f her mask,
saying with a faltering accent, "I cannot be so ungrateful as to deny
such a small favour to a gentleman who has laid me under the most
important obligations."

The unexpected apparition of Miss Aurelia Darnel, beaming with all the
emanations of ripened beauty, blushing with all the graces of the most
lovely confusion, could not but produce a violent effect upon the mind of
Sir Launcelot Greaves. He was, indeed, overwhelmed with a mingled
transport of astonishment, admiration, affection, and awe. The colour
vanished from his cheeks, and he stood gazing upon her, in silence, with
the most emphatic expression of countenance.

Aurelia was infected by his disorder. She began to tremble, and the
roses fluctuated on her face. "I cannot forget," said she, "that I owe
my life to the courage and humanity of Sir Launcelot Greaves, and that he
at the same time rescued from the most dreadful death a dear and
venerable parent."--"Would to Heaven she still survived!" cried our
adventurer, with great emotion. "She was the friend of my youth, the
kind patroness of my felicity! My guardian angel forsook me when she
expired! Her last injunctions are deep engraver on my heart!"

While he pronounced these words, she lifted her handkerchief to her fair
eyes, and, after some pause, proceeded in a tremulous tone, "I hope, sir,
--I hope you have--I should be sorry--Pardon me, sir, I cannot reflect
upon such an interesting subject unmoved"--Here she fetched a deep sigh,
that was accompanied by a flood of tears; while the knight continued to
bend his eyes upon her with the utmost eagerness of attention.

Having recollected herself a little, she endeavoured to shift the
conversation: "You have been abroad since I had the pleasure to see you
--I hope you were agreeably amused in your travels."--"No, madam," said
our hero, drooping his head; "I have been unfortunate." When she, with
the most enchanting sweetness of benevolence, expressed her concern to
hear he had been unhappy, and her hope that his misfortunes were not past
remedy; he lifted up his eyes, and fixing them upon her again, with a
look of tender dejection, "Cut off," said he, "from the possession of
what my soul held most dear, I wished for death, and was visited by
distraction. I have been abandoned by my reason--my youth is for ever
blasted."

The tender heart of Aurelia could bear no more--her knees began to
totter, the lustre vanished from her eyes, and sh