed Anne's downcast looks and frequent blushes, and on mentioning the subject to her ladyship, he was at once let into the cause, as she had seen with some uneasiness, the development of Anne's affection, and the equally decided partiality of her brother. She had been observing them with anxious kindness, without knowing how to speak or interfere. His lordship was for a time incredulous, but his own observations soon verified his wife's statement. He was deeply pained, and recalled to the mind of the countess his premonitory warning, with some slight asperity. His aristocratic prejudices were fully aroused, and though admiring and esteeming his brother-in-law, the cherishing an unknown being, however amiable and excellent in herself, and the doing this in his own paternal mansion, and in the presence of his sister-for some days this annoyed and even angered him.

There was, by this means a slight family es

trangement, and an air of stiffness and restraint pervaded the party extremely irksome to every member of it. Each one seemed to know instinctively the feelings of the other, and all wished to speak on the subject, and yet no one dared to do

So.

One morning when Lady Lucy was dressing,. assisted by Anne, Sir John entered the room, and having seated himself, remained silent, attentively watching the two beautiful women before him,the sylph-like figure of Anne, contrasting finely with the more matronly contour of her ladyship. Anne's fingers trembled and her heart palpitated, and "thick coming blushes tinged her cheeks," till Lady Lucy, feeling for her embarrassment begged she would prepare to accompany her in her usual. walk.

"Now John," said her ladyship, seating herself beside him, and taking his hand in hers, "let us have no further reserves.- -You love Anne, and I am not surprised it is so."

"You speak the truth, my dear Lucy, and it is time that all reserve should be at an end.-The purity and simplicity of Anne's character, let alone her exquisite loveliness, have carried me back to the bright and sunny days of my boyhood; yet I know not how to speak to her or to you on the subject: to look upon such a creature with any but the most pure views, would be a sacrilege, and her condition is such, that I candidly own to you, I know not how I can imagine her becoming my

wife."

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Spoken like yourself, John;-I feel for you, and more especially I feel for Anne ;-she behaves herself nobly, and even Haggerton is beginning to do her justice. I will not conceal from you his present opinions; you know him too well, and love

me too much to let these influence your regard for him; and I allude to them in order to point out to you, that if the prejudice of rank and birth are so powerful upon Haggerton, as even to make him unjust if not ungenerous, in what light would your connection with Anne be viewed by your peculiar circle? Haggerton's long tried friendship has found it impossible to reconcile him to the idea; and I own to you, that even I, loving you as I do, and loving Anne as a sister, could not sanction your marriage with her. And at any thing but this I am sure you would not aim.”

"God forbid!" said Sir John, "I know well what would be the world's opinion of my union with an unknown woman; and I am not, though in love, fool enough to despise and neglect it. But she must be noble, Lucy, come from what stock she may, howsoever criminal may have been her parents, and whatever dark and repulsive features are connected with her history, these cannot lessen her merits, nor pluck the diadem of stainless truth and honour from her unsmirched brow."

"I grant, my dear brother, that she is in every way worthy as a woman, to be even your wife. But society demands certain conventional and arbitrary qualifications in these cases, and its authority is despotic. That you might be happy in retirement with a companion like Anne, is more than probable; but this seclusion from the world both your rank and your talents ought to prohibit.”

"Believe me, Lucy, I will never marry any woman, whom I shall hesitate to proclaim as my wife, nor one for whose sake I should think it requisite to compromise my own reputation, or the prospects of my children. Would to God, the mystery which envelopes this lovely girl could be dis sipated!"

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