Part 31 (2/2)

People, not confined to their chamber, are here sure to be soonafter my arrival, I discovered Olivia, seated at the farther end of the Pump-room She had an old lady, who proved to be her aunt, by her side; and a circle round her, in which were several handsome felloho my jealous eye instantly discovered were all ali that shook my whole frame, and a sickness that I with difficulty subdued

I approached, stopped, turned aside, again advanced, again hesitated, and was onceof the heart that was suffocating, and a swier, ht

It was soht her eye With the rapidity of lightening her cheek was suffused with blushes, and as instantaneously changed to a death-like pale It wasinemotions similar to led with the croud, fearful of a relapse on ht, and presenting myself to her view, till I was rouzed by an apparent motion of the aunt to rise I then advanced, but still in an ague fit of apprehension I atte and feeble voice pronounced her name, 'hoped she ell, and'--I could proceed no farther

My disease was infectious She sat a s, and then returned a kind of inarticulate complimentary answer

'What is the ely you look child? Who is the gentleman?'

Olivia randson of the rector of '

'Oh ho! The young Oxonian that my nephew Hector tells the comical story about; of theyou into the water, and then taking you out again'

The tone, form, and features of the old lady, with this short introductory dialogue, gavepicture, of her character Her voice was masculine, her nose short, her mouth wide, her brow bent and bushy, and the corners of her eyes and cheeks deeply wrinkled I attempted to enter into conversation, but my efforts were aukward; the answers of the aunt were broad, coarse, and discouraging; and Olivia, though e cold

The manner of the old lady clearly indicated, that she suspectedthe conversation, by turning it onanireat deal about your family, Mr Trevor; and of the ridiculous opposition which your grandfather pretended to make to my late brother, Mowbray Your mother, I think, ice married, and, as I have been told, both times very imprudently; so that the proud hopes which the rector entertained of raising a family were all overthrown But that is always the case with clandestine reater consequence than ever yours was, Mr

Trevor, have been brought low by such foolish and wicked doings Young girls that have indulged improper connections, and secret lovers, have involved theuilty proceedings You are but a petty instance of the base and bad consequences of the cri hussies Coue that had just passed had no listeners, though of that circuardless The circle round Olivia had presently dispersed, as good nant and ominous behaviour of the aunt did but increase the i ht be permitted to pay her my respects while she continued at Bath?'

The aunt fixed her eye on me, 'Look you,' said she, 'Mr Trevor, you are a handso fellows about my niece I see too iveand s, their foppery and their forward prate My niece I believe hasminxes of the present day But no unpowder too near the fire I have heard her talk of your taking her out of the water in a manner that, if I did not know her, I should not quite like So I ood that can come of your acquaintance, I shall take care to prevent all harm Not that there is much fear, for she knows her duty, and has always done it Neither can you have entertained any ih what my nephew and Mr Andrews told et yourself But at once to cut ht, her choice is h I do not suppose you have taken any foolish crotchets, and improper whims into your head, for that would be too impertinent, yet as you knew one another when children, and so forth, it was best to be plain with you at once, because, though such ridiculous nonsense was quite ihty young gentleman, and that you have no little opinion of yourself'

Duuised refusal, this hard, unfeeling repris of Olivia's face indeed were continual; but ere they s of her aunt's broad surmises? Had they been favourable to me why did she not declare the an example? She curtsied as she went; but it was a half-souled compliment, that while I attempted to return my heart resented

They disappeared, and I re as if now first made sensible of the extreue I had just heard vibrated inrecollection 'I was a forward prating fop, of little fortune, and less shaain and again I was ridiculous, and impertinent! My crotchets, whims, and nonsense were impossible!'

Nor was this all! There was another piece of intelligence; an additional and dreadful feature of despair; the na idea! 'Her choice is ht! Why then, welcome ruin! sudden and irrevocable ruin!

As soon as I could recover sufficient recollection, I hurried home; where I remained in a trance of torment, and disposed to a thousand acts of madness that were conceived and dismissed with a rapidity of pain that renderedtorture on itself

At last, the agony in which I sat was interrupted by the appearance of Belo to Lansdown races, he told me it was now time, took me by the arm, and hurried me away

Reckless of where I went, or what I did, I obeyed The course was at no great distance, a carriage was not to be procured, and alked

The steepness of the hill, the heat of the day, and above all the anguish of my heart, threw me into a violent heat The drops rolled down htly into my hat, to prevent its pressure Lost in a revery of misery, I acted instinctively, and breathed the dust, heard the hubbub, and saw the confusion aroundthem