ded the
highest delight to her auditors, was the dexterous feats, or beneficent
acts, that she would record of fairies, a race of beings that she
professed to have personal knowledge of. She once incautiously hinted,
that had not their father, by his pride, offended one of the order, they
should all have been in a more prosperous state; but no sooner had the
words escaped her than she repented having uttered them, nor could all
the entreaties of her pupils ever prevail upon her to satisfy their
curiosity upon the subject.

Adrian had nearly completed his twentieth year, Amaranthe was eighteen,
and Claribel near sixteen, when a messenger arrived at the castle,
bringing with him a packet addressed to its master, the contents of
which announced the landing of a very old friend at a place on the coast
at a considerable distance. He mentioned having intelligence of infinite
consequence to impart, and his intention of proceeding directly to the
castle for that purpose, but that he had been only a few hours on shore
when he was seized with an illness which prevented his travelling. He
therefore besought the gentleman and his lady to lose no time in
repairing to the place where he was confined, that they might themselves
receive his communications.

On examining the letter they found that some length of time had elapsed
since its date, for those days boasted not of turnpike roads and mail
coaches, and the bearer had had a tedious journey of it. When they
questioned him concerning their friend, they could gain no farther
information, than that, on finding himself too ill to attempt
travelling, he had intrusted him with the packet, with strict
injunctions to deliver it safely, but of the nature of his disorder they
could extort no satisfactory account from him.

The case admitted of no deliberation, and Adrian and Amaranthe found
themselves, for the first time in their lives, going to be separated
from their parents.

The lively emotions of interest produced by the bustle and novelty of
preparation for their departure, and the eager curiosity excited by the
extraordinary occurrence that occasioned it, at first predominated over
every other feeling; but when the carriage came to the door that was to
convey their father and mother from them, a sensation of concern and
dismay extinguished their vivacity at once. The former, with an
agitation and warmth of manner unusual in him, embraced his children and
niece, saying, as he par