O, Miss Grandison! said I: and am 1 warmly mentioned in it? Pray oblige me with the perusal of it. And 1 held out my more than half guilty hand, and took it: but (immediately recollecting myself) did you not hint that you came at it by means not honest? Take it again; I will not partake of your fault. But, cruel Charlotte! how could you tempt me so? And I laid it on a chair.’

Read the first paragraph, Harriet. She took it up, unfolded it, and pointed to the first paragraph. Tempter! said I, how can you wish me to imi-tate our first pattern! And down I sat, and put both my hands before my eyes. Take it away, take it away, while yet 1 am mnocent! Dear Miss Grandison, don’t give me cause for self reproach. I will not partake of your ackn^ivlec/gcd fault.

She read a line or two; and then said, Shall I read farther, Harriet? The very next word is your name. 1 will

No, no, no, said I, putting my fingers to my ears. Yet, had you come honestly by it, I should have longed to read it By what means b2

Why, if people will leave their closet-doors open, let them take the consequence.

If people will do so But was it so? And yet, if it was, would you be willing to have your letters looked into?

Well then, I will carry it back Shall I? (holding it out to me) Shall I, Harriet? I will put it where I had it Shall I? And twice or thrice went from me, and came back to me, with a provoking archness in her looks.

Only tell me, Miss Grandison, is there any — thing in it that you think your brother would not have us see? But I am sure, there is, or the obliging Dr. Bartlett, who has shewn us others, would have fa-voured us with communicating the contents of this.

I would not but have seen this letter for half I am worth! O Harriet! there are huch things in it Bo-logna! Paris! Grandison-hall!

Begone, Siren: letters are sacred things. Re-place it Don’t you own, that you came not honestly by it? And yet

Ah! Lucy, I was ready to yield to the curiosity she had raised: but, recollecting myself. Begone, said I: carry back the letter: I am afraid of myself.

Why, Harriet, here is one passage, the contents of which you must be acquainted with in a very little while

I will not be tempted. Miss Grandison. I will stay till it is communicated to me, be it what it will. But you may be surprised, Harriet, at the time, and know not what answer to give to it. You had as good read it Here, take it Was there ever such a scrupulous creature? It is about you and Emily — About me and Emily! O Miss Grandison, what can there be about me and Emily?