en brought up, like the daughters of most country gentlemen
of ancient family, in an undue and idle consciousness of superior birth;
and she was far from inaccessible to the warmth and even feeling (for
here Brandon was sincere) with which her uncle spoke of the duty of
raising a gallant name sunk into disrepute, and sacrificing our own
inclination for the redecorating the mouldered splendour of those who
have gone before us. If the confusion of idea occasioned by a vague
pomposity of phrase, or the infant inculcation of a sentiment that is
mistaken for a virtue, so often makes fools of the wise on the subject
of ancestry; if it clouded even the sarcastic and keen sense of Brandon
himself, we may forgive its influence over a girl so little versed in
the arts of sound reasoning as poor Lucy, who, it may be said, had never
learned to think until she had learned to love. However, the impression
made by Brandon, in his happiest moments of persuasion, was as yet only
transient; it vanished before the first thought of Clifford, and never
suggested to her even a doubt as to the suit of Mauleverer.

When the day arrived for Sir William Brandon to set out on the circuit,
he called Barlow, and enjoined on that acute and intelligent servant the
strictest caution with respect to Lucy. He bade him deny her to every
one, of whatever rank, and carefully to look into every newspaper that
was brought to her, as well as to withhold every letter, save such
as were addressed to her in the judge's own handwriting. Lucy's maid
Brandon had already won over to silence; and the uncle now pleased
himself with thinking that he had put an effectual guard to every chance
of discovery. The identity of Lovett with Clifford had not yet even
been rumoured; and Mauleverer had rightly judged of Clifford, when he
believed the prisoner would himself take every precaution against the
detection of that fact. Clifford answered the earl's note, and promised,
in a letter couched in so affecting yet so manly a tone of gratitude
that even Brandon was touched when he read it. And since his confinement
and partial recovery of health, the prisoner had kept himself closely
secluded, and refused all visitors. Encouraged by this reflection, and
the belief in the safety of his precautions, Brandon took leave of Lucy.
"Farewell!" said he, as he embraced her affectionately. "Be sure that
you write to me, and forgive me if I do not answer you punctually. Take
care of yourse