ABSTRACT
Sir Edward and Ethelinde easily accounted to Mrs. Montgomery for their stay; but the latter, finding herself quite unequal to any share of the task Sir Edward had undertaken, hastened away as soon after dinner as she could; while he entertained Mrs. Montgomery for some time on indifferent subjects. As soon, however, as a pause in the conversation gave her leave, she enquired, with that appearance of tender interest which she always felt on the subject of Ethelinde, whether he believed that she should, before she died, be made easy by leaving her his wife. ‘I have a letter to day,’ said she, ‘from my brother, and I am glad to find that though Lady Hawkhurst followed him with her family to Bath, the marriage she so artfully meditated has wholly failed. It is difficult to sustain long an assumed character, and Bath was of all others the place where it was to Lady Arabella the most difficult. My brother fortunately discovered her true one, and is thankful that he discovered it before he had engaged himself in irremediable wretchedness. Chesterville and Victorine have seen the danger, and I hope profited by it, as he mentions being well satisfied with their conduct. This on his account is most satisfactory to me; yet, my dear Sir Edward, it has lessened but little my anxiety in regard to this adopted daughter of my heart. Chesterville can never be the friend, the brother she deserves, for his heart is incapable of it. If she goes to reside with them, she will not complain, but she will undoubtedly be unhappy. Naturally of a pensive turn, and her heart cruelly wounded by an irreparable loss, their style of life will be painful to her; and her melancholy, all soft and interesting as it is, will ever be a restraint upon them; besides that my brother’s partial fondness for her, will be but too likely to excite discontent in his daughter and her husband. Whither then can she go? and what will be her destiny?’
