dent marks of tears. Such proofs of emotion in one like John Moseley
gave her the satisfaction of knowing that if she had been deceived, it was
by a concurrence of circumstances and a depth of hypocrisy almost
exceeding belief: self-reproach added less than common, therefore, to the
uneasiness of the moment.

"I saw the innkeeper, uncle," said John, "who told me that Denbigh left
there at eight o'clock in a post-chaise and four; but I will go to London
in the morning myself." This was no sooner said than it was corroborated
by acts, for the young man immediately commenced his preparations for the
journey. The family separated that evening with melancholy hearts; and the
host and his privy counsellor were closeted for half an hour ere they
retired to their night's repose. John took his leave of them, and left the
lodge for the inn, with his man, in order to be ready for the mail. Mrs,
Wilson looked in upon Emily before she withdrew herself, and found her
awake, but perfectly calm and composed: she said but little, appearing
desirous of avoiding all allusions to Denbigh; and after her aunt had
simply acquainted her with his departure, and her resolution to conceal
the cause, the subject was dropped. Mrs. Wilson, on entering her own room,
thought deeply on the discoveries of the day: they had interfered with her
favorite system of morals, baffled her ablest calculations upon causes and
effects, but in no degree had impaired her faith or reliance on
Providence. She knew one exception did not destroy a rule: she was certain
without principles there was no security for good conduct, and the case
of Denbigh proved it. To discover these principles, might be difficult;
but was a task imperiously required at her hands, as she believed, ere she
yielded the present and future happiness of her pupil to the power of any
man.

Chapter XXIX.

The day had not yet dawned, when John Moseley was summoned to take his
seat in the mail for London. Three of the places were already occupied,
and John was compelled to get a seat for his man on the outside. An
intercourse with strangers is particularly irksome to an Englishman, and
none appeared disposed, for a long time, to break the silence. The coach
had left the little village of L---- far behind it, before any of the
rational beings it contained thought it prudent or becoming to bend in the
least to the charities of our nature, in a communication with a fellow
creature of whose nam