, was always the same: his
eye spoke less than his lip; and though Aubrey was near the object of
his curiosity, he obtained no greater gratification from it than the
constant excitement of vainly wishing to break that mystery, which to
his exalted imagination began to assume the appearance of something
supernatural.

They soon arrived at Rome, and Aubrey for a time lost sight of his
companion; he left him in daily attendance upon the morning circle of
an Italian countess, whilst he went in search of the memorials of
another almost deserted city. Whilst he was thus engaged, letters
arrived from England, which he opened with eager impatience; the first
was from his sister, breathing nothing but affection; the others were
from his guardians, the latter astonished him; if it had before
entered into his imagination that there was an evil power resident in
his companion, these seemed to give him sufficient reason for the
belief. His guardians insisted upon his immediately leaving his
friend, and urged, that his character was dreadfully vicious, for that
the possession of irresistible powers of seduction, rendered his
licentious habits more dangerous to society. It had been discovered,
that his contempt for the adultress had not originated in hatred of
her character; but that he had required, to enhance his gratification,
that his victim, the partner of his guilt, should be hurled from the
pinnacle of unsullied virtue, down to the lowest abyss of infamy and
degradation: in fine, that all those females whom he had sought,
apparently on account of their virtue, had, since his departure,
thrown even the mask aside, and had not scrupled to expose the whole
deformity of their vices to the public gaze.

Aubrey determined upon leaving one, whose character had not yet shown
a single bright point on which to rest the eye. He resolved to invent
some plausible pretext for abandoning him altogether, purposing, in
the mean while, to watch him more closely, and to let no slight
circumstances pass by unnoticed. He entered into the same circle, and
soon perceived, that his Lordship was endeavouring to work upon the
inexperience of the daughter of the lady whose house he chiefly
frequented. In Italy, it is seldom that an unmarried female is met
with in society; he was therefore obliged to carry on his plans in
secret; but Aubrey's eye followed him in all his windings, and soon
discovered that an assignation had been appointed, which would mo