art, to the protecting angel who
had rescued him from death, could she deny the confessed affection
surprise had drawn from her, and resolve to hate or even forget him on
account of a supposed hereditary feud? The struggle of her soul was
apparent to Sedley, who, ignorant of his father's crimes, attributed her
affected reserve to the alarm she felt lest the claims of his exalted
station should prove incompatible with love. To alleviate this fear he
was more explicit in his declarations, and energetic in his vows of
devoting to her the life she had preserved. She attempted to look cold
and determined, while she answered that she feared insuperable
objections would prevent their union. In the weak state to which Lord
Sedley was reduced, the least agitation of mind was dangerous; after one
of these conversations he fainted, and was thought expiring, but the
first object he saw on his recovery was Isabel, in such an agony of
grief as convinced him that indifference had no share in the alteration
of her behaviour.

The first opportunity which she again afforded him of speaking to her,
he resolved to use to bring on a complete eclaircissement, and as he
should require perfect frankness, he resolved to set her a similar
example. But to execute his design was now very difficult; for Isabel,
with virgin modesty, blended with the restrictions imposed by filial
duty, now avoided being alone with the object of her tenderest regard.
Her uncle had deemed it right to inform her, that it was a lively sense
of irreparable injuries, which pointed her father's incoherent ravings
at Lord Bellingham. His wrongs, the Doctor observed, were of a nature
which only Christian charity could forgive, or Christian fortitude
endure; and he warned her against cherishing any sentiment more ardent
than pity for Sedley's sufferings, and gratitude for his former
services. She promised to endeavour to comply, in a manner which evinced
that this advice came too late. She tried to recollect the pains he had
formerly taken to avoid her, and the marked precaution of Barton in
concealing his name. She wished to think him a scion of a cankered tree,
which would transfuse infection wherever it was engrafted. The surgeon
had just pronounced him at liberty to remove, and Isabel endeavoured to
hope he would avail himself of that permission. "His declarations of
love and gratitude may," thought she, "be bribes to induce us to be more
careful of his preservation, or h