ABSTRACT
Althea, anxious for the sad group she had left, and not knowing how to disclose to Marchmont the truth of their situation, was unable to sleep – yet she concealed her real feelings with admirable fortitude; and Marchmont, believing her composed, and wearied as he was by the harassing events of the preceding day, sunk to repose. Such a transient relief was necessary to enable him to bear, with some degree of firmness, the communication which early the next morning Althea was compelled to make, in order to account for a journey which she knew nothing on earth but consideration for his mother would induce him to consent to. Though she softened the cruel truth as much as she could, it was impossible to prevent Marchmont from believing the worst; and as he agreed with Althea in thinking, if she was able to be removed, it would be better, both on account of advice as well as to be near them, that his mother and sisters should remove, he consented that Althea, attended by Fenchurch, should set out to assist the poor girls in their arduous task, while he endeavoured by means of one of the runners of the prison to secure them as comfortable a lodging as could be found within the rules;143 where he hoped he could see his mother, and alleviate some part of the anguish which his imprisonment inflicted.
