a chair, and listen
while I make you acquainted with what you do not know."

Susan trembled; and the colour flew from her cheeks, as she sat down on
the chair which McElvina handed to her.

"Your father, Susan, took me by the hand at the time that I was in great
distress, in consequence of my having pleased him by an act of common
honesty. You know how kind and considerate a patron he has been to me
since, and I have now been in his employ some years. This evening he
has overpowered me with a weight of gratitude, by allowing me to aspire
to that which I most covet on earth, and has consented to my robbing
him, if I can, of his greatest treasure. You cannot mistake what I
mean. But, previous to my requesting an answer on a point in which my
future happiness is involved, I have an act of justice to perform
towards you, and of conscience towards myself, which must be fulfilled.
It is to be candid, and not allow you to be entrapped into an alliance
with a person of whose life you, at present, know but the fair side.

"First, let me state to you, Susan, that my parentage is as obscure as
it well can be; and secondly, that the early part of my life was as
vicious. I may, indeed, extenuate it when I enter into an explanation,
and with great justice: but I have now only stated the facts generally.
If you wish me to enter into particulars, much as I shall blush at the
exposure, and painful as the task assigned will be, I shall not refuse,
even at the risk of losing all I covet by the confession; for, much as
my happiness is at stake, I have too sincere a regard for you to allow
you to contract any engagement with me without making this candid
avowal. Now, Susan, answer me frankly--whether, in the first place, you
wish me to discover the particulars of my early life; in the next place
(if you decline hearing them), whether, after this general avowal, you
will listen to any solicitations, on my part, to induce you to unite
your future destiny with mine?"

"Captain McElvina, I thank you for your candour," replied Susan, "and
will imitate you in my answer. Your obscure parentage cannot be a
matter of consideration to one who has no descent to boast of. That you
have not always been leading a creditable life, I am sorry for; more
sorry because I am sure it must be a source of repentance and
mortification to you; but I have not an idle curiosity to wish you to
impart that which would not tend to my happiness to divulge. I