the happiness of the sweetest girl living,
the brightness of whose young spirit was already darkened by the shade
of their vile machinations: but they had not as yet succeeded; and if
the most strenuous and unceasing exertions on my part could serve to
prevent it, I inwardly vowed they never should. Let Master Richard
Cumberland look to himself; I had foiled him once, and it would go hard
with me but I would do so again."

Having half thought, half uttered the foregoing resolutions, I once more
turned towards Miss Saville, who sat watching me with looks of interest
and surprise, and said: "This is a most strange and unexpected affair;
but remember, dear Clara, you have appealed to me to save you from
Cumberland, and, to enable me to do so, you must tell me exactly how
matters stand between you, and, above all, how and why you were induced
to enter into this engagement, for I hope--I think--I am right in
supposing--that affection for him had nothing to do with it".

"Affection!" she replied, in a tone of voice which, if any doubts still
lingered in my mind, effectually dispelled them; "have I not already
said that I hate this man as, I fear, it is sinful to hate any human
being? I disliked and dreaded him when we were boy and girl together,
and these feelings have gone on increasing year by year, till my
aversion to him has become one of the most deeply-rooted instincts of my
nature."

"And yet you allowed yourself to be engaged to him?" inquired I. "How
could this have been brought about?"

"You may well ask," was the reply; "it was folly; it was weakness; but
I was very young--a mere child in fact; and they made me believe that it
was my duty; then I hoped, I felt sure that I should die before the time
arrived to fulfil the engagement; I fancied it was impossible to be so
miserable, and yet to live: but Death is very cruel--he will not come to
those who pine for him."

~284~~ "Clara," interrupted I, "I cannot bear to hear you say such
things; it is not right to give way to these feelings of despair."

"Is it wrong for the unhappy to wish to die?" she asked, with a calm
child-like simplicity which was most touching. "I suppose it is," she
continued, "for I have prayed for death so often, that God would have
granted my prayer if it had been a right one. When I closed my eyes last
night, oh! how I hoped--how I longed--never to open them again in this
miserable world--for I felt that evil was at hand: you laughed at