, ordering him to travel with the
utmost expedition, and gave him Mrs Thornby's letter, with one from
herself, containing an account of the great change in Louisa's fortune.

The servant obeyed the directions given him and performed the journey in
as short a time as possible; but as he entered the camp, he met Sir
Edward indeed, but not as a future bridegroom. He was borne on men's
shoulders, pale and almost breathless, just returned from an attack,
where by his too great rashness he had received a mortal wound. He
followed him with an aching heart to his tent, where Sir Edward
recovering his senses, knew him, and asked what brought him there so
opportunely, 'to close his eyes, and pay the last duties, to one of
whose infancy he had been so careful?' for this servant lived in the
family when Sir Edward was born, and loved him almost with paternal
fondness, which occasioned his desire of being himself the messenger of
such joyful news.

The poor man was scarcely able to answer a question expressed in such
melancholy terms, and was doubtful whether he ought to acquaint him with
a circumstance which might only increase his regret at losing a life
which would have been blessed to his utmost wish, but incapable in that
state of mind of inventing any plausible reason, he told him the truth,
and gave him the two letters.

The pleasure Sir Edward received at the account of Louisa's good
fortune, and the still greater joy he felt at so evident a proof of her
regard for him, made him for a time forget his pains, and flattered the
good old steward with hopes that his case was not so desperate as the
surgeons represented it; but Sir Edward told him he knew all hope was
vain. 'I must accuse myself,' said he, 'of losing that lovely generous
woman what a treasure would have gladdened my future days had I not
rashly, I fear criminally, shortened them, not by my own hand indeed,
but how little different! Mad with despair, I have sought all means of
obtaining what I imagined the only cure for my distempered mind. Weary
of life, since I could not possess her in whom all my joys, all the
wishes of my soul were centred, I seized every occasion of exposing
myself to the enemy's sword. Contrary to my hopes, I escaped many
times, when death seemed unavoidable, but grown more desperate by
disappointment, I this morning went on an attack where instead of
attempting to conquer, all my endeavour was to be killed, and at last I
succeeded, how fa