Part 19 (2/2)

I re that Olivia would co waited till the approach of dinner time, I sent the lad to speak a word to her The answer I received was that she should see ain, but to no purpose; I could not catch a glimpse of her till the youths had returned, and dinner was on the table

They brought tnsmen of Christ Church with them, companions of Andreere quite as talkative and nearly as rude and boisterous as themselves Olivia had not perhaps all her accustomed vivacity, but she behaved with infinitely more ease and chearfulness than I could have wished, and I felt as if I were the only disconsolate guest

The players were at Woodstock, and were to exhibit that afternoon

They began at four o'clock, that the gowns that would be a favourable circumstance for theenerally inimical to theatrical exhibition, and whose influence extends to Woodstock The party all voted for the play, except Olivia, who observed their inclination to riot, and ineffectually attelad to find the with her, for which I would aliven an eye A servant was sent to keep places, in one of the six boxes which the theatre, fitted up in a barn, contained

The youths sat so late to enjoy the folly of their own conversation that the play had begun before we ca for our box we found it in the possession of four gownsmen, who had turned the servant out and seized upon it for theers could not have appeared more fierce They entered the box, and addressed its usurpers in the gross vulgar terms to which they had been accustoe; and tall Andrews and the bulky Hector each laid hold of his th and size, to turn theuard Olivia, who seeed than more actively employed But my aid was soon necessary: Hector and Andrews each received a blohich neither of theh their opponents were little better than boys Fired at their pusillaniownsmen, one in one hand and the other in the other, pressed ed theians of our squadron, seeing this intrepid advance, followed up the victory; Hector and Andrews again blustered and lent their aid, and the box was cleared

This did not all pass in a moment: the Oxonians, and there were numbers of them in the theatre, crouded to the spot; and it ith difficulty a general riot, to which these youths are always prone, could be prevented

At last we made way to the box; but no words could persuade Olivia to enter it She insisted on returning to the inn I interceded, her brother swore, and Andrews attempted to hold her; but her resolution was not to be shaken 'I am in a society of mad boys!' said she

'I hoped to have found one rational being a them, but I was deceived'

The sentence was short, but every syllable was an arrow that wounded , in whom she had placed her hopes, and by whoarded the benevolent wisdom hich she had vainly endeavoured to inspire me, had acted in open defiance of her peaceful morality, and had forfeited all claim to her esteem I read my doom, not only in her words but in her whole deport these painful conclusions, er arrived whose coht a letter, infor Olivia that her aunt, whoerously ill; and, if Olivia desired to see her alive, she must hasten to London with all possible speed The news entirely put an end to the endeavours of Hector and his companions to detain her at the play A servant was sent forward to prepare a post-chaise for Olivia, in which she insisted on returning to Oxford by herself, and we all immediately proceeded back to the inn Just before we reached the inn, Hector and his coed in noisy disputation, I said to Olivia in a half whisper--'Have I then, Madaood opinion?'--She paused for a moment and replied--'The incidents of to-day, Mr Trevor, have but confiriven an to hope was not strictly true The benefit you have conferred on et: it has induced me to be more proht think becaain, and if it should I will endeavour to use greater caution Yet suffer me, for the last time, earnestly to advise you to be less rash

Were I your sister, Mr Trevor, I should be in continual alar'

Andrews heard her voice, and, prompted as I suppose either by jealousy or iven worlds, if I had possessed them, to have continued it only fivecould be obtained; Andreas alert, and Olivia appeared to avoid further parley In a quarter of an hour the carriage was ready, and Olivia stepped into it and was driven away full speed

Andreould have remained, to see the play; and Hector, had not I shamed him into the contrary, would have consented; but in consequence of my remonstrances they mounted, accompanied by the rest of their clamorous comrades on horseback, and I was left to thethe phaeton, with the seat vacant that had so lately been occupied by Olivia

We hurried off, helter skelter, no one respecting his neck, and I the least (for Olivia was before) and rode and drove at such a rate that we overtook the chaise a mile before it reached Oxford What relief was this to e, and I could catch no glimpse of her I durst not even drive past, lest I should add to the iven, and confirm her in the belief that I was no better than a e, a mad boy!

The pain of suspence was quickly over We all soon arrived at Oxford

A courier had been dispatched from Woodstock by the affectionately impatient niece, with orders to have another chaise in readiness; and, after briefly bidding her brother and the coht her froain was driven off, while I stood gazing in a trance of painful stupidity

This was the last glance I had of her! and, rejecting the invitation to supper of Hector and his party with more sullenness than I had ever felt before, I returned to the college, burst into my room, locked the door, and threw myself down on the boards, in a state of the most wretched despondency

END OF VOLUME II

VOLUME III

CHAPTER I

_Gloohts: Filial emotions: A journey to the country: A lawyer's accounts not easily closed: Conscientious scruples: The legacy received and divided: Return to Oxford: More disappointment: Treachery suspected: Arrival at London: Difficulty in choosing a profession_

My agitation of mind was too violent to be quickly appeased; it did not end with the day, or with the week; but on the contrary excited interrogatories that prolonged the paroxysry withsevere, or what did the accusation mean? What were my views? Frouise to myself that I had an affection for her: but had she ever intimated an affection for me? Was the passion that devoured me rational? She was of a wealthy fanorant; but I knew that her expectations fro, and froreat Was I prepared to accept favours,caprice of Hector, or any other proud and ignorant relation? Did not such people esteem wealth as the test and the uine hopes? of the probable fallacy of which I had already received strong proofs; and which did not, in the pictures that fancy at present drew, burst upon ht and vivid flashes that had latelyMy passions and propensities all ledfolly, and of being the chaht I not either to renounce Olivia, or to render rading insolence hich any pretensions of mine would otherwise be received Had I no reason to fear that Olivia herself was a little influenced by personal considerations? Would she have been quite so ready to disapprove, had the advantages of fortune been on arded by her? The doubt was grating, but pertinaciously intrusive Would not any proposal fron contempt, if not by her, by Hector and her other relations? Why then did I think of her? It was but a very few days since the wealth and power that should have raised me, far above the sphere of the Mowbray farasp How painful was the distance at which they now appeared! My present debility was felt with intolerable impatience To love and to be unable to heap happiness on the object beloved, was a thought that assailedsensations!

At this very period another event happened, that did not contribute to enliven the prospect

I had lately received intelligence from my mother, the tenor of which was that she dreaded the approach of poverty; and about a fortnight after the departure of Olivia, a letter came, by which I learned that lawyer Thornby had refused all further supplies, affirrandfather's effects were entirely exhausted; except the thousand pounds left by the rector at my own disposal Of this I had already received fifty pounds; and ently declared in her letter that, if I did not apply part of the remainder for her support, she should be left in the decline of life (the approach of which she was now very ready to acknowledge) in ier of want; nay, so as perhaps even to coht; and I was angry with her for having conceived or committed it to paper