isses.

'My sweet and faithful friend, my very sister! I am overpowered with
feelings to which I have hitherto been a stranger. There is a cause for
all this contest of my passions. It must out. My being has changed. The
scales have fallen from my sealed eyes, and the fountain of my heart
o'erflows. Life seems to have a new purpose, and existence a new cause.
Listen to me, listen; and if you can, May, comfort me!'

CHAPTER XVI.

_Three Graces_

AT TWICKENHAM the young Duke recovered rapidly. Not altogether
displeased with his recent conduct, his self-complacency assisted his
convalescence. Sir Lucius Grafton visited him daily. Regularly, about
four or five o'clock, he galloped down to the Pavilion with the last _on
dit_: some gay message from White's, a _mot_ of Lord Squib, or a trait
of Charles Annesley. But while he studied to amuse the wearisome hours
of his imprisoned friend, in the midst of all his gaiety an interesting
contrition was ever breaking forth, not so much by words as looks. It
was evident that Sir Lucius, although he dissembled his affliction,
was seriously affected by the consequence of his rash passion; and his
amiable victim, whose magnanimous mind was incapable of harbouring an
inimical feeling, and ever respondent to a soft and generous sentiment,
felt actually more aggrieved for his unhappy friend than for himself.
Of Arundel Dacre the Duke had not seen much. That gentleman never
particularly sympathised with Sir Lucius Grafton, and now he scarcely
endeavoured to conceal the little pleasure which he received from the
Baronet's society. Sir Lucius was the last man not to detect this mood;
but, as he was confident that the Duke had not betrayed him, he could
only suppose that Miss Dacre had confided the affair to her family, and
therefore, under all circumstances, he thought it best to be unconscious
of any alteration in Arundel Dacre's intercourse with him. Civil,
therefore, they were when they met; the Baronet was even courteous; but
they both mutually avoided each other.

At the end of three weeks the Duke of St. James returned to town in
perfect condition, and received the congratulations of his friends.
Mr. Dacre had been of the few who had been permitted to visit him at
Twickenham. Nothing had then passed between them on the cause of his
illness; but his Grace could not but observe that the manner of his
valued friend was more than commonly cordial. And Miss Dacre, with
her fa