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tion from Pendennis to Mr. O'Carolan to come and see him at Mount Parnassus.

Geraldine passed a sleepless night, haunted by distracting thoughts of her parents' wretchedness, the guilt and ruin of her family. She could find no relief but in supposing that the whole, or part of what she had heard, was false, or that she had misunderstood the speaker. Towards morning she fell into a profound and heavy sleep, and awoke a little refreshed. On the following day, her dejection was not so much remarked.

Mrs. Arthur Gore, with her family, left Mount Amaranth, and Mrs. Gore, who was really a fond mother, lost all her brilliant and affected gaiety at the prospect of parting with her son. Geraldine thought it her first duty, as a guest who had received so much kindness, to set aside her own subjects of sorrow, and endeavour to support the spirits of Mrs. Gore. This praiseworthy conduct was its own reward, and she had ever found the conscientious

sense

sense she cherished of her relative and social duties the best preservative of her own peace of mind. The unassuming virtues shine brightest in a season of trial, and,

"Like the plants that throw

Their fragrance from the wounded part,
Breathe sweetness out of woe."

When the family was restored to its usual routine, the scene at Kilmallock returned with fearful force to Geraldine's remembrance. The conclusion of the conversation, which she could recollect with a degree of painful distinctness, convinced her that the whole could only relate to her family and herself. She felt the most anxious desire to clear up the mystery, united to an unconquerable repugnance to communicating her painful difficulties. Such a state of mind had necessarily an influence on her health and spirits: she became also anxious to hear from her friends in Dublin, who had been some

time without writing. At length this source of solicitude was removed by the receipt of the following epistle.

CHAPTER XII.

Since from an ancient race descended,
You boast an unattainted blood,
By yours be their fair fame attended,

And claim, by birthright, to be good! COWPER.

Miss Dora O'Reilly to Geraldine South

well.

Dublin.

"WHO would have thought it? Are we not told, in some theatrical memoirs, that such was the motto chosen by the celebrated Mrs. Clive, when, by talents and successful industry, that admirable comic actress had arrived at the dramatic summum bonum-the honour of driving to and from the theatre in her own carriage?

carriage? I was ready to make the same exclamation, on finding Mr. Montfort, whom I had been used to see studying the antique, or taking long solitary promenades in the gallery at Meadowscourt, transformed-hey, presto!-into an officer, an aid-de-camp, and a nobleman, under the name, style, and title of Ferdinand earl of O'Melvyl. There is a surprise for you, my beautiful Geraldine! What will you give me for such a piece of news to enliven a dull country party? To take it up from the beginning, this phoenix turns out to be only son and heir to the mar quis of Beaudesert, by a German lady now dead, whom he married when a young man on his travels. This self-banished marquis, after spending his best days in Italy, returned home some months ago, with so little intention of acknowledging his early marriage, that he brought over a tall, dark-eyed Italian-a count di San Carlos, of whom more hereafter-to whose mother he professed to have some obliga

tions, and whom, in consequence, he meant to make the heir of his fortune and estates. But this was not to be: lady Louisa Southwell found out the whole of Montfort's story: she assembled proofs-she sent him with letters to the marquis-what they contained I know not: her ladyship must acquaint you with the particulars herself. We are all aware that her abilities and dexterity in conducting affairs of that sort are second to none but those of Warwick the king-maker. Let it suffice that she succeeded in inducing the marquis to acknowledge Ferdinand Montfort as his legitimate son, and that he is, at this instant, as fond and as proud of him as he was formerly averse from all domestic ties As lord O'Melvyl has already served in the military line, and lord Beaudesert is a strong supporter of government, he has put him on the Irish staff for the present, that professional duties may not divide them. We never were acquainted with the half of lord O'Melvyl's character: nothing

VOL. I.

M

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