repose—his everlasting repose,—to write to you in his behalf, and allow him to enclose a line or two from himself.
With a pained and fixed attention, unable to offer a remark, Rosilia had listened to this new and extraordinary information. "'Tis true, my Rosilia, I pledge my faith and honour it is true; do you blame me for not having interfered?"
"The time is now past," replied Rosilia; "now that I have been previously informed of his inconstancy; but, if—"
The blood rushed to her heart, she could not finish or express by language what she felt;—all was confused before her. This Mrs. Herbert might have acted for the best, and according perhaps to her notions of propriety; nevertheless her conduct appeared to have been as an evil fate or destiny, flinging an impenetrable veil upon her future happiness!
"I peremptorily refused to do as he wished me," continued she. "I told him that I could not compromise myself, or make myself a party in any secret transaction whatever." She paused. Her conscience might have whispered otherwise—'twas self-love and its infatuation which had prevailed; and she made appear as meritorious, a conduct pursued to favour her own private and secret
