various maladies that had so long afflicted her Ladyship began towards the spring of the year to assume an alarming appearance. Having accustomed herself occasionally to the use of opium to lull the pains of body and of mind, she began to administer it with indiscretion in quantities injurious to the powers of her intellect, acute and discriminating as it had been; her rational faculty became stupified, and she sunk, during long and repeated intervals, into states of lethargy.
Scarcely had fifteen months elapsed since the decease of Sir Aubrey, than he was followed to the tomb by his lady.
Thus, too, those fair prospects again were blighted which seemed to open and smile more propitious than before on the daughters of De Brooke. She, who was in no way related by blood, but who had become so friendly to their interests—who, above all narrow prejudices or contraction of sentiment, had it so greatly in her power to advantage them, uniting at once both the inclination and ability to do so,—was now no more.
Of a temper generous to excess in carrying into execution schemes well-digested and approved of with ardour, the only object she had felt worthy of recalling her to her former existence—to scenes of life, otherwise wearisome and insipid, was to
