Volume VI Part 50 (2/2)

Betty remained for a quarter of an hour in profound silence, her head resting on her elbows, and her eyes fixed on ry or astonished, but as far as I could judge was lost in thought I was glad to see her reflective, for thus she would be able to give me a decided answer: At last she said:

”You need not think, my dear friend, that my silence proceeds from irresolution If my mind were not h at any rate to appreciate the wisdoenerous counsels I thank Providence that I have fallen into the hands of such a hter”

”Then ill go back to Leghorn, and start ie my reconciliation with Sir B---- M----

I have no doubt he will pardon ood-hearted he is delicate where a point of honour is concerned, and Subject to sudden fits of violence This is what I want to avoid; for he ht possibly kill me, and then I should be the cause of his ruin”

”You must consider it on the way, and tell ent man, and it would be hopeless to endeavour to dupe hi without hiding a single circu duped his fury would be terrible If you rite to hiiveness; you e for himself He will be convinced of my repentance when he reads the letter I shall bedeith my tears, but he ive ether all our days withoutof this slip I am only sorry that I have behaved so foolishly”

”You iven him like cause for complaint before”

”Never”

”What is his history?”

”He lived very unhappily with his first wife; and he was divorced froo he came to our school with Nancy's father, and made my acquaintance My father died, his creditors seized everything, and I had to leave the school, much to Nancy's distress and that of the other pupils At this period Sir B---- M---- took charge of ave me a sum which placed rateful, and begged hiland He was astonished; and, like a man of honour, said he loved ether without his entertaining ht it out of the question for hter

”This declaration, as you reement”

”'However you love me,' I said, 'I shall be well pleased, and if I can do anything for you I shall be all the happier'

”He then gave me of his own free will a written promise to marry me on the death of his wife We started on our travels, and till htest cause for coive you I have friends at Leghorn, and no one shall find out that we have ood hands, and I shall not leave the town till I hear you are back with Sir B---- M---- If he prove inexorable I proland if you like”

”But how can you spare the time?”

”I will tell you the truth,particular to do at Rome, or anywhere else London and Roratitude to you?”

I summoned the vetturino, and told him we must return to Viterbo He objected, but I convinced hi to use the post horses and to spare his own aniot to Viterbo by seven o'clock, and asked anxiously if no one had found a pocket-book which I pretended I had lost I was told no such thing had been found, so I ordered supper with cal my loss I told Betty that I acted in this sort to obviate any difficulties which the vetturino ht feel it his duty to place her in the hands of her supposed husband I had up the small trunk, and after we had forced the lock Betty took out her cloak and the few effects she had in it, and we then inspected the adventurer's properties, most likely all he possessed in the world A few tattered shi+rts, two or three pairs of s, a pair of breeches, a hare's foot, a pot of grease, and a score of little books-plays or comic operas, and lastly a packet of letters; such were the contents of the trunk

We proceeded to read the letters, and the first thing we noted was the address: ”To M L'Etoile, Actor, at Marseilles, Bordeaux, Bayonne, Montpellier, etc”

I pitied Betty She saw herself the dupe of a vile actor, and her indignation and shareat

”We will read it all to- else to do”

The poor girl seeain