rs. Wilson, soothingly; "but
you need relax no efforts to convince the Conde of your wishes: truth and
nature will finally conquer."

"Ah!" cried Mrs. Fitzgerald, "the sad consequences of one false step in
early life!"

"Rather," added Mrs, Wilson, "the sad consequences of one false step in
generations gone by. Had your grandmother listened to the voice of
prudence and duty, she never would have deserted her parents for a
comparative stranger, and entailed upon her descendants a train of evils
which yet exist in your person."

"It will be a sad blow to my poor uncle too," said Mrs. Fitzgerald, "he
who once loved me so much."

"When do you expect to see him?" inquired Emily.

Julia informed them she expected him hourly; as, fearful a written
statement of her views would drive him from the country without paying her
a visit before he departed, she had earnestly entreated him to see her
without delay.

On taking their leave, the ladies promised to obey her summons whenever
called to meet the general, as Mrs. Wilson thought she might be better
able to give advice to a friend, by knowing more of the character of her
relatives, than she could do with her present information,

One day intervened, and it was spent in the united society of Lady Moseley
and her daughters, while Sir Edward and Francis rode to a neighboring town
on business; and on the succeeding, Mrs. Fitzgerald apprised them of the
arrival of General M'Carthy. Immediately after breakfast, Mrs. Wilson and
Emily drove to the cottage, the aunt both wishing the latter as a
companion in her ride, and believing the excitement would have a tendency
to prevent her niece from indulging in reflections, alike dangerous to her
peace of mind and at variance with her duties.

Our readers have probably anticipated, that the stage companion of John
Moseley was the Spanish general, who had just been making those inquiries
into the manner of his niece's living which terminated so happily in her
acquittal. With that part of her history which relates to the injurious
attempts on her before she arrived at Lisbon, he appears to have been
ignorant, or his interview with Denbigh might have terminated very
differently from the manner already related.

A description of the appearance of the gentleman presented to Mrs. Wilson
is unnecessary, as it has been given already; and the discerning matron
thought she read through the rigid and set features of the soldier, a
shade of kind