hort, she was guilty of all the inconsistent
sensations that disappointed hopes, accompanied by the consciousness of
weakness on our part seldom fail to give rise to; the presence of her
friends was irksome to her, and it was only to the soft and insinuating
blandishments of Emily's love that she would at all yield. Perseverance
and affection at length prevailed, and as Emily took the opportunity of
some refreshments to infuse a strong soporific, Jane lost her
consciousness of misery in a temporary repose. In the mean time a more
searching inquiry had been able to trace out the manner and direction of
the journey of the fugitives.

It appeared the colonel left the lodge immediately after his conversation
with Sir Edward; he slept at a tavern, and caused his servant to remove
his baggage at daylight; here he had ordered a chaise and horses, and then
proceeded, as mentioned, to the lodgings of Mr. Jarvis. What arguments he
used with Miss Jarvis to urge her to so sudden a flight, remained a
secret; but from the remarks of Mrs. Jarvis and Miss Sarah, there was
reason to believe that he had induced them to think from the commencement,
that his intentions were single, and Mary Jarvis their object. How he
contrived to gloss over his attentions to Jane in such a manner as to
deceive those ladies, caused no little surprise; but it was obvious it had
been done, and the Moseleys were not without hopes his situation with
Jane would not make the noise in the world such occurrences seldom fail to
excite. In the afternoon a letter was handed to Mr. Jarvis, and by him
immediately communicated to the baronet and Denbigh, both of whom he
considered as among his best friends. It was from Egerton, and written in
a respectful manner: he apologized for his elopement, and excused it on
the ground of a wish to avoid the delay of a license or the publishing of
bans, as he was in hourly expectation of a summons to his regiment, and
contained many promises of making an attentive husband, and an
affectionate son. The fugitives were on the road to Scotland, whence they
intended immediately to return to London and to wait the commands of their
parents. The baronet in a voice trembling with emotion at the sufferings
of his own child, congratulated the merchant that things were no worse;
while Denbigh curled his lips as he read the epistle, and thought
settlements were a greater inconvenience than the bans--for it was a well
known fact, a maiden aunt h