hat she had
now gained so much on her affections, that she feared she had too much
neglected the solemn promise she had made me, _Never to forget how
long she had loved me as her child._

Encouraged by her returning kindness, I owned how much I had suffered,
and ventured to express my fears, that I had hardly courage enough to
bear the sight of my former friends, under a new designation, as I
must now appear to them, on our removal to London, which was expected
to take place in a short time.

A few days after this she told me in the gentlest manner possible,
that sir Edward and herself were of opinion it would conduce to my
happiness to pass a year or two at school.

I knew that this proposal was kindly intended to spare me the
mortifications I so much dreaded; therefore I endeavoured to submit
to my hard fate with cheerfulness, and prepared myself, not without
reluctance, to quit a mansion which had been the scene of so many
enjoyments, and latterly of such very different feelings.

IV

ELINOR FORESTER

(_By Mary Lamb_)

When I was very young, I had the misfortune to lose my mother. My
father very soon married again. In the morning of the day in which
that event took place, my father set me on his knee, and, as he often
used to do after the death of my mother, he called me his dear little
orphaned Elinor, and then he asked me if I loved miss Saville. I
replied "Yes." Then he said this dear lady was going to be so kind
as to be married to him, and that she was to live with us, and be my
mamma. My father told me this with such pleasure in his looks, that I
thought it must be a very fine thing indeed to have a new mamma; and
on his saying it was time for me to be dressed against his return from
church, I ran in great spirits to tell the good news in the nursery.
I found my maid and the house-maid looking out of the window to see
my father get into his carriage, which was new painted; the servants
had new liveries, and fine white ribbands in their hats; and then I
perceived my father had left off his mourning. The maids were dressed
in new coloured gowns and white ribbands. On the table I saw a new
muslin frock, trimmed with fine lace ready for me to put on. I skipped
about the room quite in an ecstasy.

When the carriage drove from the door, the housekeeper came in to
bring the maids new white gloves. I repeated to her the words I had
just heard, that that dear lady miss Saville was going to be married