give her some old clothes for the child, assuring
me, that she was almost afraid to ask master for money to buy even a
pair of shoes.

"I grew sick at heart. And, fearing Mr. Venables might enter, and oblige
me to express my abhorrence, I hastily enquired where she lived, promised
to pay her two shillings a week more, and to call on her in a day or two;
putting a trifle into her hand as a proof of my good intention.

"If the state of this child affected me, what were my feelings at a
discovery I made respecting Peggy----?[22-A]

FOOTNOTES:

[22-A] The manuscript is imperfect here. An episode seems to have been
intended, which was never committed to paper.

EDITOR.

CHAP. X.

"MY father's situation was now so distressing, that I prevailed on my
uncle to accompany me to visit him; and to lend me his assistance, to
prevent the whole property of the family from becoming the prey of my
brother's rapacity; for, to extricate himself out of present
difficulties, my father was totally regardless of futurity. I took down
with me some presents for my step-mother; it did not require an effort
for me to treat her with civility, or to forget the past.

"This was the first time I had visited my native village, since my
marriage. But with what different emotions did I return from the busy
world, with a heavy weight of experience benumbing my imagination, to
scenes, that whispered recollections of joy and hope most eloquently to
my heart! The first scent of the wild flowers from the heath, thrilled
through my veins, awakening every sense to pleasure. The icy hand of
despair seemed to be removed from my bosom; and--forgetting my
husband--the nurtured visions of a romantic mind, bursting on me with all
their original wildness and gay exuberance, were again hailed as sweet
realities. I forgot, with equal facility, that I ever felt sorrow, or
knew care in the country; while a transient rainbow stole athwart the
cloudy sky of despondency. The picturesque form of several favourite
trees, and the porches of rude cottages, with their smiling hedges, were
recognized with the gladsome playfulness of childish vivacity. I could
have kissed the chickens that pecked on the common; and longed to pat the
cows, and frolic with the dogs that sported on it. I gazed with delight
on the windmill, and thought it lucky that it should be in motion, at the
moment I passed by; and entering the dear green lane, which led directly
to the village