his own
nation for a wife?" and he looked at Miss Milner for the reply.

Miss Woodley, uneasy at her friend's being thus forced to give an
opinion upon so delicate a subject, endeavoured to satisfy the
gentleman, by answering to the question herself: "Whoever my Lord
Elmwood marries, Sir," said Miss Woodley, "he, no doubt, will be happy."

"But what say you, Madam?" asked the visitor, still keeping his eyes on
Miss Milner.

"That whoever Lord Elmwood marries, he _deserves_ to be happy:" returned
she, with the utmost command of her voice and looks; for Miss Woodley,
by replying first, had given her time to collect herself.

The colour flew to Lord Elmwood's face, as she delivered this short
sentence; and Miss Woodley persuaded herself, she saw a tear start in
his eye.

Miss Milner did not look that way.

In an instant he found means to change the subject, but that of his
journey still employed the conversation; and what horses, servants, and
carriages he took with him, was minutely asked, and so accurately
answered, either by himself or by Mr. Sandford, that Miss Milner,
although she had known her doom before, till now had received no
circumstantial account of it--and as circumstances increase or diminish
all we feel, the hearing these things told, increased the bitterness of
their truth.

Soon after dinner the ladies retired; and from that time, though Miss
Milner's behaviour continued the same, yet her looks and her voice were
totally altered--for the world, she could not have looked cheerfully; for
the world, she could not have spoken with a sprightly accent; she
frequently began in one, but not three words could she utter, before her
tones sunk into dejection. Not only her colour, but her features became
changed; her eyes lost their brilliancy, her lips seemed to hang without
the power of motion, her head drooped, and her dress was neglected.
Conscious of this appearance, and conscious of the cause from whence it
arose, it was her desire to hide herself from the only object she could
have wished to have charmed. Accordingly, she sat alone, or with Miss
Woodley in her own apartment as much as was consistent with that
civility which her guardian had requested, and which forbade her totally
absenting herself.

Miss Woodley felt so acutely the torments of her friend, that had not
her reason told her, that the inflexible mind of Lord Elmwood, was fixed
beyond her power to shake, she had cast herself at his feet,