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 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2009 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/mysteryconfidenc01pinc
 
 /cp/y 
 
 MYSTERY ' 
 
 AND 
 
 CONFIDENCE: 
 
 A TALE. 
 BY A LADY. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 PRINTED FOR HENRY COLBURN, 
 
 irUBLIC LIBRARY, CO NDUIT-STRrET,HANOVER-SQUARfi, 
 
 AMD SOLD BY GEORGE GOLDIE, EDIKRVRGH, 
 
 AND JOHN CUMMING, DUBLIN. 
 
 1814.
 
 B, Ci.Aft»E> printer, Wellll-S<sp««t, LoDdow.
 
 n "7 Z: 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT, 
 
 It having' been suggested to the Au- 
 thor of the following Tale, that its prin- 
 cipal event may perhaps be thought 
 somewhat too romantic and improbable, 
 she begs to observe^ that it is founded 
 upon a fact well known, and not so 
 long past as not to be in the re- 
 collection of many persons now ahve, 
 and particularly those ia the higher 
 circles. 
 
 cs 
 
 i
 
 MYSTERY 
 
 AND 
 
 CONFIDENCE. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Due westward, fronting to the green, 
 
 A rural portico was seen, 
 
 Where Ellen's hand had taught to twine 
 
 The ivy and Ideaa vine ; 
 
 The clematis, the favor'd flow'r, 
 
 Which boasts the name of virgin's bow'r. 
 
 Lady of the Lake. 
 
 At the foot of one of the most roman- 
 tic mountains in North Wales, about a 
 mile from the coast of CHrnarvon.>hire, 
 stands the little village of Llaiju vlian : 
 there, amongst trees wii^ch seemed 
 coeval with the duelhng, was a very 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 ^ MYSTERY 
 
 large farra-house, the residence of Far- 
 mer Povvis. Its high chimneys, and 
 neatly white-washed walls, rendered it 
 a pleasing object to those who travelled 
 on the high-road, about a mile off, 
 which led to the next market- town, if 
 high-road that might be called which 
 merely served to facilitate the journie* 
 of the neighbouring farmers' wives to 
 market and back again, or those of the 
 curate, who served the churches in 
 the immediate vicinity. The hand 
 of native taste had removed a few 
 branches from the immense trees which 
 shaded this rural dwelling, and by that 
 means afforded to the inhabitants a 
 view of the road, the spire of the vil- 
 lage church, and two or three natural 
 rills of water, which, falling from the 
 adjacent hills, increased the beauty of 
 the scene. At this dwelling a travel- 
 ler arrived on the evening of a day 
 which had been intensely hot, in the 
 iummer of 18—': the dust which co-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 5 
 
 vered his shoes, and almost concealed 
 the colour of his coat, declared hina a 
 pedestrian ; probably, therefore, of in- 
 ferior rank ; yet, under the shade which 
 fatigue had thrown over his features, 
 might be discerned a fine and interest- 
 ing countenance; and when at the door 
 of the farm-house, where Powis sat in- 
 haling the mixed fumes of his evening 
 pipe, and the fragrance of a fine honey- 
 suckle which entwined around the 
 porch, he inquired the nearest way 
 
 to , the tones of his voice, and the 
 
 fineness of his accent, would, to a prac- 
 tised ear, have proclaimed a man who 
 had mixed with the higher orders of 
 society : to Powis, however, they con- 
 veyed no idea but that the traveller 
 was weary and spoke with civility; and 
 either would have demanded from him 
 civility, nay, kindness in return ; he 
 rose therefore from his seat, and push- 
 ing aside his little table, made room 
 for the stranger, and requested him to 
 b3
 
 4 MYSTERY 
 
 be seated. The stranger thankfully 
 complied, and taking off his hat, wiped 
 the dust from his face, and shewed a 
 fine forehead and eyes, whose brilliant 
 rays seemed more obscured by sorrow 
 than by time, though he appeared to 
 be about five-and-thirty. While the 
 farmer went into the house to order 
 some refreshment for his weary guest, 
 the stranger turned his eyes, and saw 
 with surprise that every thing about 
 him bore the marks of taste ; of taste 
 not indeed highly refined, but simple, 
 natural, and delicate : every tree round 
 the spot on which he sat was inter- 
 twined with woodbines,- clematis, and 
 the wild hop ; and the long shoots of 
 all were carried from tree to tree, form- 
 ing festoons of exquisite grace and 
 beauty. At the foot of each tret^ a space 
 had been cleared and filled with fra- 
 grant plants, whose culture requires 
 little trouble. Mignionette, roses, 
 pinks, and carnations, perfumed the air,
 
 JLND CONFIDENCE. 6 
 
 while the too powerful seringa was only 
 suffered to rise at a considerable dis- 
 tance, whence its odour came occa- 
 sionally wafted by the evening breeze, 
 and (if the expression may be allowed) 
 harmonized well with the softer 
 scents in the immediate vicinity of the 
 dwelling. A variety of birds in the 
 adjacent orchard and fields yet pour- 
 ed their mingled songs, which, as the 
 sun declined gradually, sunk into a 
 softer strain, and soon all was hushed 
 into repose. In the meantime the 
 tal)le was spread with a neat cloth, 
 coid meat, brown bread, some fresh- 
 gathered fruit, cream, ale, and home- 
 made wine ; each excellent in its 
 kind. 
 
 The farmer had not asked his guest to 
 " take some refreshment,*^ the phrase 
 being probably unknown to him, but 
 with genuine hospitality, seeing he was 
 fatigued, concluded it would be accept- 
 able, and pressed him to partake of 
 £ 3
 
 6 MTSTFTR'T 
 
 what was set before them; then calling 
 to the servant girl, who had spread the 
 table, he said something to her in Welsh, 
 which she answered in the same lan- 
 guage. "That is unlucky/* said Fowls: 
 *' my daughter, Sir, is absent just now ; 
 she is gone to the curate's, the only 
 house in the neighbourhood she likes 
 to visit at; indeed, she has reason to 
 like it, for Mrs. Ross has taught Ellen 
 to sew and to read, and be a tolerable 
 housewife, ever since my poor wife 
 died, which happened when Ellen was 
 a little child; and she looks upon Mrs. 
 Ross as her mother, and Joanna Ross, 
 who is nearly her own age, as her sister : 
 they are good companions foreach other, 
 and good girls both, I assure you: how- 
 ever, we will not wait, for perhaps 
 Ellen mav not be at home this half 
 hour or more.** " I fear,'* said the stran- 
 ger, " I have induced you to hasten 
 
 your meal, and perhaps '* " Not at 
 
 all, not at all,'* interrupted Powis.
 
 IND C0!*F1DEXCE. T 
 
 *• Ellen can eat her fruit and milk at 
 any time, or perhaps will partake of our 
 good parson's supper; never mind 
 her,'* " You are indeed verykirtd; 
 but I fear it grows late. How far have 
 I to walk to the little inn where you 
 said I might procure a bed ?'' " About 
 half a mile: but the moon is rising, and 
 one of my boys shall shew you the 
 way : you may be sure of a bed ; they 
 have two to spare ; both clean and de- 
 cent, though plain and homely; and we 
 have few travellers in these parts." 
 
 Some more conversation passed, and 
 then, the stranger having eaten as much 
 as he liked, and withstood an earnest 
 solicitation to eat a great deal more, 
 rose to depart. The boy was called, 
 and the charge given lo him in 
 ^yelsh to recommend the stranger to 
 the best attentions of neighbour Jones, 
 at tlie sign of the Prince of Wales; 
 being explained to the traveller in Eng- 
 lish, he took his leave. 
 B 4
 
 S MYSTERY 
 
 In the course of the conversation 
 which passed between them, the stran- 
 ger told Powis that he was travelling 
 merely for amusement, and preferred 
 walking to any other mode of convey- 
 ance, as affording him better opportu- 
 nities of exploring the romantic scenery 
 with which Wales abounds; but this 
 the farmer imagined was the language 
 of a man, who, although he was poor^ 
 did not wish to be thought so. He said 
 he was so much pleased with what he 
 had seen of the country round Llan- 
 wyllan, that it was his intention to re- 
 main there a few days, if he found to- 
 lerable accommodations at the inn ; 
 and Powis gave him a pressing invita- 
 tion to rest whenever he pleased at his 
 house, and to partake of his dinner or 
 supper.; for in that retired spot, where 
 fraud and deceit were almost unknown, 
 s ispicion was equally a stranger, nor 
 arosL* to check that frank hospitality 
 man should naturally afford to man.
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. D 
 
 The stranger said he had left his port- 
 manteau at Carnarvon, and should send 
 a man to fetch it the next day, if he de- 
 termined on remaining at the village. " 
 Powis mentioned several points of view 
 which he said were thought fine, though 
 he professed not to understand the bu- 
 siness much. 
 
 As the stranger, with his little Welsh 
 guide, passed through the trees which 
 grew round the house, just where the 
 shadow was deepest, he discerned the 
 flutter of the white or hght-coloured 
 garments of two girls, and heard youth- 
 ful voices in chat, and laughing ; yet 
 not rudely or with vulgarity, but with 
 native gaiety and mirth of heart. He 
 could just distinguish that one of the 
 females was taller than the other^ and 
 heard a soft harmonious voice articu- 
 late in good English, and with very 
 little of the Welsh accent : " Good 
 night, dear Joanna; come to-morrow, 
 and stay with me all day: good night; 
 love to Charles.'^ The other replied at 
 B 6
 
 a few paces distant : " Ah, poor 
 Charles ! how vexed he will be that 
 he staid so ' lafe ; . w6ll, good night, 
 Ellen/' 
 
 ** These, I suppose," thought the 
 stranger, *' are Powis's daughter and 
 her friend Joanna Ross. I am glad I 
 missed them. I halfe country -girls. 
 Charles I imagine is the lover of one. 
 Happy creatures who can yet fancy fe- 
 licity in love, and dream I know not 
 what of constancy and bliss ! — False- 
 hood, jealousy, revenge ! dreadful, 
 
 dreadful words! to them are unknown ; 
 but what have I to do with thoughts 
 like these ? Why, even in the still- 
 ness of this calm retreat, do such 
 shocking images haunt my mind ?*' 
 He hurried on as if fatigue had no 
 longer power over him, insomuch that 
 his young guide could hardly keep up 
 with him, till he reached the village 
 inn, where, as Powis had said, a cleanly 
 though homely bed was soon prepared 
 for him.
 
 JIND CONFISEIhCS. 11 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Her form was fretlier than the morning rose, 
 When the dew wets its leaves, unstain'd and purt 
 As is the lily, or the mountain enow. 
 The modest virtues mingled ia her eyes. 
 
 THOMSoy. 
 
 In the evening of the next daj, 
 having in the course of it received hi» 
 portmanteau from Carnarvon, our tra- 
 veller, whose name he gave his land- 
 lord to understand was Mordaunt, be- 
 gan slowly to ascend a romantic moun- 
 tain, stopping at intervals to admire 
 the beauty of the surrounding proi- 
 pect, and occasionally selecting from 
 the mountain plants such specimens 
 as he had not met with before; for our 
 traveller was an excellent botanist, 
 had a slight knowledge of mineralogy, 
 and a genuine taste for the charms of 
 nature. In what farther science* he
 
 12 MYSTERY 
 
 was instructed, and how he came by 
 information so much above his present 
 sphere, we shall learn as we proceed. 
 Mordaunt had wandered more than 
 an hour, when he reached some slight 
 remains of an ancient castle: it was a 
 complete ruin, affording no shelter, and 
 scarcely a resting-place; however, on 
 a large stone, which had fallen from 
 one of the crumbling pillars, he sat 
 down and enjoyed the b»auty of the 
 extensive prospect before him, and to 
 which no descriptive powers short of 
 Mrs. Radcliffe's could do justice : here 
 he remained, catching, at intervals, a 
 distant sail; for the sea, not far off, 
 formed one magnificent feature in the 
 view ; till the shades of evening ap- 
 peared to close upon him somewhat 
 suddenly : surprised at the gloom, he 
 turned round, and observed that the 
 top of the mountain behind him was 
 covered with heavy clouds, which soon 
 becoming thicker, fell around him in
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 13 
 
 large drops of rain, mingled with low 
 muttering thunder^ and distant gleams 
 of lio:htnino:: the sea assumed a more 
 terrific appearance^ and the lashing of 
 the waves against the shore was more 
 distinctly heard: every things in short, 
 seemed to foretell a tremendous storm. 
 
 The gloomy woods 
 Start at the flash, and from their deep recess, 
 Wide flaming out their trembling inmates shake! 
 Amid Carnarvon's mountains rages loud 
 The repercussive roar; with mighty crush, 
 Into the flashing deep from the rude rocks 
 Of Penman-mawr heap'd hideous to the sky, 
 Tumble the smitten cliffs; and Snowden's peak, 
 DisioWing, instant yields his wintry load. 
 
 Thomson. 
 
 Yet Mordaunt, unappalPd, was rather 
 pleased to have an opportunity of ob- 
 serving the effects of a thunder-storm 
 in a region so elevated; but in a mo- 
 ment, a vivid flash of lightning, fol- 
 lowed instantly by a tremendoi^s burst 
 of thunder, was succeeded by a pierc-
 
 14 MYSTERY 
 
 ing scream; and two girls, descending 
 the mountain, ran by him with the 
 utmost swiftness. The rain, which now 
 fell in torrents, had already wetted 
 their slight garments, and as the de- 
 •cent was now become extremely slip- 
 pery, one of them had nearly fallen to 
 the ground^ at the instant she had 
 passed him. Humanity prompted Mor- 
 daunt to follow, entreat them not to be 
 alarmedj and to allow him to assist 
 them: his appearance, so totally unex- 
 pected (for the shadow of the ruin 
 under which he stood, and the deep 
 gloom of the atmosphere, had prtvented 
 their seeing him), seemed to startle 
 them almost as much as the storm, 
 which one of the half-breathless girls 
 said had surprized them still higher on 
 the mountain than he had been. The 
 thunder, however, now became more 
 distant; and alight breeze, springing up 
 from the land, carried the clouds to- 
 wards the sea: still, however, the de-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 15 
 
 scent continued dangerous, from being 
 so slippery; and Mordaunt solicited the 
 young women to accept of his aid. He 
 readily conjectured them to be Joanna 
 Ross and Ellen Powis ; and the moment 
 the soft voice of the latter fell upon his 
 ear, he recognized the speaker he had 
 heard the night before saying, *' Good 
 night, dear Joanna/' Her voice, in- 
 deed, was so singularly sweet, that 
 once heard it could never be forgotten; 
 and Mordauntj turning as she spoke, 
 beheld a face and figure, which, once 
 seen, must equally be for ever remem- 
 bered — 
 
 And ne'er did Greciaa chisel trace 
 
 A nymph, a Naiad, or a Grace, 
 
 Of fiaer form or loTelier face. 
 
 What though the sun, with ardent fro^n, 
 
 Had slightly ting'd her cheek with brown; 
 
 What though no rule of courtly grace 
 
 To measur'd mood had tjrain'd her pace. 
 
 A foot more light, a step more true, 
 
 Ne'er from the heath-flow 'r dash'd the dew :
 
 ?10 MYSTERY 
 
 E'en til sHghthar€-beIl rais'd its head 
 Elastic from her airy tread. 
 What though upon her speech there hung 
 Some accents of (he mountain tongue ; 
 Those silver sounds, so soft, so dear, 
 The list'ncr held his breath to liear. 
 
 Scott's Lapy of the Lake* 
 
 Terror bad, indeed, robbed her 
 char*ning countenance of some of its 
 graces ; but a bright blush, springing to 
 her cheeks as she causfht the traveller's 
 glance, restored its native lustre. Oh ! 
 such a face! — so fair— so bright— so 
 spotless! — eyes so full of soul! — a 
 snaile of such inimitable beauty ! Every 
 feature expressing a native delicacy of 
 sentiment, unsoiled by the world, un- 
 ruffled by passion, yet giving assurance 
 that its possessor owned a heart of 
 such fine frame as seldom can be met 
 with, either in court or cottage. And 
 when with sweet confidence, which, 
 intending no harm, feared none, she 
 accepted Mordaunt's offered arm, he 
 felt a degree of pleasure to which he
 
 AND CONFIDENCE, 17 
 
 had long been a stranger : he scarcely 
 noticed that Joanna had taken the 
 other arm: yet Joanna was not a plain 
 girl ; but who could look at her when 
 Ellen was present ? As they descended 
 the mountain, the storm having by 
 this time blown over, the girls laughed 
 at their vain terrors, and made light of 
 those which Mordaunt expressed, lest 
 their wet clothes should give them 
 cold, saying, they were co J^cCustomed 
 to take exercise in all weathers, they 
 were not likely io be injured by a 
 sudden shower: ''Though I must ac- 
 knowledge,'' said Joanna, with a smile, 
 " we do not much like thunder-storms.'* 
 Every thing that either said was ex- 
 pressed in the plural; and '' We'' was 
 always the term, whichever spoke. 
 Mordaunt admired the good sense and 
 propriety w-ith which each seemed en- 
 dowed; but in Ellen he distinguished 
 an elegance of expression, a superiority 
 of mind, which, in so young a girl, and
 
 18 JHYSTERlf 
 
 one who could have had so few oppor- 
 tunities of improvement, completely 
 surprised him. This lovely creature 
 seemed yet hardly seventeen ; and 
 when he talked to her on various 
 subjects, he found, that although Mr. 
 Rosses library had furnished her with 
 the works of Addison, Pope, and a 
 few more of our best English authors, 
 yet her acquiisitionei had not gone be* 
 yond a tincture of English literature, 
 in a general way ; that she was tolera- 
 bly well instructed in English History, 
 knew scarcely any thing of Geography, 
 and could neither play on any instru^- 
 ment nor drawj so that she certainly 
 was much inferior to the heroines of 
 some modern novels, who learn all 
 these thins^s bv intuition : her voice, 
 however, in singing, was as liarmoni- 
 ous as in speaking, and she could sing 
 many of the simple Welsh airs with 
 natural taste, and in a very pleasing 
 manner. Mordaunt escorted the girli
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 19 
 
 to Llanwyllan Farm, where he was 
 immediately recognized by Powis, who, 
 hearing from his daughter the attention 
 he had shewm to her and Joanna, was 
 cordial in his acknowledgments, and 
 insisted on tlie traveller partaking 
 their supper. Mordaunt could not re- 
 fuse; and it was accordingly spread, 
 not as usual in the porch, the late 
 storm having left a dampness in the 
 air, but in a large hall, the farm-house 
 having formerly been a capital man- 
 sion. 
 
 Joanna and Ellen, having hastily 
 changed their wet garments^ soon joined 
 them ; and this little party sat down to 
 supper pleased with each other, and 
 without any of that cold formality 
 which strangers so generally feel ; con- 
 fiding hospitality on tlie one hand, and 
 something, at least, very like good 
 breeding, on the other, rendering them 
 all easy and plea<?ant to themselves, 
 and to each other.
 
 20 MYSTERY 
 
 During this little repast, though no 
 ill-timed curiosity demanded the ex- 
 planation, Moidaunt thought proper 
 to mention his name, and, in some de- 
 gree, declare his situation in life. He 
 had, he said, been educated with the 
 Earl of St. Aubyn, who was his distant 
 relation, and had a few years before ap- 
 pointed him his steward for his estate 
 in Northamptonshire, where he had a 
 comfortable house, not far from St. 
 Aubyn Castle, the noble residence of 
 the Earl himself^ who had been for 
 sometime on the Continent; that he 
 himself, having met with some domes- 
 tic vexations, which had injured his 
 health, the Earl had permitted him to 
 appoint a deputy, and travel into Wales, « 
 as he had done the summer before into 
 the Highlands of Scotland ; of which 
 he gave a most animated description. 
 His patron^ he added, had also a fine * 
 estate on the borders of Westmoreland, 
 with a vervnoble old seat called the Ab»
 
 AND COXFIDEXCE. 21 
 
 bey, which, though extremely ancient, 
 still retained its former magnificence. 
 Mordaunt's manners were so pleasing, 
 his voice so impressive, and his counte- 
 nance so fine, that the little party who 
 were his auditors hung upon his words 
 with almost breathless admiration.— 
 The moments flew, and they were sur- 
 prised when the hall clock struck 
 eleven, an hour unheard of among the 
 sober inhabitants of Llanwyilan. " God 
 bless me," said Powis, '• why it's eleven 
 o'clock : I have not been up so late 
 these ten years!'* '• Dear father!" 
 said Ellen, with a reproving accent, as 
 she glanced at Mordauwt, who hastily 
 rose from his chair. " Excuse ray 
 •rudeness, Sir,'* said Powis; " I did not 
 naean to turn you out uncivilly, but 
 fear neighbour Jones may be gone to 
 bed." Mordaunt smiled, and said he 
 ought to apologize for keeping them 
 up. Then extending his hand, he 
 shook the farmer's, rough one with
 
 2? MYSTERY 
 
 great kindness, and said, '' If I should 
 
 not see you again *' *' Not see us 
 
 again!" interrupted Powis : " why to 
 be sure you are not going away ! Lord 
 bless me — why, I thought you would 
 stay a day or two at least ; for my share, 
 if you don't, I wish you had never 
 come at all; for I never saw a man in 
 all my days I liked'so w^ell." •' Upon 
 my word, Sir,*' laid Joanna, *• you have 
 not yet seen half the beauties of Llan- 
 wyllan ; has he, Ellen ?" ''No, indeed," 
 replied Ellen. '' I assure you, Mr. 
 Mordaunt, there are many charms — * 
 " I know it, I feel it!" interrupted 
 Mordaunt: " there is everj charm 
 which the most beautiful nature, the 
 kindest hospitality, can bestow ! But 
 to stay at the village without visiting 
 the Farm of Llanwyllan would be im- 
 possible, and, stranger as I am, would 
 it not be intruding?" " Not at all," 
 said Powis; *' we should rejoice to 
 keep you anaongst us; the girls will
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 9S 
 
 shew jou the fine views, as they call 
 them, and I shall be proud to see 3'ou 
 at my table, if it be not too plain for 
 you, at all times/' " You are too 
 good ! but, will Miss Ross, will Miti 
 Powig, accept their share of the agree- 
 ment ? Are there no more agreeable 
 engagements, no more amiable friends 
 to claim their attention ?'' He took a 
 hand of each, but t'.xed his penetrating 
 eyes on Ellon : she blushed, but th® 
 lightest emotion made Ellen blush, so 
 that though Mordaunt had " Charles*^ 
 in his head when he spoke, he could 
 judge nothing by her blushing ; and 
 her eyes met his with a look of confi- 
 ding sweetness, which seemed to speak 
 a heart unconscious of any secret sen- 
 timent. Joanna answered, " If we 
 were to tell you, Mr. Mordaunt, we 
 had nothing to do but to walk about, 
 you would think we were very idle 
 girls, or said what was not true : we 
 are very busy all the day till five in
 
 24 MYSTERY 
 
 the evening, when we drink tea either 
 here or at my fcitlier's, who will be 
 happy to see you : after that, if it is 
 fine^we walk ; if not, amuse ourselves 
 within, till ten o'clock, when we go to 
 bed, that we may rise at five the next 
 morning; from live in the evening till 
 ten we shall be glad of your company." 
 In consequence of this frank state- 
 ment, and the secret inclination he felt 
 to see more of Llanwyllan, and its art- 
 less inhabitants, Mordaunt determined 
 to pass a iew days there; and the next 
 day, after attending their early tea- 
 table, walked two or three hours with 
 Ellen and Joanna, equally delighted 
 with Powis's kind hospitality, and the 
 unsuspicious confidence of the two in- 
 nocent girls, who, stranger as he was, 
 saw nothing extraordinary or improper 
 in allowing him a degree of friendly in- 
 timacy, which, in a situation of more 
 publicity, he would hardly have at- 
 tained under some weeks of acquaint-
 
 AND C05FIDEXCE. 5i 
 
 snce, even with the assistance of a pro- 
 per introduction. Still more was he 
 charmed with their affectionate man- 
 ner towards each other, and the beauty 
 of .Ellen, as well as her unaffected sim- 
 plicity, united with an extraordinary 
 fthare of good sense and infofmatioa 
 beyond ber apparent opportunities. 
 When they parted in the evening, Jo- 
 anna said, ** To-morrow, you know, 
 Elien, Charles will pass at home; and 
 as he goes away entirely the next day, 
 I think we must not make any engage- 
 rneut for to-morrow." *' Very true," 
 «aid Ellen, in a low voice, and a slight 
 .!]ade passed over her expressive fea- 
 tures ; but whether it arose from re* 
 gret that she must relinquish the so- 
 ciety of her new friend, with whose 
 ipirited and sensible conversation she 
 appeared much pleased, or from con- 
 cern for Charles's approaching absence, 
 our traveller had no m'-a:s jfjudgiug. 
 He had discovered, in the course of 
 
 TOL. I. C
 
 26 MYSTERY 
 
 conversation, that Charles was Joan- 
 na's brother, and was now absent for a 
 day or two preparatory to his leaving 
 home for some time, being in the navy : 
 a few more particulars relative to him 
 he felt anxious to ascertain as soon-a* 
 possible ; and he took leave of his new 
 friends, after engaging to spend the 
 next evening but one at Mr. Ross's. 
 
 The landlord at the Prince of Wales 
 understood and spoke English; bat it 
 was with so much of the \Yeish accent, 
 that Mordaunt, with difficulty, com- 
 prehended his meaning. The curio- 
 sity w^iich he felt, however, to learn 
 more about Charles Ross, induced 
 him, once again, to attempt a conver- 
 sation with ** neighbour Jones,'* as 
 Powis called him, though, in general, 
 Mordaunt's patience, which was by no 
 means inexhaustible, and an ear refined 
 by living much in his early days with 
 people of fashion and learning, were se- 
 verely tried by provincial dialects, and
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 27 
 
 he avoided, as much as possible, any 
 conference with those who spoke what 
 he termed a barbarous jargon : for hu- 
 mour of any kind, or odd characters^ 
 whether natural or acquired, he had no 
 taste ; sentiment, elegance, and refine- 
 ment of language and manners, w^ere 
 to him indispensable requisites of those 
 he regarded; and above all things h» 
 detested that mixture of familiarity 
 and obsequiousness which the landlord 
 of a country inn shews to one, who, 
 though his guest, he fancies his equal ; 
 yet there was some paramount feeling 
 in Mordaunt's mind, which forced him 
 to dispense with ail these niceties, and 
 seek intelligence even from a man 
 whose lansfua^e and manner were 
 equally distasteful to him. From 
 Jones, then, he learnt that Charles was 
 the son of Mr. Ross, and that he was a 
 young man of about twenty, rather 
 handsome, a midshipman in the navy^ 
 tnd that he was going to join his ship 
 c 3
 
 25 MYSTERY 
 
 immediately, Jones allowed that the 
 general opinion was that Ellon Powis 
 was the object of Charles's affections, 
 and that all their friends wished it 
 might be a match, but that Winifred 
 Powis *s old servant declared Mi^s 
 Ellen only regarded him as a brother, 
 and she was sure had no thought of 
 being his wife. Mordaunt recollected 
 the blush, the slight shade of gravity or 
 yexation which had passed over Ellen « 
 lovely face ; yet these might not be 
 symptoms of more than sisterly affec- 
 tion, and something whispered a wish 
 to Mordaunt that Ellen's love for 
 Charles might be no more. 
 
 Though Mordaunt could not intrude 
 upon a party from, which he had been 
 by Joanna almost expressly interdicted, 
 he yet, in returning from his ramble 
 the next evening, contrived to pass the 
 Parsonage, and to catch a glimpse of 
 Ellen and Joanna walking in the gar- 
 den with a your.gman. He bowed to
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 29 
 
 them, and saw that their companion, 
 whom he naturally concluded was 
 Charles, took some hasty steps from 
 the path be was walking in, to catch a 
 nearer view of him ; and Mordaunt fan- 
 cied, from the earnestness of his ges- 
 tures, and something of impatience ia 
 his air, when he rejoined his sister and 
 her friend, that he spoke of him, and 
 with displeasure : perhaps -he was jea» 
 lous of his attentions towards Ellen.— 
 *' Well, be it so,'' said Mordount ; " I 
 shall soon discover if he has any in- 
 fluence ovH" her mind ; and if I per- 
 ceive that the vishea my absence, I 
 will immediately quit Llanwyllan. Not 
 for worlds would I make that lovely 
 creature unhappy; far otherw^ise. If 
 there be any engagement between her 
 and this fortunate Charles, I will do all 
 1 can to promote his interest : but if, 
 on the other hand, I find her to-morrow 
 only lamenting him as a friend, I will 
 yet linger here awhile, and forget, if 
 c 3
 
 30 MYSTERY 
 
 possible, in this sweet retirement, and 
 her enchanting society, all the past! 
 Ob that 1 could as easily forget all the 
 future threatens! Happy, most hap- 
 py, could I here remain for ever! 
 That, alas! cannot, must not be! Ed- 
 mund, cruel, vindictive Edmund I— 
 Ah! those dark- eyes pursue me 
 every where : in the gloom of night 
 they are before me, demanding ven- 
 geance — vengeance for her blood ! 
 speaking volumes of hatred — of re- 
 venge ! What a fate is mine ! Soon, too 
 soon, we must meet again !'* Thus 
 murmured Mordaunt, in one of those 
 soliloquies to which he had accus- 
 tomed himself; and his pace, some- 
 times fast, sometimes slow, betrayed 
 the agitation of his mind. At length 
 he came within sight of Llanwyllan 
 Farm ; and leaning on the little green 
 gate which led to the house, the mixed 
 odours of those sweet plants, which he 
 now knew were Ellen's care, struck
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 31 
 
 upon his senses : her lovely image 
 rose renewed to his imagination, and 
 the distant water-fall and rising moon 
 seemed combined with that enchant- 
 ing scent to lull his anguish to repose. 
 Whilst he yet lingered, he saw through 
 the trees Ellen, Joanna, and Charles, 
 approaching; and Mordaunt hastily re- 
 tired, with sensations not very unlike 
 indignation and envy. 
 
 c 4
 
 S9 MTSTERT 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 When he speaks, 
 The air, a charter'd libertine, is still. 
 Ami the mute uonder lurkefh in mens' ears. 
 To steal hia sweet and honey'd sentences ! 
 
 Henry V, 
 
 The following evening, when Mor* 
 daunt arrived at the Parsonage, he wai 
 met in the little garden before it by 
 Joanna and Ellen. He glanced hii 
 ejes over the countenances of both, 
 and found that of Joanna, which he 
 had hitherto seen full of smiling vi- 
 vacity, overspread with gloom : her 
 eyes were excessively red, and when 
 he spoke to her, they filled with tears* 
 Ellen also looked as if she had been 
 weeping, but on Mordaunt's approach, 
 a bright smile gleamed over her facet 
 and a soft blush restored its anima- 
 tion.
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 33 
 
 As Mordaunt looked inquiringly at 
 Joanna (dissembling as well as he 
 could the pleasure Ellen's blush and 
 smile had given him), she turneJ her 
 head aside, and the tears ran down her 
 cheeks : " Don't look at her, don't 
 speak to her, Mr. Mordaunt," said 
 Ellen in a low voice, drawing him a 
 little on one side: " her brother has 
 left home this morning, and Joanna 
 has been crying all day." Her voice 
 trembled, and a tear started in her 
 own eye. Mordaunt softly drew her 
 arm through his ; and as Joanna turn- 
 ed into another vvalk to hide her dis- 
 tress, he said, " x\nd you too, Ellen, 
 have been weeping/' He had never 
 called her Ellen before, and felt half 
 ashamed of having done so now, so 
 much respect her native modesty had 
 inspired; but she, who was always 
 accustomed to be called Ellen, nor 
 imagined she had any pretension to a 
 higher title, saw nothing in itextraoc- 
 C 3
 
 34 MYSTEUY 
 
 dinary, and answered in the most un- 
 aflPected manner, yet with some ten- 
 derness of voice and accent, " It is 
 very true, I also feel for Charles a sis- 
 ter's affection.*' *' Is he then very 
 amiable, this happy Charles?" asked 
 Mordaunt. " Fie is very amiable, that 
 is, very good, very sensible,'^ said Ellen : 
 " but why do you call him happy?**— 
 **■ Can he be otherwise than happy, rich 
 in the affection of/M;osuch charming 
 sisters?^* " You are very obliging, but 
 just now Charles is not very happy; 
 he is very much grieved at quitting his 
 father, his mother, and Joanna, and 
 —and — me/' Ellen hesitated a little. 
 *' But in the profession he has chosen," 
 said Mordaunt, *' he must expect to be 
 frequently absent from those he loves; 
 aud a sailor in general, though he feels 
 acutely for the moment, soon whistles 
 care away.*' " Very true,'*answered El- 
 len; " and I never before knew Charles 
 give way to his feelings as he has done
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 35 
 
 to-day and yesterday, and that indeed 
 is what has overcome Joanna so much . 
 he has taken strange fancies into his 
 head, either that he shall never return, 
 or that tve, I mean that /, shall have 
 forgotten him if he does/^ " But why 
 does he fancy thisj-W iioic?^' said Mor- 
 daunt, fixing his sparkling eyes upon 
 her. " Oh, I cannot tell you/* answer- 
 ed Ellen, blushing crimson, " half the 
 strange things he has been saying; but 
 we see so few strangers here, that I 
 believe, that I fancy Charles supposes 
 — I mean, he thinks we have suddenly 
 become very intimate withi/ou, and we 
 have said .so much respecting books and 
 subjects rather above what we usually 
 meet with, that Charles, who is a little 
 rough, and not very fond of reading, 
 says we are growing such fine ladies, 
 and so much wiser than he is, that he 
 is sure we shall not be at all sorry he is 
 going.'' 
 
 Mordaunt paused a moment. One
 
 56 MYSTERY 
 
 of the reflections of the preceding 
 night passed through his mind— what 
 was he doing? was he making this 
 amiable young creature unhappy ? was 
 he sowing discord between her and a 
 young man to whom she wat perhaps 
 attached, and who certainly was so to 
 her? and, after all, to what purpose? 
 He continued silent so long, that the 
 innocent Ellen, looking in his face, and 
 seeing his countenance discomposed, 
 hastily said, " Pray, Mr. Mordaunt, 
 do not be offended. Charles is natu- 
 rally kind and hospitable, and I am sure 
 would blush for us if we were not 
 attentive to a stranger whose behaviour 
 has been so obliging to us ; but just now 
 his temper is ruffled, and he certainly 
 has said a great many odd things lately.'* 
 " Offended I can have no right to be,^' 
 answered Mordaunt ; " but if I give 
 offence by staying here. Miss Powis, 
 ither to you or your friends^ 1 shall 
 indeed be sorry that I did not, as I at
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 37 
 
 first intended, leave Llanwyllan yester- 
 day." " Pray do not suppose it. I 
 cannot tell why I repeated all these 
 silly things to you, but I am so apt to 
 speak all I think, and so unused to form 
 and ceremony, that I dare say I must 
 appear very strange to you, who have 
 lived so much in the world. I begin ■ 
 710W to wish what I never wished be- 
 fore." '' VVhat is that, Ellen?" 
 '' That I also had lived more in the 
 world, that my manners might have 
 been a little more polished, and not so 
 —so-— strange as 1 must seem to you!^ 
 " Artless and ever amiable creature!'* 
 exclaimed Mordaunt with a vehemence 
 which almost made her start: 'Mvhat, 
 oh, what could the world have done 
 for you! Believe me, Ellen, for one 
 grace it could have given, it would have 
 robbed you of a thousand.'^ 
 
 At this moment, when Mordaunt, 
 startled by his own warmth, wished to 
 have recalled his words, when Ellen
 
 38 MYSTERY 
 
 became so confused by it, she could 
 make no answer^ Joanna rejoined 
 them, and asked him if he would not 
 walk in, saying her father and mother 
 were waiting for them. " Indeed, 
 Miss Ross," said Mordaunt, *' I 
 think 1 have done wrong in coming 
 hither to-day. Your parents, distrest 
 by parting from their son, should not 
 be broken in upon by a stranger." 
 '' Ftdy do not judge of them by my 
 folly ,^' answered Joanna: " they have 
 parted from Charles before: as his 
 absence will proba!)Iy not exceed a few 
 months, they are now quite composed, 
 and will be glad to see you." 
 
 Joanna led the way to a very neat 
 little parlour, where Mr. and Mrs. 
 Ross, with the tea- table placed before 
 the latter, were waiting to receive 
 them. Mr. Ross was a man far 
 advanced in life, who in the early part 
 of it had Leen accustomed to genteel 
 society, was an excellent classical
 
 AND COKFIDEXCE. 39 
 
 scholar, and well grounded in English 
 literature of a superior class, as well as 
 what is properly termed the Belles 
 Lettres. He had greatly ameliorated the 
 condition of his parishioners, by intro- 
 ducing industry and neatness in their 
 habitations, yet he had merely tinctur- 
 ed the minds of Ellen and Joanna with 
 a love of reading, justly conceiving 
 that in their station of life much lite- 
 rary knowledge and refinement of taste 
 would be worse than useless to them. 
 The gay heart of Joanna had been well 
 content to skim the mere surface ; but 
 Ellen, more serious, and with more 
 native delicacy of taste, had often ex- 
 cited the anger of Mrs. Ross by the 
 reluctance with which she left her 
 studies, and lore herself from the po- 
 lished pages of Addison and Pope, to 
 sit down to heavy needlework, or 
 make preserves. Every thing worthy 
 of observation which Ellen heard or 
 read she, made her own, not only by
 
 40 MYSTERY 
 
 the aid of memory, but by that happy 
 nameless faculty which selects the 
 best of every thing, and combining 
 ideas with admirable facility, extracts 
 knowledge and wit from what to 
 common minds presents little better 
 than an uninteresting blank. An old 
 magazine in Ellen's hands became a 
 commentary on the history o^ the 
 times to which it belonged ; and while 
 other girl would have been idling over 
 the tales, or puzzling themselves with 
 the enigmas, it contained, she was 
 selecting and classing a store of facts 
 and characteristic anecdotes, which, 
 with a very little assistance, would have 
 been a foundation for the most accurate 
 historical knowledge: thus, like the 
 bee, from the most unpromising ma- 
 . terials, Ellen extracted the honey, and 
 left the refuse behind. In this man- 
 ner, and with the aid of very few books, 
 she had obtained a degree of informa- 
 tion, which many women, whose edu-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 41 
 
 cations are most anxiously attended to, 
 never attain. Another circumstance 
 was, that having no great variety of 
 authors, she was obliged to repeat the 
 perusal of those she was allowed to read, 
 and by that means had time thoroughly 
 to digest and comprehend them; 
 whereas, the young people of the pre- 
 sent day have sGch an endless variety 
 of books offered to them, that nothing 
 which has not the charm of novelty 
 can be endured, and scarcely aiiy 
 merit can obtain a second reading. 
 
 IMrs.Ross was a little, bustling, not- 
 able woman, who picqued herselt* upon 
 her good housewifery, could not endure 
 a lilier, and thought books and papers 
 made the most intolerable of anv : ^>Ir. 
 Ross was therefore obliged to confine 
 his to his study, and the girls the few 
 they were allowed to their own bed- 
 room, v;hich was considered equally 
 the apartment of Ellen and Joanna. 
 Mr. Ross had heard a great deal for the
 
 49 MYSTERY 
 
 last two or three days of Mr. Mon 
 daunt from his daughter and Ellen: 
 he saw they were greatly pleased 
 with their new acqu?vinlance; but 
 knowing their simplicity, and the 
 charm of novelty to youth, was desiroui 
 of judging for himself how far the 
 traveller was a proper companion for 
 them. Koss had formerly seen some- 
 thing of the world, and v*^as of course 
 more qualified to judge of character 
 than Powis, or two girls so totally 
 unacquainted with guile as Ellen and 
 Joanna were: he determined, if he 
 found any thing in the manners of the 
 stranger repulsive to his ideas of pro- 
 priety, to put an end to all connection 
 with him; and Mrs. Ross, who felt 
 assured the traveller must have fallen 
 in love with one of the girls, resolved, 
 as she expresst-d it, to keep a sJiarp 
 look out upon him: such, however, 
 was the unaffected propriety ofMor- 
 daunt's manners, mingled with some-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 45 
 
 what of dignity, to which Mrs. Ross 
 had never been accustomed, and which 
 Ross had not lately seen, that the good 
 little woman was awed into silence; 
 and though Charles had infected her 
 with some of his jealous fears (for such 
 they certainly were), she soon lost the 
 kind of prejudice she had taken up 
 against the traveller, was pleased with 
 ^Uhe gentleman,** as she called him, and 
 could not ascertain at all to her own sa- 
 tisfaction whether Joanna or Ellen, or 
 either^ had been his inducement tore- 
 main at Llanwyllan. 
 
 Ross was not only charmed with 
 Mordaunt's manners, but had not for 
 years enjoyed so exquisite a treat as 
 his conversation. The traveller was 
 fully competent to cope even with Ross 
 on literary ground, understood the 
 leariied languages, was an enthusiast in 
 the classics, an excellent lijstorian and 
 geographer ; and gave Ross in an hour 
 the most perspicuous account of all
 
 44 MYSTERY 
 
 that was then passing in the political 
 world. 
 
 The two girls sat attentive auditors: 
 Ellen seemed all ear. Mrs. Ross at 
 last began to fidget a little, and soon 
 after walked off to superintend some 
 domestic concerns, but, unusually in- 
 dulgent, suifered the girls to remain. 
 The evening passed on, and Ross 
 was so engaged with his guest, -that 
 walking codd Bot be proposed. Mor- 
 daunt expressed himself so charmed 
 with Lhnvvyllan, that he said, if ht 
 could be accommodated with a neat 
 lodging, be should after about a fort- 
 night's abseil ce. which was absolutely 
 necessary, endeavour to obtain Lord 
 St. Aubyn*3 consent to an arrangement, 
 which might permit him to remain 
 there some time; that he found the 
 pure air from the mountains agree with 
 him, and thought two or three months, 
 divested of the cares of business, in 
 that peaceful retirement, would quite
 
 AN'D CONFIDEyCE. -^5 
 
 restore his health. Ross knew that 
 if Powis heard this proposal, he would, 
 in the warmth and cordiality of his 
 heart, offer I^Jordaimt apartments at 
 Llanw^^llan Farm, where indeed there 
 was plenty of room ; but Ross also 
 knew, though Fowls did not, that 
 Jipartments under the same roof with 
 such a lovely girl as Ellen Powis, for 
 a man not passed the meridian of life, 
 would be highly improper, and e veil 
 in that reti/ed place would s'jbject 
 Elien to unpleacant remarks; he ihere- 
 ore iinniediateiy said that there were . 
 two neat quiet rooms at the hou^-e of 
 a widow in the village, who^ having 
 lately kVst her son, would be glad to 
 let them ,- that she v»'as a very civil old 
 v/oinan, and had formerly beeii cook 
 in a genJ^iefnan^'s familj ; and thou-h 
 the rooms niight not be furnished quit© 
 well -nou^h for ^h. M- re i.int, _: 
 anv iitiie accomitiodaiion mi^Ut cri^uy 
 be added at au inconSiU arable e:^: pence
 
 4:(5 MYSTERY 
 
 from Carnarvon, which was not more 
 than twelve miles from Llanw3dlan, 
 Mordaunt eagerly caught at the pro- 
 posal, and said that a few guineas, 
 when compared to the recovery of his 
 health, were not material to him; it 
 was therefore settled that he should go 
 with Ross the next day to look at the 
 rooms. Mordaunt then rose to tak^ 
 leave, but the entrance of Mrs. Ross, 
 followed by the servant Viith a couple 
 of hot roasted chickens, &c. prevented 
 him, and an earnest invitatioc to stay 
 and partake of their supper, which in- 
 deed seemed to have been greatly en- 
 larged on his account, could not be 
 resisted. Mordaunt of course com- 
 plied: the conversation became more 
 general : Mrs. Ross's tarts, home-made 
 wines, &c. were excellent, and Mor- 
 daunt praised them too much not to 
 become a favourite with the good lady. 
 He sat by Elien, and a few words 
 spoken to her occasionally in a Ipw
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 47 
 
 voice, and, still more, the expressive 
 manner in which they were said, be- 
 gan to raise suspicions in Ross's mind 
 that she was in reality the magnet 
 which attracted the stranger. He wai 
 not blind to her superior beauty and 
 nativa elegance, and considered her 
 as more peculiarly his care, inasmuch 
 ns -he knev/ the guileless sioiplicity of 
 Fovyis, and that he was by no means 
 calculated to have the guidance of so 
 lovely a girl. Ross dclermiaed tbe.c*- 
 fore to watch carsfully over E]len> and 
 if he saw any thing too partlculai in 
 Mordaur.l's ccnduct towards her, to 
 advise Povvis to send her from home 
 duri^^^ the traveller's stay at Llanwyl- 
 hn, which, as Powis had a relation at 
 Bangor^ would be very possible. Ellsn 
 was to sleep that night at the Parson- 
 age ; and as soon as Mordaunt took his 
 leave, the two girls retired together, 
 
 Ellen was so silent^' that Joanna be- 
 ran to rally her on the ^jubject of the
 
 MYSTERY 
 
 «tranger^ and amongst other things 
 •aid, '' Indeed, Ellen, I believe poor 
 Charles was right. Mr. Mordaunt will 
 soon take his place inyoor aSbctioas.**^ 
 " His place, Charleses pl;^ce ! no, in- 
 deed, Joanna 1^' " V/ell, you may 
 say what you please, Ellen ; but Charles 
 never gained half so much attention 
 from you as you bestowed on Mr. 
 Mordaunt's conversation to~night/'-^ 
 "Perhaps not: Charlesriever conversed 
 on siich agreeahle topics.'" '- Thea 
 v/hy do you ^^ay you do not, nor shall, 
 like him so well as you do Charie:;?** 
 " I did not say so.'^ " Well, but you 
 caid he would not take Chariest place 
 in your affections, a!3d that is the same 
 th i lig. * ' " Nor w i 1 1 h e . 1 ! o ve C harles 
 as a brother, you as a sister ; but does 
 it Ibiiow no other rnan or woman can 
 be agreeable to me — must 1 cease to 
 love you both before i can be pleased 
 with anotiier ?** -' No, certainly ; but 
 Charles I urn persuaded would not
 
 XyO CONFIDENCE. 4§ 
 
 much relish such a degree of liking for 
 another, as Mordaunt seems to have 
 gained from you." " I cannot help 
 that : I shall never think myself obliged 
 to consult Charles respecting my likings 
 or dislikings." " What, not if you 
 marry him?" " Marry Charles!" — 
 " Aye, marry Charles^ Miss Powis : 
 what is there so wonderful, in that:** 
 " Dear Joanna, I do not know you to- 
 night. Miss Powis ! and in that re- 
 proachful tone : what have I done to 
 offend you, and why do you call me 
 Miss Fowls ?'' "Then why do you 
 seem so surprised at the idea of mar- 
 rying Charles, and look as if you quite 
 scorned the thought ?" '' Because 
 such an idea never entered my mind : 
 I might well therefore seem surprised ; 
 though, as to scorn, I never felt or could 
 have looked ii.*' *' If Mordaunt had 
 said half as much to you as Charles 
 has, you would easily have seen his 
 meaning." " You are not kind, Jo- 
 yoL, I. D
 
 60 MYSTERY 
 
 anna. I thought you had liked Mor- 
 daunt too/' " So I do; but I do not 
 like that he should prevent Charles 
 from gaining your love." " Then, be 
 assured, that cannot be : I lov Charles 
 as a brother, but if I had never seen 
 Mordaunt, or any other man, I would 
 not have been Charles's wife. Mor- 
 daunt dees not, cannot think any 
 thing of me : and I hope, Joanna, I 
 am not such a bold girl as to fall in 
 love, as they call it, with a man who 
 will not, I am sure, ever cast a serious 
 thought on 7ne, who is so very much 
 above me." " Then why do you de- 
 clare so seriously against Charles : you 
 never did so before?*' " Because you 
 never pressed me so earnestly before, 
 and 1 assure you I never thought of 
 it," '' But what are your objections 
 to Charles as a hnshand ?'* " Many, 
 Joanna, many: he is too hasty, too 
 passionate: he would frighten me." 
 " And how do vou*know Mordaunt is
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 51 
 
 not passionate ?" " Still Mordaunt !'^ 
 said Ellen, a littie impatiently: " what 
 signifies to me whether he is passionate 
 or not ? He will never be more to me 
 than an agreeable acquaintance/' — 
 " Well, I think Mordaunt has at times 
 an odd look with his e^^es, and a gloom 
 on his countenance that is frightful." 
 " Frightful ! Mordaunt's countenance 
 frightful ! I never saw any thing so 
 handsome; and the expression is the 
 softest — his smile the sweetest-*-*' El- 
 len paused with some embarrassment, 
 and Joanna answered a little spitefully, 
 '' That may be, when he looks at ?/oz^; 
 and then you blush^ and cast down 
 your eyes, a!id of course do not see 
 how he looks ; but 1 tell you that he 
 has a gloom that is frightful, though 
 you are so astonished at the word, and 
 so deiigtited with him/' Here the 
 $hri][ voice of iMrs. Ross calling to 
 them from her own room, " Girls, 
 girls, do you mean lo talk all night,^^ 
 
 D 2 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 ILLINOIS LIBI^ARY
 
 iS MYSTERY 
 
 put an end to the conference, and tliey 
 hastily said "Goodnight," less pleased 
 with each other than they had ever 
 been before. Joanna was angry with 
 Ellen for preferingMordaunt to Charles, 
 and Ellen thought Joanna extremely 
 captious, and out of humour. 
 
 The next day, Mordaunt, accompa- 
 iiied by Mr. Ross, looked at the lodg- 
 ings he had proposed for him, and 
 agreed immediately to take them for 
 three months, to commence at the ex- 
 piration of three weeks from the pre- 
 sent time, during which, he said, he 
 must take a journey to Bath, where 
 he should see Lord St. Aubyn, and 
 obtain his consent to an arrangement 
 which would admit of his leaving 
 Northamptonshire for that time; and 
 that during his absence from Llanwyl- 
 lan he should send some books and 
 other additional comforts to his new 
 lodgings: he should set out, he said, 
 the next day but one, for he was im-
 
 AM) CONFIDENCE. 63 
 
 patient to begin his journey, that he 
 nji^ht return the sooner. On the in- 
 termediate day, he walked to the Farm, 
 and, strange to tell, found Ellen with- 
 out Joanna. 
 
 Ellen had been very busy all day, 
 and a little coldness still hung about 
 Joanna^ who could not forget her de- 
 cided rejection of Charles: she had 
 also been much employed, and told 
 Ellen the evening before she should 
 not see her on that day. " But Mr. 
 Mordaunt will,*' added she, with some 
 asperity, *' and that will make full 
 amends for my absence.^* *' You are 
 unkind, Joanna/' answered Ellen, 
 ** and will make me wish Mr. Mor- 
 daunt had never visited Llanwyllan.'* 
 Joanna shook her head with an air of 
 incredulity, and left her. Mordaunt 
 found Ellen therefore alone, and busily 
 engaged amongst her shrubs and flow^ 
 ers. The brisk evening air, exercise, 
 and the delight she took ii) her em- 
 D 3
 
 64t MYSTERY 
 
 ploy men t, had given fresh beauty to 
 her complexion, and new animation to 
 her eyes. After the first greetings had 
 passed, he requested to assist her, and 
 mounting a ladder, which a Welsh 
 boy, who was executing the more la- 
 borious parts of the employment held 
 for him, he busied himseU' in giving a 
 new turn to the festoons which hung 
 from tree to tree. Ellen stood below, 
 and as she looked up to direct him, a 
 long shoot of the clematis fell from his 
 hand, and became entangled in her 
 straw hat. Fearing to break it, he de- 
 scended, and while he endeavoured to 
 untwist it, the straw hat fell to the 
 ground ; and as Ellen had not, as usual, 
 her modest muslin cap, her beautiful 
 hair became for the first time exposed 
 to his view, and he stood gazing at her 
 bright auburn ringlets and fair-poli-shed 
 temples, as if transfixed. Beautiful 
 as he had always thought her, he never 
 saw her look so beautiful as now, and
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. ^5 
 
 herincreasinsf colour at lenojth reminded 
 him that his gaze was becoming op- 
 pressive. Instantly he withdrew his 
 eyes, and taking up the hat, and brush 
 ' ing off some dnst which adhered to it, 
 he presented it to her with an air oi 
 respect, and said, " I am a very awk- 
 ward gardener; I have spoiled your 
 bonnet." " Indeed,'^ said Ellen, " on 
 the contrary, I should think you had 
 practised it all your life, you seem so 
 well versed in the employment."— 
 •"• Would to heaven I had," answered 
 Mordaunt, " and never known any 
 thina: bevond the culture of these 
 shrubs, and the sweet shades of Llan- 
 wyllan.'* And now Ellen saw for the 
 first time a peculiar expression in his 
 eyes, and a gloom over his counte- 
 nance, which reminded her of what 
 Joanna had said respecting him ; but 
 Ellen put a different construction upon 
 it, and had she known Shakespeare 
 would have said, " He wrings at some 
 D 4-
 
 d6 
 
 YSTERY 
 
 distress: would I might free it, what- 
 e'er it be/' 
 
 To divert his thoughts, she said, 
 in the softest tone, " What a wish! 
 How different are rny sentiments ! I 
 would give worlds, had my lot resem- 
 bled your's ; had I been employed not 
 solely in the culture of these trees, my- 
 self almost as much a vegetable, but, 
 like you, cultivating my mind, my 
 manners, and forming myself into a 
 companion for-— the wise and good !** 
 The soft expressive pause spoke vo- 
 lumes to the heart of Mordaunt, and he 
 could not help replying, " You are al- 
 ready a fit companion for angels.'* 
 
 A long pause ensued. Ellen again 
 "began her pleasant labours, and Mor- 
 daunt, with fresh eagerness, assisted 
 her. At length he said, " When I 
 come back, Ellen, will you permit me 
 to recommend to your perusal some 
 books, which I shall send to my lodg- 
 ings ?*' «' Ah,'* said Ellen, " with de-
 
 AND COInFIDENCE. ^7 
 
 light should I peruse them, but Mrs. 
 Ross is so strict, she will not allow me 
 to read at all, if she can help it; and 
 my father expects me to obey her in 
 every respect." '• But surely Mr. 
 Ross, who is so literary himself, would 
 willingly indulge such a mind asyour's, 
 which so eagerly aspires to superior at- 
 tainments." " Ah, no ; Mr. Ross 
 thinks that in our station any extra- 
 ordinary refinement would be injuri- 
 ous, and only tend to make us discon- 
 tented." " Those common-place ideas 
 may do very well for Joanna Ross, and 
 girls of common minds; but you, sure- 
 ly, ought to be guided by other maxims. 
 Talents like your's demand cultivation 
 so imperiously, it is a real cruelty to 
 deny it.'' " Ah, Mr. Mordaunt, do 
 not talk to me in this manner ; I am 
 enough inclined to lament the lowness 
 of my condition ; not from ambition, 
 but from a desire of knowledge, which, 
 circumstanced as 1 am, is quite out of 
 
 D 5
 
 58 MYSTERY 
 
 my reach. Rather strive to strengthen 
 my mind, and my anxious wish to do 
 my duty in the station where God has 
 been pleased to place me." " Abhor 
 me, Ellen, if ever you find me endea- 
 vouring to subvert one good and useful 
 principle in your spotless mind ; but 
 how is Mr. Ross to know what station 
 you may hereafter be called upon to 
 fill, unless, indeed," added Mor- 
 daunt, expressively, " your lot is al- 
 ready determined?** "Undoubtedly it 
 is," said Ellen (not understanding his 
 allusion to Charles) : what can 1 have to 
 expect but to remain here, the useful 
 assistant of my father?" " But you 
 may, nay, most probably will marry.^' 
 " It is unlikely,'^ said Ellen ; " but if 
 I should, it will probably be in a hne 
 of life which will render any farther li- 
 terary attainments at best unprofitable ; 
 so at least says Mr. Ross, and I look to 
 him as my chief director." ** You 
 have hitherto done well in so doing;
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. ^9 
 
 but circumstances may hereafter arise 
 to alter your views. In the mean- 
 time, let me assure you, for the honour 
 of literature, that its female professors 
 do not necessarily, according to a vul- 
 gar prejudice, become useless as mo- 
 thers, mistresses, or domestic econo- 
 mists. I have actually seen a lady high 
 not only in literary knowledge, but ia 
 literary fame, who attends with th« 
 most exquisite skill and propriety, not 
 only to the management of a large fa- 
 mily, but of a large farm, and whose 
 order, neatness, and regularity, can no 
 where be exceeded ; yet this excellent 
 woman has published many books, 
 written in a style free from blemish, 
 and full of the purest principles, and of 
 the most superior good sense. '^ " How 
 well she must have arranged her con- 
 cerns, and managed her time !'* " Un- 
 doubtedly—and we shall see whether 
 Ellen Powis has not mind enough to 
 become a second Mrs. W* ■ ■ .'^
 
 (JO mYSTKKY 
 
 At this part of the conversatioa 
 Powis joined them ; and Mordaunt, 
 having chatted a few minutes with him, 
 took his leave. But though lie had 
 talked of leaving Llanwyllan on the 
 next day, he did not go until that fol- 
 lowing ; and on the Sunday he attend- 
 ed Mrs. Ross and the young people 
 to the neat parish church, where he was 
 greatly pleased and edified with the se- 
 rious and dignified manner in which 
 the venerable Ross performed the ser- 
 vice. His fine countenance,, shaded 
 with grey hair, the rich tones of his 
 voice, and the energetic manner in 
 which he exhorted his rustic congre- 
 gation, inspired Mordaunt with the ut- 
 most respect for him, and with a "fer- 
 vour of devotion he had rarely before 
 experienced. Nor did he less admire 
 the unaffected piety and attention of 
 Mrs. Ross and her two pupils, who, 
 once within the church, appeared too 
 deeply impressed with the intention of
 
 AKD CONFIDENCE. 6l 
 
 their coming, to permit that either look 
 or thought should stray to any other 
 object. As they returned through the 
 church-yard, Mordaunt was delighted 
 to see the neatness, and even elegance 
 with which this repository of the dead 
 was kept. The graves, bound with 
 osier-bands, and decorated with fresh 
 flowers, as is customary through all 
 Wales, excited in him sentiments of 
 the tenderest nature ; he was charmed 
 to witness the effects of a love which 
 survived tne tomb, and whispered to 
 Ellen, that v. herever he lived, he should 
 wisli to be buried in Wales. " Idle as 
 it may seera,"' said he, " to care what 
 becomes of this perishable frame when 
 the immortal spirit is fled, yet in the 
 truth of Gray's inimitable reflections 
 on thissubject Icannotbut coincide: — 
 
 ** Even from the graycthe Yoicc of Xature cries^ 
 *' Etch la our ashes live their ^yonted fires." 
 
 As Ellen had never met with Gray, 
 Mordaunt now repeated to her some
 
 62 MYSTERY 
 
 of the finest stanzas, and promised to 
 send her the poem in the morning fol- 
 lowing. 
 
 What a happiness for her that she 
 had never been condemned to hear this 
 enchanting elegy hacknied till even 
 its beauties are lost in the insipid reci- 
 tation of girls who learn it as a task.
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 6d 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 A prattling gossip, on whose tongue 
 Proof of perpetual motion hung, 
 Who with a hundred pair of eyes. 
 The vain attacks of sleep defies ; 
 AVho with a hundred pair of wings, 
 News from the farthest quarters brings, 
 Sees, hears, and tells, untold before, 
 All that she knows, and ten times more. 
 
 Churchill. 
 
 When Mordaunt was gone, Joanna 
 and Ellen returned to their usual manner 
 of living : at first Ellen found a great in- 
 sipidity in her ordinary occupations. The 
 day seemed unusually tedious, but this by 
 degrees wore off; and had she never seen 
 Mordaunt again, she would certainly 
 have always remembered him with pecu- 
 liar interest; but the peace or her mind 
 was undisturbed : yet Mordaunt's con- 
 versation had been of the most dangerous
 
 64 MYSTERY 
 
 tendency. What girl of seventeen, tinc- 
 tured with the natural romance which a 
 life in a country of. such sublimity as 
 Wales almost necessarily produces in an 
 ardent mind and feeling heart, but might 
 be led by the voice of flattery to believe 
 herself superior to the mere common 
 . employments of domestic life ; yet if the 
 flatterer mean to substitute no higher 
 line of occupation in their stead, is it 
 not probable that unhappiness, if not a 
 dereliction from virtue, may be the conse- 
 quence ? Mordaunt's suggestions there- 
 fore to a mind more practised in worldly 
 guile would have rendered his inten- 
 tions extremely equivocal ; and the very 
 little Mr. Ross had seen of him made 
 him not only very glad that he was gone, 
 but led h.m to wish earnestly he might 
 not return ; and when a fortnight had 
 elapsed, and no books or packages arrived 
 at the cottage of the Widow Grey, Ross, 
 and, to say the truth, Joanna also, began to 
 hope he would not return, Joanna liked
 
 AND CONFIDEKCE. 65 
 
 Mordaunt as a companion, and had none 
 of those fears which had crept into the 
 mind of Ross : but her love for her bro- 
 ther, and the certainty that Mordaunt 
 was preferred to him by Ellen, gave her 
 a sort of prejudice against him, and she 
 could not help shewing a sort of triumph 
 at his not returning. Eilen, whose tem- 
 per was as sweet as her understanding 
 was excellent, bore the little taunts Jo- 
 anna now and then threw out on her sup- 
 posed disappointment with great mild- 
 ness; but when Joanna accused Mor- 
 daunt of caprice and insincerity, she 
 sometimes defended him, witii candour 
 indeed, but with a little warmth, which 
 excited fresh displeasure in Joanna : and 
 these little disputes insensibly abated the 
 pleasure they used to feel in the society 
 of each other. Nothins: could be more 
 ill-judged than Joanna's conduct on this 
 occasion : had she remained silent, Ellen 
 would never have spoken and seldom 
 thought of Mordaunt ; but by being forced
 
 66 MYSTERY 
 
 continually to defend either herself or 
 him, he became more interesting to her ; 
 her generous heart not bearing to hear 
 him accused probably without a cause : 
 thus, Joanna, like all people who suf- 
 fer themselves to be misled by preju- 
 dice and ill-humour, increased the evil 
 she wished to obviate, and by rendering 
 her own society less desirable to Ellen, 
 left her more at liberty to receive Mor- 
 daunt^s visits, if he really should return ; 
 and to return it seemed probable at 
 leagth he intended : for, about three 
 weeks after his departure, several large 
 packages were brought in a light cart to 
 the Widow Grey's, and the driver said 
 he had been hired at Carnarvon, by a 
 strange gentleman who arrived in the 
 mail the night before, and would be with 
 her the next morning. The news of this 
 important event spread quickly through 
 the village, and numerous were the con- 
 jectures which followed. Dame Grey had 
 several visitors in tlie course of the even-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 67 
 
 ing to look at these wonderful packages, 
 to conjecture what each might contain, 
 and to endeavour to learn from her what 
 could make a gentleman, so grand as Mr. 
 Mordaunt must be, to come and live in 
 her cottage : to all which the good wo- 
 man could onl}^ reply, that Mr. Ross had 
 told her that the gentleman was coming 
 for his health, and slie dared say Mr. Ross 
 knew : at all events, it was nothing to 
 her: the gentleman had agreed to give 
 her twelve shillings a week for her two 
 rooms, which was four shillings more 
 than she expected ; but then, to be sure, 
 she was to cook for him, and they all 
 knew she was as pretty a cook as r>ladam 
 Ross herself; for that, v>hen she lived 
 with 'Squire Davies— Tlie mention of 
 'Squire Davies was enough for the whole 
 audience ; they walked oiF one by one, 
 and left her to admire and wonder at 
 her lodger's grand packages by herself, 
 dreading nothing more than the tedious 
 tales tliey knew they must encou titer if
 
 68 MYSTERY 
 
 tiiey staid, now Dame Grey had begun 
 to talk of the days when she lived with 
 'Squire Davies, 
 
 Daine Grey not knowing very well 
 what to do respecting her lodger's rooms, 
 which wanted linen, and many other ar- 
 ticles she supposed the packages might 
 contain, thought it would be but right, 
 and the proper compliment, if she was 
 to step up and ask Madam Ross and Mis» 
 Joanna, and Miss Ellen, if she were 
 there, what she had better do. Mrs. 
 Ross advised her on no account to open 
 any of the parcels, and said, if Mr. Mor- 
 daunt did not arrive in time the next day, 
 she would furnish her with linen proper 
 for his bed and table, till his own could 
 b6 opened : at the same time declaring 
 her readiness to go with Dame Grey, and 
 see that things were put a little out of a 
 litter ; to which obliging act she was cer- 
 tainly prompted by the same sort of cu- 
 riosity as had influenced her poorer 
 neighbours, to see the packages, and
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 69 
 
 judge by their weight and size what they 
 might contain. No one who has ever lived 
 in a small village will wonder at this : 
 such a one will know that no one crea- 
 ture ever appears in a gown of a different 
 colour, or a hat of a different size from 
 what has been seen before, without ex- 
 citinsf the utmost curiosity and animad- 
 version ; that a wedding, a burial, or a 
 christening, will afford conversation to the 
 whole neighbourhood for many hours; 
 and that if one should be convicted of 
 living, in the most simple concerns, at all 
 different from the generality, oddity, ab- 
 surdity, stinginess, and, finally, madness, 
 will probably be imputed to him : think 
 then what a feast for the gossips Mr. Mor- 
 daunt's parcels must have presented ; for 
 by the time Dame Grey and Mrs. Ross 
 arrived, two or three more were in wait- 
 ing to take a peep at them. Now, amongst 
 these parcels, &c. was one which cer- 
 tainly bore the appearance of being a 
 ladv's bonnet-box : " Well,'' Mrs.Ross^
 
 70 MYSTERY 
 
 said, *^ this is an odd thing; what can it 
 contain ? Sure Mr. Mordaunt is not going 
 to bring a lady with him ! He did not say 
 any thing to you, Dame Grey, did he, 
 as if he was married ?*' " Lord bless me, 
 no. Madam ; but, to be sure, Mr. Ross 
 knows, or Farmer Powis." " Poh! they 
 know nothing at all about it: well, we shall 
 see. For my part I should not wonder: 
 he is not a very yoimg man, and most 
 likely is or has been married *' Away 
 went two or three of the assembly, eager 
 to spread the report that Mr. Mordaunt 
 and his lady were coming next day to 
 Dame Grey's; that it must be true, for 
 Madam Ross had said so, and moreover, 
 they had seen with their own eyes 
 Madam Mercians f>ne bonnet-box, which 
 no doubt contained a power of good 
 things. Some went so far as to settle the 
 probable colour of the lady's bonnet and 
 best gown ; and one notable dame, the 
 wife of a farmer, who rentied laiids adjoin- 
 ing Powis's, thought she would *' j ust step
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 71 
 
 in and tell Miss Ellen and Miss Joanna, 
 that they might smarten themselves a 
 bit, before Madam Mording arrived.'* 
 To paint the surprize of Ellen and Jo- 
 anna, who were sitting together when 
 neighbour Price related all these strange 
 circumstances, embellished by her own 
 conjectures and comments, would be im» 
 possible. Joanna believed, and was not 
 sorry : Ellen doubted, and said she 
 should be glad if it proved so, as Mrs. 
 Mordaunt would be an agreeable addition 
 to their society. Joanna looked at her 
 with arch and half triumphant eyes ; and 
 Ellen, teazed, vexed, and disconcerted, 
 could scarcely retrain from tears. At 
 last the chattering gossip departed, and 
 Joanna's conversation with Ellen ran in 
 the usual strain ; but Ellen was unusually 
 unable to endure it. Aniongs: other 
 things, Joanna told Ellen, W Mrs. Mor- 
 daunt cause, she siij:pos(d her whole time 
 would be engaged wjth her; and if she 
 did not, periiaps she would think Mor-
 
 72 MYSTERY 
 
 daunt's company quite enough without 
 the addition of her's, and that her mo- 
 ther was convinced she would no longer 
 be as willing to be ruled by her as former- 
 ly. Ellen now burst into tears, and 
 told Joanna she knew not what she had 
 done to occasion such very unkind re- 
 marks ; that she had never given her 
 reason to suppose she did not prefer her 
 company to that of any other person, nor 
 ever, for a moment, hesitated to obey 
 Mrs. Ross in all things : but if it was re- 
 quired of her to give up all acquaintance 
 with a man who had never done any thing 
 to offend her, she must say she could 
 not, nay, w^ould not do it, Joanna, start- 
 led by a warmth she had not expected 
 from the generally mild and yielding 
 Ellen, now begged her pardon ; and em- 
 bracing her tenderly, said, she knew she 
 had been wrong in teazing her so much, 
 and would in future drop the subject. 
 Ellen's warm forgiving heart immediately 
 prompted her to say she had perhaps her-
 
 AND CONFlCEKCe. T3 
 
 self been captious ; and after an appoint- 
 nient to meet again to-morrow, they 
 parted better friends than they had been 
 for a long time. 
 
 On Joanna's arrival at home, she in- 
 quired of her mothert he foundation of 
 the strange story she had heard from Mrs. 
 Price ; and could hardly help laughing 
 Vhen she learnt on what slight grounds 
 the report had been raised. Mrs. Ross, 
 however, still defended the probability of 
 her own conjectures, and added, that she 
 was, however, quite sure there were a 
 great many books among the parcels, and 
 she supposed she should now have leas 
 work done than ever, for that both Jo- 
 anna and Ellen would never be easy, un- 
 less they were walking with Mordaunt, 
 or reading some of the new trumpery he 
 had sent down. *' Dear mother,** said 
 Joanna, '« why should you think so? You 
 know I am not so very fond of reading, 
 though I like it very well in turn, and 
 should still more, if I had not so many 
 
 YOIi. I. £
 
 7i MYSTERY 
 
 Other things to do : and as to Ellen, 
 though I believe she has more pleasure 
 in reading than any thing else in the 
 world ; yet you know she is so good and 
 gentle^ she never refuses to do any thing 
 you wish her to do/* " Aye ! that has 
 been ; hut mark my words, Joanna, you 
 will see alterations you do not expect.*' 
 This was one of those equivocal prophe- 
 cies by which Mrs. Ross, like the Vicar 
 of Wakefield, endeavoured to impress 
 her family with an opinion of her pene- 
 tration : she did not succeed so weW as 
 Dr. Primrose, for Mr. Ross never paid 
 the smallest attention to them : and Jo- 
 anna had so rarely seen one of them ful- 
 filled, that she generally thought nothing 
 about them. In the present instance, 
 however, she certainly felt a little uneasy, 
 and began to fear that poor Charles must 
 forego all hopes of Ellen Powis: for Jo- 
 anna was in her own mind convinced that 
 Mordaunt greatly admired Ellen, and she 
 was sure Ellen thought him a being of a
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 7^ 
 
 •iuperior order: and Joanna was too in- 
 nocent and too unsuspicious to imagine, 
 for a moment, that if Mordaunt liked El- 
 len, he could have any view but mar- 
 riage. Ellen, on her side, felt more vex- 
 ation this night than she could well ac- 
 count for: she could hardly doubt the 
 truth of what Mrs. Price asserted to have 
 heard from Mrs. Ross, namely, that Mor- 
 daunt was married, and his lady coming 
 to Llanvvylian with him, this she fancied 
 she should be very glad of: but then she 
 was hurt that Morclauut should have kept 
 this circumstance a profound secret, and 
 never once adverted to it when he talked^ 
 as he had done repeatedly during the two 
 last days of his stay at Llanwyllan, of the 
 pleasure he proposed to himself in the so- 
 ciety of Mr. Ross, Ellen, and Joaana. 
 
 £ S
 
 7& MYSTERY. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 And with them words of so sweet breath composed 
 As made the things more rich. 
 
 Hamlet. 
 
 Ellen was engaged the next niorning 
 with her needle when Mordaunt sud- 
 denly entered the room (for the cere- 
 mony of announcing visitors was never 
 thought of at Llanwyllan) : she rose 
 hastily, as hastily sat down again, turned 
 pale, then red, and in answer to his 
 hasty inquiries, said—" Are you alone, 
 Sir?" '* Alone,'* replied Mordaunt, sur- 
 prized beyond measure ; " yes, certainly: 
 did you expect to see anyone with me?*' 
 ^' Yes— -no, that is, I thought we were 
 told that Mrs. Mordaunt, tliat your wife 
 was to come with you." " My wife!" 
 exclaimed Mordauiit, turning first as red 
 and then as pale as Ellen had done,
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 77 
 
 almost in the words of Othello, and per- 
 haps not perfectly unlike him in feeling; 
 *' What wife ? I have no wife." " I beg 
 your pardon, indeed," said Ellen, " for 
 giving you such a strange reception, but 
 we were really told that your lady was 
 certainly coming with you.*^ '' What 
 could have given rise,'' said Mordaunt, 
 regaining his composure, *' to such a ri- 
 diculous tale ? And did yow, Ellen, could 
 you believe it?'' " I own I thought it 
 strange,*' replied she, *' that you had 
 never mentioned it, and I doubted the 
 truth of the story; but Joanna se-med 
 to credit it, and I w^as told Mrs. Ross 
 had asserted it, but I daresay," added 
 she, smiling, " that it was one of those 
 gossip's tales of which we have so many 
 in this village," Mordaunt said he was 
 -wholly unable to account for it, and 
 advancing to the table where she had 
 been sitting, for hitherto they had both 
 continued standing, said— " Shall I dis- 
 turb you if I sit down by you for half- 
 E 3
 
 78 MYSTERY 
 
 an^lioiir?" " Certainly not/' said Ellen: 
 " you will allow me to go on with my 
 work.'^ But Elleii's hand did not second 
 her intention, for it shook so much, she 
 was ohiiged to put d^jwn the work, and 
 to say, half laughing, by way of covering 
 her confusion---" I have flurried myself 
 so ridiculously by fancying 1 was goir.g 
 to see a stranger, that i miist rest till my 
 hand is a little more steady." Mordaunt, 
 for the first time, took the trembling hand 
 within his own, and pressing it very 
 gently, said :— *^ You have not shaken 
 hands with me on my return, Ellen, yet 
 I hoped you would have been glad to see 
 your friend Mordaunt once more: will 
 you allow me the title ?'' he added, gazing 
 on her intently. Poor Ellen, who had 
 not really any of the usual complimen- 
 tary phrases, such as '-'you do me honour, 
 &e.*' knew neither which way to look 
 nor what to say ; and Mordaunt, softly 
 raising her hand to his lips, relinquished 
 it, and pitj/ing her visible confusion,
 
 AND COKFIDEXCE. 79 
 
 endeavoured to relieve it by saying : — 
 "I think you are a little, a very little 
 paler and thinner than when I left Llan- 
 vvyllan." " I have been taking a great 
 deal of exercise," said Ellen ; " and I 
 think you too, Mr. -Mordaunt, are chang- 
 ed ; you look pale, and seem fatigued." 
 *' Oh yes, Ellen, yes;. I have encounter- 
 ed much since we parted-— much fatigue 
 both of body and mind. In these sweet 
 ■shades I hope once more to be at peace : 
 oh,« that I might never leave them more, 
 * the world forgetting, by the world for- 
 got;' that I might, that I could remain 
 here for ever! V/ouId you^ Ellen, would 
 Ijou efideavour to sooth m;. cares, and to 
 restore my peace of mind ?'' He agaia 
 seized her hand, and wildly grasping, 
 pressed it to his throbbing forehead. 
 Ellen looked at him with eyes of ap- 
 prehension ; his energy, his apparent agi- 
 tation alarmed her: he saw the surprize 
 he had excited, and dropping her hand, 
 said :—■'' Forgive me, 1 am not myself 
 E 4
 
 80 MYSTERY 
 
 to-day; but I must indeed be lost before 
 I can for a moment forget the perfect re* 
 spect I owe you." His countenance be- 
 came at once more composed, and after a 
 moment's pause, he said smiling:— 
 " And how is the poor straw hat which I 
 spoilt the night before I went away ?" 
 •* Indeed you did not spoil it," said Ellen, 
 laughing ; " it would not easily be in- 
 jured/* " Oh, certainly^ it was com- 
 pletely spoilt, and as 1 was the author 
 of the mischief, though you would not 
 give me any commission for Bristol or 
 Bath, I could not resist the desire I felt 
 to replace the loss which I know you 
 cannot do here, and I have accordingly 
 chosen one for you, which, though ex- 
 tremely simple, will, I am sure, be par- 
 ticularly becoming: I have also added 
 one for Joanna, not exactly like your*s in 
 shape, because it would be ridiculous; 
 I mean it would not be becoming to her 
 style of face/' " You are too good: I 
 am sorry you should have had so much
 
 AND COXFIDENCE. 81 
 
 trouble.'^ " Ob, tbe trouble certainly of 
 doing any thing for you and your friend 
 must be insupportable; terrible as it was, 
 however, if you will do me the favour of 
 wearing this simple bonnet I shall think 
 it overpaid : there is also a little parcel 
 for Mrs. Ross : and some books for our 
 good friend Mr. Ross : nor have 1 forgot- 
 ten mv first and truiv valued friend your 
 father : his little remembrance I shall take 
 the liberty oF sending here; but shall I 
 order the box with the other things to 
 Mr. Ross's or here?'* " Mrs. Ross and 
 Joanna are going to pass this afternoon 
 with me." said Ellen; " if you will 
 therefore persist in taking so much 
 trouble^ we will examine our presents, 
 which are, I dare say, very elegant." 
 *' 1 thank you a thousand times for not 
 reproving my presumption in fancying I 
 could chuse a hat for you. I will send 
 th^ box presently, and when the contents 
 have been looked at, may 1 join your lit- 
 tle party and walk with you ?*' '* Cer- 
 E 6
 
 89 MYSTERY. 
 
 tainly ; we shall be glad of your com- 
 pany." Mordaunt soon after wont away, 
 though Powis, who came in, and geemed 
 heartily glad to see him, pressed him to 
 partake their homely fare at dinner, but 
 promising to come again in the afternoon, 
 Mordaunt declined staying then. Powis 
 was haunted by no fears on his daughter's 
 account: his open hospitable temper made 
 him always ready to receive the stranger, 
 and he saw not far enou2:h into the human 
 heart to suspect that one so eminently 
 gifted by nature and improved by art, as 
 Mordaunt was, must have some para- 
 mount inducement to fix himself for two 
 or three months amongst the woods of 
 Llanwyllan. Honest, simple, and cre- 
 dulous, he implicitly believed what Mor- 
 daunt had told him respecting his health, 
 and the delight he took in the wild sce- 
 nery around the village; and pleased with 
 his company, would willingly have had 
 him. a constant inmate of his house; yet 
 he doated on, and highly appreciated El- 
 len ; but he fancied that Charles iloss
 
 .\yD CONFIDENCE. 83 
 
 had gained l:er affections, and looked for- 
 ward to luT marriage with him as a thing 
 determined on. Ellen felt a little awk- 
 ward on the subject of the bonnet, for she 
 had never mentioned to Mrs. Ross or 
 Joanna that Mordaunt had spent two or 
 three hours at the Farm the night before 
 he left Llanwyllan ; as to the straw hat, it 
 was, in reality, not injured, although he 
 chose to fancy it was spoilt by way of 
 excuse for ordering another; she, there- 
 fore, did not like to mention the circum- 
 stance at ail, dreading Mrs. Ross's sharp 
 questions and Joanna's looks ; in fact, she 
 did not wish to mention the intended 
 presents, and half resolved to appear sur- 
 prized when the box arrived: this, how- 
 ever, her natural dislike to deceit deterred 
 her from attempting, though Joanna's 
 late conduct had taught her a reserve she 
 never before had felt towards her. The 
 moment dinner was over Ellen went to 
 her chamber, where she took unusual paing 
 in dressing herself as nicely as her very
 
 84 MYSTERY 
 
 moderate wardrobe would allow ; a neat 
 plain white gown or two being the extent 
 of her finery. Mrs. Ross would seldom 
 allow Ellen or Joanna to wear any thing 
 better than a grey stuff, or small printed 
 calico, yet in spite of her expected re- 
 buke^ the very best white gown was this 
 afternoon put on ; her hair was nicely 
 and delicately arranged under a cap 
 smaller than those she usually wore ; for 
 going without a cap or hat, was, in Mrs. 
 Ross's idea, quite bold and improper. 
 Neither Joanna nor Ellen had ever seen 
 a feather or artificial flower, except 
 once, when mere children, Powis had 
 taken them for a few days to Car- 
 narvon, where a few were exhibited; 
 but as to wearing any, they would as 
 soon have thought of putting on dia- 
 monds, so different were their simple 
 ideas from those of the very fine ladies 
 we now see every day walking or riding 
 to market, with their ear-rings and neck- 
 laces, fine iace frills, green veils, au pa-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 85 
 
 rasols : expect them soon with foot-boys 
 at their heels. Yet Povvis could have 
 given his daughter a thousand pounds ; 
 and Ross, though not rich, was ui a sta- 
 tion of life which might have entitled 
 Joanna to expect some little indulgences, 
 of which, however, she never even 
 thought. Two or three small bows of 
 pale pink ribbon were the only ornament 
 of Ellen's caps, and her slender waist 
 was surrounded by a short sash of the 
 same colour ; a bouquet ol late roses and 
 jessamine was placed in her bosom ; and 
 the gentle agitation of her spirits ani- 
 mated her eyes and compkxion : she 
 looked exquisitely lovely ; so fresh— -so 
 new— so bright — the poet might have 
 said of her — ' she looked like Nature in 
 the world's first spring.^' She had just 
 completed her nosegay, when iMrs. Ross 
 and Joanna arrived; the former with a 
 new assortment of work prepared for 
 Ellen's completion, who sighed when she 
 saw the quantity to be executed.
 
 86 MYSTERY 
 
 *' Bless me, Ellen/' said Mrs. Ross; 
 "why you are dressed up as fiiie as a 
 lady; one would think you were going 
 to a wedding or a christening. ~l hope 
 you have not invited Mrs. Price and \]rs. 
 Howel to-day," (the wives of two 
 neighbouring farmers, who drank tea 
 once or twice a year with Ellen and the 
 Ross's) " for 1 am come in my old gown, 
 and Joanna in her every-day Cotton: 
 why, child, are you dressed so much ?'* 
 " I don't know, ma*am: I thought my co- 
 loured gown was dirty, and the day was 
 so iine and warm, I thought this would 
 be cooler." " Umph," said Mrs. Ross, 
 lookiu!^- at her with eyes sharpened by 
 cnvios ty, and then nodding at Joanna, 
 as much as to say you see I was right, 
 she ("lew up her head and w^as silent a 
 no .J'v^nt ; then, by her next question, 
 shewmg the turn her thoughts had taken^ 
 she said : " Has Mr. !Jordaunt been 
 here?*' " Yes, ma'am," said poor El- 
 len, blushing like crimson. " Umph/'
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. ST 
 
 asfain said Mrs. Ross, and ao^ain she nod- 
 ded at Joanna. Joanna, looking slily at 
 Ellen, added, w hile she could hardly re- 
 frain from lauohinc( — " And his wife ?" 
 *' No/^ said Ellen, looking up at Joanna, 
 and smiling, for she could not help being 
 diverted at the oddity of her tone and 
 look. Just at this moment in came the 
 maid with a small parcel and a large bon- 
 net-box, which, she said, a boy had 
 brou2rht from Dame Grev^s. " God bless 
 my heart,"' said Mrs. Ross, '' why that 
 is the very box I saw at Mr. Mordaunt's, 
 and which made me fancy he was mar- 
 ried.'* Ellen explained as well as she 
 could, but certainly not very clearly, 
 what the contents were ; and Joanna was 
 so diverted with the absurdity of the re- 
 port raised by such a trifle, that she burst 
 into a loud and ircontioulable fit of 
 laughing, in which Ellen heartily joined; 
 and though Mrs. Ross scclded, and was 
 quite angry that they would net cease 
 laughing and open the box, they laughed
 
 88 MYSTERY 
 
 on, when the door opened, and in came 
 Mordaunt. He supposed the box had 
 been received and opened an hour before, 
 not knowing- his messenger had stopped 
 to play by the way, and was quite asto- 
 nished to see them gathered round it, 
 the two girls laughing, and Mrs, Ross 
 half scolding and half laughing too. He 
 was hastily retreating; but his presence 
 operated like an electric shock on the 
 whole party. Ellen was half ashamed ; 
 and Mrs. Ross and Joanna, who always 
 felt a degree of awe from the dignity of 
 his manner, were afraid he would be of- 
 fended : the former endeavoured to ex- 
 plain the cause of their mirth ; and Mor- 
 daunt no sooner heard what had given 
 rise to the report which had so much 
 perplexed him, than — " Albeit unused 
 to the laughing mood," he could not 
 keep his countenance. The explanation, 
 however, v/as not unpleasant to him, for 
 he had been quite at a loss to guess how 
 any report of him, whether true or false,
 
 AND COKFIDENCE. S9 
 
 could have reached Llanwyllan. The 
 box was now opened, a ceremony at 
 which Mordaunt would wiUinsflv not 
 have been present, though he certainly 
 wished to see whether the hat was be- 
 coming to Ellen. 
 
 Both hats were of straw, equally fine; 
 but that intended for Ellen had an ele- 
 gant simplicity in the form, which seem- 
 ed made on purpose for her. At the bot- 
 tom of the box was found a parcel, di- 
 rected for Mrs. lloss, which contained a 
 handsome dark sarsnet for a gown, with 
 which the good lady was so delighted, 
 that she quite overwhelmed Mordaunt 
 with thanks and compliments, to which 
 he put a stop by requesting to see the 
 bonnets on their respective owners. 
 
 *' I am not dressed fit to wear such a 
 bonnet," said Joanna, glancing her eyes 
 on Ellen; "but—'' '' Aye," said Mrs. 
 Ross, " very true : I believe you knew 
 your bonnet was trimmed with pale pink, 
 Ellen, and put on those ribbons on pur-
 
 90 MYSTERY 
 
 pose to match it." ••' No, indeed,'* said 
 Eileii., half hurt at the suggestion. Mor- 
 daunt saw with what unusual care she 
 was adorred, and could not iielp being 
 pleased at it. lie was himself drest with 
 particular ncety, and was really as hand- 
 some and fine a figure as Ellen was beau- 
 tiful. The bonnets were tried on, and 
 hi^^hly approved. Ellen, indeed, was, if 
 possible, improved by her's. The parcel 
 for Powis contained some handsome ar» 
 tides oi plate likely to be useful to him ; 
 and Mr, Ross's books, which were sent 
 to the Parsonage, cosisisted of Eschyhis, 
 Euripides, and Sophocles, uniformly and 
 elegantly bounds and of superior editK)ns, 
 Thus the taste of all parties seemed to 
 have been consulted, and every one of 
 course was pleased with the kind atten- 
 tion.
 
 AND COXriDE^CK. 91 
 
 CHAP. YI. 
 
 To mo be Nature's volume bro id dlsplay'il ; 
 And to peruse its all instructing page. 
 Or haply catching inspiration thence, 
 Some easy paj«^agc raptured to transbte, 
 My sole delight. 
 
 She lov'd : but such her guileless passion was. 
 As in the dawn of time, inforjn'd the heart 
 Of innocence and undissembling truth. 
 
 Thomson's Seasons. 
 
 From this tiine Mordaunt's visits at 
 Llanwvllan Farm were constant, and io 
 spite of Mrs. Ptoss's expected repreheii- 
 sion, Ellen, though alvvaNs gentle, hum- 
 ble, ar,d submissive, certainly did not 
 execute all the needlework planned 
 for her to do ; and, worse than that, 
 Farmer HoweFs wife declared she had 
 not above half the usual number of 
 chickens to carry to market for Ellen 
 Powis that she used to have; and
 
 9^8 MYSTERY 
 
 Mrs. Ross requesting to taste the 
 currant wine^ made under her own 
 direction, found that it had latterly 
 been managed so ill, that it would al] 
 become vinegar. This was a grievous 
 fault, and grievously did Ellen answer 
 it, for loud and sharp were Mrs. Ross's 
 animadversions; and repeatedly did 
 she remind Joanna that she had pro- 
 phesied all this. Joanna walked some- 
 times with Ellen, and of course with 
 Mordaunt, for they seemed inseparable, 
 but found their conversation frequently 
 turning on things beyond her compre- 
 hension, or interrupted by short dia- 
 logues, carried on in a low voice, to 
 which her presence seemed an inter- 
 ruption; yet no one could say Mordaunt 
 ever directed himself but with the most 
 entire respect towards Ellen, and polite- 
 ness towards Joanna. Amongst other 
 wonders which Mordaunt shewed to El- 
 len, such as beautiful drawings, trinkets 
 for gentlemen, &c. and which were to
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 93 
 
 her entirely new, was one which ex- 
 cited in her, not only admiration, but 
 delight. This was his own miniature 
 picture, beautifully painted, and a 
 striking likeness. Ellen had literally 
 never seen a portrait, except some old 
 faded family pictures, which hung in 
 the hall and staircase of her father's 
 house, and represented some of the 
 former proprietors; but these dull mi- 
 serable daubs hardly conveyed to her 
 an idea of the delightful art of portrait 
 painting; and when she saw this speak- 
 insr and eleo-ant resemblance of her 
 fascinating friend, she was so enchanted 
 and enraptured^ that Mordaunt, con- 
 trary to his first intention, requested 
 her to keep it; and she, ignorant of its 
 value^ or the construction the world 
 would have put on her accepting the 
 picture of a gentleman, as readily 
 received it as she had done two or 
 three books and drawings he had given 
 her ; b:]t different were the sensations
 
 94 mystery] 
 
 with which she looked at this, to her^ 
 most desirable gift: it was the compa- 
 nion of her solitary hours, and, when 
 not actually before her eyes, was ever 
 present to her imagination : and when 
 Mordaunt was absent, his picture was 
 laid by her side; yet a sort of intuitive 
 feeling made her snatch it up, and 
 conceal it when any one approached. 
 It is obvious how greatly this indul- 
 gence must have increased those sen- 
 timents of tenderness which now so irre- 
 sistibly assailed her young and innocent 
 heart. As the autumn advanced, and 
 the evenings grew longer, Joanna and 
 Ellen were still left less together. Mor- 
 daunt was understood to be continually 
 at the Farm ; and even the unobserv- 
 ing farmers' wives began to construe 
 his attentions into love, and to con- 
 clude the match between hira and 
 Ellen Powis determined on. A slight 
 cold gave Ellen a reason, or rather an 
 excuse, for staying at home, when at
 
 AND CONFIDEKCE. 5;5 
 
 the end of a week Mrs. Ross determined 
 to go herself to the Farm and see how 
 Ellen's work went on. In the road 
 she met Povvis, and asking if his daugh- 
 ter were at home, he said, "Yes," and 
 added, " I doii't think she is well; -she 
 has a cold, and looks pale. How^ is it 
 you and »Jnanna have not been to see 
 her these two days?" " Nay," said 
 Airs. Ross, " 1 have not seen her for 
 nearly a week. Joanna called the other 
 day, but I fancy Ellen is better engaged 
 than to want our company." *^* How 
 do you mean/* said Powis, looking sur- 
 prized, " why is not Mr. Mordaunt with 
 her every day?'* '' Why yes, I believe 
 so—part of evcrv dav — but vvliat need 
 that hinder your coming ? He says ^he is 
 a clever girl, ai^d she is so anxious to 
 learn what he calls geography, or some- 
 thing like it, that they spend a good 
 deal of their time at their books and 
 such lik^, and 1 can't but say 1 relish my 
 ae-wspa|>er twice as well now Mr. Mor-
 
 96 MYSTERY 
 
 t/aunt and Ellen sometimes shew me 
 whereabouts the armies are, and have 
 made me understand whereabouts 
 France, and Spain, and England, and 
 so on are, upon the great maps he has 
 brought to our house." 
 
 " 'Tis all very well, neighbour Powis, 
 all very well, if you like it : I hope you 
 will have no reason to repent it; but I 
 am afraid, when your shirts and stockings 
 want mending, you will not like these 
 new-fangled ways quite so well." " Why, 
 to be sure, if Ellen neglects her business, 
 that won't do at all; but I assure you 
 she is very industrious, and tells me she 
 rises an hour the earlier every morning, 
 to get through her work, and have time 
 to attend to her books.'' " Well, neigh- 
 bour, as long as you are satisfied, I do not 
 wish to make mischief; but certainly 
 Mr. Ross never approved of her or Jo- 
 anna's learning such things; if he had, 
 he could have instructed them^ at'leastas 
 well as Mr. Mordaunt." *' Very true ; I
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. ^7 
 
 did not think of that — well^ we will talk 
 to Ellen about it ; you will find her at 
 home ; I left her busy at work : do speak 
 your mind to her a little; I shall be 
 guided by you and Mr. Ross in all things, 
 seeing you understand such matters bet* 
 ter than I do.'* They then parted, and 
 Mrs. Ross a few minutes after arrived at 
 the Farm ; and on walking into the usual 
 sitting- room, instead of finding Ellen at 
 work, she found her surrounded with 
 books and maps, and Mordaunt seated 
 by her side, one arm rested on the back 
 of her chair, while the other was engaged 
 in tracing with the end of his pencil some 
 lines on the map on which Ellen was 
 looking: she was too intently engaged to 
 observe Airs. Ross's entrance, who stood 
 suspended a moment, while she heard 
 Mordaunt say, *^ And here, Ellen, here 
 is Northampton — this is the road to Au- 
 
 byn Castle; and just here -'^ '« What 
 
 here?** said Ellen, eagerly placing her 
 iinger on the spot she supposed to be that 
 
 VOL. I. y
 
 98 MYSTERY 
 
 on which Mordaunt's habitation stood. 
 *• Is it here your house stands ?" " Very 
 near that precise spot/* repHed Mordaunt, 
 drawing her hand gently away, and re- 
 taining it in his own, while his expres- 
 sive eyes were fixed on her face : *' very 
 near it is my residence; but it is so far 
 from Llanwyllan, that I begin to detest 
 it, and to dread the thoughts of returning 
 to it. — But what am 1 doing?** said he, 
 with a deep sigh : " Oh, Ellen, I dare 
 not tell you all my thoughts!** Ellen 
 blushed, sighed, withdrew her hand, and 
 accidentally glancing her eyes upwards, 
 saw Mrs. Ross standing in the door-way, 
 with astonishment, anger, and vexation, 
 painted on her countenance. Ellen 
 started, half screamed, and rose so has- 
 tily, she almost overset the table before 
 her. " Bless me, Ma'am,** she exclaim- 
 ed, "I did not see you — 1 didnot know — *' 
 '' No, I dare say not. Miss Ellen ; you 
 were a great deal too much engaged to 
 see or think of me: your servant, Sir. I
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 99 
 
 beg I may not keep you standing ; at 
 least /shall sit down, for /am not going 
 yet/' 
 
 This gentle hint was intended to tell 
 Mordaunt that she meant to outstay him ; 
 but she looked at Ellen with '' eyes so 
 full of anger,'* and Ellen turned so pale, 
 and looked so alarmed, that Mordaunt 
 thought he would at least give Mrs. Ross 
 time to cool a little, before he left them 
 together. Ellen began, in much confu- 
 sion, to gather the books and maps toge- 
 ther. " I am sorry to disturb you, but I 
 did not expect," said Mrs. Ross, " to 
 find you engaged in this manner, at this 
 time of day, whatever you might chuse 
 to do in an evening, I met your father, 
 and he told me you were busy at work, or 
 in the dairy : but,^' added she, in a low 
 voice, " those things are not thought of 
 now.** " Indeed, Ma'am,'* said Ellen, 
 blushing, while the tears started in her 
 eyes, at being so lectured before Mor- 
 daunt, " indeed, I had just finished what 
 w9
 
 100 MYSTERY 
 
 I had to do in the dairy to-day, and had 
 begun the work you desired me to do, 
 when Mr. Morc'aunt accidentally came 
 in, and the maps we had been looking at 
 last night lying in the window, he was 
 just shewing me — '* " Oh, it is all mighty 
 well," interrupted Mrs. Ross ; " I have 
 no authority to interfere, I am sure, and 
 do not wish to be impertinent. Pra}^ 
 Sir," added she, turning to Mordaunt, 
 *' do you sfat/ much longer at LlanwyU 
 Ian?'' " So,'' thought Mordaunt, *« my 
 turn is coming next. I hope. Madam,*' 
 added he, smiling, '* I shall not stay long 
 enough to tire my friends.*' *' Oh, I dare 
 say not, Sir ; I dare say you are pretty 
 sure of that J' This coarse and cruel hint 
 covered Ellen with the deepest crimson ; 
 and Mordaunt, while his face was scar- 
 let, and his eyes sparkled with an indig- 
 nation he with difficulty repressed, said, 
 in a lofty tone, '^ I have not, at least, 
 Madam, been accustomed to incur such 
 9 misfortune, and therefore fletter myself
 
 AND CONFIDENeE. 101 
 
 I have now done nothing to deserve it/' 
 He rose with dignity, and approaching 
 Ellen, who sat almost motionless, he took 
 her trembling hand, bowed respectfully 
 upon it, and said, '* I shall do myself the 
 honour of attending your father and your- 
 self, Miss Powis, in the evening." Then 
 slightly bowing to Mrs. Ross, he depart- 
 ed. '* Good lack, good lack,*' said Mrs. 
 Ross, who, awed by his manner, had been 
 silent a moment, " what a dainty speech 1 
 The honour of attending Miss Powis! 
 well, what will this world come to! 
 Why, Ellen, child, you are spoilt for a 
 farmer's wife, and wnll soon begin to 
 fancy yourself a lady indeed.'* Ellen, 
 ivhose spirits were now totally subdued, 
 wept bitterly, and said, *' I am sure. Ma- 
 dam, I do not know how 1 have deserved 
 to be treated thus." 
 
 Softened by her distress, for with all her 
 
 sharpness, Mrs. Ross loved Ellen, and 
 
 really had her welfare at heart, she began 
 
 to relent, and said more softly, ** Why 
 
 F 3
 
 I€ff MYSTERY 
 
 BOW, Ellen, child, hear me. Do you 
 think it is right or creditable for a young 
 girl like you to be constantly receiving 
 the visits of such a man as Mr. ISIor- 
 daunt ? Tell me, Ellen, w\\\ he make 
 you his wife?'* 
 
 This was a question Ellen had never 
 dared to ask herself. In the beautiful 
 language of Shakespeare, wh\ch Mor- 
 daunt had lately given her, and with 
 which she was so enchanted, she often 
 allowed herself only three hours sleep in 
 a night, that she might find time to read^ 
 jihehad often repeated to herself—- 
 
 ■ It were aU one, 
 
 That I should love a bright particular star^ 
 And think to wed it : he is so above me ; 
 la his bright radiance, and collateral light 
 Must I be comforted, not in his sphere." 
 
 This question from Mrs. Ross, there- 
 fore, struck her heart with a pang of 
 unutterable anguish, and she felt almost 
 tlying, while she owned, that so far from 
 offering her his hand, Mordaunt had
 
 "and confidence. 105 
 
 never spoken one word of love to her. 
 Mrs* Ross, however, was rather pleased 
 at the latter part of this confession, for 
 she began to fear worse for the innocent 
 and guileless Ellen than the capture of 
 her heart; that, sh*^ had no doubt, mizht 
 soon be retrieved when Mordaunt quitted 
 the country, and Ellen could have no 
 farther acquaintance with him ; but she 
 had begun to fear that his views were 
 such as might involve Ellen in infamy, as 
 well as misfortune : these fears, however, 
 she had feeling enough to conceal from 
 their object, and only dwelt upon the 
 trouble she was preparing for herself, by 
 giving so much of her time and regard to 
 a man who, it evidently appeared, had 
 no thoughts of her. In vain did Ellen 
 murmur the word " Friendship,*' and 
 faintly protest neither Mordaunt nor her- 
 self had the least idea of any thing beyond. 
 Mrs. Ross, though her knowledge of the 
 world was not extensive, knew enough 
 to be convinced of the fallacy of suchpre- 
 F 4
 
 104 MYSTfeRT 
 
 tensions, and she ceased not till she dr^w 
 from the dejected Ellen a promise to see 
 less of Mordaunt, and to regain, as speed- 
 ily as possible, her former mode of life* 
 " And let me, Ellen, also, see you look- 
 ing blooming and merry again,'' said she. 
 ^* I wish, with all my heart, this man had 
 never found his way to Llanwyllan : you 
 used to be active, industrious, and hap- 
 py ; not a care to distress you, not a 
 trouble to take away your colour; but 
 now Charles would not know you again." 
 ** Chtrles!" thought Ellen, while a strange 
 feeling, not unmingled with indignant 
 comparison, swelled her heart, and gave 
 a transient colour to her cheek. " What 
 is Charles to me? Why am I always to 
 be teased about him ? They will teach me 
 to hate, instead of loving him." *' Well, 
 Ellen, may I suppose you will take my 
 advice?" '* Certainly, Ma'am/* said 
 Ellen, with a deep sigh ; *' but," added 
 she, hesitating, " jou know. Ma'am, Mr. 
 Mordaunt said he would be here this
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 105 
 
 evening. You would not wish me— it 
 would look very particular, very rude/' 
 '' Nevermind that. Come, you say you 
 have done all you had to do in the dairy, 
 80 put on your hat, take 3^our work, and 
 come and dine with us like a good girl, 
 as you used to be ; you can leave word 
 you were obliged to go ou t, and the sooner 
 you let him see you are determined to 
 avoid him the better.'^ Ellen dared 
 not refuse ; she hesitated some excuse 
 about her father's dining alone, which 
 Mrs. Ross obviated by saying he would 
 only run home, and take his dinner, and 
 out again, and would not want her. Wait- 
 ing, therefore, while poor Ellen put on 
 her hat, and bathed her eyes, she dragged 
 her away with her, and kept her all day at 
 the Parsonage. Nay, under pretence of 
 finishing their work, she would not suffer 
 either Ellen or Joanna to stir out, though 
 the weather was beautiful. Late in the 
 evening Mr. Ross came in ; he spoke 
 with such particular kindness^ and in so 
 F 6
 
 106 MYSTERY 
 
 soothing a tone to Ellen, that the tears, 
 which she had with difficulty restrained 
 all day, ran down her cheeks, and she 
 hastily rose, under pretence of looking 
 at the moon, and went to the open win- 
 dow : there leaning her head over the 
 window-seat, into which the jasmine 
 crept, she hoped the torrents of tears she 
 was shedding might fall unobserved ; but 
 the good Iloss, who had followed her, and 
 now stood at a small distance from her, 
 perceived, by her air and action, that she 
 was weeping, though no one else noticed 
 it; for Ellen's was 
 
 ** Mute, silent sorrow, free from female noise, 
 Such as the majesty of grief destroys." 
 
 He was distressed to see her sorrow, 
 and gently approaching, he took her hand'^ 
 (while she, half starting, turned her head 
 aside) and said, " My dear Ellen, I la- 
 ment to see you so dejected ; assure your- 
 self, we love you as our own child, and 
 would in all things consult your happi- 
 ness. But reflect, my dear, on the change
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 107 
 
 a few short weeks have produced : this 
 man, this Mordaunt ; nay, blush not, 
 Ellen ; for who can doubt it is on his ac- 
 count you weep^ — 1 own him elegant in 
 person, polished in manners, 
 
 *' Complete in person and in mind, 
 
 With all good grace to grace a gentleman !" 
 
 " But what has he been to you? A 
 friend ! No, Ellen ; he found you cheer- 
 ful, contented with your lot, and happily 
 engaged in the active duties of your sta- 
 tion. What has he done for you? He 
 has inspired you with views above the 
 state where Providence has placed you. 
 He has made your former useful occupa- 
 tions, your former simple friends, insipid 
 to you ; he has sought to give a degree of 
 refinement to your taste, of delicacy to 
 your sentiments, of which I well know 
 nature has made you fully capable; but 
 unless he means to transplant you to a 
 soil where these flowers may flourish, 
 believe me, Ellen, he has done you no 
 kindness. He has only prepared for you
 
 lOS MYSTERY 
 
 years of anguish, of vain regret, of use- 
 less discontent, which will for ever des- 
 troy not only the glow upon 37our cheek, 
 but the spring and elasticity of your 
 mind. I will not ask you what are his 
 professions ; I will only suppose, that if 
 they are serious, your father and your 
 friends would not be strangers to thena/' 
 
 Here Ellen sunk into a chair, and sob- 
 bed aloud. Mrs. Ros« and Joanna, 
 seeing that Ross was talking to her, had 
 stolen out of the room. " It grieves me 
 to distress you, my dear girl,'* said the 
 benevolent Ross, and his gentle voice be- 
 came tremulous ; '' but, Ellen, let my ex- 
 perience benefit you. There are charac- 
 ters in the world of which your innocent 
 nature can form no idea. 1 will not of- 
 fend your delicacy, nor indeed my ovvn 
 belief, by supposing, for an instant, that 
 Mordaunt is one of those villains who 
 seek the seduction of innocence." 
 
 Here Kllen started from her chair, her 
 clasped hands, glowing cheeks^ and throb-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 109 
 
 bing bosom, bespeaking an indignant agi- 
 tation, which would not be controiiled. 
 Ross gently reseating her, said, *' Ellen, 
 I wrong not you ; I wrong not him, so 
 much as to imagine such a possibility; 
 but there are men, who, though they 
 lead not so decidedly to guilt, yet lead as 
 certainly to misery acute as aught but 
 guilt can mahe it: and that only for the 
 gratification of a mean and sordid vanity, 
 inconceivable by such as have not wit- 
 nessed its effects. I had once a sister, 
 Ellen, fair almost as yourself, as gentle, 
 and as virtuous ; possessed of a sensibi- 
 lity that was at once her grace and her 
 misfortune. In early life, it fortuned 
 that she met with one of those practised 
 deceivers, uho united talents the most 
 superior to manners the most enchanting. 
 By a long series of quiet and silent atten- 
 tions, by studying her tastes, devoting 
 his time to her, he, without ever address- 
 ing to her a word of love, led her, and 
 dl who knew her, to believe he was hejr
 
 no MY&TERY 
 
 lover, and would be her husband. At 
 last she was told that such was his usual 
 practice, when he met with any woman 
 who was superior to those around her; 
 but she felt indignant at the accusation, 
 and would not believe it till that belief 
 was forced upon her, by seeing him going 
 over the same ground with another. 
 ' She pined in thought ;' and a hectic 
 complaint, to which she was subject, 
 gained fast upon her, A mutual friend 
 came to an explanation with him, while 
 the mean wretch declared he had never 
 made any profession to her, and never 
 even thought of marrying her ; but that 
 the world would talk, and he wondered 
 she did not despise it, as he did. A few 
 months terminated the existence of the 
 injured creature. Sweet Emily! thy 
 geiitle spirit fled to those regions where 
 no deceit could further betray thee. The 
 wretch at last met his fate in a duel with 
 the brother of one whom he had sought 
 to mislead, as he had done the unfortu-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. Ill 
 
 nate Emily." Ross's voice here failed, 
 and both were silent. '* Assure your- 
 self, Ellen," at length resumed Ross, *' I 
 was not blind to your talents, and your 
 love of knowledge; and many have been 
 my struggles against the strong inclina- 
 tion I felt to become your instructor. My 
 own children had not, I easily saw, such 
 minds as your's, and I longed to cultivate 
 your vigorous understanding. I resisted, 
 though the temptation was aided by the 
 wish I felt to secure to myself a future 
 companion and assistant in the studies I 
 best loved. Why, Ellen, did I resist? 
 What was the powerful motive which 
 prevented my yielding to such united in- 
 ducements? It was a wish to secure your 
 welfare and your happiness, which I 
 thought would be most certainly effecN 
 ed by limiting your acquirements to 
 something like an equality with those 
 amongst whom you seemed fated to live. 
 I may have erred in judgment; and 
 since the bent of your inclination so de- 
 terminately points towards the acquisi-
 
 U9 MYSTERY 
 
 tion of knowledge, I am willing to sup- 
 pose that I have done so, 1 will then, 
 Ellen, be your tutor: we will, with 
 Mrs. Ross's assistance, so arrange your 
 hours, that your new employments shall 
 not interfere with your domestic duties; 
 and let me hope, my dear, that the same 
 strength of mind, which so eagerly leads 
 you to literary pursuits, will be mani- 
 fested in conquering any sentiment too 
 tender for your peace, which may have 
 been excited by one, who, I fear, has 
 merely had in view his own gratification. 
 Should I v^Tong him — should he here- 
 after prove that he feels a sincere affection 
 for you, and seeks your happiness, great 
 will be my joy: no selfish or personal 
 consideration shall infliuence my wishes 
 on this subject. I had hoped that Charles 
 might have been happy with the object 
 of his first affections ; but that I see is 
 not at present likely : fear, therefore, no 
 persecution on that subject, either from 
 me, or his mother and sister,*' 
 
 Ross was silent; and Ellen, who ha<}
 
 AND CONFIDEKCE, 113 
 
 hitherto rfemained so from the mingled 
 feelings of pride, regret, and tenderness, 
 which swelled her heart, now fearing to 
 seem sullen, faintly articulated, " You 
 are very good and kind : I will be all I 
 can—all, if possible, you wish me to be.*' 
 RosSj seeing the variety of emotions 
 she had that day undergone had quite 
 exhausted her, advised her to retire to 
 bed, saying she had better sleep there, 
 and in the morning they would talk a 
 little further on her future plans. Ellen, 
 however unwillingly, how much soever 
 her rebellious heart longed to return 
 home, in the hope of seeing Mordaunt 
 if but for a minute, yet felt that Ross 
 had acted so kindly and so wisely, that 
 his reasoning was so founded on truth, 
 that she determined " in all her best to 
 obey him." She retired therefore to the 
 chamber she and Joanna had so often 
 occupied, when no care disturbed their 
 repose, when *' sleep sat upon her eyes, 
 peace in her breast." But ah ! how
 
 114 MYSTERY 
 
 changed ! Exhausted, wan, and spirit- 
 less ; her eyes heavy with weeping; her 
 heart agitated with a thousand contend- 
 ing reflections, Ellen long vainly sought 
 repose. Joanna was unusually kind and 
 affectionate — she said little; and all she 
 said was tender and endearing. Ellen 
 felt truly grateful for this goodness, and 
 found her Jove for her early friend revive, 
 now the roughness which abated it was 
 once more laid aside. At length, tho- 
 roughly wearied with the occurrences of 
 the day, *' tired Nature's kind restorer- 
 balmy sleep,^' came to her aid, *' and 
 steeped her senses in forgetfulness."
 
 A>D CONFIDENCE. 113 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Grief was heavy at her heart, 
 
 And tears began to flow ! 
 Soft as the diew from heaven descends. 
 
 His gentle accents fell. 
 
 Goldsmith's Hermit. 
 
 In the morning Mrs. Ross and Joanna 
 left Mr. Ross, and Ellen together for a 
 few minutes : he drew his chair close to 
 her's, and said, " Do not think, Ellen, 
 I wish to tease or distress you ; but tell 
 me, will it not be better that you remain 
 our guest for the present ? You cannot, 
 when left alone at Llanwyllan, refuse to 
 admit ]\Ir. Mordaunt without a particu- 
 larity which it is on all accounts better to 
 avoid : but here, even if he comes, you 
 may see him with propriety; and when 
 he finds no opportunity of entertaining 
 you alone, he will probably cease to vi- 
 sit us, and perhaps leave Llanwyllan al-
 
 Il6 MYSTERY 
 
 together/' His mild expressive eye» 
 glanced over Ellen's countenance: he 
 saw her shrink and tremble at the painful 
 idea he had excited ; and while her every 
 feature expressed the most exquisite an- 
 guish, the good man gently sighed, and 
 removing his eyes from her face, endea- 
 voured to conceal his knowledge of her 
 distress. As he seemed to wait her an- 
 swer, Ellen made a strong effort, and 
 said, " The plan you propose. Sir, is 
 undoubtedly the best: if you will be 
 troubled with me, I will remain as long 
 as you please." This matter settled, Ross 
 undertook to reconcile Powis to spare 
 Ellen for a short time ; and reading her 
 apprehensions in her countenance, said 
 softly, ** Fear not: I will give him suffi- 
 cient reasons, without exciting his dis-* 
 pleasure, or even his suspicion of our 
 real motive,** Ross accordingly went to 
 the Farm, and meeting with Fo\vis in one 
 of the fields near the house, he told him 
 that Ellen was not quite well, though
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 117 
 
 better than she had been the night be- 
 fore, and therefore his wife wished to 
 detain her a few days at the Parsonage to 
 remove her coid^ and would herself visit 
 the Farm for an hour or two, to settle the 
 concerns of the dairy, poultry-yard^ &c. 
 &c. and that they should be very giad to 
 see him in the evening, or at any of tlieir 
 meals, when he could make it conve- 
 nient. These little arrangements between 
 the two families had till very lately been 
 so frequent, that Powis felt not the least 
 surprize, though he owned he was sorry 
 EHen had not come home the night be- 
 fore, as Mr. Mordaunt had seemed rather 
 hurt about it ; "And he has been so very 
 civil and kind, you know, neighbour 
 Ross, that one would not wish to affront 
 him.'* So perfectly unsuspicious was 
 this good man, that not a thought crossed 
 his mind of the possible intention of Mor- 
 daunt's visits; and secure in Ellen's fan- 
 cied affection for Charles Ross, he never 
 dreamt of her thinking of any other man.
 
 118 MYSTERY 
 
 Ross silently acquiesced in what he said, 
 and then went into the house to deliver 
 - some directions to the servant, and which, 
 he said, Mrs. Ross should go herself in the 
 course of the day to see executed. In 
 the common sitting-room Ross found the 
 maps and books at which Mordaunt and 
 Ellen had been looking the preceding 
 day (his wife had told him the circum- 
 stances of her visit) : he was rather sur- 
 prized at the neatness and even elegance 
 of their binding, though merely what 
 might be called school-books in geogra- 
 phy and grammar, and found that the 
 maps were excellent and expensive. On 
 the window lay a beautifully bound vo- 
 lume or two of Shakespeare, Thomson's 
 Seasons, marked and underlined at the 
 description of Lavinia, Cowper's Poems, 
 and two or three others ; in all of which 
 was written^ " Ellen Powis, the gift of 
 her friend Constantine." And in two 
 or three were short passages in Italian 
 and French, written in a small hand
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 119 
 
 witli a pencil, expressive of admiration 
 and regard, and evidently applied to Ellen, 
 From one of themdropt the following 
 
 STANZAS TO THE MOON. 
 
 Oh, thou bright moon! whose beams, however fair, 
 
 So lately my sad eyes unheeding saw ; 
 Whose soothing light from its unceasing care, 
 
 My heavy soul so vainly strove to draw ; 
 I bid thee witness now, that pale despair, 
 
 Her comfortless dominion o'er my mind, 
 Reluctant yields, and hope begins to share. 
 
 The empire of my soul, with visions kind I 
 
 With softcnM feelings on thy beams I gaze. 
 
 And their mild influence stealing on my heart, 
 Enchanting visions in my bosom raise, 
 
 Sweet friendship comes her blessings to impart: 
 In Ellen's form she comes! Oh, fairest form I 
 
 Oh, sweetest voice, that from the grief-worn 
 soul 
 E'er stole its cares, e'er bade the beating storm 
 
 Of sorrow cease, and could each woe controull 
 
 Several erasures and interlineations 
 proved this to be an original, and pro- 
 bably an unfinished performance.
 
 120 MYSTERY 
 
 Ross saw in all this new reason to be 
 alarmed : he no longer wondered at the 
 progress this insinuating man had made 
 in the affections of Ellen, and most ear- 
 nestly did he wish that Mordaunt had 
 never seen her^ or had selected her for 
 his wife. Yet even in that case there 
 was something to consider: they knew 
 nothing of Mordaunt but what he had 
 told them. There was certainly some- 
 thing equivocal in the total retirement 
 of such a man from the world: he might 
 have been driven from it rather by his 
 vices than by his misfortunes: yet there 
 was in the appearance and manners of 
 Mordaunt, an uprightness, a loftiness of 
 carriage, that looked not like that of a 
 man debased and bowed down by guilt. 
 While Eoss thus meditated, Mordaunt 
 suddenly came in — his eyes sparkling, 
 and his cheeks glowing : for hearing 
 some one moving in the parlour^ and 
 having seen Powis in the fields at a dis- 
 tance, he concluded it could be no one
 
 AND COXFIDENCE, 121 
 
 but Ellen : his impatient step, extended 
 hand, and pleased countenance, at once 
 explained to Ross what his expectation 
 had been. On seeing him, Mordaunt 
 half started back, exclaiming, " I thought 
 
 • '* Then recovering himself, he again 
 
 advanced, and offering his hand to Mr. 
 Ross, said with much cordiality, " My 
 dear Sir, I am glad to see you : it is 
 sometime since we met.'* There was a 
 charm in the voice and manner of Mor-^ 
 daunt that few could withstand^ however 
 unkindly. disposed towards him. Ros , 
 who had from the first felt pleased with 
 him^ although he now on Ellen's account 
 was angry, yet could not prevail on him- 
 self to appear displeased ; yet there was 
 a coolness in lyis expression that was vi- 
 sible enough to so acute an observer as 
 Mordaunt. Whatever was his motive, 
 however, he chose not to notice it, but 
 continued to speak with frankness and 
 vivacity, inquiring for Mrs. Ross and 
 Joanna. At last, glancing his e}^s round 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 IfS MYSTERY 
 
 the room, he said, " Are you alone this 
 morning, my good Sir? IMiss Powis, I 
 learntj slept at your house hist night: I 
 hope she is not ill?'* Through all the 
 assumed composure of his look, and af- 
 fected indifTerence of his tone, Ross 
 plainly saw that Mordaunt made this 
 inquiry with real anxiety; but of the 
 true motive of that anxiety he was ex- 
 tremely doubtful. He replied somewhat 
 coldly, " Ellen is certainly not quite 
 well, and Mrs. Ross thinks her safest 
 under her own care at present,** This 
 speech, which might to a guilty con- 
 science have conveyed " more than met 
 the ear,** seemed to be literally inter- 
 preted by Mordaunt; and thrown off his 
 guard, he evinced great agitation, while 
 he exclaimed, *' Safest ! Good God ! You 
 do not surely apprehend any danger in 
 her complaints?" *' Not exactly that,*** 
 said Ross (not displeased at his warmth), 
 ^' but she has a bad cold ; and Mrs. Ross 
 has a high opinion of her own skill as a
 
 XSD CONFIDENCE. 155 
 
 Burse: we shall therefore keep ElleH 
 with us for a few davs at lenst. If she 
 should then not be better, I shall advise 
 her father to let her change the air.'* 
 
 This suggestion seemed to complete 
 the dismay of Mordaunt: he trembled, 
 and turned pale. Ross, bowing, wished 
 him *' good morning," and walked away. 
 Mordaunt, after a moment's recollection, 
 followed him hastily, and as they walked, 
 endeavoured to enter into a more general 
 conversation, apparently in the hope that 
 he was going horae^ and that by going 
 with him, he might see Ellen : but Iloss 
 was going to visit a sick parishion n- at 
 some distance, Mordaunt was therefore 
 obliged to take leave of him at the door- 
 of his own lodgings : he ventured to say, 
 as they parted, '* I shall take an early 
 opportunity of inquiring for my friends at 
 the Parsonage, ISir. Ross," In answer to 
 which Ross bowed, and said, but not very 
 cordially, he should be glad to see him. 
 *'• And must 1 bear all this I'" suid 
 G 2
 
 Ig-i MYSTERY 
 
 Mordaiint, as tliey parted: " to what 
 have I reduced myself? Yet this, and 
 more, sweet Ellen, will I bear for thee! 
 Yet to what purpose? Can I, dare I, 
 link thee to such a fate as mine may be ? 
 Yet can I leave thee, or bear to be so 
 near, and not to see thee ? To be for- 
 bidden, at least by looks forbidden to 
 approach tliee : to encounter the angry 
 glani es of a narrow-minded woman, and 
 even by her benevolent husband to be 
 received with coldness almost bordering 
 on contempt ? Yes, Ellen, I will bear it 
 all! Would to heaven they would have 
 left us to ourselves, till time— ^ti 11 the 
 full conviction of her affection — they 
 need not have feared." Thus in broken 
 sentences murmured Mordaunt, as he 
 .strode impatiently across his narrow 
 apartment, and determined nothing 
 shouhl prevent hiai from seeing Ellen, 
 and ascertaining'* whether Ross's fears for 
 her health were not merely a pretence 
 for separating them.
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 125 
 
 The whole day passed heavily with 
 Ellen, yet Mrs. Ross and Joanna were 
 unusually kind to her: no hinted doubt, 
 no implied accusation of herself and 
 Mordaunt met her ear; but her heart 
 was ill at ease, and her forced employ- 
 ments irksome. Slie longed to lie in her 
 own quiet parlour, where, if Mordaunt 
 might not come, at least she might think 
 of him without restraint. Ross returned 
 to dinner : he took no notice of Ellen's 
 dejection, nor mentioned having met 
 with Mordau:it; but told her he had 
 seen her father, who was quite satisfied 
 she should stay with them awhile, and 
 try to recover her health, and that he 
 thought it probable they should see him 
 in the evening. As the afternoon v. as 
 remarkably clear, and not too w^arm (for 
 
 the autumn was bv this time far ad- 
 
 t/ 
 
 vanced), he invited the girls to walk 
 with him, instead of resuming tlieir work, 
 to which Mrs. Ross gave her consent 
 without a murmur, only begging they 
 G 3
 
 1^6 MYSTERY 
 
 would not walk too far, as she tbouglit 
 Ellen not strong enough to bear much 
 fatigue. To this they agreed, and Ellen 
 found the calm soft air revive her. Rosj 
 led the conversation to the wonders of 
 nature: he explained in familiar terms 
 the structure of some flowers he gathered, 
 and made them admire the wisdom of 
 that Being, who had formed those blos- 
 soms so exquisitely fair. Thence he de- 
 scanted on the nature and properties of 
 j^ome rare plants, and was on all so elo- 
 quent and so instructive, ihat Ellen felc 
 her heart expand more lightly, and some 
 degree of pleasure take possession of her 
 mind. *' But ah!*' thought she, '' why 
 is not Mordaunt partaker of this sweet 
 conversation ? Why are two men, so 
 tvell fitted to gratify and delight each 
 other, thus to be estranged ? Surely, Mr. 
 Ross does not properly appreciate either 
 the qualities of Mordaunt's mind, or the 
 excellence of his heart and principles. 
 Had he heard from him the senti meats
 
 AND CONFIDENCK. 127 
 
 which have charmed me — did he knovf 
 the delicacy of his taste, and his abhor- 
 rence of ever}^ thing mean and base, he 
 could not suppose him the wretch he last 
 night described.'* Yet Ellen wis so 
 candid and unprejudiced, she could al* 
 low great reason in many of Ross's sug- 
 gestions ; and her high opinion of his 
 judgment, and the general liberality with 
 which it was exercised, filled her heart 
 with uneasy fears. 
 
 They had been a few minutes returned 
 to the -house, and were just sitting down 
 to their simple supper, when Powis 
 came in ; and hastening to meet Elkm, 
 whom he had not seen for nearly two 
 days, he tenderly kissed her. She loved 
 her father most affectionately, and had 
 met him so eagerly, that she did not for 
 the instant perceive Mordaunt, who had 
 followed him into the room, and advanced 
 towards her. She was startled ; and fear- 
 ing what reception her friends would 
 give him, she turned pale, and trembled, 
 G 4
 
 i^S MYSTERY 
 
 which her flither perceiving, said, '* ¥/hy, 
 Ellen, it is only Mr. Morclaunt: you are 
 not frightened at him, are you ? Why, 
 you have not seen hiiii these two or three 
 days, he tells me. Come, shake hands 
 with him, and tell hini you are glad to 
 see him.'* Not for worlds could Ellen 
 have articulated one word; but Mor- 
 daunt, taking advantage of her father's 
 friendly commands, took the hand she 
 could not — dared not offer ; and pressing- 
 it vehemently between his own, said in 
 a low voice, " No, Ellen, do not say 
 you are glad to see me : the formal cold- 
 ness of such an expression from you 
 would be worse to me than that averted 
 look which leads me to believe, at least 
 to fear, the sight of me is far from pleas- 
 ing to you.'* 
 
 A vivid blush spread over her coun- 
 tenance, and she suddenly lifted her 
 eyes to him with an expression of re- 
 proachful yet gentle timid affection, that 
 at once explained to him all that her
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 129' 
 
 heart was filled with. Joy, delight, and 
 an expression of the most tender love and 
 admiration, took possession of Mordaunt's 
 fine features : he seemed transfixed, and 
 stood gazing on her, still holding her 
 hand, as if he had no longer power over 
 his own actions. " Why, how you 
 stand,^' said honest Powis, laughing, 
 " staring at one another as if you had 
 never met before ! Come, neighbour 
 Ross, 1 am come to eat a bit of your 
 cold meat : i have been in the fields all 
 the evening, and made but a short din- 
 ner, Ellen not being at home. Come, 
 let us sit down, and begin supper." 
 
 Nothing could equal the awkwardness 
 of iSIordaunt's situation : he felt himself 
 an intruder^, yet could not tear himself 
 away. Ross, his wife, and Joanna, l\ad 
 indeed all spoken to him with civihty ; 
 but there was something in their manner 
 w^hich fully convinced him he was no 
 welcome guest ; and though Ellen looked 
 somewhat pale, yet he saw in her no sigoi 
 
 G 6
 
 150 MYSTERY 
 
 of such a state of health as should ninkei 
 her residence with Mrs. Ross necessary. 
 Reheved by this conviction (for he had 
 really been alarmed for her), he yet felC 
 mortified in perceiving that she was kept 
 there on purpose to avoid his visits. 
 At length, a little recovering himself, 
 he relinquished her hand, and said, 
 *' Pray let me be no interruption: I am 
 going instantly: 1 merely called to in- 
 quire how Miss Powis was this evening, 
 and am happy to find her not so ill as I 
 feared.'* He now bowed, and was re- 
 tiring, when Ross, ashamed of appearing 
 so inhosj)itable, pressed him to sittlown 
 with them ; and Joanna (pitying Ellen's 
 confusion, who was quite distressed at 
 lier father's apparent surprize at the cool- 
 ness — to him unaccountable-— of Mor- 
 daunt's reception), said with great good- 
 nature, " Here's a chair, Mr. Mordaunt; 
 and as you never eat any thing but fruit 
 at night, see what fine peaches and 
 l^rapes we have/'
 
 AND COXFIDEXCE. 131 
 
 iNlordaunt, charmed by the kind in- 
 vitation, and bv seeing^ the chair men- 
 tioned was placed between herself and 
 Ellen, could not resist the temptation: 
 he sat down, and vainly endeavoured to 
 behave as he used to do: but there was 
 a visible restraint over the whole party, 
 except Powis ; and though Ross at- 
 tempted several times to keep up some- 
 thing like conversation, it soon languish- 
 ed, and every one seemed weary and 
 uneasy— the mind of each was pre-occu- 
 pied ; and what either said, appeared to 
 be far from the thins: thev were tliinkino; 
 of. Once or twice Mordaunt spoke in a 
 low voice to Ellen ; but she, awed by 
 the presence of 2>Ir. and Mrs. Ross, an- 
 swered only in the briefest way possible, 
 and rarely lifted her eyes from the table. 
 tie asked her at last if she should be at 
 home to-morrow. She replied in the 
 negative. *' Nor the next day ?" *' I 
 believe not." "Good God! and how 
 long is this to last :" '< I do not know :
 
 132 MYSTERT 
 
 Mrs. Ross thinks I shall be better bere^ 
 for awhile." " And do you never walk ?*^ 
 *' Yes : we walked this evening with 
 Mr. Ross.'' 
 
 Mordaunt saw that every thing possible 
 was done to prevent their meetiYig, and 
 that he must come to some decision 
 speedily. Of Ellen's love, he could no 
 longer doubt : his own for her he had 
 for some time felt to be that overwhelm-* 
 ing sentiment, which must finally con- 
 quer all opposing circumstances; but 
 there were such in his fate as ought (at 
 least he thought so) to have prevented 
 him from linking her'swithit; yet he 
 had insensibly been so led on, he saw 
 there was no retreating, and determined 
 shortly to come to an explanation with 
 Ross and her father, though much he 
 wished a farther time had been allowed. 
 These reflexions^ which in spite of him- 
 self and the habit of self-command he 
 had so hardly acquired, sank him into 
 silence; and at length, Povvis, tired of
 
 1.ND CONFIDENCE. 133 
 
 the gloom and heaviness which seemed 
 hung over the whole party, so different 
 from what their little suppers used to be, 
 told them he thought they were all very 
 stupid, and he would go home and go 
 to bed. Then shaking Ross by the hand, 
 he went round the table to Ellen, kissed 
 her, and wished her good night, telling 
 her to get quite well as fast as possible, 
 for he wanted her at home. Mordaunt 
 bade them good night at the same time, 
 and went away with Powis.
 
 IS't MYSTERY 
 
 CMAF. VIII. 
 
 ^' Are then the sons of infercst only wise? 
 
 Can pomp alone essential good impart? 
 Mistaken Avorld ; ah! why thus vainly prize 
 
 Those gifts which but contract the human heart ? 
 
 *' Why only follij that fond passion call, 
 Which Heaven itself implanted in the mind; 
 
 Links each to each, and. harmonizing all, 
 Swells the rapt heart with sympathy rcfin'd." 
 
 The reflections of a long and sleepless 
 night determined Mordaunt on the line 
 of conduct he ought to pursue; and as 
 soon as he thought the early breakfast at 
 the Parsonage would be ended, he walked 
 thither, and asking fo.r Mr. Ross, was 
 shewn into the little study, which that 
 good man called exclusively his own. 
 Yet here, in the very last place where lie 
 would have expected to find her, to his 
 utter astonisinnent he saw Ellen. Ellen 
 alone— seated at a table covered with
 
 A'SD COXFIDEXCE. 135 
 
 books^ from one of Wiiich she appeared 
 learning sometiiiiig, or ratiier to have been 
 so employed, for at the moment be en- 
 tered her thoughts had wandered ; and 
 she was sitting, one fair iiand holding the 
 open book, the other covering her eyes. 
 Supposing the ])erson who entered to be 
 ^Ir. Ross, who had that day commenced 
 the office of her tutor, she looked up; 
 but seeing Mordaunt, the book fell from 
 her hand, and she vainly endeavoured to 
 rise from her seat-— a ceremony not vet 
 exploded by the unfashionable inhabi- 
 tants of Llanwyljan. Mordaunt sprang 
 eagerly forward, exclaiming^ '*■ Here El- 
 len! Good Heavens! could 1 have hoped 
 to see you here! At last then we meet 
 again/ without the irksome restraint of 
 surrounding witnesses, of almost hostile 
 eyes ! Fear not, dearest, for ever dearest 
 Ellen.'* Seeing glic looked half alarmed 
 at his unusual warmth, tor in general his 
 manner towards her was, though tender, 
 composed^—-*' fear not: never may word
 
 1 S6 MYSTERY 
 
 nor look of mine give you reasonable 
 cause of alarm or vexation. Worlds 
 would I give for one hour's uninterrupted 
 conversation with you— >but now another 
 moment may prevent my saying more. 
 Tell me then, sweetest girl, may I, will 
 you permit me to apply to Mr. Ross for 
 his interest with you, and with your fa- 
 ther, till 1 can hope that my assiduities, if 
 not my merit, may have excited in you 
 a tenderer sentiment than mere es- 
 teem?" 
 
 Bewildered— perplexed— hardly know- 
 ing or understanding what she heard; or 
 believing that Mordaunt could be in 
 earnest in what she could not but sup- 
 pose a declaration of his love, Ellen gasp- 
 ed, trembled, and half fainted in his 
 supporting arms. 
 
 At this moment Ross entered, and 
 seeing this extraordinary scene, gazed 
 with surprize, almost with dismay, upon 
 them. "' I was told,*' said he, gravely 
 advancing, '* that Mr. Mordaunt wished
 
 AN© CONIIDENCE. 137 
 
 to speak to me. What is the matters 
 Ellen ? are you ill ?" " Forgive iiiy ve- 
 henieijce, dear Ellen," said 2\Iordaunt. 
 " I have startled your tender spirits by my 
 impatience: permit me to conduct yoa 
 to your friends ; or shall Mr. Ross and I 
 retire together?'' 
 
 The particular tenderness of this ad- 
 dress, and this almost open avowal of the 
 interest he took in her, still more and 
 more surprized Ross. Ellen rose, and 
 with difficulty supporting herself, mur- 
 mured she would go to Mrs. Ross— 
 *' Do so/' said Ross ; ''• but let t/zf? assist* 
 you.— Mr. Mordaunt, be seated ; I will 
 return to you immediately .^'---Without 
 speaking more to licr, betook her arm in 
 his, and having seated her in the parlour, 
 (where fortunately Joanna was alone), he 
 lold her to compose hcrstlf, and returned 
 to a visitor whom every hour made him 
 think more perplexing and extraordinary. 
 Mordaunt extended his hand, and grasp- 
 ing Ross's within it, said, with noble
 
 13S MYSTERY 
 
 frankness, '^ You have been, my dear Sir? 
 —perhaps still are displeased with me: Lut 
 the time is come when the mysteries 
 which surround me shall be cleared away. 
 If you will grant me your attention for an 
 hour 1 will relate to you some circum- 
 stances upon which I must at present beg 
 you to be silent; but to the truth of ail 
 which I pledge myself by every assevera- 
 tion which can bind the man of principle 
 and honour.^* 
 
 They were seated, and Mordaunt re- 
 lated to Ross many events, and disclosed 
 many secrets, which we shall for the pre- 
 sent take leave to pass over. Having 
 finished the astonishing recital, he said, 
 " And now, my dear Sir, having heard 
 all 1 know of myself, and all I may here- 
 after fear, will you candidly tell me 
 whether I may hope not only for your 
 consent, but for your good wishes that I 
 may marry Ellen Pou is? May I, do you 
 think, venture to make her mine, when 
 perhaps a iew months may involve me
 
 AND CONFIDEKCE. 139 
 
 in SO much vexation if not disgrace? 
 And do you think 1 may hope such a 
 share of affection from her as will recon- 
 cile her to future events, of whatever 
 nature they may be?" — '' i see," said 
 Ross, " that mv cautious fears for her 
 peace have a little precipitated your 
 measures Jt might have been better, 
 perhaps, to let things go on quietl}^ till 
 the return of that young man you have 
 mentioned to uje from abroad might have 
 explained his future intentions : perhaps 
 his opinions may have altered during his 
 absence: be that as it m.ay, if you were 
 now to leave Llanwyllan without coming 
 to a farther explanation with Ellen, 1 fear 
 her peace would be too deeply endan. 
 gered ; for though I would scrupulously 
 guard her delicacy, and leave the declara- 
 tion of her sentiments to her own lips, 
 yet it w^ould be idle to deny my convic- 
 tion that she has seen her friend Mor^ 
 daunt with what 1 believe 1 must call 
 preference. Is not that the proper word,
 
 140 MYSTERY 
 
 think you, Sir?" He smiled, and added 
 such kind professions of regard for Mor- 
 daunt^ and expressed so much delight at 
 his truly disinterested love for Ellen, as 
 left our traveller nothing to wish from 
 him. 
 
 It was determined that not even Ellen 
 should know at present the circumstances 
 Mordaunt had revealed to Ross. " If 
 she knows them,'* said Mordaunt, " she 
 will think duty calls upon her to impart 
 at least some of theni to her father, and 
 we are sure our worthy friend Povvis 
 will mcke no secret of them • you cannot 
 doubt, Mr. Ross, how greatly it would 
 annoy i^e to have them known while we 
 remain at Llanwvlian ; when we are gone, 
 the leading circumstances will not remain 
 a secret long, for I hope for your kind in- 
 terest with Ellen and her father, that I 
 may take her with me ere long, before 
 winter has rendered travelling over your 
 * staircase roads,* as some one expresses 
 it, unpleasant, if not unsafe. I am per-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. Ul 
 
 haps presumincr too far, but I think, I 
 hope, from Ellen's gentle tremor and not 
 repugnant looks, when just now I was 
 hurried into something very like a decla- 
 ration of my love, though I came purpose- 
 ly to consult you before 1 made it, that 
 -she will not be inexorable/' " I think," 
 replied Ross, " 1 may venture to assure 
 you she will not even affect a hesitation 
 which her heart disclaims. Ellen has 
 been brought up in the most perfect 
 modesty, but at the same time in the 
 most perfect sincerity, and it is really 
 'out of her power to conceal her senti- 
 ments; and to me, who have known her 
 from her infancy, thev are as obvious as 
 if her heart was open to my view ; but I 
 will not say more," said he, with a bene- 
 volent smile. — *'• I ought not to betray my 
 darling little pupil: by the bye," added 
 he, turning to the books, &c. " my of- 
 fice of schoolmaster will, I suppose, soon 
 be taken from me; i might as well not 
 have attempted to take it oat of your
 
 145 MYSTERY 
 
 bauds/* Mordaunt laughed, and asked 
 Ross if he might not request to see Elleu 
 then. " You may easily imagine my 
 anxiety,'' added he. " Vv' hy,'' said Ross, 
 " there is something: so formidable in 
 sending for the poor little girl, and seat- 
 ing her formally to hear what you un- 
 doubtedly are impatient to say, that if 
 you can allow her a little time to com- 
 pose herself, after the flurry she has had 
 this morning already, I really think it will 
 be better. Will you partake of ourhumble 
 dinner to-day— can you eat at our un- 
 fashionable early hour ? for the good peo- 
 pie here, amongst other things, are amaz- 
 ed at your usual hours; if you can, pray 
 favour me ; and after dinner I will so far 
 relax my late vigilance, as to permit you 
 to speak to Ellen apart for ten minures: 
 will that be long enough?'' '^ Not quite/* 
 said Mordaunt, half lau^jhing; *' but how 
 sliall we manage with Mrs. Ross, who, I 
 believe, holds me in very serious aver- 
 sion, and with Joanna, who will, I kno\v,
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 143 
 
 have her mother's commands not to stir 
 from Ellen r'^ " How well you have read 
 us all," said R(;ss, laughing in his turn: 
 " but trust to me: I wil! reuioveall these 
 formidable obstacles— -^ct do not fancy 
 my good woman has any dislike to 3^ou ; 
 whatever displeafiure slie has shewn ori- 
 ginated in her vexation at seeing your 
 influence had deranged the plans she 
 thought best for Ellen to pursue, and 
 endangered, as we feared, her happiness; 
 for though she may not shew it exactly 
 according to the manner a more en- 
 lightened mind mi,^;ht chuse, assure 
 yourself Mis, Ross loves Ellen with the 
 affection of a m.other." '' 1 doubt it not/* 
 re[)lied iSIordaunt with vivacity: ''who 
 can see and not lo'e that exquisite crea- 
 ' ture ?— what a person — what a mind she 
 has! You may believe, after all I have 
 told you, tliat ' for several virtues have I 
 Jiked several women/ 1 may go on and 
 add, thai 'she, so perfectly and so peerless, 
 was created of every cieature's best/'
 
 lii MYSTERY 
 
 '' Indeed/* said Ross, '' I have ever 
 highly appreciated Ellen, but I believe 
 not highly enough, for I never thought 
 of her making a conquest so important: 
 the little gipsy is not aware of the power 
 of her charms/* " Ah,*' said Mordaunt, 
 shrinking, '"^ do not lead my thoughts 
 that way, do not let me suppose, if she 
 knew them better, my success with her 
 might be less to be hoped ; that when 
 the world shall have taught her to esti- 
 mate them more highly—" " Ah, beware 
 of jealousy/' said Ross. " Name not 
 the horrid word," cried Mordaunt, with 
 some emotion ; " too much reason have I 
 to know its misery; but with your virtu- 
 ous, with your pious Ellen, i shall surely 
 be secure.*' " Doubt it not,'' replied 
 Ross, gravel}^ ; "if ever human being 
 might be relied on for truth, for sincerity, 
 for si ugl eness of heart, that being is Ellen 
 Powis; yet the world is a dangerous 
 school, and you, 1 hope, will w^atch with 
 unceasing care over your inexperienced
 
 AND COXflDENCE. I4i 
 
 pupil, whose very virtues may betray her, 
 if not into error, into the appearance of 
 it." 
 
 A few more words passed between 
 them, and then Mordaunt retired to dress 
 for dinner, a custom from which he never 
 departed even in this retired spot. 
 
 During this long conference, poor Mrs. 
 Ross had been in a complete fidget (to 
 use her own word) to know its subject: 
 her curiosity had long since reached its 
 highest point, and she repeated almost 
 incessantly to Ellen and Joanna, who sat 
 at work beside *her,»—*' Weil, what in the 
 whole world can Mr. Mordaunt have to 
 say to Mr. Ross— well^ what can they 
 be talking of all this time? Dear, I 
 hope they won't quarrel,'* '* Quarrel!'* 
 repeated Joanna, while EUen^s work 
 dropt from her fingers, and she looked 
 amazed and terrified: ** quarrel ! my dear 
 mother, what should they quarrel about? 
 Besides, did you ever know my fath-^r 
 quarrel with anybody?'* «' No: true 
 
 VOL. J. H,
 
 146 MYSTERY 
 
 enough, he has a very fine temper; but 
 then, that Mr. Mordaunt seems so hasty, 
 and sometimes looks so strangely, that— 
 besides, I thought he seemed quite angry 
 when we went away last night.** She 
 then opened the parlour door^ which was 
 exactly opposite to that of the study, and 
 stood a minute as if to catch the sound 
 of their voices. 
 
 *' Well, 1 declare they are talking still, 
 but not loud : bless me ! I actually heard 
 one of them laugh." " So much the bet- 
 ter, mamma,'* said Joanna; "I always 
 like to hear people laugh ; it shews there 
 is no mischief going on.** "Not at all, 
 not at all, Joanna,'* said Mrs. Ross, whose 
 irritated curiosity disposed her to contra- 
 diction. " 1 am sure 1 have often thought, 
 when I have heard you two girls chatter- 
 ing and laughing, that you were planning 
 some mischief.'^ " Well, mamma, I am 
 sure we never executed it, for you know 
 we were always the best girls in the 
 world." " Pretty well, pretty well some-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 147 
 
 times," replied Mrs. Ross, half smiling ia 
 the midst of her bustle. 
 
 At length the study door opened, and 
 Mordaunt was seen to pass through the 
 little garden before the house, to which 
 Ross attended him : they shook hands at 
 parting. " You see, mamma, they have 
 not quarrelled," said Joanna; " so far from 
 it, I have a great notion they are better 
 pleased with each other than they have 
 been lately;'* and she glanced slily at 
 Ellen, for Joanna had little doubt what 
 subject had employed, at least, part of 
 the time they had been together. 
 
 As soon as Mordaunt was gone, Ross 
 came into the parlour, and said, — " What 
 have we for dinner to-day^ my dear?" 
 * Well, Mr. Ross, 1 don't think 1 ever 
 heard you ask before in all my life." 
 " Possibly not, my dear; but I wish to 
 know, because Mr. Mordaunt dines with 
 us." '' Mr. Mordaunt!" repeated Mrs. 
 Ross: *■' well, of all things, that is the 
 last I should have expected. Why, now 
 H 9
 
 H8 MYSTERY. 
 
 I am surprized indeed: — then we hnve 
 such an odd dinner to-day ; — nothiog 
 
 but- '* " Never mind, my dear, never 
 
 iTiind, you can easily make a little altera- 
 tion : come with me, and I will tell you 
 more; in the meantime, girls, go and 
 make yourselves very smart. Mr. Mor- 
 <lannt is only gone home to dress, and will 
 be here again soon ; of course, as he is so 
 nice in his own appearance, he will ex- 
 pect to find you lasses dressed to receive 
 him/' " Dear Mr. Ross," said the good 
 woman^ staring at him, " I do not know 
 you to-day! What in the world is come 
 to 3^ou ? First you inquire about dinner, 
 and then you tell the girls to go and dress 
 themselves; two things which 1 never 
 knew you take the slightest concern in 
 before.*^ 
 
 Ross laughed and took her away, and 
 Joanna, looking smilingly at Ellen, said— 
 " Are you quite as much at a loss to 
 understand all this as my mother, Ellen? 
 Come, do exert yourself a little, and per-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 145 
 
 haps by and bye, with Mordaunt's assist- 
 ance, you may find out the meaning of 
 some of these extraordinary things.*' 
 Ellen half laughed, and blushing, told 
 her she \yas very teasing; but the plea- 
 sure which shone in her eyes evinced 
 she was tolerably sure the cause of these 
 new appearances, when explained, would 
 not be disagreeable. Mrs. Ross came in 
 again with a face of wonder, and saying 
 only—." Lord bless me ! well,— what 
 strange things have come to pass ! — come, 
 Ellen, child, make haste and dress your- 
 self as nicely as possible— come, Joanna, 
 I want you— there are fifty things to do,'* 
 took Joannaaway. Rossjoined Ellen, who 
 was hastilyputting up her work, impatient 
 to escape to her own room, and reflect in 
 quiet; and taking her hand with paternal 
 tenderness, while his fine countenance 
 was radiant with benevolent joy, said:— 
 " Compose yourself, my dear child ; 
 abate as much as possible this evident 
 emotion; for though with pleasure I tell
 
 150 MYSTERY. 
 
 you every wish of your heart is likely to 
 be fulfilled, nay in some respects perhaps 
 exceeded, yet I would have you receive 
 Mr, Mordaunt's declaration, of what 1 
 believe to be the sincerest regard, with 
 something of composure, nay, even of 
 dignity: for though, my dear girl, your 
 station in life may, and does render you 
 his inferior, yet, with your mind and per- 
 son, he ought to think the affection of a 
 heart so guileless no mean acquisition* Go, 
 inydear,toyourroom, and tranquillize th^ 
 too visible agitation of your spirits.'^ 
 
 Ellen affectionately kissed the kind 
 hand which held her own, and silently 
 retired.
 
 AND COKFIDEvCE. 141 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 ■ ' The sun goes down ; 
 
 Far off his lig^t is on the naked crags 
 
 Of Penmanraawr and Arvon's ancient hills: 
 
 And the last glory lingers \ct awhile. 
 
 Crowning old Snow(!o:i's vi-nerablc head, 
 
 That rose amid his moiinfa'.ns 
 
 ■ Where Mona the dark island 
 
 stretfh'd 
 Her shore along the ocean's lighter line, 
 
 SoUTHEY'S MlDOR. 
 
 Pass we over the succeeding interview 
 between Mordaunt and Ellen — its gene- 
 ra! style ma\^ be easily imagined; and 
 theparticulars of scenes like that seldom 
 give pleasure, unless to those whom they 
 immediately concern. It will be need- 
 less to specify that Ellen modestly, though 
 frankly, confessed the influence he had 
 obtained over her aifoctions, and con- 
 sented to be his wife: one, only one, pain- 
 ful objection arose in her mind — the pro- 
 bable distance she must be removed from 
 
 H 4
 
 us MYSTERY 
 
 her father, and the doubtfulness of her 
 seeing him again, at least for years. These 
 objections Mordaiint did his best to ob- 
 viate, by reminding her that Powis was 
 yet in a green old age, and would be well 
 able to visit theuj ; and that he would en- 
 gage to revisit Llanwyllan with her, in 
 the course of a year or two. Here, how- 
 ever, Mordaunt sighed deeply, and his 
 countenance asstuned that inexplicable 
 gloom, with which reflexions on the pastj 
 or anticipations of the future, seemed al- 
 ways to inspire him : recovering himself 
 a little, he added, " Remember, however, 
 Ellen, this promise must be in some mea- 
 sure conditional. There are circumstances 
 in my situation, which I have explained 
 to Mr. Ross, which may affect my ho- 
 nour—almost strike at my life. Say, El- 
 len, can you willingly encounter those 
 storms of adverse fate, which may assail, 
 and, perhaps, make me an exile from my 
 native country for ever? Can you give 
 me so much of vour confidence as to be-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 153 
 
 lieve, whatever appearances may be, I 
 am innocent ?*' 
 
 '• Your words are full of mystery," 
 said Ellen, in a faltering tone; *' yet 
 my heart is so fully convinced of your 
 honour and veracity, that 1 can venture to 
 promise no appearances shall ever shake 
 my confidence in either— and if Mr. 
 Ross knows those circumstances to 
 which you allude, and yet is willing to 
 join our hands, I have the best security 
 that my heart has not misled my judg- 
 ment." 
 
 " Admirable creature'/' exclaimed 
 Mordaunt: " liow, in this sequestered 
 situation, have you learnt so to temper 
 the warmth of that innocent heart by the 
 nicest rules of modesty and discriminr.- 
 tion? How good you are^ not to insist 
 on my explaining all these mysteries ! — 
 Beheve me, Ellen, I only postpone it in 
 order to avoid as much as possible giving 
 you pain. Perhaps, before any explana- 
 tion becomes necessary, the clouds which 
 H 5
 
 I6i MYSTERY 
 
 have so long hovered over me may be 
 dispersed. There is a clue, which (if the 
 united efforts of myself and of the best of 
 friends can attain it) will yet be found, 
 that will unravel all that makes against 
 me; and all will then be well/' Here, 
 for the present, the matter rested ; and 
 though to suppose Ellen void of curiosity 
 would be to suppose her stupid, yet so 
 entire was the confidence which she felt 
 in Mordaunt's affection, and Ross's judg- 
 ment, that she was perfectly satisfied to 
 rest implicitly on them. 
 
 Mordaunt the next day made his ap» 
 plication for Powis*s consent to his mar- 
 rying Ellen. His surprize at the propo- 
 sal was such as evidently shewed it had 
 never entered his imagination. After ex- 
 pressing his astonishment, he hesitated, 
 and then replied : *' Why, look ye, Mr, 
 Mordaunt, you appear to be a gentle- 
 man, and I dare say have a good income. 
 I can give Ellen a i'ew hundreds now, 
 and a few at my death ; and I only want
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 155 
 
 to be sure that you can maintain her in 
 some sort of comfort.— You must tell 
 me a little more of your situation in life; 
 and though I like you very well, I should 
 be glad to know from somebody who 
 knows you what sort of a character you 
 bear. Now don't be angry— I am a plain 
 spoken man, and no more suspicious thaa 
 another: but when you come and ask 
 me for my only child, and to take her 
 away, God knows where, into strange 
 parts, I had need know whether you are 
 likely to be kind to her." 
 
 Mordaunt seemed a little confused at 
 this harangue; but replied: '^^ You are 
 very right, my good friend ; I have al- 
 ready explained myself, my situation in 
 life, and all circumstances, to Mr. Ross, 
 who is of opinion I may marry your 
 daughter, without doing her any injury in 
 point of fortune — for your farther satisfac« 
 tion, however, I refer you to the Rev. 
 Doctor Montague, domestic chaplain to 
 the Earl of St. Aubyn, at St. Aubj^n
 
 156 MYSTERY 
 
 Castle, Northamptonshire — his Lordship 
 is at present not in England, That gen- 
 tleman will give you every necessary de- 
 tail respecting me; and should his ac- 
 count be satisfactory, I may then hope 
 all obstacles are removed." 
 
 *' You speak very handsomely, and 
 like a gentleman, as I doubt not you are : 
 but you will excuse my being a little 
 anxious about my child— truth, to say, I 
 do not like the notion of her goivig so lar 
 from me; but if she likes you (and I 
 suppose you are pretty well agreed, or 
 you would not come to me), I will never 
 let myov/n comfort hinder her liappiness; 
 yet 1 tell you honestly, 1 had rather she 
 had married Charles Ross, as I thought 
 likely." At these words Mordaunt's 
 countenance was overcast: he feared 
 there had been some attachment between 
 the young people ; and such was the de- 
 licacy of his sentiments, that had he been 
 certain of it, all his love for Ellen, pas- 
 sionate as it certainly was, would not
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. M? 
 
 have induced him to marry her; on this 
 head, therefore, he was determined to be 
 satisfied. He wrote Doctor Montague's 
 address for Powis, and then went directly 
 to the Parsonage, where Ellen still re- 
 mained. He found her alone; and though 
 he looked delighted to see her, she yet 
 fancied she saw a little alteration in his 
 manner, which disturbed iier. He told 
 her he had seen her father, and a part of 
 what passed, omitting the mention of 
 money concerns, which he thought would 
 distress her. 
 
 \V'hen he was silent, she said: " Tell 
 me, Mr, Mordaunt, am i mistaken in 
 supposing you out of spirits to-day? 1 
 fear my father's rough manner has vexed 
 you." — '• No, Ellen, not that." ** Then 
 there is somethins;, i am sure/' *' And 
 do you already know me so well?'' said 
 Mordaunt, *' I am ashamed to confess 
 how unreasonable I am when you are so 
 good and so confiding: but it is true— 
 your father dropt a hint which alarmed
 
 lo8 MYSTERY 
 
 me. He spoke of Charles Ross in terms 
 that— forgive me, Ellen — that led me to 
 fear, whatever might now be the case, 
 he had not always been indifferent to 
 you/' 
 
 Ellen blushed a little, and said, with a 
 calm smile, " It is certainly true, that 
 Charles Ross professed a great attach- 
 ment to me; and I believe his friends 
 and my father earnestly wished we should 
 at some time or other be married. Jo- 
 anna, in particular, was very anxious, 
 and has within a few months been quite 
 uneasy on this subject, and indeed made 
 
 me so too— for it was impossible " 
 
 She paused: then added, " I certainly felt 
 the regard of a sister for Charles, but 
 never more. If I had not — if you had 
 never——" She hesitated, blushed, and 
 said, with some warmth, "• 1 never could 
 have loved him enough to marry him.*' 
 
 Charmed, and with every suspicion 
 laid at rest by this frank avowal, INlor- 
 daunt now was truly happy— for, till
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 1^9* 
 
 now, though hardly known to himself, a 
 lurking doubt of Charles had at times 
 hung about him. Mordaunt*s former 
 knowledge of the world had had the ef- 
 fect upon his heart, which it too often 
 has, of repressing its confidence, and 
 making it distrustful and suspicious. 
 Great indeed bad been his reasons for 
 hardly believing the existence of real 
 virtue, till he knew Ellen : her perfect 
 innocence^ her sweet simplicity, blended 
 with the tenderest sensibility and acutestT 
 discernment, had once more restored his 
 faith, and he now hoped and believed no 
 future jealousies would cross his path. 
 Yet surely he was venturing on doubtful 
 ground. Great indeed must have been 
 his risk in transplanting so fair a flower 
 from the wildest part of Wales into the 
 polished interior of England, and, pro- 
 bably, into a situation widely different 
 from that she had hitherto filled ! What 
 could have implanted in the mind of a 
 man so prone to jealousy as Mordaunt
 
 160 MYSTERY 
 
 certainly was, so perfect a confidence in 
 J^llen's veracity and virtue? It was, that 
 he had observed in her an exalted, though 
 not enthusiastic /?/e/'y. Mordaunt, though 
 a man of the worlds was also a rehgious 
 man ; aad in conversing, as lie had done, 
 frequently with Ellen on the subject of 
 religion, he found her principles so fixed, 
 and her mind so decidedly made up, and 
 on such reasonable grounds, that he he- 
 sitated not in pronouncing her a Christian 
 upon principle, and as such entitled to 
 the firm confidence he felt in her since- 
 rity and virtue, 
 
 Mordaunt now told her he should be 
 absent all the next day, for it was neces- 
 sary to write to one or two of his friends 
 of the intended change in his prospects ; 
 and that, as he did not like to trust his 
 letters to any common messenger, and 
 indeed expected there were some of con- 
 sequence lying for him at Carnarvon, he 
 should go thither himself to fetch them; 
 that as the distance was rather beyond
 
 AKD COKFIDENCE. l6l 
 
 what he liked to walk, especially now 
 the days were so much shortened, he 
 should borrow Ross's poiiey, and hoped 
 to return in the evening. This scheme 
 he executed accordingly; and Ross, un- 
 derstanding from Powis the mode pro- 
 posed for his gaining farther intelligence 
 of Mordaunt, thought, as Ellen was now 
 returned to the Farm, it would be as well 
 if Mordaunt absented himself in those 
 little excursions he used so much to de- 
 light in, and restrained his visits to her 
 in some degree, till her father's scruples 
 were finally removed. To this, however, 
 reluciantly they agreed ; and Mordaunt 
 accordingly spent the greatest part of the 
 next week in viewing the face of the 
 country, returning to his lodgings ju the 
 evening. Impatient of this vexatious 
 restraint, Mordaunt, after three or four 
 days» proposed to Ross and the girls an 
 excursion toSnowdon, wliich, though he 
 had seen, they had not, though living 
 within ten or twelve miles oi'" it, Mrs.
 
 10*9 MYSTERY 
 
 Ross, who had of late greatly relaxed her 
 vigilance respecting Ellen's industry, 
 gave her consent; and mounted on their 
 little Welsh ponies, the happy party set 
 out with the day.break, a full moon pro- 
 mising to assist them on their return. 
 
 Leaving their horses at Dolbaden Cas- 
 tle, and taking guides with refreshments, 
 each being armed with a spiked stick, 
 they began the toilsome ascent. Ross, 
 being fatigued, remained halfway seated 
 on an immense stone, till they should 
 return. As they ascended the mountain, 
 they perceived that its summit was co- 
 vered with clouds, though, when they 
 set out, it was perfectly clear, and the 
 guides had assured them the day would 
 be favourable. They now, however, be- 
 gan to apprehend that the thick clouds 
 would prevent them from enjoying the 
 reward of their labours, by depriving them 
 of the view from the top of the mountain. 
 The guides, notwithstanding, had still 
 hopes that the day would ultimately clear
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 1^3 
 
 up, and the event justified their expec- 
 tations; for when within about half a 
 mile of the summit, a fine breeze arose, 
 and rolled the clouds like a curtain 
 '• down the steep of Snowdon's shaggy 
 side/^ gradually disclosing its hollow 
 apertures and broken precipices, with 
 every variety of mountain, valley, lake, 
 and stream ; and below them, in every 
 direction, a map of exquisite beauty, 
 con tain ins: Carnarv^on, the county of 
 Chester, part of the North of England 
 and Ireland, the Isle of Anglesea, and 
 the Irish coast. 
 
 Here Mordaunt, sitting down with his 
 fair companions, one on each side, on a 
 low wall, which was probably built by 
 shepherds for the safety of their flocks, 
 but which now serves as a resting-place 
 to travellers, e\patiated with rapture on 
 tliis amazingly sublime prospect. The 
 ''- Bard'* of Gray, and many of the beau- 
 tiful passages of Mason's Elfrida and 
 Caractacus were familiar to him ; and
 
 164 MYSTERY 
 
 these, with every grace of voice and ac- 
 tion, he repeated, till the charmed and 
 enthusiastic Ellen almost fancied she saw 
 the white-robed druids with their crowns 
 of misletoe and golden harps pass in re- 
 view before her. After having suffi- 
 ciently rested, and taken some refresh- 
 ment, they cautiously descended ; and 
 joining Ross, pursued the downward 
 course of a mountain-stream of great 
 beauty, which was frequently hurried 
 over low rocks, forming numerous small 
 but elegant cascades, till they reached 
 the Castle, where they had left their 
 ponies, and then returned by moonlight 
 to Llanwyllan. 
 
 The next four or five days were em- 
 ployed in similar excursions. Not hav- 
 ing been able on the day of their risit to 
 Snowdoit to extend tliejr ride to j3eth- 
 gelert, their next object was to see the 
 grave of the greyhound; and the romantic 
 pass between Morion :tii and Carnarvon- 
 shire, called Pont Aber^laslyn. At the
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. \65 
 
 grave of the greyhound Mordaunt re- 
 peated to his fair companions the inter- 
 esting legend connected with it, and 
 Spencer's elegant poem on the subject:— 
 that little tale is so affecting, that, even 
 at this remote period of time, no tender 
 heart can hear it without lamenting the 
 fate of the faithful and ill-requited Gelert. 
 Ellen was not ashamed to drop a tear at 
 the recital*. " Alas!" cried Mordaunt: 
 
 * It is probable most of my readers have heard 
 the little pathetic tale here alluded to, and which 
 ^Ir. Spencer has told v*'ry sweetly in his Iittl» 
 poem, entitled Beth-gelert. For the advantage of 
 those who have not met with it, we insert the fol- 
 lowing account: 
 
 The tradition says, that Llewelyn the Great had 
 a house at the place now called Bcth-geleri, and 
 that being once from home, a wolf catered it. On 
 Llewelyn's return, his favourite greyhound, Ge- 
 lert, came to meet hirn, wagging his tail, but 
 covered with blood. The prince was much alarm- 
 ed, and on entering the house, found the cradlo 
 of his infant overturntd, and the floor stained with 
 blood, Imagining the dog had killed the chiidj h»
 
 166 MYSTERY 
 
 *', such is too frequently the fatal conse- 
 quence of trusting to appearances/ This 
 
 instantly drew his sword, and killed the grey- 
 hound ; but turning up the cradle, found the babe 
 asleep, and the wolf dead by its side. Llewelyn 
 deeply repented his rage, and built a tomb over 
 his ill-fated greyhound. Mr. Spencer has thus 
 beautifully described the event: 
 
 The hound all o'er was smear*d with gore, 
 
 His lips, his fangs, ran blood! 
 Llewelyn gazed with fierce surprize, 
 
 Unused such looks to meet : 
 His fav'rite checked his joyful guise. 
 
 And crouch'd and llck'd his feet. 
 Onward in haste Llewelyn pass'd — 
 
 O'erturnM his infant's bed he found, 
 
 With blood-stained covert rent! 
 And all around the walls and ground 
 
 With recent blood besprent! 
 He called his child, no voice replied ; 
 
 He search'd with terror wild ; 
 Blood, blood, he found on every side, 
 
 But no where found his child. 
 
 Llewelyn then passionately accuses and kills th« 
 greyhound.
 
 AND CONFIDEXCE. 16? 
 
 excellent and unfortunate animal fell a 
 sacrifice to circumstances, which, how- 
 ever apparently conclusive, w^ere falla- 
 
 Arouscd by Gelert's dying yell, 
 Some slumbers waken'd nigh ; 
 
 What words the parent's joy couW tell, 
 To hear his infant's cry ! 
 
 Conceal'd beneath a tumbled heap, 
 His hurried search had miss'd ; 
 
 All glowing from his rosy sleep, 
 The cherub boy he kiss'd. 
 
 No scratch had he, nor harm, nor dread ; 
 
 But the same couch beneath, 
 Lay a gaunt wolf, all torn and dead, 
 
 TreiBendous still in death. 
 
 Ah ! what was then Llewelyn's pain ? 
 
 For then the truth was clear, 
 His gallant hound the wolf had slain, 
 
 To save Llewelyn's heir. 
 
 Vain, Tain, was all Llewelyn's woe : 
 
 " Best of thy kind, adieu ! 
 The frantic blow which laid the low, 
 
 This heart shall ever rue."
 
 168 MYSTERY 
 
 cioiis.** He sighed, and fell for a few 
 minutes into a gloomy lilence, from 
 which the soft voice of Ellen alone had 
 power to rouse him. 
 
 They next visited Pont Aberglass-lyn, 
 the wild and sublime scenery of which 
 inspired them with awe. Its high gro- 
 tesque rocks, surrounding like an am- 
 phitheatre the romantic bridge (consist- 
 ing of a single arch thrown from one 
 rough precipice to another), to which 
 they approached by a read winding along 
 a narrow stony valley, where the rocks 
 on each side scarcely leave room for the 
 road ; and the dark impetuous stream, 
 which rolls at the side of it, filled them 
 with astonishment at the grandeur of the 
 scene. 
 
 They visited also the little romantic 
 village of Llanberis, with its beautiful 
 vallies and lakes, surrounded by bold 
 and prominent rocks, ascending almost 
 abruptly from the edge of the water, and 
 returned in the evening to Llanwyllan,
 
 AMD CONFIDEKCE. 169 
 
 delighted with an excursion which had 
 afforded them so many beautiful views, 
 and yet delightedly contrasting their own 
 native village, with the dirty hovels, and 
 miserable accommodations they had met 
 with in their progress ; for the exertions 
 of Ross and his wife, who were both 
 English, and had in the early part of their 
 lives resided wholly in England, had in- 
 troduced a degree of neatness and com- 
 fort both in the houses and apparel of 
 their parishioners, which gave Llan wyllan 
 the appearance of a comfortable English 
 village, and rendered it totally distinct 
 from those near it ; where, as is ofteo 
 the case in Wales, extreme poverty, and 
 its too frequent concomitants, a total 
 carelessness of comfort abound. 
 
 They also visited Carnarvon, which 
 the girls found much altered since they 
 had seen it some years before^ and were 
 quite surprized at the carriages, and smart- 
 ly drest people in the streets. Ot course 
 they went to the Castle, and saw th« 
 
 roL. I. I
 
 170 MYSTERY 
 
 ' chamber where, it is said, the weak and 
 unfortunate Edward II. was born; though 
 that fact, from the meanness of its ap- 
 pearance, and inconvenient situation, 
 appears extremeful doubtful, if not im- 
 probable. In short, they seemed in a 
 new world, so very different were the 
 scenes around them from those to which 
 they were accustomed. 
 
 '' Ah, Ellen !" said Joanna, " all this 
 will soon be as nothing to you: you will 
 see so many fine houses and great cities, 
 you wili wonder how you could ever fan- 
 cy Carnarvon a large place: and I shall 
 remain in our littie quiet village, which, 
 when you are gone, 1 shall think stupid, 
 and never go beyond it !** — "Do not 
 think so,** replied Ellen : *' I hope, if in- 
 deed I do leave Llanwyllan (for I con- 
 sider nothing settled till Mr. Montague's 
 letter arrives), 1 hope it will not be long 
 before 1 shall have you with me— it will 
 be one of my first wishes as soon as I find 
 myself at ail accustomed to the change
 
 AMD CONFlDENCi:, 171 
 
 in my situation," Joanna seemed much 
 delighted with this promises they slept 
 that night at Carnarvon, and returned the 
 next day to Llanwyllan. 
 
 In the course of these journies much 
 conversation took place between Mor* 
 daunt and Ellen ; but he with great 
 generosity forbore as much aa possible 
 from all particular topics, as he wished to 
 leave her as much unfettered as was now 
 in his power till the arrival of Montague'* 
 letter; for though he had no doubt of 
 what the contents would be, yet till he 
 had obtained Powis's free consent, ha 
 could not exactly consider her as hiss 
 affianced bride i but for conversation they 
 were never at a loss-»^literary subjects 
 furnished them with an inexhaustible 
 fund of delight; for Mordaunts mind 
 and memory were so well stored with 
 poetical and classical treasures, he scarce^ 
 ]y needed books of reference ; the beau^ 
 tiful views which they also obtained of 
 the heavenly bodies, in their mountainousi
 
 179 MYSTERY 
 
 excursions, inspired Ellen with a desire to 
 know something of astronomy, and Mor- 
 daunt was thoroughly capable of being her 
 instructor. In this Ross assisted him; 
 and two hours in the latter part of the 
 evening were sweetly past in this delight- 
 ful study. Mordaunt was also, though 
 not a finished artist, yet very capable of 
 taking sketches from the surrounding 
 country ; and already Ellen began to use 
 her pencil also in slight attempts, which 
 he both encouraged and directed — so 
 happy indeed was the life the}^ now led, 
 that the slight restraint thrown upon 
 che^r feelings seemed rather to give a zest 
 to their meetings than to destroy their 
 pleasure : gladl}^ most gladly, would both 
 have relinquished all change of station, 
 and remained for the rest of their lives ia 
 the peaceful shades of Llan wyilan. 
 
 — What was the world to them ? 
 
 Its pomp, its pleasure, and its nonsense all ? 
 Who, in each other, saw whatever fair, 
 High fancy forms, or lavish hearts can wish ;
 
 AND COXFIDENCE, 173 
 
 Something than beauty dearer, should they look j 
 Or on the mind, or mind illumined face, 
 Truth, goodness, honour, harmony, and love, 
 The richest bounty of indulgent IleaTcn. 
 
 13
 
 174 MASTERY 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Now go with me, and with this holy man, 
 Into the chantry by ; there, before him, 
 And underneath that Consecrated roof, 
 Plight me the full assurance of your faith* 
 
 Twelfth Night. 
 
 At length, fot in this remote village 
 letters were not speedily exchanged, the 
 answer from Doctor Montague arrived : 
 it contained the following lines. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I receive Mr. Mordaunt*s refer* 
 ence to me as a favour, and hasten to 
 reply toyour's of the 6th inst. by saying 
 that I have had the happiness of knowing 
 that gentleman from his youth, and am 
 entirely convinced of his being a man of 
 the most perfectly honourable and ex- 
 cellent character. As you have been 
 obliging enough to account for this appli-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE, \75 
 
 cation, I can only add that your daughter 
 will in my opinion have reason to esteem 
 herself the most fortunate of women in 
 becoming his wife. Mr. Mordaunt's or- 
 tune is sufficiently ample to enable him 
 to live with perfect ease and comfort. 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 With great respect, 
 
 Your's, obediently, 
 
 George Montague. 
 St. Aubyn Castle, 
 Sep. 18th, 18— . 
 
 Nothing could be more satisfactory 
 than this honourable testimony to the 
 good qualities of Mr. Mordaunt ; and 
 Powis began to feel half ashamed of 
 having doubted for an instant the ho- 
 nour of a man so highly estimated : he 
 hastened with the letter in his hand to 
 Ellen, who, with Joanna for her inmate, 
 was now at home, and exclaiming, 
 " There, child, read that," gave her the 
 letter: the emotions of his affectionate 
 heart, bursting out from time to time 
 i 4
 
 176 MYSTERY 
 
 while she was reading it, in words pro- 
 nounced at intervals, and with som£ 
 difficulty, such as, " W«ll !— so 1 must 
 lose her — the pride of my life! but she 
 will be happy I hope, dear soul ! Thif 
 seems to be a man of some consequence : 
 why, she will be quite a lady; not above 
 her old friends, though, I ho e, Jo- 
 anna!" 
 
 When Ellen had finished the letter, 
 she rose, and throwing herself in o her 
 father's arms, wept with mingled emo- 
 tions of sorrow and gladness ; for sincerely 
 as she rejoiced in such a character of her 
 beloved Mordaunt, she greatly regretted 
 the certainty that if she married him, she 
 must immediately leave her father. 
 Powis's heart was melted by the same 
 consideration^ and the tears running 
 down his rough face fell on Ellen's 
 bosom : at last she articulated, '' Oh, my 
 dear father, I cannot leave you !'* Powis, 
 half sobbing half smiling, said, " Why 
 indeed, my child, I know not how to bear
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 177 
 
 the thoughts of parting from yon, but if not 
 now, I must some time or other ; and I 
 will not prepare a pain for my death-bed 
 so terrible as that would be which should 
 tell me I had preferred my own selfish 
 happiness to thine/' At this tender, this 
 affecting thought, the tears of Ellen re- 
 doubled, and Joanna's accompanied them. 
 Just then Mordaunt, who had seen the 
 boy who brought letters to Llanwyllan 
 pass towards the farm, came in impatient 
 to know if Montague's answer had ar- 
 rived: he was surprized and almost alarm- 
 ed at the scene before him. Powis 
 lifted up his head, and rubbing his eyes, 
 said, '* I am ashamed of myself to be such 
 a child !— here, Mr. Mordaunt, is your 
 friend's letter, and here, if you will accept 
 of her, is your wife.** He disengaged 
 himself from Ellen's clasping arms, and 
 gently placed her in those which Mor- 
 daunt eagerly extended to receive 
 her. 
 
 All was now soon settled ; for Powis, 
 I 6
 
 178 mysterv 
 
 though an unlearned was not an unWisc 
 man; and seeing the necessity of Mor- 
 daunt's return to his own abode before 
 the season changed, he would not suf- 
 fer any selfish considerations of his own 
 comfort to divide the lovers during a 
 dreary winter, which would now quickly 
 overtake them. He left every thing res- 
 pecting money matters to Mr. Ross* 
 Mordaunt gave that gentleman a bond, 
 expressed in such terms as fully con- 
 vinced him Ellen's pecuniary concerns 
 would be amply considered { and gene- 
 rously refused to accept of any money 
 with his bride, gaily telHng Powis, that 
 now he was robbed of his daughter, he 
 hoped he would look out for a wife him- 
 self, and retain Ellen's intended portion 
 to encreage his futlire means of ease and 
 comfort; or, that if he really did not 
 know what to do with the money, he 
 should give it to Joanna when she mar- 
 ried. ** Well,*^ said Powis, *'you are 
 i^ither very rich or very proudj Mr. Mor-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 179 
 
 daunt/' •' I shall be both when Ellen 
 is my wife," answered Mordaunt. 
 
 Mordaunt requested that Ellen would 
 furnish herself with no more cloaths on 
 'the occasion than were absolutely necessa- 
 ry, till they should reach Bristol: 
 ** Where,'' he said, '' I hope, my dear 
 girl, to find some fashionable mantua-ma- 
 ker, who will at least give you a more 
 modern wardrobe than you could meet 
 with here." '' You are determined, I 
 see/' said Ellen, " that I shall be obliged 
 to no one but yourself." For Heaven's 
 sake, Ellen!" replied Mordaunt, hasti- 
 ly, " do not talk of such a paltry con- 
 cern as a few cloaths, as an obligation : 
 how shall I ever repay those I owe to 
 your confidence and kindness ?'^ 
 
 Few were the preparations requisite 
 for the marriage of Mordaunt and Ellen. 
 He with some difficulty procured a 
 chaise from Carnarvon on the morning 
 of their marriage, for the roads between 
 that place and Llanwyllan were in some
 
 ISO MYSTERY 
 
 parts almost impassable for a carriage, and 
 had i)ot the autumn been uncommonly 
 fine and dry, would have been entirely 
 so. On the third of October, at a very 
 early hour, the little party met at Powis*s 
 house, and from thence proceeded to the 
 village church, where, from her father's 
 hand, Mordaunt received his lovely 
 bride. Mr. Ross performed the ceremo- 
 ny, and at the end of it added an extem- 
 pore and most eloquent prayer for the 
 happiness of friends so dear to him, with 
 a fervency of devotion that drew tears 
 into every eye. When all the party had 
 quitted the vestry, after having registered 
 the marriage of Constantine Frederick 
 Mordaunt and Ellen Powis, Ross and 
 Mordaunt stepped back an instant, as if 
 something had been forgotten : as they 
 returned, Ellen heard Ross say, " 1 rely 
 implicitly upon it, and let iiie beg it 
 may be done as soon as possible." " De- 
 pend upon m}^ sacred hoiiour,'^ answered 
 Mordaunt, impressively ; '* or, if you
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 181 
 
 wish it, on my most solemn oath.'^ " It 
 needs not that/' said Ross ; " I am satis- 
 fied/' "Thensoaml/* thought Ellen, 
 •* for strange as such frequent mysteries 
 appear, Ross, lam sure, would never par- 
 take of one, which was not perfectly in- 
 nocent." 
 
 Let us not attempt to describe the 
 parting of Powis and his daughter, which 
 took place an hour after the marriage ce- 
 remony was concluded. jNIordaunt re- 
 peated his assurances of returning, if 
 possible, to Llanwylian the following 
 summer ; then almost by force severing 
 Ellen from her father, he placed her in 
 the chaise, and, following hastily, bowed 
 his farewell. The motion of the car- 
 riage, to which she was wholly unused, 
 roused Ellen from the half-fainting into 
 which she had fallen, and the tender 
 soothings of Mordaunt at length revived 
 and composed her. As they passed on, 
 the varied face of the country, the beau- 
 tiful and extensive scenery through
 
 18f MYSTERY 
 
 which they journied, awakened all the 
 soft enthusiasm of her youthful mind, 
 which, shaking off the dejection caused 
 by parting from her first connections, 
 roused itself to the perception of the 
 happy prospects the future might present. 
 
 *' And ttou, oh! Hope, with eyes so fair, 
 What was thy delighted measure ? 
 Still it whispered promised pleasure, 
 And bade the lovely scenes at distance hail,' 
 
 After several days travelling, stopping 
 occasionally to rest, and to view such re- 
 markable objects as they thought worthy of 
 observation, they arrived at the Passage, 
 and, crossing it, soon after entered the 
 city of Bristol. To paint Ellen's surprise 
 at all the wonders of the new world which 
 surrounded her would be impossible; so 
 strange indeed did every thing appear to 
 her, that scarcely the influence which 
 Mordaunt possessed over her mind could 
 prevent her from exclamations of asto- 
 nishment, which, to those around, would
 
 AND CONFIDEKCE. 183 
 
 have betrayed the perfect seclusion in 
 which she had hitherto lived. After 
 shewing her ail that was worth notice in 
 Bristol and its interesting environs, Mor- 
 daunt took his fair bride to Bath, with 
 the elegance of which she was particu- 
 larly delighted. The streets, the shops, 
 were a constant source of amusement to 
 one so new to every thing ; here, how- 
 ever, they remained but three days, du- 
 ring which Mordaunt procured for El- 
 len such a variety of dresses as appeared 
 to her quite extraordinary; and she began 
 to think her husband was either very rich 
 or very extravagant, though in truth 
 all he purchased would hardly satisfy the 
 " indispensable necessities^' of most 
 young ladies, of no pretensions really 
 higher than those of Ellen Powis had 
 been ; and were far from appearing to 
 Mordaunt more than barely sufficient for 
 her present occasions. An elegant new 
 riding habit and hat were amongst them ;
 
 1S4 MYSTERT 
 
 and Ellen's delicate figure appeared to 
 such advantage in that dress, that no one 
 could have supposed her so lately re- 
 moved from so remote a situation : 
 her natural gracefulness prevented her ap- 
 pearing in the slightest degree awk vizard ; 
 and her new dress gave her an air of 
 fashion, with which Mordaunt was 
 delighted. 
 
 From Bath they went to London, 
 where Mordaunt engaged very handsome 
 lodgings, though not in the most fashi- 
 onable part of the town, yet in a hand- 
 some street, for a fortnight, where they 
 rested after the fatigues of so long a jour- 
 ney. Mordaunt told his wife he wished 
 not to take her to any of the public 
 amusements till the next spring, when 
 he hoped to revisit London with her, 
 and when some ladies of his acquaintance 
 would be there also, and would accom- 
 pany her. Ellen, who desired no greater 
 pleasure than his society, was well
 
 AND CONFIDiENCE. 185 
 
 contented with this arrangement : during 
 their stay in London, therefore, they 
 seldom went out ; hut Mordaunt trusted 
 her two or three times under the care of 
 the person at whose house they lodge'd, 
 (who was a very tespectahle woman) to 
 go to different shops, furnishing her libe- 
 fally with money, and insisting on her 
 providing a very complete and elegant 
 •wardrobe. Several times Ellen wished 
 to check his liberality, assuring him she 
 had already as much of every thing as she 
 wished for; but he replied she was no 
 judge of what she would want when she 
 went into the country, and that she must 
 oblige him by buying every thing in 
 abundance, and of the best and most 
 fashionable materials; nor did he ever go 
 from home without bringing back with 
 himsome eleoant trinket or set of orna- 
 ments for her ; so that little as she was a ^ 
 judge of the value of money, she was 
 surprized and somewhat uneasy to see
 
 1S6 MYSTERY 
 
 Mordaunt so profuse of his, for in addition 
 to the large expences he would incur in 
 her dress, he had requested Mrs. Birtley 
 (the person at whose house they lodged) 
 to hire a young woman to wait upon his 
 wife; and Ellen really thought her new 
 servant so much more like a lady than till 
 very lately she had thought herself, that 
 she hardly knew how to give her any 
 orders. Mordaunt had also hired a job 
 chariot and horses for the time they staid 
 in town. 
 
 Their landlady observing the extreme 
 youth and simplicity of Ellen, contrasted 
 by that air of the world and of fashion so 
 conspicuous in Mordaunt, as well as 
 that though he hardly appeared to en- 
 dure her being out of his sight, he seldom 
 went abroad with her, and that they 
 seemed to have no friends or connections 
 in London, began to form conjectures 
 not very much to the advantage of her 
 guests ; and as she was a woman of good
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 1S7 
 
 character, though of somewhat a suspici- 
 ous turn, she was not sorry when they 
 left her apartments. 
 
 Mordaunt chose not to take Jane, 
 Ellen's new maid, with them, but left 
 directions for her to travel by the stage to 
 the town which was nearest to his resi- 
 dence in Northamptonshire, where she 
 should be met by a servant, who would 
 conduct her to his house. 
 
 For the first day of their journey Mor- 
 daunt appeared at times in deep reflection, 
 and as if revolving in his mind a variety 
 of considerations^ frequently catching 
 Ellen's hand in his own, he would ex- 
 press the rapture he felt in the certainty 
 of possessing her affection, and that she 
 was Securely his ; then he would add, 
 " Remember, Ellen, you have promised 
 to take me for heller for icorse: tell me, 
 do you think any change in my situation 
 could impair your love for me?'' To 
 these questions she returned such ten- 
 der and affectionate answers, as seemed
 
 188 MYSTERY 
 
 for the time to dispel from his mind every 
 uneasy sensation ; yet still at intervals 
 his thoughtfulness returned, and began 
 at last to inspire Ellen with a sort of 
 anxiety she could not v^holly overcome. 
 
 The next day Mordau nt proposed resting 
 a few hours at a pleasant village, which 
 be told her was only about twenty miles 
 from his own house^ but that he thought 
 it would be more agreeable to her not to 
 arrive at home till towards the evening: 
 to this she readily consented ; it was in- 
 deed very agreeable to her, but had it 
 been less so, she knew no will but his. 
 
 After breakfast, the landlady of the 
 inn where they had taken that meal, 
 coming in, Mordaunt asked her how flir 
 it was from thence to St. Aubvn Castle ; 
 she answered about nineteen miles : after 
 asking her some more questions respect- 
 ing the length of the stages, &c. he in- 
 quired if she knew Lord St. Aubyn; she 
 replied she had seen his Lordship once 
 before he went abroad, but she heard he
 
 AND CONFIDEXCE. 189 
 
 was now soon expected home again; a 
 gentleman who stopped at her house not 
 many days before, told her his Lordship 
 was lately returned from Spain, and was 
 coming very shortly ro the Castle. On 
 being asked if she knew who that gentle- 
 man was, she said it was the Reverend 
 Doctor ^Montague, his Lordship's domes- 
 tic Chaplain. Mordaunt then asked her 
 if Lord St. Aubyn was much liked in 
 his neighbourhood, and she gave him a 
 very high character for his charity to the 
 poor, and kindness to his servants and 
 <lependants. 
 
 Ellen here whispered to her husband 
 that she would inquire what sort of a 
 character one Mr. Mordaunt^ his Lord- 
 ship's steward, bore. Mordaunt laughed, 
 and said she was very malicious, and only 
 hoped to hear some evil of hiai. She 
 then repeated her question, looking play- 
 fully at him, to which the landlady re- 
 plied, that she did not know Mr. Mor- 
 daunt except by name, but she heard he
 
 190 MYSTERT 
 
 was a very worthy old gentleman. Tho 
 idea of Mordaunt's being called an old 
 gentleman diverted Ellen so much, that 
 she burst into a laugh she could not re-' 
 press, in which Mordaunt joined so 
 heartily, as half offended the good wo- 
 man, who, supposing she had committed 
 some blunder, left the room immedi- 
 ately. 
 
 *' Come, my dear Ellen,'' said Mor- 
 daunt, when he had composed his fea^ 
 tures, ** let ua take a walk through this 
 pleasant village : it is long since you en- 
 joyed the pure air of the country/* <« In- 
 deed, my deav old gentktnani** Ellen 
 gaily replied, ^« I shall be very glad to 
 find myself once more at liberty to walk 
 n little, for 1 began to fee! tired of the re« 
 strain t of a carriage, which, when we left 
 Lknwyllan, I thought so delightful, I 
 eould never be weary of it.
 
 AND CONFIDENCB. 191 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Vou see me, Lonl Bassanio, where I stand, 
 
 Such as I am ; though for myself alone 
 
 I would not be ambitious in my wish, 
 
 To wish myself much better, yet for you 
 
 I would be trebled twenty times myself, 
 
 A thousand times more fair, ten thousand tiraei 
 
 More rich 
 
 - but the full su»^ of me 
 
 Is an unlessoned girl, unschooled, unpractised; 
 Happy in this, she is not yet so old 
 But she may learn ; and happier than this, 
 She is not bred so dull but she can learn 5 
 Happiest of all, it that her gentle spirit 
 Commits herself to your's to be directed, 
 
 Merchant 0? Venjci. 
 
 After strolling through some very 
 pleasant fields, they came to a sequester- 
 ed spot, where tall trees shaded a iittle 
 murmuring rivulet, near whose banks a 
 very neat farm-house attracted their at- 
 tention.
 
 19? MYSTERY 
 
 " Ah, this reminds me of dear Llan- 
 wyllaii!*' said Ellen: "how much I 
 should like to sit down here awhile!" 
 *' That," answered Mordaunt, " may be 
 easily effected." He then went to the 
 door, where he met a nice looking elderly 
 woman, the farmer's wife, and saying he 
 was thirsty, asked her to spare him a 
 draught of milk or whey, with which 
 she very civilly complied, and requested 
 them to walk in. Ellen, delighted with 
 the sight of the farm-yard and smell of 
 the dairy, readily consented, and at Mor- 
 daunt's desire, the good woman said she 
 would give them some cream, bread, &c. 
 Vv^ith great civility therefore, she shewed 
 them into a neat parlour, and having 
 placed before them brown bread, cream, 
 and some bunches of well-ripened gr.apes, 
 ieit them to themselves. 
 
 Ellen said : — " Now, my dear Mor- 
 daunt, I really feel as if 1 were at home 
 again, and can do the honours (as you 
 term it) of this little table very tolerably;
 
 but if, as I suspect, you are much visited 
 bj high people near you, will you not 
 often have to blush for your awkward 
 little rustic?" *' U I had feared that,'* 
 answered Mordaunt, ** I would not have 
 ventured it ; but, as 1 have often told you, 
 the natural propriety of your manner will 
 very well supply the place of artificial 
 graces; and as to the mere forms of so« 
 ciety, they are so easily acquired, you 
 will speedily attain them: but tell me, 
 Ellen, after the cursory view you have 
 had of something more refined, could you 
 now be contented to sit down here for 
 the rest of your life V «* With you,'* re« 
 plied the tender Ellen, «* 1 could be 
 not only contented but happy any wher e 
 yet I own 2/ou seem to me formed for 
 something so superior, that I should for« 
 ever regret your being confined to a 
 sphere so limited/* 
 
 Mordaunt, delighted with the sweet- 
 ness of her words and manners, scarcely 
 knew how to express how greatly he 
 
 VOL, I. K
 
 1J4? MYSTERY 
 
 was pleased with all she said. After a 
 few minutes he opened the httle case- 
 ment, for the day was mild and clear, 
 more like spring than the beginning of 
 November; and gathering some late blos- 
 soms of a white jassamine, which grew 
 round it, and in that sheltered spot, so 
 soft had been the season, still retained 
 theirbeauty: he twisted them with some 
 very small vine leaves across her brow, 
 amongst her fine hair, in a very particular 
 style, and makiiig her look in the little 
 glass which hung in the room where they 
 sat, he said •- — 
 
 " Thero, Ellen, that is very like a 
 countess's coronet; the jasmine may 
 pass for pearls, and the little branch of 
 the vine for strawberry leaves: how 
 should you hke one in pearls or dia- 
 monds ? I think it becomes you inimi- 
 tably well.'^ *' This simple wreath may/' 
 she said, smiling as she surveyed herself; 
 " but I believe that this little rustic per- 
 son would not assort very well with the
 
 AND CONFIDENGE. IQS 
 
 splendid ornament you describe/' He 
 smiled, and said—" Do not take it off, 
 but sit down, and I will tell you a story/* 
 " A story ! — delightful ! I hope it is en- 
 tertaining/' " Very, and perfectly true. 
 Once upon a time: do you like that be- 
 ginning ?" " Not much ; it is too 
 childish : try again/' " Well then, once 
 in the days of King Arthur—-" '' Oh! 
 do not go quite so far back — your story 
 will last all day/' '« What ! a Welsh 
 girl and not like to hear a tale of King 
 Arthur. Oh! most degenerate damsel/* 
 Ellen still laughing, said—" Come, dear 
 Mordaunt, make haste, I long to hear this 
 interesting story/* 
 
 He placed himself at iicr side, and 
 with some agitation, said :— 
 
 *' Ellen^ the time is come to clear up 
 some of the mysttTious words you have 
 heard me utter at Llanuyllan : what will 
 you say to me when J tell you — yet be 
 not alarmed — when I tell you that, though 
 my name is really Mordaunt, yet I have 
 k3
 
 196 MYSTERY 
 
 deceived you— for that is not my onli/ de- 
 signation; do not look so surprised and 
 bewildered, my love ; I am not inferior 
 to the man you suppose me: he is in- 
 deed my relation, being the natural son 
 %f my father's brother : he is many years 
 older than I am. Tell me, Ellen, are you 
 afraid to hear the rest ?'* ** No,^' she re- 
 plied firmly, though with marks of the 
 most impatient curiosity in her coun- 
 tenance. *' 1 am so convinced of your 
 integrity, that be who or what you will, 
 I am happy in being your wife, and 
 ready to share your station, be it ever so 
 lowly." *' Enchanting creature 1*' he ex^ 
 claimed, and clasped her to his bosom: 
 *^ kno.w then, that were the coronet which 
 binds your brow of the most costly ma- 
 terials instead of a simple flower, it is 
 your*s by right, for I am the Earl, and 
 you are the Countess of St. Aubyn." 
 
 A moment Ellen struggled with the 
 overwhelming surprize: then said : *' How 
 could you condescend to one so much
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 197 
 
 beneath you ?'* " Beneath me!'* he re- 
 plied — *' oh, in every thing but the mere 
 accident of birth how greatly my supe* 
 rior! But the surprize, my gentle love, 
 has made you a little pale ; recover your- 
 self, and let me see you again gay and 
 playful as when you supposed yourself 
 only Mrs. Mordaunt.^^ He fixed his pe- 
 netratingeyes upon her: even in that ten- 
 der moment he sought to discover if any 
 undue pride or vanity elated her; but 
 there was no trace of any such ignoble 
 passion: surprized, astonished as she 
 was, and feeling some diminution of the 
 ease and equality with which she had 
 but lately learned to regard him, Ellen 
 more than half regretted to find him 
 so greatly her superior, and to see herself 
 raised so very much beyond the station 
 her humility led her to believe the 
 only one she could fill with propriety; 
 yet she must have been more or less than 
 woman, had she not felt charmed with 
 the disinterested love St. Aubyn had 
 evinced m making her his wife.
 
 i9S " MYSTERY 
 
 Having a little recovered the emotion 
 this interesting discovery had caused in 
 both, Ellen entreated him, whom yet she 
 hardly knew how to name, to explain 
 the reason of his having appeared at 
 Llaowyllan in a character so inferior to 
 his own ; which he did in these words: 
 
 '- 1 cannot, my love, nor would I wish 
 at [ircsent to tell you all my story, though 
 some day you shall know every circum- 
 s^tance of my life : may they come to your 
 knowledge without lessening your feli- 
 city !'" Hesighediand thus coLtinued :— 
 ** Some domestic misfortunes induced 
 me, at different times, to make several 
 excursions under the name 1 bore when 
 first I met you, which is, indeed, that of 
 my family : since my last return from the 
 Continent, about six months ago, I did 
 not let my friends or servants know 1 was 
 come to England, but set out to travel 
 through Wales, soi;netimes by one mode 
 of conveyance, sometimes another, and 
 not unfrejquently as a mere pedestrian. 1 
 was always a good walker, and had been
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 199 
 
 accustomed to pass whole days on foot 
 amongst the mountains of Spain ; fre- 
 quently, therefore, I preferred walking, 
 as giving me better opportunities of ex- 
 ploring the most romantic scenes. In 
 one of these excursions 1 found myself 
 at Llanwyllan ; there I merely intended 
 to stay a day or two, till accident, and 
 your father's hospitality, introduced you 
 to iiiv knowlcd^fe— need 1 relate to vou 
 the progress of that passion which soon 
 took possession of my heart, and left me 
 powerless to quit you. A very few 
 days determined me, if your affections 
 were disengaged, to do all in my power 
 to secure your love; yet I delayed the 
 declaration of my own, in hopes of 
 bringtng some untoward circumstances 
 to a favourable conclusion ; but when I 
 found our good friend Ross began to be 
 alarmed for you, and fancied I saw in my 
 Ellen's sweet face that she was not 
 happy, I thought it necessary to come 
 to some decision, and to Ross I fully ex-
 
 fiOO MYSTERY 
 
 plained my tehoie situation : he was so 
 perfectly convinced of my honour and 
 integrity, that he consented to give his 
 lovely pupil to me, even under all the 
 unpleasant circumstances which at pre- 
 sent embarrass and torment me ; and even 
 though we both doubted whether a mar- 
 riage contracted by me under the name 
 ofMordaunt only would be completely 
 binding: to obviate this objection, 1 
 bound myself to him, not only to make ' 
 upon you such settlements as my large 
 income rendered proper, and my heart 
 prompted, but to remarry you as soon as ^ 
 I could do so without absolute impro- 
 priety ; and that I will do if I live before 
 I sleep again ; though I believe the precau* 
 tions we took render it unnecessary, for 
 after you left the vestry, the day we were 
 married, Ross and myself, as perhaps you 
 observed, returned, and in his presence I 
 added the title of Earl of St. Aubyn to 
 the names of Constantine Frederick Mor- 
 daunt, which, I have no doubt, would
 
 JLND CONFIOEyCE. 901 
 
 substantiate our marriage in any court in 
 England : to avoid, however, ail possible 
 doubt, now or in future, on this important 
 point, 1 have at this instant a special 
 licence in my possession, and this even- 
 ing, at Castle St. Aubyn, Montague shall 
 read the marriage service to us again.— 
 Are you vsatisfied with this arrangement, 
 my love ?*' 
 
 '' I am so ignorant in every thing, that 
 I can only rely on you ; which I do im- 
 plicitly, and with full confidence." 
 
 Ellen then asked St. Aubyn if Doctor 
 Montague knew who he was in reality re- 
 commending to her father, or whether he 
 supposed it to be indeed Mr. Mordaunt ? 
 Lord St. Aubyn laughed at this question, 
 and said Montague would have had rea- 
 son to be surprized at hearing Mordaunt 
 was going to be married, as he was a very 
 stiffold Bachelor of at least sixty ; but the 
 fact was, he had written himself to Mon- 
 tague from Llanwyllan, informing him 
 who the person really was respecting 
 
 K 6
 
 fO*2 MYSTERY 
 
 Ikyhom Powis's inquiries would be made, 
 and desiring him to give such a character 
 of that person as he thought was deserved, 
 only not to betray his real title,^s he was 
 anxious to avoid the eclat such a dis- 
 covery would produce, if made while 
 they remained at Llanwyllan. 
 
 After a little more conversation on this 
 interesting subject, St. Aubyn and his 
 Ellen took leave of their iiospi table en- 
 tertainer, after remunerating her in the 
 most liberal way for the trouble they had 
 given .her; and as by the time they 
 reached the village the day was far ad- 
 vanced, they ordered a chaise directly, 
 and proceeded to the end of the next 
 stage, where they dined, and where St, 
 Aubyn told Ellen his own carriage was to 
 meet them, and convey them to the Cas* 
 tie, where his household were instructed 
 to expect their lady. 
 
 Bifore they had quite dined, an elegant 
 new travelhng carriage and four, with co- 
 ronets on the pannels, and out-riders in
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 203 
 
 rich liveries, drove to the door, and the 
 host, who had no idea of the rank of his 
 guests, fiom their arriving in a hack car- 
 riage, unattended, was in the act of de- 
 nying to the servants that Lord and Lady 
 St. Aubyn were there, when the Earl, 
 throwing up the sash, told the men to 
 move about, but not put up the horses, 
 as he should go in half an hour. While 
 he was speaking, the stage-coach from 
 London stopt at the door, and Ellen's 
 maid stepping out, inquired whether any 
 servant from one Mr. Mordaunt's^ in 
 that neighbourhood, was waiting for her. 
 St. Aubyn, calling to one of his men, de- 
 sired him to send that young woman to 
 Lady St. Aubyn. The man obeyed, and 
 told the astonished Jane she must go and 
 speak to his lady. *' What for, pray?" 
 answered Jane, pertly. " Indeed I shall 
 do no such thing ; I am going on direct- 
 ly, and don't want such fellows as you to 
 he joking with me." " Jane V* said El-
 
 S04 MYSTERY 
 
 leti, approaching the window, anxious to 
 put a stop to a dialogue she feared tnight 
 disclose more than she wished the ser- 
 vants should know. •* Oh, dear Ma'am, 
 are you there!*' answered Jane. ** Oh! 
 I am so glad ; I will come to you, Ma'am, 
 directly.'* One of the men, wishing for 
 an opportunity of seeing his new lady, 
 said, " Come, young woman, I will shew 
 you the way to her Ladyship.'* 
 
 The poor girl was so much confused^ 
 by these different directions, that fortu- 
 nately she had no power to refuse^ or in- 
 deed to speak at all, but followed the 
 servant into the room, where St. Aubyn 
 Jind Ellen were sitting. ** There,^^ said 
 the footman, in a low voice, and giving 
 her a little push : '' go in, child — that is 
 iTiy lady." " Grant me patience," gaid 
 Jane, turning sharply to him : *' why I 
 tell you that is my mistress. 1 suppose 
 you want to persuade me I don't know 
 ifiy'own«~«»." *♦ Softly, Jane,'* said St.
 
 AXD CONFIDEKCE. f03 
 
 Aubyn : *' there, go in, and speak to your 
 lady, and you, Thomas, may go ; we shall 
 soon be ready to start.*' 
 
 He left Jane with her lady, not wish- 
 ing to be present at the explanation, 
 Ellen explained to the astonished girl, 
 that she had, for particular reasons, con- 
 cealed her title while in London, and did 
 not wish her to say to the other servants 
 that she had ever known her under any 
 other name. Jane very willingly pro- 
 mised obedience, and was not a little 
 elated to find herself own woman to Lady 
 St. Aubyn, instead of waiting-maid to 
 plain Mrs, Mordaunt, Inueed, Mrs. Birt- 
 ley had had some scriipies about suffer- 
 ing her to follow the mysterious couple 
 at all, and charged her, if she did not find 
 all right, to leave her place, and return 
 to London immediately, all which her 
 unguarded hints betrayed to Ellen, who 
 felt a little confused at hearing her situa- 
 tion had been so misconstrued. ** An4 
 there, Ma*am— -beg pardon — my lady~
 
 206 MYSTERY 
 
 there your Ladyship ;" (for Jane was will- 
 ing to make amends for her former igno- 
 rance, by using Ellen's title as often as 
 possible) — there your Ladyship left a book 
 at Mrs. Birtley's — I forget the name of 
 it ; some poetry book it was, and in \X 
 was written, in one place, '' C. F. M. to 
 Ellen P." and I was to have brought it 
 with me, but Mrs. Birtley was not at 
 home when I came away, so 1 could not 
 have it, and it was a great pity, for it is 
 very handsome, in a fine bindir^g, and 
 with beautiful pictures: one of them was 
 a man jumping off a^rock, like into the 
 sea, and with a sort of aclergyman*s gown 
 on, and with a musical instrument in his 
 hand, something like a guitar, but not 
 quite.'^ *' 1 know the book you mean,^' 
 said Ellen ; "it was Gray's Poems. 1 am 
 sorry I left it behind." " Yes, Ma'am — 
 my lady I mean, that w^as the very book ; 
 but I dare say your Ladyship can have it 
 by sending to Mrs. Birtley ; and in one 
 part, my lady, there was a print of a
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 207 
 
 church-yard, and over the print was put, 
 "Dear Landwilliam, or some such name." 
 " Yes, Jane, yes; that's the book — that 
 will do : now give me my hat, and step 
 down and inquire if Lord St. Aubyn is 
 waiting for me.*' 
 
 It was the first time Ellen had framed 
 her lips to say Lord St. Aubyn, and she 
 wondered whether she should ever be- 
 come accustomed to the sound. Jane 
 was met at the door by one of the men 
 servants, who came to know if her lady 
 was ready, as his lord bade him say the 
 carriage was come round. Jane, asto- 
 nished at her own greatness, in being 
 called Ma'amj and so respectfully ad- 
 dressed by such a fine genfleman, re- 
 turned to Ellen with redoubled respect, 
 and a new reinforcement of ** my ladies.'* 
 Ellen said she was ready, and ran down. 
 *' Come, my love,'* said St. Aubyn, *' we 
 shall be late at home.'' 
 
 Ellen's heart throbbed, as she thought 
 •fa home so far above her utmost idea*
 
 208 MYSTERY 
 
 of splendour, and of being called to a situ- 
 ation to which she feared herself unequal ; 
 yet she composed her spirits as well as 
 she could ; for she saw, that to please 
 her lord she must assert herself, and be- 
 have with a degree of dignity and self pos- 
 session : she gave him her hand, there- 
 fore, with tenderness, but with a certain 
 air of calmness, as if not too much elated 
 with her new honours, or childishly de- 
 lighted vvith her new carriage: he saw, 
 and was charmed with her just discrimi-' 
 nation, and encouraged her by anying, 
 »' Ever, my Ellen, all I wish." He then 
 placed her in the carriage, and leaving 
 Jane to follow with the luggage in a hack 
 chaise, they were speedily on the road to 
 Castle St. Aubyn. As they drew near it, 
 they passed a neat little mansion, stand- 
 ing on a small lawn, surrounded by 
 flowering shrubs, which St. Aubyn told 
 Ellen was the house of therm/ Mr, Mor- 
 daunt. ** Exactly such a place,'* said 
 she, " had I figured to myself as your ha-
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 209 
 
 bitation, .not indeed in Wales, for there 
 my imagination did not soar to a pitch so 
 high ; but since we have been in Eng- 
 land, and I saw what the smaller houses 
 of genteel people were, such I fancied 
 your's/' *' In a few minutes, my love,'' 
 he replied, *' we shall approach my real 
 home^ and most happy am I to say, my 
 Ellen's home also ; though in a different 
 style, it will, 1 hope, be as much to your 
 taste as this pretty place appears to be." 
 
 As he spoke, one of the out-riders 
 passed the carriage, and ringing at a por- 
 ter's lodge, the large and elegant iron 
 gates were thrown open, and they turned 
 into a noble park of no common dimen- 
 sions. Here the hand of art had fol- 
 lowed, not impeded that of nature : large 
 trees, disposed in clumps, or singly, as 
 the purest taste directed, shaded and or* 
 namented the verdant lawn. A fine piece 
 of water, almost bearing the aspect of a 
 fine lake, with an elegant pleasure barge 
 at anchor on its bank, skirted one sid»
 
 $10 MYSTERY 
 
 of the road which led to the house. Its 
 pure waters were enlivened by various 
 aquatic fowls, and on the shelving edges 
 were light and tasteful cages for gold and 
 silver pheasants and other foreign birds ; 
 while in picturesque groups under the 
 trees, or bounding away at the approach 
 of the carriage, herds of the finest deer 
 gave new animation to the scene. 
 
 Ellen, enchanted, enraptured, though 
 the closins^ twilight hardiv afforded her 
 
 •DO »/ 
 
 light sufficient to see half the beauties 
 round her, was every moment uttering 
 exclamations of delight, with which St. 
 Aubyn was highly gratified : but as ttiey 
 approached the immense pile of building 
 which he told her was the house, slie 
 gradually assumed a more composed de» 
 meanor, determined not to betray to tiie 
 servants that such things were totally 
 new to her.
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 911 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 A happy rural seat of various view, 
 Groves whose rich trees wept od'rous gums and 
 balm. — 
 
 ' Betwixt them lawns, or level downs and flocks 
 
 Grazing the tender herb, were interspersed 5 
 Or palmy hillock, or the floWry lap, 
 Of some irriguous valley spread her store, 
 
 Fiow'rs of all hue. 
 
 Mtan while murmuring waters fall 
 Down the slope hills, dispersed ; or in a lak« 
 
 —Unite their streams — 
 
 The birds their choirs apply, airs, vernal aira, 
 Breathi.ig the smell of field and grove attune, 
 
 The trembling leaves ■ — 
 
 pAUADisi Lost. 
 
 A TRAIN of sers^ants in the spacious 
 ball stood ready to receive their Lord 
 and Lady. Amongst them was a respect- 
 able middle-aged woman, who, with deep 
 respect, mingled with tears of joy and 
 affection, addressed the Earl: he kindly 
 and condescendiiif^lv took her hand, and
 
 212 MYSTERY 
 
 said, " My good Mrs. Bayfield, I hope 
 you are quite well : I am rejoiced to see 
 you look so. See, my worthy friend, 
 I have brought you a new Lady. Ellen, 
 my love, 1 am sore I need not tell you 
 to esteem my good housekeeper and nurse, 
 for such she has been to me in much of 
 illness and affliction/' Ellen, with some 
 kind words, offered her hand to Mrs. 
 Bayfield, who, courtesying, received it 
 with an air of the most profound respect. 
 St. Aubyn also spoke with great kind- 
 ness to the other servants, and then led 
 Ellen into a magnificent library, which 
 he told her was his usual sitting- room 
 when at St. Aubyn*s. Ellen, fatigued 
 with her journey and the surprizing oc* 
 currences of the day, was not then able 
 to do more than take a cursory survey of 
 it; but she saw that here was entertain* 
 ment and instruction enough lo fill a 
 long life, if even wholly devoted to li- 
 terary pursuits. 
 
 In a few minutes a man of a venerable
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 213 
 
 appearance, dressed in the cassock of a 
 dignified clergynaan, entered the library, 
 whom St. Aubyn announced to Ellen as 
 his friend and chaplain the Rev. Doctor 
 Montague. *' See, my dear Montague,** 
 said he, " this lovely creature, who has 
 generously forgiven my appearing to hep 
 in an assumed character, and before she 
 knew how much my real station was su- 
 perior to that in which she first saw me, 
 most kindly assured me of her perfect 
 willingness to share my iace, be it what 
 it might." He gave her hand to the 
 good old man, who, clasping it between 
 both his, said, " Pardon, Madam, this 
 freedom in a man who hag for many years 
 felt the affection of a father for your ex- 
 cellent Lord." Ellen bent her knee to 
 him as to a second Ross, whose blessing 
 she had been accustomed to a^k in that 
 posture Mith Joanna. The venerable 
 man understood the graceful appeal, al- 
 though fashion has so long proscribed it 
 to her votaries ; and raising his hands and
 
 J14» MYSTERY 
 
 eyes, said, " God bless you., lovely lady, 
 and you, my dear Lord, with her!" 
 
 St. Aubyn ,then said a few words in a 
 low voice to the Doctor, to which he 
 replied, " Certainly, my Lord : if yoa 
 have the least doubt of the entire legality 
 of your marriage, it will be far the best 
 way : have you the licence ?*^ " Yes, 
 here," said the Earl : " examine it, if 
 you please. Ellen, my love,'* he added, 
 turning towards her, " are your spirits 
 too much fatigued, or will you oblige 
 me, by allowing Montague to read the 
 marriage-ceremony to us: I have a spe- 
 cial licence from the Archbishop, and it 
 will not take many minutes?'' Ellen 
 bowed a silent assent; and Montague, 
 saying it would be proper to have wit- 
 nesses, proposed speaking to Mrs. Bay- 
 field, and Thornton, Lord St. Aubyn's 
 gentleman, on whose secrecy they might 
 rely, as of course it was desirable not to 
 have the transaction made public. He 
 went therefore to them, and having told
 
 A5D CONFIDENCE. 215 
 
 them all that was necessary, they im- 
 mediately attended ; and the marriage- 
 ceremony being read, TNiontague prepared 
 a certificate, which was sisrned bv all 
 present, and deposited in Ellen's care. 
 
 All parties seemed rejoiced when this 
 embarrassing business was concluded, 
 which though it gratified Ellen as shew- 
 ing her Lord's extreme anxiety to satisfy 
 any doubt she might feel, yet could not 
 be agreeable to either. A Sandwich 
 tray was soon after brought in, filled 
 with refreshments: after partaking of 
 which, Ellen and the wondering Jane 
 were shewn to an elegant dressing-room, 
 which communicated with a still more 
 splendid bed-chamber, both fitted up 
 with the most peculiar attention, not 
 only to costliness and effect, but to con- 
 venience and comfort, as the contrivances 
 for hot and cold baths, and every luxu- 
 rious accommodation both here and in a 
 gentleman's dressing-room on the. other 
 side the bed-room, sufficiently evinced.
 
 fl6 MYSTERY 
 
 Ail Jane's profound respect for her Lady 
 could not keep her entirely silent^ nor 
 repress the exclamations of wonder and 
 delight with which she greeted every 
 elegant article of furniture: above all, a 
 rich service of dressing-plate on the toi- 
 lette attracted her attention. *' How 
 beautiful, how costly ! And here again, 
 what fine glasses ! Dear, my Lady, you 
 may see yourself from head to foot ; and 
 go clear, they make you look, if possible, 
 more beautiful than yeu really are 1" 
 
 ElieUj nearly as little acquainted with 
 such objects as her maid, was not sorry 
 to have only this simple girl witness to 
 her actions, which would have betrayed 
 to a rriore practised observer that she 
 herself hardly knew the use of half the 
 splendid articles before her, She endea- 
 voured, however, co assume a graver 
 manner, and to keep Jane at a greater 
 distance; but the good-natured creature 
 mixed so much affectionate respect with 
 her somewhat too iamiliar prattle, Ellen
 
 AXD CONFIDENCE. 217 
 
 could not be angry with her: she dis- 
 missed her^ however, as soon as possible, 
 with a reiterated caution not to betray to 
 the servants that she had ever known 
 her under any other name than that she 
 bore at present. 
 
 The next day Ellen took a nearer survey 
 of her noble habitation : the heighth and 
 size of the rooms, the splendid furniture, 
 and rich decorations, absolutely bewil- 
 dered her senses; and when in an im- 
 mense mirror, wdiich hung at one end of 
 a superb drawing-room, she saw herself 
 reflected from head to foot, she, like the 
 innocent Zilia*, actual! v fancied for a 
 moment it was some eh^gant female com- 
 ing to meet her. 
 
 Passing through this room, she entered 
 one smaller, indeed, but fitted up with 
 such exquisite taste, as quite enchanted 
 her: the furniture and hangings w^ere of 
 pale green silk, lightly ornamented with 
 
 * See Lettres d'une Peruvienne. 
 TOL. I. I>
 
 flS MYSTSRY 
 
 gold ; the ground of the carpet, pale 
 green, worked with the needle in bunches 
 of the most beautiful natural flowers, 
 which really appeared to be growing 
 there. The tables, chairs, candelabras, 
 and every article of furniture, were 
 formed after the antique, and caught the 
 eye of Ellen by the perfection of their 
 figures and disposition ; so true it is, that 
 what is really beautiful and in perfect 
 taste will please the unpractised as well 
 as the critical observer, provided the na- 
 tural taste has not been vitiated by any 
 false ideas of proportion and ornament. 
 
 On the Countess's expressing herself 
 pariicularly pleased with this room, Mrs, 
 Bayfield (who had unde4'taken to shew 
 her the house, for St. Aubya had been 
 interrupted in his intention of doing so 
 by Mr. Mordaunt, who brought him 
 eome papers of consequence to inspect), 
 looking cautiously round, said, *« If your 
 Ladyship pleases, it will be better not to 
 tell my Lord that you like this room in
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. 219 
 
 particular." '' Why so, Mrs. Bayfield ?'* 
 asked Ellen, struck with surprize at this 
 request, and the manner it was made in. 
 «« Why, Madam," replied Mrs. Bayfield, 
 " this room and the small one within 
 were fitted up by my late Lady accord* 
 ing to her own fancy, and were always 
 called her drawing-room and boudoir; 
 and since her death, my Lord has never 
 liked the rooms/' '^ Ladj St. Aubyn 
 then has not been dead long, I suppose,^* 
 said Ellen; ** tor the furniture of these 
 rooms appears almost new/* *' About 
 seven years, Madam ; but the rooms 
 have scarcely ever been u§ed : they were 
 furnished not long before she went abroad 
 with my Lord.*' '' Was this beautiful 
 carpet her own work r" asked Ellen. 
 *' Oh dear, no, Madam! my late Lady 
 was of too gay a turn to do such a pieco 
 of work : it was my Lord's mother worked 
 this.'' 
 
 *♦ I thought you had meant your Lord's 
 mother, Mrs. Bayfield: who then do 
 l3
 
 fSO MYSTERY 
 
 you call your late Lady?" " My Lord's 
 first wife, Madam, the late Countess of 
 St. Aubyn/' 
 
 "^ The late CoiKitess — my Lord's Jirst 
 wife/'' repeated Ellen, gazing at her with 
 the utmost surprize : " I did not know ; 
 1 never heard that my Lord had been 
 married before.*' "Indeed, then," said 
 Mrs. Bayfield, colouring, and looking 
 vexed, " 1 am sure, my Lady, if I had 
 known, or had the least idea my Lord 
 had not mentioned it, I would never 
 have breathed a word of the matter; but 
 I know m}^ Lord does not like to speak 
 of the late Countess, for her death was 
 so — so— sudden, and shocked my Lord 
 so much, he has hardly ever spoken of 
 her since; and I daresay that was the 
 reason he never told your Ladyship he 
 had been married before." 
 
 Ellen, not altogether satisfied with this 
 explanation, ^^till felt somewhat hurt at 
 St. Aubyn's extraordinary reserve : she 
 asked Mrs Laj field several questions ;
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. fll 
 
 such as whether the late Countess was 
 handsome ; who she was before her mar- 
 riage : how Ions: she had lived after it ; 
 where she died— and to all which Mrs. 
 Bayfield answered with some appearance 
 of reserve, and as if she felt impatient to 
 dismiss the subject ; that she was very 
 handsome and very young when my Lord 
 married her ; that she was a distant re- 
 lation of his own ; and that ail the family 
 were anxious for the match ; that they 
 were married about three years ; had on- 
 ly one child, a son, who had died at a few 
 months old, and that the Ladv had died 
 abroad. '• And what was the cause of 
 her death, Mrs. Bayfield ?'* *' Indeed, 
 Madam, I do not exactly know," an- 
 swered Mrs. Bayfield, looking a little 
 confused : " she died^ as I have told 
 your Ladyship, abroad, and suddenly/' 
 Ellen said no more, for she was above 
 the meanness of attempting to learn from 
 a servant what her Lord apparently 
 meant to conceal from her knowledge ; 
 l3
 
 S22 . MWSTERY 
 
 yet she felt even a painful degree of cu* 
 riosity to learn some farther particulars 
 of her predecessor, whose early death she 
 thought must have caused that gloom of 
 countenance and manner which some- 
 times even yet appeared in St. Aubyn. 
 
 The boudoir within was fitted up in 
 the same style as the drawing-room, but 
 with Father more simplicity, and con- 
 tained a light bookcase, with gilded 
 wireSg and some elegant stands for 
 flowers, &c. Mrs, Bayfield seemed so 
 anxious for Ellen to hasten from these 
 apartments, that she took only a cursory 
 survey of them, determined to take a 
 more accurate view of the paintings and 
 ornaments some other time, when she 
 should have learned to go about her own 
 house without a guide. The boudoir 
 being the last of the suite of apartments 
 on that floor, they next ascended the 
 noble staircase, and visited the bed- 
 chambers, &c. and a large saloon filled 
 with specimens of the fine arts : capital
 
 AND CONFIDENCE. ^Q$' 
 
 pictures, busts, models, &c, here met the 
 eye in every direction, and here St. Au- 
 byn joined them, and dismisiing Mrs. 
 Bayfield, took Ellen's arm within his 
 own, and pointed out those objects most 
 worthy of her notice. Charmed with 
 all around her, and delighted with his at-^ 
 tention and the perspicuity of his expla- 
 nations, Ellen felt as if she had gained a 
 new sense within the last few hours, so 
 little idea had she before of the wonders 
 of art, selected by the hand of taste* 
 From this room they went to the Hbrary, 
 where they had supped the night before, at 
 the other end of which was a green-house, 
 divided from the library by folding doors, 
 filled with the choicest plants and flower- 
 ing shrubs, and round the walls of which 
 a gilded net- work served as an aviary for 
 some beautiful canary and other birds. 
 This green-house, kept constantly warm 
 by concealed stoves, in the midst of win- 
 ter gave an enchanting prospect of per- 
 petual spring. Beyond the green-house 
 
 I*4r
 
 22i MYSTERY. 
 
 noble hot-houses and cooservatories en- 
 sured a, constant succession of the finest 
 fruits and more tender flowers. 
 
 In the library St. Aubyn and his grate- 
 ful Ellen sat down together, and there he 
 explained to her his wishes as to their 
 manner of living for the next half year: 
 he told her, that undoubtedly she would, 
 for a tiaie, be somewhat engaged with 
 the few neighbouring families who re- 
 mained in the country for the winter, and 
 whom he expected, of course, to visit 
 her : " But that once over^ my love/' said 
 he, *' let us propose to ourselves some 
 rational mode of happiness, which shall 
 not be dependent on the whim of others ; 
 you are so young, and have powers of 
 mind so extensive, that it will be easy to 
 supply those defects in your education 
 which the retired situation in which you 
 lived rendered unavoidable ; and this may 
 be done without any parade or eclat of 
 any kind, as it is by no means unusual 
 for ladies to take lessons by way of finish-
 
 i.KD CONFIDENCE. 22^ 
 
 ing, even at a more advanced age than 
 your*s; drawing and music-masters shall 
 therefore be engaged to attend you. ifyou 
 do not object to this disposition of a part 
 of your time. In French, I will myself 
 be your instructor, and we will mutually 
 improve each other, ray love, by reading 
 together these authors you have so long 
 desired to be acquainted with. If you 
 wish to take a few lessons in dancing, 
 that maybe done in the spring, when we 
 are in London, and they may perhaps be - 
 desirable to ^ive vou a little more confi- 
 dence in yourself; for, in my eye, no ac- 
 quirjed action, or fashionable attitude 
 whatever, could compensate for the loss 
 of one simple natural grace, already so 
 conspicuous in my sweet EUen : and as 
 to dancing, I am so strange a being, that 
 I cannot bear the idea of a married wo- 
 man's ever exhibiting herself in public, 
 and bemg exposed to the impertinent 
 whispers and hateful familiarity of a set 
 of coxcombs." '' I wonder,'' thought
 
 S26 MYSTERY 
 
 Elien, ** whether the former Lady St. 
 Aubyn was fond of dancing." *' In the 
 spring;, then," continued St. Aubyn, 
 '* we will go to London for a month or 
 two, just to see a few of its gaieties, and 
 if 1 can prevail on Lady Juliana Mor- 
 daunt, a very stiff, haughty old aunt of 
 mine, to forgive the dereliction she fan- 
 cies I have made from my consequence, 
 by marrying, as she supposes, below me, 
 she will be your best guide and most re- 
 respectable chaperon." " Ah," sighed 
 Ellen to herself, " what shall I do with 
 these stiff proud people: I wish I had 
 remained what I supposed myself, plain 
 Mrs. Mordaunt.'^ 
 
 A slight trace of anxiety passed over 
 her countenance, which St. Aubyn per- 
 ceiving, for in quickness of apprehension 
 and ready penetration no one ever exceed- 
 ed him, he said :— 
 
 " Fear nothing, my love ; I am by far 
 too happy, and too proud of my choice, 
 to pay the least attention to the sugges-
 
 AKD CONFIDEKCE. $$7 
 
 tions of either Lady Juliana or any other 
 person : if they come forward handsome- 
 ly, and as they ought to do, they shall be 
 indulged in the happinessof visiting you; 
 if not, never will I, or shall you, make the 
 slightest concession to them, 1 will have 
 you support your dignity, even your 
 pride, if pride be necessary, and look 
 down with contempt on such insigni- 
 ficant beings. There is one family near 
 us, Sir William Cecil's, where 1 hope 
 we shall be very intimate : he is a 
 widower^ and has three daughters : the 
 eldest, Laura, from a disappointment in 
 the early part of her life, has remained 
 single, and is now I suppose nearly 
 thirty: the second, Agatha, is married 
 to Lord Delamore, and is gone to live in 
 Scotland: the youngest, Juliet, is still a 
 child, and has bad health : she is a most 
 amiable creature, and has extraordinary 
 talents, but is so unfortunately dehcate 
 that she scarcely passes a day in tolerable
 
 22S MYSTERY 
 
 health. Laura Cecil devotes herself to 
 her entirely, scarcely ever leaving her: 
 she has superintended the whole of her 
 education, as she did that of Lady De- 
 laniore, who is some years younger than 
 herself, and to whom Laura was most 
 tenderly attached. Agatha was eminently 
 beautiful^ and Laura is a handsome wo- 
 man, with a great deal of dignity in her 
 air; yet without hauteur of affectation. 
 I hope you will be on very friendly terms 
 with her." " Indeed, my Lord, from 
 your account of Miss Cecil/* replied 
 Ellen, *' I most sincerely wish it. Next 
 summer, I hope, w^e shall go into Wales, 
 and then perhaps you will permit Joan- 
 na to return with me/' '' Of that we 
 will talk hereafter,'' said St. Aubyn, ris- 
 ing hastily. " Let but the spring pass 
 over and all be well, and my Ellen's 
 wishes shall be my iavv ; but beyond the 
 spring, at present, / dare not lookj*^ 
 " And may 1 not yet inquire-—'^
 
 AND COXFIDEXCE. 2f9 
 
 " Ask not, iij']uire not/* intfrrupted 
 St. Aubyn: " let me, it possible, forget 
 the dreadful, the hatefnl subject.— -x\nd 
 lives that being!'* he exclaimed, in an 
 agitation which mocked restraint— "lives 
 that being who has the power to shake 
 the soul of St. Aubvn ; whose vindictive 
 
 pursuit may yet deprive me of '* 
 
 He stopt : his pale countenance was 
 instantly flushed to scarlet, and he 
 hastily left the room ; while Ellen, 
 amazed, confounded, seemed as if every 
 faculty were suspended ; yet in ten 
 minutes this mysterious man returned 
 to her, composed, and even cheerful, 
 neither his countenance nor manner 
 bearing any traces of the emotion which 
 had so lately shaken his frame: he so- 
 licited Ellen, as if nothing extraordinary 
 had passed, to ring for her hat and pe- 
 lesse, and to go with him into the plea- 
 sure-grounds. She readily complied, 
 and was, if possible, more surprized and
 
 $30 MYSTERY AKD CONFIDENCE. 
 
 delighted by the grandeur and beauty of 
 the shrubberies, gardens, &c, than she 
 had been with the interior of her niagni* 
 ficent abode. 
 
 F.>^l> OF -fOL^ t« 
 
 IJ. Cj.arȣ, Pfhiter, WeU-stieet, Loua.jn. 
 
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