the reality of the fact when he had seen the very
violent effect it had had on his tender wife. He asked her advice how to
proceed; and it was soon determined that it was necessary, either to
oblige Miss Melvyn to marry Mr Morgan directly, or to disclaim her for
ever, and remove the disgrace of so infamous a conduct as far from
themselves as possible. With this resolution she was to be immediately
acquainted.

Miss Melvyn was accordingly called in, and bitterly reproached by Sir
Charles; to which my lady added frequent lamentations that she should
so far forget herself, and disgrace so worthy a family, interspersing
with them many expressions of the undeserved tenderness she had always
had for her, and her great confidence in Miss Melvyn's prudence and
virtue, shedding tears for her having so unhappily swerved from them.

As all this passed for some time in general terms, Miss Melvyn was in
doubt whether she or her parents had lost their senses; convinced there
must be distraction on one side or the other. As soon as she could
recover her surprise, she begged to know what crime she had committed.
Her astonishment was still increased by the answer she received, which
was an accusation of this strange intrigue; and her frequent visits to
Miss Mancel were brought as proofs of it. The submissive and mild temper
which had hitherto most strongly characterized her, vanished at so
injurious a charge and she denied the fact with that true spirit which
innocence inspires. She told Lady Melvyn, that though she had hitherto
silently submitted to all her ill usage, yet it was her duty to repel an
injury like this, and when her reputation was so cruelly aspersed, it
would be criminal to suffer the vile inventors to pass unexposed. She
insisted on being confronted with her accusers, a privilege allowed to
the greatest criminals, and by the severest judges, therefore surely
could not be refused by a father to a daughter, on a charge so highly
improbable, and for which no lightness in her conduct ever gave the
least ground.

As Mrs Maynard was in this part of her narrative a bell rang, which
informed us that dinner was ready, and we were unwillingly obliged to
postpone the continuation of the history of the two young friends, till
a more convenient opportunity.

* * * * *

In the afternoon before we rose from table, four ladies came to drink
tea with this admirable society. No addition was necessary