O Lucy! What a consciousness of inferiority fills a mind not ungenerous, when it labours under the sense of obligations it cannot return!

My sister Charlotte, madam, was impatient to present to you her beloved sister. Lady L. was as impatient to attend you. My Lord L. was equally-desirous to claim the honour of your acquaintance. They insisted upon my introducing my lord. I thought it was too precipitate a visit, and might hurt your delicacy, and make Charlotte and me appear, as if we had been ostentatiously boasting of the opportunities that had been thrown into our hands, to do a very common service. I think I see that you are hurt. Forgive me, madam, I will follow my own judgment another time. Only be assured of this, that your merits, and not the service, have drawn this visit upon you.

I could not be displeased at this polite address, as it helped me to an excuse for behaving so like a fool, as he might think, since he knew not the cause.

You are very obliging, Sir. My Lord and Lady L. do me great honour. Miss Grandison cannot do any-thing but what is agreeable to me. In such company, I am but a common person: but my gra-titude will never let me look upon your seasonable d n 3 protection as a common service. I am only anxious for the consequences to yourself. I should have no pretence to the gratitude I speak of, if I did not own, that the reported threatenings, and what Wilson writes by way of postscript, have given me disturb-ance, lest your safety should, on my account, be brought into hazard.

Miss Byron speaks like herself: but whatever were to be the consequences, can you think, madam, that a man of any spirit could have acted otherwise than I did? Would I not have been glad, that any man would have done just the same thing, in favour of my sister Charlotte? Could I behave with greater moderation? I am pleased with myself on looking back; and that I am not always: there shall no consequences follow, that I am not forced upon in my own necessary defence.

We spoke loud enough to be heard: and Miss Grandison, joining us, said, But pray, brother, tell us, if there be grounds to apprehend any-thing from what the footman writes?

You cannot imagine but Sir Hargrave would blus-ter and threaten: to lose such a prize, so near as he thought himself to carrying his point, must affect a man of his cast: but are ladies to be troubled with words? Men of true courage do not threaten.

Shall I beg one word with you, Sir Charles? said Mr. Reeves.

They withdrew to the back parlour: and there Mr. Reeves, who had the letter of that Bagenhall, shewed it to him.

He read it — A very extraordinary letter! said he; and gave it back to him — But pray, what says Miss Byron to it? — Is she willing to take this step in consideration of my safety?