I cannot be displeased with you, madam. You cannot be ungrateful I must not speak: yet hardly know how to be silent. I will take a walk in the garden. I have a new lesson to learn.

With profound reverence 1 withdrew. She rang. Camilla came in.

I hastened into the garden, greatly dissatisfied with myself, yet hardly knowing why. I thought I wanted somebody to accuse, somebody to blame Yet how could it be Clementina? But the words Narrow zeal! Sweet enthusiast I as if I would find fault with her religion, involuntarily slipt from me to myself.

It is difficult, my dear Dr. Bartlett, at the instant in which the heart finds itself disappointed of some darling hope, to avoid reflections that, however, can only be justified by self-partiality. What must I be, if, led as I have been, by all her friends to hope, I had not been earnest in my hope!

The bishop joined me in the garden Excuse me, Grandison, said he, for breaking in upon your contemplations: but I was desirous to apologize to you, for taking the liberty, though you allowed it to me, of attending to what passed between you and my sister.

I should, my lord, have said every thing I did say to your sister, the occasion the same, before your whole assembled family. Your lordship has there-fore no apologies to make to me. Heard you all that passed?

I believe I did. Those apartments were always the women’s. Camilla placed me in a closet that I a 2 knew not of, where I heard every word you both said of the last part of your conversation. I must ask you, chevalier Is not Clementina–Clementina, my lord, is all that is great and good in woman. You will imagine, that it would have been much more easy for me to support myself under the resolution she has taken, had I not had such testimonies of her magnanimity. Permit me, my lord, to say, that I have one good quality: I can admire goodness or greatness wherever I meet with it; and that whether it makes for me, or against me. Clementina has all my reverence.

He made me compliments, and withdrew.

The marquis, the count, and the marchioness, afterwards joined me in the garden. The bishop and Father Marescotti not coming with them, or presently after them, I doubted not but they went to Clementina, in order to applaud her for, and confirm her in, a resolution, which must be agreeable to them.

I was right in my conjecture.

The marquis and count each took my hand, and first expressed their surprise at the young lady’s adherence to her resolution; and next their high value of me. The marchioness observed, “ that her daughter, with all her excellencies, was ever difficult of persuasion, when she had deliberately resolved upon any point.”

It was easy, I said, to see, that they all now were of one opinion; which was, that Lady Clementina was not to be moved from her present purpose.