"L I E> RARY 
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVLRSITY 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 M2>4-r 
 
 s/.l
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 HENRY COLBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 
 
 1829.
 
 D
 
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 John de Cruce, Esqifcire, Colonel of the 
 — Regiment of Foot, possessed considerable 
 property in the southern part of the county 
 of Devon, to which he had succeeded on the 
 death of his elder and only brother. 
 
 Colonel de Cruce, who had been educated 
 for the army, and was extremely fond of his 
 profession, could not resolve to quit it at his 
 brother''s death, and thus abandon the promotion 
 and command, which had just been offered him 
 in India. He accordingly embarked for the 
 East, even without visiting the paternal man- 
 sion, now become his own, but he intrusted hi?. 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 2 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 affairs there to the charge of an only sister, 
 who had always resided with his brother, beg- 
 ging her still to consider herself as the mistress 
 of the house she had so long inhabited. 
 
 A young and beautiful wife, to whom he 
 had but just been united, accompanied him on 
 his voyage, — willingly relinquishing, for his 
 sake, the advantage which his brother's unex- 
 pected death thus offered of a permanent re- 
 sidence in England, instead of the uncertain 
 but dazzling prospects which invited him to 
 India. 
 
 Not long after their arrival in that country, 
 Rybrent was born ; and his father, now Ge- 
 neral de Cruce, being directed to assume his 
 command in a distant station, a long and fa- 
 tiguing journey became necessary. After much 
 hesitation and reluctance, therefore, both pa- 
 rents at length agreed to relinquish their plea- 
 sure in the sight of their lovely boy, rather 
 than expose him to the dangers of the climate 
 in a situation from which they might not be 
 able easily to remove him.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 3 
 
 While therefore yet a smiling infant, he 
 was confided, with reiterated charges from 
 both the anxious parents, to the care of a 
 faithful and experienced female attendant, and 
 embarked with her and another domestic on 
 board a vessel about to sail for England. 
 Some distinguished passengers also, who were 
 to make their voyage in the same ship, pro- 
 mised to bestow watchful care both on the 
 child and its attendants. Yet, notwithstand- 
 ing all these precautions, sorely did the pa- 
 rents grieve, when they beheld the argosy 
 containing their treasure sink slowly from 
 their view ; and, could they then have re- 
 called it, perhaps young Rybrent would have 
 shared the fate of all their other children. 
 Several were born to them as years rolled 
 by, but none of all their subsequent oiFspring. 
 survived the week in which they saw the 
 light ; and the hopes of the afflicted parents 
 centered at last solely in the young and pro- 
 mising boy, of whose unbroken health and 
 increasing strength every returning vessel 
 B 2
 
 4 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 brought fresh and gratifying intelligence. He 
 had indeed reached in safety, and almost 
 without even the ailments to which infancy 
 is subject, his father's paternal inheritance in 
 Devonshire ; and there, under the affectionate 
 superintendence of his aunt, Theresa de Cruce, 
 combined with the care and experience of 
 " Nurse Pen,"" as her superiors called her, 
 but " Mrs. Penelope Gripskirt," as with un- 
 compromising dignity she expected to be ad- 
 dressed by all others, the little Rybrent grew 
 from a rosy infant into a playful child, and 
 soon began to exchange that character for 
 the more interesting, but less manageable one, 
 of a stout and animated boy. 
 
 " Truly," said Miss de Cruce one day 
 to an intimate friend who was standing by 
 her at a window which overlooked the Park, 
 *' my brother and sister must soon find a 
 more fit guardian for that bold boy than^.I 
 am. They do not speak of returning hdme, 
 and, indeed, their residence in India seems to 
 have infected them both with insurmountable
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 5 
 
 indolence. John has no favourable remem- 
 brance, as I have often told you, of the public 
 school, where he received his own education; 
 while poor Louisa's natural timidity and de- 
 licate health make her fear any such change 
 for this her only boy. They sometimes talk 
 of my finding a private tutor for him, — a plan, 
 indeed, full of difficulty, but which, I own, 
 I should greatly prefer, to losing altogether 
 the society of the little fellow, who has now 
 become so dear to me. In short, every letter 
 mentions some different proposal ; and they seem 
 determined only on one particular, which is, 
 that no change shall take place till he is eight 
 years old, — a period now fast approaching; but 
 till which time they think me as able, as they 
 know me willing, to remain his sole preceptress. 
 — But see ! How much longer, think you, shall 
 I be fit to regulate the pursuits of that active 
 and resolute boy ?'' 
 
 Miss de Cruce, with her friend Lady Ellen 
 Starinville, had been watching the sports of 
 Rybrent and his two young companions.
 
 6 RYBRENT I)E ORUCK. 
 
 Agatha and Clarina Starinville, while they 
 gambolled, in all the gaiety of childhood, on the 
 short and dry turf below, — their respective at- 
 tendants being quietly seated under the shade 
 of some venerable alders that dipped their long 
 boughs into a still and clear piece of water, 
 which might fairly be called a small lake. 
 Young de Cruce was nearly eight years old ; 
 Agatha Starinville, a lively and beautiful child, 
 was about a year younger ; while Clarina was 
 scarcely five. 
 
 They had now with them a fourth compa- 
 nion in the shape of a huge Newfoundland 
 dog, which Theresa^ in order to indulge her 
 nephew's passion for the whole species, had 
 some months before purchased as a puppy. A 
 strict alliance had from that time subsisted be- 
 tween the little Rybrent and his quadruped 
 dependent, though their relative sizes had so 
 quickly altered, that the creature which the 
 young boy had at first nursed in his lap, now 
 brushed by him, almost as tall as himself, and 
 at the imminent hazard of knocking him down. 
 Still Rybrent maintained a sort of supremacy
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 7 
 
 which was chiefly shown by a string tied to the 
 dog's collar, the end of which he generally held 
 with undisputed possession, until some very ani- 
 mating pursuit urged Triton to a faster pace 
 than his young master could follow, when the 
 cord was soon torn from his grasp, and Triton 
 seldom returned to his allegiance till his own 
 fatigue rendered a state of captivity very sup- 
 portable. 
 
 Young De Cruce, however, disapproved of 
 these forcible escapades more and more every 
 day, and had just devised the means of fast- 
 tening a stick to the string, and thus holding 
 it more firmly, when Triton, spying a larger 
 bird than usual swimming in the lake, began an 
 immediate trial of his master's new system of 
 government, by pulling him at a prodigious rate 
 across the turf; and the violent struggle this 
 occasioned had called forth Miss de Cruce's 
 exclamation as she beheld how manfully the 
 animated boy resisted, even while he was re- 
 luctantly forced to follow, the dog's vehement 
 endeavours to escape. The smile, however, with 
 which she had first watched this contest, was
 
 8 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 quickly succeeded by some anxiety of counte- 
 nance, when she saw that Triton was rapidly 
 making for the lake, and perceived, in the very 
 middle of it, the bird evidently the object of 
 his pursuit. 
 
 *' It is impossible," she thought and hoped, 
 '• Rybrent can hold the string much longer !'"* 
 But the hope vanished as the dog dragged him 
 nearer and nearer to the water, and was quickly 
 changed to acute terror, when, the turf growing 
 steeper towards the brink, the boy's foot slipped 
 and he fell, still, however, holding resolutely on 
 with both his hands. 
 
 Miss de Cruce and Lady Ellen now flew 
 from the window, and in terrified haste de- 
 scended to the lawn. They had, however, al- 
 ready been preceded in their progress to the 
 scene of action by the attendants : and Rybrent, 
 wet through, his hands chafed with clinging 
 to the stick, and his face somewhat scratched 
 and bruised, was standing in such exultation, — 
 for he had actually succeeded in arresting Tri- 
 ton's career, — that he seemed utterly insensible
 
 RYKRENT DE CRUCE. 9 
 
 to the general reproaches showered on him, 
 and even regardless of all the little Clarina"'s 
 sobs, who, partly from her own terror, and 
 partly because Rybrent was thus reprimanded, 
 was crying bitterly. It was, indeed, no easy 
 task to console her ; and Rybrent at last ob- 
 serving her distress, flatly refused (his spirit 
 being elevated by his prowess) to proceed to 
 the house without her. The children, there- 
 fore, walked slowly together ; while Theresa and 
 Lady Ellen followed them, smiling at the mi- 
 mic heroism with which the boy attempted to 
 alleviate his little favourite's fears, by stoutly 
 denying the pain he really felt in his face and 
 hands. 
 
 " A few years hence, that early friendship 
 might assume a different form, perhaps," said 
 Theresa to Lady Ellen, " were those two chil- 
 dren to be thrown as much together as they 
 are now !" 
 
 " I have often thought so," replied Clarina's 
 mother; "but,'' she added, smihng, " the ob- 
 stacles in the way of so natural a connection 
 B 5
 
 10 RYBRENT DE CRUCE, 
 
 would be too few to render it an interesting love- 
 tale : we need not, therefore, lament that Ry- 
 brent''s parents are little likely to leave him here 
 long enough to try such an experiment ; — and 
 who knows that we, dear Theresa, may live to 
 see the futurity we are thus idly attempting to 
 arrange ?" 
 
 This latter remark was spoken in a deeper 
 accent, and, though in itself but common-place, 
 it rung in Miss de Cruce's ear with a pro- 
 phetic sound, when, but a few days after. Lady 
 Ellen was found on the floor of her bedroom 
 deluged in blood from the bursting of an artery, 
 the rupture of which had probably terminated 
 her existence some hours before her attendant 
 entered the chamber, as she was then perfectly 
 cold and stiff. 
 
 This blow was severely felt by Miss de 
 Cruce, whose friendship with Lady Ellen had 
 commenced in their childhood, and had been 
 deeply cemented by the unfortunate circum- 
 stances attending the marriage of the latter 
 to Mr. Starinville. This worthless man, after
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 11 
 
 embittering his wife's life during the first years 
 of their union, by angry reproaches that she 
 brought him no son, by cruel neglect and open 
 profligacy, had at length quitted her entirely 
 and settled in Paris, where, sunk in the grossest 
 vice, he soon seemed utterly to have forgotten 
 both his country and his wife. 
 
 The two children, Agatha and Clarina 
 Starinville, were thus suddenly left in a sin- 
 gularly unprotected state. Of their father 
 they had for years heard nothing, except the 
 few abrupt directions which the steward, 
 Geoffry Dry winkle, occasionally received con^ 
 cerning the rents of the estate ; out of which, 
 on his master's departure, he had received or- 
 ders to pay an annual but very limited sum 
 to Lady Ellen for her own maintenance, and 
 that of her daughters — an order which was 
 never afterwards either rescinded or increased. 
 The narrow income Lady Ellen thus received, 
 had not allowed her to engage a governess for 
 her two girls ; nor indeed had she ever wished 
 to intrust a charge to another, of which, not-
 
 12 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 withstanding very delicate health, she was her- 
 self highly capable. 
 
 Mr. Starinville, the sole and spoiled child of 
 wealthy parents, both of whom died while their 
 son was still very young, had quickly offend- 
 ed and quarrelled with his only relative, his 
 mother's brother, who indeed survived her but 
 a few years; while Lady Ellen's family, at 
 first displeased with the match she had made, 
 soon afterwards became utterly disgusted by the 
 violent conduct of Mr. Starinville, who haugh- 
 tily forbade his wife to hold any intercourse 
 with them — a prohibition to which, on his early 
 espousing the French revolutionary cause, their 
 own political principles inclined ihem willingly 
 to accede. 
 
 At the moment of her sudden death, therefore, 
 her two friendless daughters would have found 
 none but the few weeping' domestics around 
 them to support them, under their grievous loss, 
 had not Theresa de Cruce, without hesitation, 
 undertaken a charge which many circumstances 
 rendered peculiarly embarrassing. She took the
 
 RYBRENT DE CRtJCE. IS 
 
 children immediately home with her to Ester- 
 field Lodge, which lay scarcely six miles from 
 their father's house ; and having arranged with 
 GeofFry Dry winkle the melancholy details of 
 the funeral, she wrote to Mr. Starinville a short 
 account of Lady Ellen's death, and the sub- 
 sequent removal of his daughters, adding (as 
 she feared his pride might otherwise revolt at a 
 protection which her affection for the children 
 themselves, as well as for her departed friend, 
 made her anxious to secure to them,) that Geofiry 
 proposed, with his master^s permission, to con- 
 tinue to the young ladies the same allowance he 
 had always hitherto paid to Lady Ellen — a sum, 
 Miss de Cruce observed, which would render 
 their abode under any roof independent. 
 
 Many months passed away, and brought 
 no reply from Mr. Starinville, though Geoffry 
 perceived that his master allowed the usual re- 
 duction to be made in his remittances, and 
 thereby gathered that he assented to the pro- 
 posed arrangement. Meantime, little change 
 took place in the establishment at Esterfield
 
 14 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Lodge, except indeed that Mrs. Penelope Grip- 
 skirt was observed greatly to relax in the re- 
 serve and haughtiness of her usual demeanour 
 when Mr. Drywinkle made his inquiries (now 
 become very frequent) after the health of his 
 young ladies. On these occasions, Mrs. Pene- 
 lope naturally did the honours of the house 
 to one whom, like herself, she considered the 
 effective guardian of the hopes of the two fa- 
 milies ; and with much complacency would she 
 listen to his daily eulogium on the Miss Starin- 
 villes, provided he, in his turn, conceded that 
 Master Rybrent was the finest boy all England 
 could produce. 
 
 " Ay, or France either f muttered poor 
 GeofFry one day, with a shrug which showed 
 plainly that all his respect for his master could 
 not efface the rooted contempt which his fore- 
 fathers had instilled into him for a country, 
 wliere, as he was credibly informed, they fed 
 their cows by the side of the road, and often 
 made butter of goat's milk.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 15 
 
 " Surely," he continued, ** if my master 
 could but see the colour in our young la- 
 dies' cheeks, he would never stay so long as he 
 does with those pale French people, who have 
 scarcely any thing to eat, they say, but frogs !" 
 
 Mrs. Penelope Gripskirt was a Kentish 
 woman, and her family had occasionally been 
 wont to hold rather more friendly intercourse 
 with their neighbours on the opposite coast 
 than the law fully approved. She had by that 
 means acquired an opinion somewhat more 
 favourable of the productions of France than 
 that held by her Devonshire friend : a circum- 
 stance most propitious to their intercourse, 
 since it tended to moderate her disapprobation 
 of Mr. Starinville's abode in Paris, which was 
 a measure the steward could not endure that 
 any one should bitterly condemn but himself. 
 
 " Why, as for that, Mr. Drywinkle," she 
 replied, " they have, maybe, better things than 
 frogs in France. At least, I have heard they 
 make beautiful silks and gloves there. But
 
 16 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 I hope, as we often say, that Mr. Starinville 
 will never think of taking the young ladies 
 over there ; for they will certainly at last have 
 a very fine property here between them."" 
 
 This was approaching their most favourite 
 topic ; for Mr. Dry winkle and Mrs. Gripskirt 
 had for some time arranged that a match between 
 young Bybrent and Clarina Starinville would be 
 an extremely desirable event ; and every child- 
 ish mark of good- will between these little, per- 
 sonages was recorded and magnified accord- 
 ingly into an incontestable prognostic of their 
 future union. Whether any vague ideas of per- 
 manent steward and housekeepership mingled 
 themselves with the really honest and affec- 
 tionate solicitude which these two worthy guar- 
 dians felt for their respective charges, or whether 
 some confused notion of an union between 
 these two distinct offices even more strict than 
 that of mere friendship did not sometimes in- 
 tervene, it might be hard to determine. Mean-^ 
 while, except that the laundry-maid complained 
 that Mrs. Penelope was grown more particular
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 17 
 
 than ever about the plaiting of her caps, and 
 that Joe the footboy at Warrington Park 
 (Mr. Starinville's house) declared no polish 
 which he could possibly bestow on Mr. Dry- 
 winkle's shoe-buckles would now satisfy him, no 
 symptoms appeared to justify the latter sus- 
 picion ; while the peaceable though distant 
 terms on which Mrs. Gripskirt lived with Mrs. 
 Rustleton, (the reigning housekeeper at War- 
 rington,) seemed to intimate no very eager de- 
 sire to supplant, or even to succeed her. Still, 
 the conspirators, if such they might be called, 
 met regularly and frequently, and many were 
 the proofs of attachment between the two un- 
 suspecting children related by Mrs. Penelope, 
 and eagerly believed by her attentive auditor. 
 
 The year, meanwhile, rolled on, and young 
 Rybrent and his two companions grew and 
 thrived as children are wont to do, born with 
 good constitutions, and under excellent care; 
 and, notwithstanding all the sagacity of the 
 domestics above-mentioned, it was, in reality, 
 very difficult to perceive any difference of
 
 18 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 affection between these young people, who 
 lived in great harmony together. No answer 
 to Miss de Cruce''s letter, no notice whatever 
 of his wife's death, arrived from Mr. Starin- 
 ville ; and Theresa, becoming daily more fond 
 of her young companions, gladly abstained 
 from reminding such a father of daughters 
 whose existence he seemed so well inclined 
 altogether to forget. Yet were there often 
 moments in which the anxiety attendant on 
 the charge she had thus undertaken pressed 
 so heavily on Theresa de emcee's mind, that 
 she contemplated almost with dismay the 
 difficulties which the future might bring ; and 
 this was especially the case, as her attention 
 was caught by Agatha's rapid growth, who 
 quickly became very tall, and promised to pos- 
 sess great beauty both of face and person. 
 
 " Why did I undertake an office for which 
 my circumstances and habits scarcely render 
 me fit ?" was the question constantly rising 
 on these occasions, but as constantly and most 
 satisfactorily answered by the reflection, '^ What
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 19 
 
 other alternative remained for these poor girls P"*** 
 and in the train of thought this produced, Miss 
 de Cruce found no regret could long predo- 
 minate, even though the difficulties of the task 
 she had imposed on herself were really of a 
 serious nature. Born with a feeble constitu- 
 tion, and injured in her infancy by a careless 
 nurse, a slight contraction in one of her hmbs 
 had both increased the delicacy of her health, 
 and the natural timidity of temper, which 
 prompted her to shrink from the intercourse 
 and observation of others with almost painful . 
 shyness. While her parents lived, indeed, 
 she had mixed with the small circle, in which 
 their infirm state of health allowed them to 
 join, without betraying a reluctance, which 
 her strong sense, and deep and habitual piety, 
 enabled her to repress. But when, after their 
 death, her eldest brother's increasing disorder 
 and peculiar character rendered her seclusion 
 from company almost total, the solitude always 
 congenial to her became rooted into a habit, so 
 strong as might well be difficult to break, and
 
 20 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 in which, till now, there had appeared no rea- 
 son to prevent her from indulging. 
 
 Lady Ellen Starinville, as lonely and more 
 unhappy than herself, had been for many years 
 her only friend, and it was nothing wonderful 
 if now, in even more delicate health than be- 
 fore, and with her secluded habits, she beheld, 
 with something like terror, the increasing sta- 
 ture of the lively and beautiful Agatha, whose 
 advancing age would, ere long, she saw re- 
 quire society beyond that of her present play- 
 mates, yet whose entrance into it she scarcely 
 felt herself enabled to procure, or competent 
 to guide. 
 
 With the resolution, however, which habi- 
 tual reference to duty only can give. Miss 
 de Cruce seriously determined on sacrific- 
 ing tastes so long cherished for the sake 
 of her youthful pupil. She made advances, 
 therefore, towards visiting again such families 
 in the neighbourhood, as were inclined to re- 
 new an acquaintance lohg broken : and Mg^^
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 21 
 
 when she saw Agatha, whose warm and lively 
 feelings were easily roused, engaged in earnest 
 conversation with the new companions whom 
 she now occasionally met, Theresa forgot the 
 loss of comfort to herself, by which such an 
 acquisition of pleasure for her young charge 
 was obtained. 
 
 Her other pupils gave her, for the present 
 at least, less anxiety : for the little Clarina, 
 besides that she was naturally of a more serious 
 and milder temper than her sister Agatha, was 
 much more backward in her growth ; while 
 young de Cruce, though often alarming her 
 with the hair-breadth adventures into which 
 the unwearied restlessness and fearless spirit 
 of a bold and enterprising boy are wont to 
 lead, would yet frequently leave his sports 
 to spend hours Jby her side in animated and 
 intelligent conversation, which daily endeared 
 him to her more and more, till he became, 
 at length, the supreme object of her affec- 
 tion on earth 5 while;5f>on her part, she bes-
 
 22 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 towed those early cares on his education and 
 principles, the value of which can scarcely be 
 appreciated. 
 
 After much hesitation, his parents had, at 
 last, decided on a private tutor for their son, 
 and though to make such a choice was an 
 affair of serious difficulty, Theresa succeeded 
 even beyond her hopes in the selection. 
 
 Mr. Trefarley, the clergyman of the adjoining 
 parish, had a son lately returned from Oxford, 
 rich in every ornament of heart and mind, 
 though of a plain and almost forbidding ex- 
 terior, and possessing a constrained and even 
 awkward demeanour. The friend, whose pro- 
 mise of a living for Edward Trefarley had sti- 
 mulated the anxious father to bestow an edu- 
 cation on his son which his means could scarcely 
 support, died suddenly but a month before 
 the young man's ordination was to have taken 
 place, and poor Trefarley, with no other hopes 
 of preferment, was now living in his father's 
 house, earnestly seeking, but hitherto in vain, 
 to find some mode of supporting himself, and
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 9S 
 
 relieving his parents from the burden he pain- 
 fully felt he had but too long, though involun- 
 tarily, imposed on them. 
 
 It was, therefore, with anxious but hesi- 
 tating timidity, that he offered himself as 
 young de Cruce's tutor ; and so great was 
 his joy at finding the negotiation successful, 
 that it was not till he had absolutely reached 
 the house-door of Esterfield Lodge, with a 
 sturdy peasant who carried his scanty pos- 
 sessions, on the day of his entering upon his 
 new office, that he began to shrink from the 
 terrors of the society he was about to encounter. 
 Awkwardness itself, however, could not but 
 feel quickly at ease in Theresa de Cruce's 
 presence, her own unpretending appearance 
 and gentle manners affording a sure guarantee 
 for her favourable judgment on those of others ; 
 and Edward Trefarley soon began to look 
 round the room with almost a fearless aspect, 
 except when it contained Agatha Starinville. 
 He was never able again to encounter her 
 dark and lively eyes, from the moment he
 
 24 RVBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 met their first speaking glance of wonder and 
 delight, checked only by a restraint which de- 
 corum itself could not prevent from being 
 comic, without so sudden and vivid a recollec- 
 tion of the straight and red hair that covered 
 his huge head, and partially sheltered (like an 
 ill-thatched roof) two monstrous ears, that it 
 deepened the carnation on his cheeks, till their 
 crimson appeared to nourish the fire on his 
 scalp, as the glowing coals that lie sweltering 
 in the grate below, feed the sharp and flicker- 
 ing flames which dart in all directions above. 
 
 It is true that Agatha's naturally vehement 
 propensity to ridicule, being on all occasions 
 checked by Miss de Cruce, and partly allayed 
 by much kindness in her own disposition, sel- 
 dom or never betrayed itself farther than in the 
 varying expression of her dark and brilliant 
 eyes : but such was the effect of the general 
 outline of Trefarley's tall but ill-built figure, 
 surmounted by the appendage of the fiery head 
 described above, on these two eloquent lumi- 
 naries, that they absolutely danced with laugh-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 25 
 
 ter, forming thus an odd constrast to the discreet 
 and measured composure of her other features, 
 all of which were either by nature less rebel- 
 lious, or were better trained. 
 
 By the time a few months had elapsed, and 
 the novelty was over, these formidable eyes 
 were, indeed, become more sedate, and un- 
 less any particular circumstance occurred to 
 increase or vary greatly the very intricate 
 ugliness of Trefarley's physiognomy, Agatha 
 beheld it with the indifference which custom 
 brings : but this change came too late ; for 
 poor Trefarley's terror at her first glances had 
 worked in him almost an abhorrence for eyes, 
 which few others could have seen wdthout ar- 
 dent admiration, and the real loveliness of Aga- 
 tha's face and form had thus become nearly as 
 repulsive to him, as his own strange visage had 
 at first been comical to her. In his noble- 
 hearted and intelligent pupil, however, he soon 
 took unalloyed delight, and employed all the 
 powers of his strong understanding to im- 
 prove the qualities both of head and heart 
 
 VOL. I. C
 
 26 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 which he found the fine boy, thus intrusted to 
 his charge, already possessed, with a growing 
 affection, speedily and warmly returned by his 
 youthful companion. Clarina also soon became 
 a favourite, and when the terror which the near 
 sight of him had at first awakened in her began 
 to subside, she would frequently steal to the 
 apartment where Rybrent was receiving his 
 lessons, and enter unchecked, on condition, in- 
 deed, of absolute silence, a stipulation, which, 
 it must be owned, generally reduced her visits 
 to a quarter of an hour.
 
 RYBBENT DE CRUCE. 27 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 Many years had elapsed since Edward 
 Trefarley was thus established at Esterfield 
 Lodge, when on entering the breakfast-room one 
 morning. Miss de Cruce found on the table a 
 letter, whose foreign appearance, and Paris 
 post-mark, struck her with terror. So long 
 a period had now passed without the arrival 
 of any tidings whatever from Mr. Starinville, 
 that she had for some years enjoyed a com- 
 plete security on the subject, which the sight 
 of this unexpected and unwelcome letter threat- 
 ened suddenly to destroy. 
 
 Trefarley, who was alone in the breakfast- 
 room when she entered it, and who saw her 
 changing cheek, and observed that her linger- 
 ing hands appeared almost to refuse opening a 
 c 2
 
 S8 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 paper, whose contents it was evident she dread- 
 ed, with considerate delicacy rose to leave the 
 room : but she called him back. 
 
 " Stay, Mr. Trefarley, I entreat you !" she 
 cried ; '^ I may but too sorely need the counsel 
 and support of a friend and adviser like you !'' 
 She opened and read the letter. It was in 
 French, which language Mr. Starinville had 
 altogether adopted, and after a short and com- 
 mon-place expression of thanks for the care she 
 had hitherto bestowed upon his daughters, he 
 proceeded to observe, that engrossed as he had 
 been with the overwhelming importance of the 
 struggle for liberty in which he had been en- 
 gaged, he had not, till now, had leisure to de- 
 cide on the steps necessary for their education, 
 and had therefore left them under a superin- 
 tendence which, he coldly remarked, he had 
 considered sufficient for their very tender age ; 
 but for which, he (not very courteously) hinted 
 his contempt, by adding, that as they must 
 now be advancing towards greater maturity 
 both of character and person, he had deemed
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. S9 
 
 it necessary to look out for some instructress 
 capable at once of preparing them for society, 
 and introducing them into it. 
 
 In this search, he affirmed, he had been so sin- 
 gularly fortunate as to have succeeded in per- 
 suading Madame Victorine de Rouvier to un- 
 dertake a charge for which her splendid talents, 
 elegant manners, and enlightened principles, 
 eminently qualified her. Madame de Rou- 
 vier, he said, had not only kindly consented to 
 fill this troublesome office, but had even pro- 
 mised to leave Paris immediately for England ; 
 and Mr. Starinville added that he had already 
 written to Geoffry Drywinkle to order him 
 to prepare Warrington Park for this lady's 
 reception, and he desired that his daughters 
 would repair thither immediately to await her 
 arrival. Another formal and brief repetition 
 of thanks to Miss«de Cruce, joined with a 
 hope that the expenses the Miss Starinvilles 
 must have caused at Esterfield Lodge had 
 been fully defrayed by the annual allowance 
 paid them by the steward, concluded this
 
 30 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 epistle ; at every line of which Theresa's sick- 
 ening heart betrayed itself by a fast-increasing 
 paleness, till, as she laid the letter again on the 
 table, her ashy cheek made Trefarley rise in 
 doubt whether he ought not to ring for as- 
 sistance. 
 
 " No, my good young friend !" she said 
 faintly, seeing his purpose ; "I want no aid 
 but that which must be found in confident re- 
 liance on Him, who alone can guide both youth 
 and age through dangers and difficulties how- 
 ever great ! But read this, and judge — for 
 your long residence among us well enables you 
 to understand ray feelings — with what acute 
 anxiety I must contemplate the evils which now 
 seem to menace my poor girls!'' The efibrt 
 with which Miss de Cruce slowly but calmly 
 pronounced these few words was evidently so 
 severe, that Trefarley, greatly moved, took the 
 letter, and read it several times, before he ven- 
 tured by any comments to callfo*' further exer- 
 tion from a mind whose strength so far ex-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 31 
 
 ceeded that of the feeble and delicate frame 
 within which it struggled for dominion. 
 
 At last he raised his eyes, which, though 
 weak and colourless, often beamed with strong 
 and varied expression, towards Miss de Cruce, 
 and gazing with deep pity on her wan cheek, he 
 exclaimed, " This is indeed a heavy trial ! 
 Perhaps it is even the more painful from the 
 total uncertainty in which Mr. Starinville's 
 laconic letter leaves us regarding his future in- 
 tentions towards his daughters. Yet we must 
 not so abuse our ignorance, my dear Miss 
 de Cruce, as wilfully to fill up with the black- 
 est shadows, outlines as yet scarcely visible. It 
 is true, indeed, Mr. Starinville's character is un- 
 fortunately too well known by you to leave room 
 for a hope that his selection of a female guar- 
 dian for his daughters could be such as good- 
 ness and sense like yours would approve. A 
 French woman — a Parisian too — our nationality 
 may pardonably, if not reasonably dread. But 
 such anticipations must not go too far. Even
 
 32 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 the worst of men shield their own daughters 
 from vices they appear to disregard in other fe- 
 males, and we must not suppose that all French 
 women are necessarily as bad as those of whom 
 we have lately heard such frightful tales. I see 
 you shake your head. Consider then at least, 
 I conjure you, how much more deeply you must 
 have grieved, had Mr. Starinville summoned his 
 daughters to Paris; whereas the very circum- 
 stance of his sending this Madame de Rouvier 
 to reside with them in his own house in Eng- 
 land speaks much for her outward respectabi- 
 lity at least, and will enable you still to hold 
 such frequent and easy intercourse with them 
 as may ensure the culture of those principles, 
 the seeds of which you have already so happily 
 sown.'^ 
 
 Trefarley perceived the effect which these ju- 
 dicious suggestions began to produce, and con- 
 tinued to expatiate upon the small distance 
 between Esterfield and Warrington, and the 
 facility with which she might still maintain a
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 33 
 
 watchful superintendence over the interesting 
 girls, of whose affection she was already so 
 secure. Theresa's eye was again raised to speak, 
 when the door suddenly opened, and the 
 three young people entered in all the tumult 
 of haste and gaiety from a long and delightful 
 ramble, which had detained them, they said, 
 thus far beyond their usual hour. All of them 
 were blooming with health, and while Agatha 
 threw hastily off her straw bonnet, and shook her 
 dark ringlets, fancifully decked with early prim- 
 roses, and clustering into a thousand curls round 
 a cheek and brow of exquisite hue and polish, 
 her sparkling eyes danced with pleasure, and 
 told of a buoyancy of spirit as yet checked by no 
 sorrow. 
 
 Rybrent and Clarina, though less dazzling 
 with beauty, were in almost equal spirits, and 
 all were eagerly beginning to relate the de- 
 tails of their morning excursion, when a burst of 
 tears which came at length to the relief of The- 
 resa's overcharged heart, put a sudden stop to 
 their loquacity. It was in vain that Agatha 
 c5
 
 34 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 clung round her neck with entreaties that she 
 would impart to them the cause of her grief ; that 
 Clarina, with a trembling grasp retained one of 
 her hands, while in deep, but more silent anx- 
 iety she waited the result of Agatha's inquiries. 
 Theresa appeared utterly unable to pronounce 
 the words which were to seal the fate of these 
 two lovely girls, and it was not at length with- 
 out a severe effort, that looking towards Ry- 
 brent, as if she could easier address one who 
 was not the object of her immediate affliction, 
 she faintly exclaimed, " Ask Mr. Trefarley V 
 
 All now turned towards Trefarley, and for 
 the first time perceived that his brow wore traces 
 of poignant sorrow, and that before him lay an 
 open letter, on which he glanced as if in hesita- 
 tion what to say. 
 
 " This is inexcusable weakness," cried Miss 
 de Cruce, struggling at length to speak ; '* but 
 — you, Mr. Trefarley, will explain better;" — 
 again she stopped, while Trefarley, with all the 
 delicacy of true affection, informed them first, in 
 as gentle terms as he could devise, of Mr. Sta-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 35 
 
 rinville's new and unexpected command con- 
 cerning his daughters, and then gave them his 
 letter to peruse. 
 
 Agatha's dark eye flashed with indignation 
 as she read it ; and, as she threw down the let- 
 ter on the table, she exclaimed : — *' I will not go 
 to reside with this person at Warrington ; — at 
 least," (for she saw disapprobation in Tre- 
 farley's countenance,) " not if you, dear Miss 
 de Cruce, will but suffer me still to remain with 
 you 1" and all her anger subsiding into sorrow, 
 she turned as she spoke to Theresa, and threw ^ 
 herself into her arms in an agony of tears. 
 
 Agatha was now seventeen. Her character, 
 untried as it had hitherto been by any of those 
 vicissitudes which sometimes confer premature 
 sagacity and experience on youth, might yet be 
 considered unformed. Her ardent temper was 
 mingled with much native nobleness of dispo- 
 sition, and she was wont to yield to Miss de- 
 Cruce's mild and rational guidance with a do- 
 cility which had seemed the natural result of 
 well founded principle ; but which now on a
 
 36 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 sudden appeared likely to change to vehement 
 rebellion ; when, though the authority of the 
 command might emanate from a higher source, 
 its influence was backed neither by gentleness 
 nor reason. 
 
 Accordingly, Agatha now passed alternately 
 from the violence of sorrow to the extreme of 
 indignation. Her father, she said, seemed to 
 own no obligation to Miss de Cruce for bene- 
 fits which, while her eyes streamed with tears, 
 she repeated again and again, she could never 
 either forget or repay. She insisted that she 
 could not be supposed to owe implicit dut}^ to 
 one whom she had seen but in childhood, too 
 early to have retained even any distinct remem- 
 brance of his person ; who had always neglected 
 their unhappy mother, and had left them to 
 remain utterly helpless at her death, but for 
 the generous affection of the friend whom, she 
 again passionately declared, she could not, and 
 would not leave. 
 
 It was, perhaps, fortunate for Theresa, that 
 she was thus immediately called upon for ex-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 37 
 
 ertions, in which her strong sense of duty as- 
 sisted to rouse her from sorrow of her own, 
 almost too intense for indulgence ; for she gra- 
 dually regained her wonted composure and resig- 
 nation of spirit, while she endeavoured to calm 
 and direct the wild and stormy resolutions of 
 the high-spirited but affectionate girl ; who, for 
 the first time, seemed to hear her gentle remon- 
 strances in vain. At length, however, Agatha 
 appeared soothed into a better mood, and list- 
 ened with silent attention to the representation 
 mildly but forcibly made, of her father's pa- 
 ramount claim to her obedience and respect. 
 Theresa even believed her persuasions were 
 effectual, and ceased for a moment to speak, 
 while, with tears in her own eyes, she watched the 
 large and heavy drops that stole from the dark 
 fringe of Agatha's half-closed lids, and rolled 
 down a cheek, which, though but a short 
 time before glowing with joy's brightest car- 
 nation, was now pale as the primroses, some of 
 which still hung languidly among her raven 
 tresses. Suddenly, however, a burning crimson
 
 38 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 again rushed to her face ; and, as she started 
 up, her eye once more kindled with anger, as 
 she exclaimed : — " I may, as you say, owe, and 
 I will pay obedience to my father himself; but 
 I will submit to no delegated autliority ! I am 
 not bound to obey a Frenchwoman, whose prin- 
 ciples and nation I detest ! Nay, dear Miss 
 de Cruce, that is, perhaps, too strong an ex- 
 pression : but what did you say yourself only 
 yesterday, when we read of the atrocities of 
 these demons in female shape, who were shout- 
 ing for their monarch's blood? No, I will 
 never consent to live with a Frenchwoman !" 
 
 Again it required all Theresa's mildness and 
 skill to pacify this new burst of natural indig- 
 nation and disgust ; and while she could yet 
 scarcely school her own mind to the reflection, 
 she laboured to impress upon Agatha the mani- 
 fest injustice of involving the character of a 
 whole nation in the crimes of a few, and to sug- 
 gest the probability that Madame de Rouvier 
 might participate neither in the principles nor 
 the practices of her countrywomen.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 39 
 
 Miss de Cruce now found reason to lament, 
 that in consequence of Mr. Starinville's utter 
 neglect of his children, and his known habits of 
 profligacy among the impious set whose hands 
 had lately been publicly and triumphantly 
 stained with blood, his very name had become 
 so repugnant to her lips, that she had rarely 
 even pronounced it to his daughters, whom, by 
 this time, she had justifiably considered him to 
 have totally abandoned. 
 
 Domesticated as he had been in Paris for 
 above fourteen years, having even continued to 
 reside there during the war which broke out 
 soon after his arrival on occasion of our rupture 
 with America, he had never manifested either a 
 wish or intention to return to his native land : 
 and while, amid the orgies of the wretches 
 with whom he associated, few Englishmen 
 besides himself appeared, of those few Miss 
 de Cruce had scarcely heard the names. Of 
 his very existence, therefore, she was often 
 uncertain ; and, indeed, there had been pe- 
 riods in which the long pause between the
 
 40 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 orders transmitted through his banker (of late 
 his only channel of communication) to GeofFry 
 Dry winkle, had led her to suspect that his sel- 
 fish and guilt}^ career had been closed. It was, 
 therefore, not wonderful that Theresa, instead 
 of attempting to prepare her young compa- 
 nions for obeying a parent who had thus to- 
 tally forsaken them, had rather studiously avoid- 
 ed all mention of a father so unworthy : and 
 his two daughters (the eldest only of whom 
 could even remember that she had seen him) 
 had accordingly found their childish questions 
 stopped, and the more serious demands of their 
 riper years checked by the looks of distress, as 
 well as the few and painful particulars with 
 which their affectionate guardian could alone 
 reply to their enquiries. 
 
 Had Mr. Starinville, indeed, now requir- 
 ed his daughters to join him in Paris, mild 
 and even timid as Theresa was, she would 
 have exerted any means within her reach to 
 evade or resist obedience. But that his chil- 
 dren should reside in his own house in Eng-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 41 
 
 land, under the protection of a person, chosen 
 indeed by himself, but of whom she could, as 
 yet, at least, know nothing injurious, was a 
 command evidently too plausible, however it was 
 painful, to be refused ; and earnestly, therefore, 
 did she now labour to train her own mind, and 
 to prepare theirs for a separation, " which after 
 all," she affirmed, (though with tears in her 
 eyes,) " must be considered more nominal than 
 real, the very short distance between the houses 
 rendering almost daily communication as easy 
 as it would be natural: and, should this Madame 
 de Rouvier possess but a tolerably good heart, 
 she must love you both, my dear children," 
 Theresa added with much emotion, '' and she 
 will not then prevent us from meeting fre- 
 quently and famiHarly." 
 
 These attempts, however, to raise hopes in 
 which her own heart refused sincerely to con- 
 cur, were of httle avail : and gloomily did that 
 day pass at Esterfield Lodge, where the melan- 
 choly that pervaded the breakfast-room was 
 quickly spread over the whole household by
 
 42 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 the arrival of Mr. Drywinkle, whose very 
 aspect proclaimed the evil tidings he had 
 brought. 
 
 His usually well-combed yellow wig had 
 evidently been tossed upon his head with all 
 the disorder of its yesterday's duties left un- 
 smoothed. It did not even sit precisely straight 
 in its proper place ; but while one of its edges 
 encroached upon a cheek which had no space to 
 spare, being, though of a ruddy hue, both small 
 and thin, the other receded in unfriendly dis- 
 tance from the opposite ear, leaving plainly 
 visible many of the short white hairs which it 
 was its proper and paramount vocation to hide. 
 His sharp grey eyes, generally twinkling only 
 with the natural gaiety of his heart, stared 
 roundly open with an expression something 
 like that of an angry cat ; while each wrinkle 
 in his face appeared to have departed from 
 its wonted line of mirth and good humour 
 in order to twist itself into every angle that 
 could best express hatred, contempt, and fear. 
 Sharp and bitter were the maledictions against
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 43 
 
 the whole French nation in general, and " Ma- 
 dam Rover" (as he chose to denominate the 
 expected governess) in particular, which he 
 sputtered forth, as in abrupt and broken sen- 
 tences, he announced to Mrs. Gripskirt and the 
 select few in her apartment, the intelligence and 
 orders he had just received ; and no less angry, 
 and still more shrill, were the exclamations of 
 astonishment and horror which such unlooked- 
 for information produced. 
 
 " I am ordered to have the best bed-room 
 prepared for this cursed Frenchwoman, and 
 another for her maid, forsooth !*" concluded 
 Geoffry in a tone somewhat between the growl 
 of an angry mastiff, and the short yelp of a 
 beaten cur. 
 
 " But I shall lock them both fast into their 
 rooms every night, I promise them !" he con- 
 tinued ; " we shall all be murdered in our beds 
 else. Heaven help the poor young ladies ! I 
 shall watch over them night and day, so if they 
 get strangled or stabbed, it shall be from no 
 neglect of mine at least. But no doubt these
 
 44 RY BRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 creatures will be as cunning as they are cruel — 
 indeed it is my belief they are worse than 
 any of our witches here V* 
 
 This last assertion was made in a lower and 
 rather hesitating accent ; for in the remote 
 parts of the West of England, the behef in 
 witches is by no means entirely extinct, and the 
 fear of them still shakes many a sturdy heart. 
 
 As for Mr. Dry winkle's opinions concern- 
 ing Frenchwomen, it is certain he spoke but 
 the common sense of all his neighbourhood. 
 The atrocities which the females in Paris 
 had so frequently of late committed, which 
 atrocities had made all Europe shudder, 
 had created such ideas in the minds of the 
 lower orders in Geoffry's immediate vicinity 
 regarding Frenchwomen, (a class of beings 
 whom they had never previously troubled their 
 brains to think about at all,) that had a painter 
 or a poet arisen among them to embody the 
 notions current on the subject, he might have 
 produced a personification of horror, fright- 
 ful enough to justify all Mr. Dry winkle's worst
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 45 
 
 forebodings. Both the households of War- 
 rington and Esterfield, together with all the in- 
 habitants of the adjacent cottages, seriously and 
 firmly expected to behold in " Madame Rover" 
 and her maid, creatures as thirsty for blood, 
 and as strong to procure it, as tigers : and a 
 sensation of terror consequently made them 
 shrink behind the hedges, whence their curiosity 
 impelled them to peep at every carriage, which, 
 as it passed the road towards Warrington, they 
 imagined might contain these formidable visitors. 
 In terrors like these, the persons chiefly con- 
 cerned did not, of course, partake ; yet sad and 
 heavy were the hearts at Esterfield during the 
 few days in which the Miss Starinvilles were 
 preparing to occupy their father's long-de- 
 serted mansion ; and when, at length, the hour 
 of departure really arrived, a fainting-fit of 
 Agatha's delayed the carriage at the door, and 
 even for some time made it doubtful whether 
 the removal could take place that day. But 
 Agatha revived, and Miss de Cruce, wisely 
 judging it better not to renew a parting so af-
 
 46 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 flicting, resisted all the supplications of the 
 weeping girl to put off their departure, and 
 soothed her at last into compliance. With 
 Clarina, Miss de Cruce had far less trouble, 
 though this gentle girl's calm but settled sor- 
 row affected her even more painfully than the 
 acuter but more variable emotions of her sister. 
 From the morning when the unexpected com- 
 mand of their father had required them to leave 
 a place they had considered as their home, and 
 a friend whose affection and care had been ma- 
 ternal in all but the name, poor Clarina had 
 glided about the house like the ghost of her 
 former playful self. She wept, indeed, but 
 little, and brushed away her tears whenever 
 Theresa, Rybrent, or even Mr. Trefarley ad- 
 dressed to her any words of comfort : but all 
 her spirits and gaiety were gone. She was al- 
 ways at Theresa's side, or lingering near Ry- 
 brent, whose affection seemed also to redouble 
 as each day brought their separation nearer ; 
 and though she spoke but seldom, her soft blue 
 eyes, liquid with tears as she gazed on the
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 47 
 
 friends she was so soon to leave, and the 
 extreme paleness of her cheek told of sorrow 
 deeper than is usual at her age. The very 
 ringlets, that used to curl in such fair and rich 
 clusters round her mild and happy face, ap- 
 peared now to partake in her dejection, and 
 drooped languidly about her pale brow. She 
 was, however, very reasonable; listened with 
 profound attention to all Theresa's directions 
 and cautions respecting both her own and Aga- 
 tha's future conduct ; and only seemed to fail 
 totally in her self-command, whenever she at- 
 tempted to assure Miss de Cruce or Rybrent, 
 that " though constrained thus to quit them, 
 she should but hold them dearer than ever;" a 
 sentence which she never could conclude, through 
 the torrent of tears that interrupted it. She 
 now, looking even more pale than Agatha, but 
 uttering neither complaint nor remonstrance, 
 followed her into the carriage, Mrs. Penelope 
 Gripskirt occupying the third place, while Ry- 
 brent took his station on the box. Theresa's 
 feeble and daily declining health rendered her
 
 48 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 utterly incapable of the exertion such a drive 
 required ; but she had arranged that the Miss 
 Starinvilles should not only write to her fre- 
 quently, but that they should visit Esterfield 
 Lodge, if possible, two or three times a week. 
 Meantime, Rybrent was to accompany them to 
 their new abode, and returning with the car- 
 riage, bring back to her whatever new intelli- 
 gence might have transpired at Warrington of 
 their expected guest.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 49 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Had the youthful party now driving from 
 Esterfield been about to proceed to the utmost 
 limits of the earth, their journey could scarcely 
 have appeared to them more dismal. Longer 
 it certainly would have done ; for the fresh and 
 spirited horses, having neither fears nor sorrows 
 to check their pace, cleared the six miles be- 
 tween the two houses in so short a time, that 
 while the weeping girls fancied they still felt the 
 last embrace of the friend they had quitted, the 
 sudden turn of the carriage into the entrance of 
 the Park of Warrington, startled them into the 
 anticipation of the meeting, which might, per- 
 haps, there await them. Though they had, as 
 quickly as they were able, obeyed their father'^s 
 desire, by hastening to receive Madame de 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 50 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Rouvier, it was still possible she might have 
 reached his house before them. 
 
 From this fear, however, they were relieved 
 by the appearance of GeofFry at the door ; 
 who, before the carriage had fairly stopped, 
 cried out, " She is not come, my dear young 
 ladies, she is not come ! I heartily hope she 
 has been lost in crossing tlie seas ! Sure I am 
 glad, though, to see you at your own house- 
 door — but ah, poor Lady Ellen ! 'Tis well she 
 does not know who you are come here to 
 meet ! " and he opened the carriage-door with 
 mingled sentiments of regret and joy which 
 converted his usually quick gestures into ab- 
 solute antics. The hope too, which he actually 
 entertained, that " Madam Rover"" had been 
 drowned in " crossing the seas," helped not a 
 little to increase his wonted briskness, and 
 when Mrs. Gripskirt had fairly descended from 
 the carriage, which she did with as much fear 
 and caution as if she were climbing down the 
 side of a steeple, and had ascertained that 
 the very last hem of her garment was free from
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 51 
 
 the steps, which she appeared to imagine were 
 lined with hooks on all sides to detain it, the stew- 
 ard's joy completely gained the mastery over 
 both fears and regrets ; and perceiving that Mrs. 
 Rustleton had advanced to receive her young 
 ladies, he suddenly seized both Mrs. Gripskirt's 
 hands, and shook them with a force and perseve- 
 rance, which, if it betrayed no sentimental tender- 
 ness, betokened at least a hearty good will. But 
 this greeting was not so well received by Mrs. 
 Gripskirt as were his usual salutations. Her 
 spirits were depressed by the sorrowful parting 
 at Esterfield, whence she seemed but that mo- 
 ment to have come. Though formal and precise, 
 she had a kind and warm heart, and was her- 
 self sincerely grieved at losing the two compa- 
 nions of her beloved " Master Rybrent," who, by 
 adding to his gaiety and happiness for so many 
 years, had effectually wound themselves into 
 her aftection. She thought of the solitude now 
 likely to reign at Esterfield, especially as she 
 had heard Rybrent declare a hundred times at 
 least, since the fatal letter had arrived, that he 
 D 2 
 
 LIBRARY — "--— 
 
 ■ iMiifrnoifV AC II I fMO!^
 
 52 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 would visit Agatha and Clarina every day : and 
 she foresaw, therefore, with bitter regret, that the 
 progress of the true love which she and GeofFry 
 had so long ago predicted, would no longer 
 remain under her inspection. 
 
 With these natural and affectionate feelings, 
 were mingled (if the truth must be told) some 
 cogitations not quite so praiseworthy. War- 
 rington was a much finer place than Ester- 
 field ; the grounds were more varied and beau- 
 tiful; the woods, through some of which the 
 road had wound, were magnificent both from 
 their extent and great age ; and when, having 
 passed through an ancient lodge, (the gate of 
 which, however, was only opened by a ragged 
 urchin who chanced to be passing, the in- 
 habitants having entirely lost all habit of 
 attending to it,) the carriage rolled rapidly on 
 under a broad avenue of venerable trees, till 
 it stopped before the spacious and lofty front 
 of the mansion itself, comparisons (odious as 
 they are pronounced to be by excellent autho- 
 rity) forced themselves upon Mrs. Gripskirt's
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 53 
 
 mind with a pungency which justified the truth 
 of the saying, and which became still more 
 acute when she beheld Mrs. Rustleton, in 
 her best attire, standing in the grand door-way 
 to receive her young ladies, and to do the ho- 
 nours of a house of which she had herself been 
 so long the undisputed mistress. It was, there- 
 fore, with some degree of spleen as well as 
 dejection that Mrs. Penelope wriggled her short 
 fat fingers, as soon as she could, out of Geoffry's 
 hearty grasp, and looked at the silk gloves in 
 which they were incased, as if she considered 
 them somewhat contaminated, while she said, in 
 a peevish tone, " Really, Mr. Drywinkle, you 
 have the gripe of a clown ! there is no great 
 call, I think, for all this joy, that you should 
 stand capering on the steps here like a monkey, 
 while we 've all been crying at Esterfield Lodge 
 till our eyes are sore. But I suppose you 
 and Mrs. Rustleton will be keeping up a fine 
 house now, and it is the thought of that which 
 makes you so happy !'* 
 
 We must, however, leave Mr. Drywinkle to
 
 54? RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 make his own peace, which, indeed, was quick- 
 ly done, with the half-sorrowful, half-jealous, 
 but kind-hearted Mrs. Gripskirt, and only 
 observing that they were soon amicably seated 
 in Mrs. Rustleton's room, partaking of the 
 substantial refreshments, without which their 
 meetings seldom either began or ended, we 
 must attend the Miss Starinvilles, who, accom- 
 panied by young De Cruce, had now entered 
 their paternal dwelling. 
 
 After the fear of meeting their dreaded guest 
 was removed, though but for so indefinite and 
 probably so short a period, a sensation like 
 reprieve stole over all their spirits, and they 
 followed Mrs. Rustleton into the drawing- 
 room which had been prepared for their recep- 
 tion. Here there was spread a cold repast, 
 which, after various questions asked and 
 answered, she left them to partake : but they 
 were little inclined to eat. From the day 
 Agatha and Clarina had left Warrington Park 
 at their mother's death, they had never re- 
 entered it till now. Miss de Cruce, naturally
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 55 
 
 averse to visiting a spot where all must re- 
 mind her of the sorrows of her departed friend, 
 had had no motive to induce her either to 
 go herself, or to send the children to a house 
 over which neither she nor they had any con- 
 trol. The only intercourse, therefore, be- 
 tween the two establishments, had consisted in 
 Mr. Drywinkle's frequent visits at Esterfield, 
 and a regular and formal day spent once in 
 every summer by Mesdames Gripskirt and Rus- 
 tleton at their respective mansions. 
 
 To Agatha, who was nearly seven years old 
 when she left her father's house, the sight of 
 the well-remembered drawing-room naturally 
 renewed the shock of her mother's death, which 
 she had, even at that early age, acutely felt. 
 A flood of tears now gushed from her eyes, 
 as, relieved by the housekeeper's departure, she 
 threw herself on the sofa she had so often seen 
 Lady Ellen occupy. But this burst of natural 
 sorrow being over, her spirits, with those of 
 her young companions, began to revive with 
 the buoyancy belonging to their age. To Cla-
 
 56 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 rina, the place had all the charm of novelty, and 
 to that charm what age is insensible? While 
 Agatha was weeping, she and Rybrent had 
 indeed stood over her with moistened eyes, and 
 with hearts heavy as those with which they had 
 quitted Esterfield ; but in proportion as Aga- 
 tha's sobs diminished, the looks of the two others 
 began to stray round the apartment, till there 
 was curiosity, if not pleasure, in their glances. 
 
 " There is a beautiful garden at that glass 
 door," cried Rybrent, and hastening toward it, 
 he was followed first by Clarina, and then by her 
 sister, and all three opening the door, found 
 themselves in a spacious parterre, not in very 
 good order, but fancifully laid out, and bloom- 
 ing with the profusion, while it breathed the 
 sweetness, of a lovely day in spring. 
 
 " Well, this Madame de Rouvier is not come, 
 and I begin to believe she will never arrive 
 at all, as GeofFry Drywinkle, says," cried Ry- 
 brent, with the easily-raised hopes of youth ; 
 " and even if she does, she cannot prevent your 
 visiting us at Esterfield, nor my coming here —
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 57 
 
 and many a happy walk will we have in this gar- 
 den together !" And as he said this, he seized 
 Clarina's hand, and quickened the grave and 
 somewhat mournful pace at which they had 
 first proceeded, into a lighter and more rapid 
 course between flower-beds, and into covered 
 walks, now threaded by these three youthful 
 friends with a curiosity which, at each step, ex- 
 hilarated their spirits ; and Agatha soon gain- 
 ing and leading the way, they explored every 
 recess, and pursued each winding path, till 
 Clarina, fatigued, stopped to take breath. But 
 the spirit of discovery was now awake, and they 
 determined to return and look over the house. 
 They had some trouble in retracing their steps 
 through the paths which branched in every 
 direction, to the glass-door whence they had 
 issued. At length, however, they regained it, 
 and entered the drawing-room once more. 
 
 It was a lofty and handsome apartment, 
 
 filled with rich but antique furniture, the colours 
 
 of which were much faded, though (such was 
 
 the more solid fabric of former days) the tex- 
 
 d5
 
 58 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 ture appeared but little worn. Two stiff and 
 formal chandeliers hung from the fretted ceiling, 
 and were reflected by a large but grotesquely 
 shaped mirror, which, indeed, could reflect 
 little else, being placed, as the wisdom of our 
 ancestors always did place such articles, much 
 too high to allow any vanity (not active and 
 eager enough to mount for the purpose upon 
 some friendly stool) to indulge itself even with 
 a peep. The walls and ceiUngs of their apart- 
 ments seem, indeed, in the minds of our fore- 
 fathers, to have been the only legitimate objects 
 for the tell-tale surface of their mirrors, and 
 their simple admiration apparently exhausted 
 itself upon a distant view only of the smooth 
 and pohshed plate into which we, their more 
 curious descendants, with deeper research pry 
 so intently for sights of greater interest. The 
 mirror, however, of which we speak, reflected, 
 besides the chandeliers just mentioned, some 
 very fine paintings with which the walls were 
 hung; but the whimsical compartments into 
 which its sides were divided, broke considerably
 
 RYBREMT DE CRUCE. 59 
 
 into the unity of the portraits. Most modern 
 connoisseurs would no doubt prefer gazing 
 directly at the pictures themselves ; and, as it 
 is at least dubious which method our proge- 
 nitors adopted, we must not too rashly, not- 
 withstanding appearances, class oil paintings 
 among the few objects their mirrors seemed in- 
 tended to exhibit. 
 
 From the drawing-room, the young people 
 proceeded to survey the other apartments below, 
 which, as well as the large entrance-hall, corre- 
 sponded in size and style with the one they had 
 quitted ; and mounting a spacious and polished 
 oak staircase, they now passed from room to 
 room, till, on entering a wide arched passage, 
 which led to an eastern suite of apartments, 
 Agatha suddenly stopped. Her cheek grew pale, 
 and her eye, which always spoke its tale before 
 her words could utter it, bore an expression of 
 horror, while she said in a hurried voice, "Oh, 
 Clarina, that was a frightful morning when, 
 hearing an alarm, I ran hastily here, and saw 
 that opposite door wide open, and the sun stream-
 
 60 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 ing bright over Mamma's extended figure all 
 crimsoned with blood ! Let us not look at these 
 rooms now. — We have surely strangely for- 
 gotten both the past and the future !"" 
 
 With spirits instantly saddened, and brought 
 to a remembrance of griefs which the elasticity 
 of youth and the novelty around them had 
 combined, for a few moments, effectually to 
 chase, the whole party now descended the stairs, 
 and re-entered the drawing-room with a very 
 different step from that with which they had 
 lately quitted it. Their morning's drive, how- 
 ever, their exercise in the garden, and the recent 
 excitation of their spirits, made them regard 
 the repast still spread there with less indifference 
 than at first ; yet they sat round it with serious 
 and subdued looks, and were partaking it in 
 silence, when Mrs. Gripskirt entered to inform 
 Rybrent that the carriage was ready for his re- 
 turn to Esterfield, which he had desired might 
 be as speedy as possible, in order to relieve 
 Miss de Cruce's anxiety. 
 
 " My dear young ladies !" observed the kind-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 61 
 
 hearted Mrs. Penelope, " it does indeed go 
 sorely to my heart to leave you here all alone, 
 or, may be, worse than alone by and bye ; 
 though to be sure this is a very fine house, and 
 as Mrs. Rustleton says, Esterfield lodge looks 
 quite small to it. However, I can't but think 
 that you have been happier there, learning all 
 your lessons, and following your sports, under 
 good Miss de Cruce's care, than you will 
 ever be listening to French talk here from this 
 Madame Rover that's coming !" 
 
 It must be remembered that from the inter- 
 course which some of Mrs. Gripskirt's family, as 
 before hinted, had been wont to maintain with 
 their Gallic neighbours, her notions of French- 
 women differed widely from the ideas of all 
 those with whom she now associated. Though 
 she certainly abhorred the practices of which she 
 heard they had of late been guilty, yet a pleas- 
 ing and vivid remembrance of the rich and 
 beautiful silks, laces, and gloves, they wore, 
 effectually hindered her from forming the ter- 
 rific image of their outward shapes at least
 
 62 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 which her companions'* lively fears had created, 
 till they almost expected to find the rough 
 and spotted skins, as well as the carnivorous 
 propensity of tigers, in the two females, whose 
 arrival was anticipated. There were, however, 
 many grave and valid reasons which induced 
 Mrs. Gripskirt carefully to conceal her superior 
 information on this subject. She therefore 
 listened to the fearful prognostics of bloodshed 
 and murder which her associates repeated in- 
 cessantly with every aggravation of terror, with- 
 out once giving vent to the remark which yet 
 thrust itself forcibly upon her inward cogita- 
 tions ; i. e. " That whatever the Poissardes, who 
 were clad, she heard, in red caps and coarse 
 aprons, might do, it was not likely that ladies 
 adorned in the gay silks and fine laces she 
 had seen and handled, should be tempted to 
 tear or soil them with blood, merely for the 
 pleasure of murdering people who were stran- 
 gers to them." 
 
 This argument, logical and cogent as it 
 was, she prudently 'refrained from producing,
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 63 
 
 as we have seen ; only contenting herself 
 with hoping, now and then, that " after all, 
 things might turn out better than they all ex- 
 pected." 
 
 This hope, however, now seemed to vanish 
 as she approached to take leave of the two 
 young ladies whom she sincerely loved. The 
 thought that henceforward they were to ex- 
 change the tender and judicious care of the 
 excellent Miss de Cruce for the guidance of 
 one who, if she did not stab or strangle 
 them, yet, Mrs. Gripskirt internally owned, 
 would probably do them no manner of good, 
 brought tears of honest sorrow into her eyes. 
 But in her own regrets she could not long in- 
 dulge. The grief of the young friends at part- 
 ing called for all her attention and sympathy. 
 It was somewhat remarkable that on this oc- 
 casion the two sisters seemed, as if by mutual 
 consent, to have exchanged their characters. 
 With a look of the deepest depression, but 
 calm and tearless, Agatha held out her hand to 
 Rybrent, while Clarina received his embrace
 
 64 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 in an agony of weeping, affirming with increa- 
 sing sobs, that " she could not part with him 
 — that she was unable — and should be afraid to 
 stay there without him !" It was a beautiful and 
 touching picture to behold the noble and manly 
 youth curbing his own sorrow and anxiety in 
 order to soothe and support his still more youth- 
 ful companion, on whom he gazed with an 
 affection that brightened almost to radiance his 
 beaming face. 
 
 " No day shall pass, dearest Clarina," he 
 cried, " in which I will not come to you here : 
 and fear nothing, for who can harm j^ou while 
 I am so near ? But do not look so wretched, I 
 conjure you ; for it makes me suffer doubly to 
 see you thus !"" In the simplicity of youthful 
 affection, Rybrent had now urged the most pow- 
 erful argument he could use, and after ming- 
 ling adieus with promises of daily meeting, the 
 young friends separated for the first time since, 
 by residing together for so many years under 
 the same roof, they had laid deep the foundation 
 of a strong and durable attachment.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 65 
 
 A considerable time after his departure had 
 elapsed, before Agatha could rouse her sister 
 from a despondency in which she appeared di&- 
 posed to indulge without restraint. At length, 
 however, she resumed her naturally quiet 
 character, and pale and silent, but obedient, 
 she followed Agatha, and assisted her to ar- 
 range their new habitation with composure and 
 attention, though not with the alacrity her 
 sister''s more buoyant temper already began to 
 manifest. 
 
 They were now settled in their new mansion, 
 and as the day wore off without any appear- 
 ance of Madame de Rouvier, the delight of 
 GeofFry in seeing his young mistresses esta- 
 blished in their own home, increased rather 
 than diminished. The stiff and sententious 
 Mrs. Rustleton also, even though the beams 
 of her own splendour and dignity were consi- 
 derably shorn, by the presence of superiors in a 
 sphere where she had so long reigned supreme, 
 participated, in some measure, in the steward's 
 honest joy, being herself much attached to the
 
 66 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 young ladies, and an air of general cheerfulness 
 began to spread itself over the whole mansion, 
 where Agatha, not able at her early age en- 
 tirely to check a sensation akin to pleasure in 
 the independence and total freedom from re- 
 straint so new to her, moved about with an 
 elegance, heightened rather than diminished by 
 the timidity which her extreme youth, as well 
 as the novelty of her situation, naturally occa- 
 sioned. 
 
 Clarina alone continued to form a speck of 
 sadness in the picture, on which no gleam could 
 throw a light. All her spirits seemed to have 
 passed away in that flash of momentary gaiety, 
 when hand in hand with Rybrent she had 
 bounded through the shady walks, and skirted 
 and jumped over the flower-beds in the parterre 
 they had so hastily traversed; and though 
 she now followed Agatha through the garden, 
 or assisted her in adorning their apartments, 
 she did it with a settled gravity, broken by no 
 smile, and scarcely interrupted by a word. 
 Agatha exhorted and even rallied her in vain.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 67 
 
 Indeed, when night approached, and the sisters 
 retired to their large but strange apartment, 
 without the usual benediction of their maternal 
 friend, and the kind farewell of their compa- 
 nion Rybrent, the loneliness of their situation 
 struck upon both their hearts with equal force ; 
 and perhaps it would have been difficult at that 
 moment to have found elsewhere in the king- 
 dom two faces so lovely, so young, and yet so 
 sad. Clarina's sorrow was too engrossing to 
 admit of fear, but Agatha's grief was mingled 
 with some terror, when, as their attendant 
 retired and closed the door, the remembrance 
 of her mother's blood-stained corpse, together 
 with a vague anticipation of the horrors, many 
 dark forebodings of which Geoffry had not 
 scrupled to utter in their presence, rose sud- 
 denly on her mind, and she threw round their 
 spacious and gloomy-looking chamber the hur- 
 ried glance which seems to seek, while it dreads, 
 some ghastly spectacle. 
 
 But, notwithstanding all that young imagi- 
 nations may suggest, ghosts and murderers are
 
 68 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 in England, to say the least, not common ob- 
 jects ; and neither of them certainly were to be 
 seen that night in the ancient but handsome 
 apartment in which these two sisters, after de- 
 votions of more than usual fervency, at length 
 reposed in the deep slumber of their age, ren- 
 dered still more profound by the exertion and 
 excitement of spirits which had preceded it. 
 
 They had not commenced their breakfast 
 next morning when Ry brent arrived. He had 
 ridden over thus early, he said, in order to 
 relieve the anxiety in which Miss de Cruce 
 and Edward Trefarley shared with himself. 
 There was certainly nothing to be told, but 
 what a very few words might have related on 
 either side ; yet long and animated was the 
 discourse, and minute and anxious were the 
 questions before each party could be satisfied 
 that all things remained much as they were 
 — that Miss de Cruce, though sad and anx- 
 ious, was not ill, nor in despair — that Mr. 
 Trefarley, though greatly regretting their ab- 
 sence, continued to read the books in which he
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 69 
 
 was before engaged, and even seemed to expect 
 that Rybrent should do the same. " But that 
 I could not V continued the animated youth : 
 " I could think of nothing but your pale cheek, 
 dear Clarina, and I almost fancied I heard 
 your sobs all night. But, here are we now 
 together again, and here will I be every day ; 
 so, let us encourage no evil forebodings, but 
 let me see you both look happy once more !" 
 Agatha and Clarina smiled ; yet, notwithstand- 
 ing Ry brent's assumed gaiety of manner, there 
 was a shade upon his open brow, and a care 
 in his bright but thoughtful eye, which told of 
 anxiety, deeper than the common troubles of 
 his age, for the future fate of his young and 
 unprotected friends. 
 
 Several days, however, passed quietly by, 
 and not only were young de Cruce's visits 
 to Warrington regular, but the Miss Starin- 
 villes had twice, according to the proposed 
 arrangement, visited Esterfield Lodge. They 
 carried there the works they had completed, 
 gave an account of the studies they had pur-
 
 70 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 sued as diligently, as if still under Theresa's 
 eye, and though both suffered acutely on again 
 leaving the roof which certainly contained 
 under it all they loved on earth, yet each 
 party could not but acknowledge, that inter- 
 course so frequent and so easy, left much 
 happiness still within their reach.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 71 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The Miss Starinville returned one day in 
 Miss de Cruce''s carriage to Warrington, but as 
 the evening began to close, and they had just 
 alighted at the door, where Geoffry, with his 
 satellite Joe, was standing to receive them, 
 the sound of wheels on the opposite road 
 attracted their attention ; and, indeed, so ab- 
 sorbed was every feeling in those of sudden 
 expectation and alarm, that the servants, as 
 well as their young mistresses, stood almost 
 breathless, awaiting the event. 
 
 The road, by which this second vehicle was 
 approaching, wound round the western side of 
 the house ; it was not, therefore, till the car- 
 riage turned that angle of the mansion, that 
 it could become visible. Towards this corner,
 
 72 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 consequently, all eyes were now strained ; and, 
 in a few seconds, the drooping heads of two 
 post-horses appeared, dragging along, wearily 
 enough, a shabby-looking hack chaise, in 
 which (as all the windows were down) were 
 plainly to be seen two female figures. Such 
 was the intense anxiety felt by all the domestics 
 of both houses, concerning the personages who, 
 it was evident, were now arrived, that even the 
 servants attending the carriage in which the 
 Miss Starinvilles had just returned, appeared 
 to have lost all power of motion, and stood 
 gazing at the approaching chaise, instead of 
 drawing off to leave room for its advance. 
 This created some delay, during which all 
 the beholders might with ease ascertain that 
 the approaching vehicle contained two females 
 of very different sizes and countenances, to- 
 gether with a large mass between them, of a 
 briffht crimson colour. Whether it was the 
 frightful hue of this suspicious appendage, 
 which to his terrified optics, at that moment 
 three-fourths wider open than usual, glared
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 73 
 
 like garments red with blood ; or whether 
 his fears in general, without fixing on any 
 especial particulars, gained the sudden mas- 
 tery ; or whether (as he himself always affirm- 
 ed) he only went to apprize Mrs. Rustleton 
 of this arrival — which latter solution, however, 
 appears but dubious ; since his fellow-servants 
 asserted, that he never could have expected, 
 by creeping along the side of the wall, and 
 darting down into the coal-cellar, to reach the 
 housekeeper's-room, (an asylum he certainly 
 never did that evening gain) — whichever of 
 these suppositions may be admitted, it is un- 
 deniably true that poor Joe, the footboy, as 
 this formidable chaise drew near, did disappear 
 in the way above described. 
 
 The rest, however, all kept their ground; 
 though it must be owned that the Esterfield 
 servants, considering that their duty was 
 accomplished when they had removed their 
 carriage a few paces from the door re- 
 mained immovable by it, and that Mr. Dry- 
 winkle, standing bolt upright before his young 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 74 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 mistresses, seemed to look upon that as a post 
 not to be abandoned ; so that, unless the pos- 
 tilion had dismounted, which, after a moment's 
 demur, he did, to open the chaise-door, it is 
 very uncertain when the ladies, whom he had 
 brought to the house, would have found any 
 means of entering it. But this man, having 
 come a long stage, and being perfectly uncon- 
 scious of the formidable cargo he had brought, 
 after wondering a moment at the uncourteous 
 indolence of the servants thus standing round, 
 troubled his head no farther on the matter, 
 but, anxious only to receive the reward of 
 his services, and to return to his own home, 
 opened the chaise (as under the same motives 
 he would have done Pandora's box), utterly 
 careless and ignorant of the evils which might 
 fly out of it. 
 
 " This is a beautiful place !" exclaimed a 
 small and very pretty woman, who descended 
 lightly and gracefully the steps of his crazy 
 vehicle ; and without w^aiting for her compa- 
 nion, she advanced with politeness in both
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 75 
 
 look and manner, towards the Miss Starin- 
 villes, before whom GeoiBPry still stood almost 
 rooted to the spot with amazement. Yet, vio- 
 lent as was the revulsion, from the terror with 
 which, it must be confessed, he had watched 
 the approach of this chaise, to the astonish- 
 ment with which he now regarded the deli- 
 cate and elegant form thus issuing from it, 
 it did not so overwhelm his faculties, but 
 that he felt it was unnecessary to guard his 
 young ladies from any immediate personal 
 violence ; and therefore, as Madame de Rou- 
 vier (for she it really was) approached, he 
 stepped aside ; while, with a foreign accent, 
 but in fluent and excellent EngUsh, she ad- 
 dressed the Miss Starinvilles in terms at once 
 of pleasure and kindness, which so soothed 
 their agitated feelings, that they replied sooner 
 and with better grace than might have been 
 expected. During these few moments, in 
 which she was thus unconsciously destroying 
 an impression of fear, she had certainly never 
 dreamed of awakening, and was securing to 
 E 2
 
 76 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 herself a reception, if not cordial and easy as 
 her own address, at least calm and devoid of 
 terror, her attendant also quitted the chaise, 
 and Geoffry Drywinkle, now beginning to be 
 ashamed of his late cowardice, absolutely de- 
 scended to the very door of the vehicle, to 
 offer his assistance in taking out the luggage. 
 
 But between Madame de Rouvier and her 
 femme de chambre, there was a great, and, 
 it must be owned, a very unfavourable con- 
 trast. The former, fairer than Frenchwo- 
 men usually are, possessed charms both of 
 face and person, which, if not amounting to 
 regular beauty, had all the fascination that 
 could attend it. Her small and delicate fi- 
 gure, though light, was soft and easy. Her 
 hair, of a bright brown, corresponded exactly 
 in colour with a pair of clear and laughing 
 eyes, which at once proclaimed and bespoke 
 good will, and curled luxuriantly round 
 cheeks, whose smooth and rosy surface was 
 broken by a few dimples, which appeared 
 and vanished as the smiles that created them
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 77 
 
 varied. When to this is added, that these 
 gay smiles curled into play a very lovely 
 mouth, and displayed some pearl-like teeth, 
 it cannot be wondered at, that even Mr. Dry- 
 winkle's long-nursed terrors had subsided at 
 her approach, and that without alarm, he had 
 beheld her hold out her hands (unarmed, it 
 is true, with any thing but a small embroidered 
 work-bag) towards his two young ladies. Indeed, 
 such had been the influence of her personal 
 appearance, that all Geoff'ry's ideas of French- 
 women seemed utterly to have forsaken him, 
 and with a bold step did he descend, as we 
 have said, to the chaise, by the side of which, 
 pale and silent, stood the femme de chambre 
 of Madame de Rouvier, receiving from the 
 hands of the postilion, and depositing on the 
 steps, the various parcels with which the bot- 
 tom of the chaise was strewed. 
 
 As Geoffry looked upon this woman, a sort 
 of cold chill reminded him of all his former 
 prejudices : yet he was obliged to acknowledge 
 to himself that, forbidding as her aspect was,
 
 78 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 it was still quite as opposite to all his pre- 
 conceived notions on the subject, as had been 
 the smiling and rosy visage of Madame de 
 Kouvier herself. The damsel was certainly 
 larger than her mistress, but she looked neither 
 coarse, nor strong, nor furious — appearing, 
 on the contrary, languid, if not sickly. She 
 had not either long teeth or long nails, or a 
 carnivorous aspect — neither, in default of ail 
 these, had she an old, wrinkled, or shrivelled 
 skin. In short, she resembled not in the least 
 either a tiger or a witch. Yet was there 
 something extremely repulsive to Mr. Bry- 
 winkle's taste in her cold and sallow, though 
 youthful, countenance, as well as in her long, 
 black, and half-shut eyes, whose glances it 
 was almost impossible to catch ; and though 
 he could not tell why she should speak, he 
 was dissatisfied and angry at her silence. 
 Still, however, even his long-indulged fears 
 could not discover that there was any thing at 
 all formidable in her thin, languishing figure ; 
 and he therefore offered, though with some
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 79 
 
 reluctance, the aid he had advanced to give. 
 She noticed him on his approach with a shght 
 inclination of her head, and placed on the 
 stone steps the parcel she had just received 
 from the postilion ; but seeing him ready to 
 take a part in her duties, she removed carefully 
 from the seat of the carriage the large red heap, 
 which has been before mentioned, and raising 
 her heavy black eyes, — which certainly bore a 
 very sinister expression, — she held it out to 
 GeofFry, saying, in a low and rather grating 
 tone, " Take that, Sare, to the house !" Mr. 
 Drywinkle extended his hands, but whether 
 there was something of the basilisk's power in 
 the eyes he now encountered, or something- 
 electric in the touch of the hand which thus 
 met his, or whether it was that a certain un- 
 natural warmth in the parcel, together with a 
 strange kind of low noise it emitted, terrified 
 quite away the senses and composure he had 
 but so recently regained, it is certain that, 
 turning deadly pale, and actually grinding his 
 teeth with horror, he hastily exclaimed, " Con-
 
 80 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 found the thing !" And, throwing it out of his 
 hands, he flew up the steps, and would have 
 bolted through the doorway, but that it was 
 still occupied by the Miss Starinvilles and their 
 guest. 
 
 " Ah! la paume petite r exclaimed the latter, 
 as with eager anxiety she descended towards 
 the bundle, which was now sending forth pi- 
 teous cries, and lengthening every moment, as it 
 crawled up the steps, till, from the upper end 
 of the long crimson shawl in which it was en- 
 veloped, emerged the white and curly head of a 
 little French dog. 
 
 " Mignonne! ma chere Mignonne!" came from 
 the lips of Madame de Rouvier, in every variety 
 of accent which could express affection and con- 
 dolence, while she fondled her whining favourite, 
 and looked reproachfully on the sallow Jaqueline, 
 who, however, in a few whispered words, made 
 apologies which soon pacified her mistress. Mig- 
 nonne, too, it was found, was not injured ; and 
 peace being restored, the driver was paid, Mr. 
 Drywinkle, a little abashed at his part in the
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 81 
 
 late transaction, busied himself in removing the 
 luggage, and the whole party (minus Joe, the 
 footboy, and Miss de Cruce's servants, who 
 had already set off in a gallop for Esterfieid 
 lodge, to tell what they had seen) entered 
 the house; and Madame de Rouvier and her 
 femme de cJiamhre were soon installed with hos- 
 pitality, if not with any very cordial welcome, 
 in their new abode. 
 
 Except that Jaqueline, with the familiarity 
 of a French attendant, frequently entered the 
 drawing-room uncalled for, to ask and receive 
 directions from her mistress, and that lier 
 stealthy step and repulsive countenance created 
 a sensation both in Agatha and Clarina, which, 
 if not exactly either terror or disgust, was yet 
 something nearly approaching to both, the even- 
 ing was passed by them almost pleasantly in 
 the company of the person they had been so 
 teaching themselves to dread. Apart however, 
 from the influence of the fascinating manners, 
 the youth, and beauty, of Madame de Rouvier, 
 and under the very opposite contagion of the 
 E 5
 
 82 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 unprepossessing and sullen aspect of her femme 
 de chambrej Geoffry and Mrs. Rustleton felt all 
 the dislike, if not the terror, of their long nourish- 
 ed prejudice return. Yet would it have been 
 difficult even for themselves to have described 
 what so displeased them in their new associate. 
 Her skin was certainly sallow, and her coun- 
 tenance grave, cold, and monotonous, but she 
 was not ugly ; and though her features were 
 uncommon, they were by" no means ill-formed. 
 Her hair was jet black, like her eyes; and 
 perhaps it vvas the contrast of this deep black 
 with her colourless cheek which produced the 
 most unpleasing part of her appearance. It was, 
 however, but a few of these raven locks which 
 appeared from beneath the high and fo- 
 reign shaped cap, that hung in broad and full 
 borders round her face. She answered, in to- 
 lerable English, but with very broken pronun- 
 ciation, and with much apparent reluctance, the 
 questions which, from time to time, her new 
 hosts forced themselves to put to her, but she 
 asked none in return ; and this uncourteous.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 83 
 
 though, perhaps, natural silence, discomposed 
 and affronted them ; while the occasional gleam 
 of her dark and really beautiful eyes, instead 
 of inspiring them with the admiration they 
 ought to have excited, only filled them with 
 disgust and fear. Yet what perils to anticipate 
 from a Frenchwoman, except being poniarded or 
 torn to pieces — extremities which Mademoiselle 
 Jaqueline's languid frame and reserved demea- 
 nour, seemed to render very unlikely at least, if 
 not utterly impossible, they knew not : and hav- 
 ing formed but one theory on the subject, and • 
 being thus unexpectedly baffled in that, they 
 sat opposite to their new guest, indulging feel- 
 ings which they could neither account for, nor 
 define, but which assuredly more resembled 
 terror that any other sentiment. 
 
 Madame de Rouvier was fatigued, and glad 
 to retire early. The Miss Starinvilles attended 
 her to her chamber, where, with much grace 
 and kindness, she bade them good night ; and 
 soon after summoning her attendant, relieved 
 Geoffry and Mrs. Rustleton from company
 
 84 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 which was every instant growing more and 
 more distasteful to them. Miss de Cruce had 
 exhorted both Agatha ^and her sister not to 
 indulge the steward's garrulity, or listen to his 
 prejudices, concerning their expected guest, but 
 carefully to preserve the respect of silence, at 
 least, regarding a governess, thus chosen by their 
 father, whatever she might prove. It was, how- 
 ever, at times, impossible totally to check Geof- 
 fry's loquacity, and he was this night certainly 
 too much excited to be silent. " Here are your 
 candles, my dear young ladies," he cried, as 
 he produced the flat candlesticks, as soon as the 
 Miss StarinVilles returned to the drawing-room, 
 where it was plain he had been waiting for them ; 
 — '* But, indeed, you must suffer me to see 
 you both safe to your chamber-door! I should 
 not sleep else for thinking of you. I don't say 
 anything of Madame Rover herself — to be sure, 
 she 's not at all like what I had expected ; and 
 certainly, I don't know that the other could 
 do one any harm. But if she wasn't a French 
 woman, I should think she was a snake in those
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 85 
 
 yellow petticoats — so long, and so thin, and 
 gliding about so silently, with those horrible 
 bright eyes too ! I declare, I looked every mo- 
 ment to see the tail of it creep from under the 
 chair !" and so vividly had this personification 
 of a snake now grown upon Geoffry's imagina- 
 tion, that he looked almost as much terrified as if 
 the said tail had really and bona fide appeared. 
 Agatha could not but smile. " I think, 
 GeofFry, you want more protection than we do," 
 she said, " since your companion seems to have 
 been so much the most formidable of the two. 
 But if it will really be any satisfaction to you to 
 see us go to our own room, you may follow us ;" 
 and taking the candle, she proceeded at a pace 
 which effectually prevented the steward from re- 
 plying, till they reached their apartment, when 
 both sisters turning about, thanked the faithful 
 domestic for his care, and bidding him a kindly 
 good night, closed the door. *' Well, Clarina !" 
 exclaimed her sister, as soon as the door was 
 shut, *' is not this Madame de Rouvier very 
 different from all we expected ? How very
 
 86 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 pretty she is, and what elegant and fascinating 
 manners she has! Were you not extremely 
 surprised ?" 
 
 " Yes, indeed I was," replied Clarina ; " for, 
 no doubt, I had anticipated something widely 
 different — I scarcely know precisely what. But 
 we have heard of late such frightful tales of 
 these French women ! I own, I could not but 
 think of them at times this evening ; though 
 Madame de Rouvier is certainly very pretty, and 
 appears so good-tempered and so delicate. I 
 am not sure yet, however, whether I quite ad- 
 mire her ; — and really, that maid of hers, does 
 look so much like a snake, as Geoffry says, 
 that the moment he mentioned the compa- 
 rison, the resemblance positively startled me ;" 
 and poor Clarina, as she spoke, busied herself 
 in fastening their chamber-door with unusual 
 care. 
 
 " See that there are no holes in the skirting 
 board!" cried Agatha, laughing; "for snakes 
 are more likely to enter by those than by un- 
 bolting doors ! But," she added, seeing Cla-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 87 
 
 rina look distressed, " I confess, I do partly 
 agree with you, as to this Jaqueliiie ; that is, 
 I certainly think her countenance very dis- 
 agreeable, though I cannot," and again Agatha 
 smiled, " see so forcibly as you and Geoffry 
 do, the likeness you mention. Indeed, I have 
 scarcely lived on terms sufficiently familiar with 
 snakes, to guess how they would look dressed in 
 caps and petticoats. However, there is some- 
 thing very repulsive, certainly, in the aspect of 
 that woman ; and those black eyes of hers seem 
 almost too brilliant for her sallow face : I will 
 own too, that there were moments in which I 
 felt almost frightened, when, with her sly 
 soundless strides, she was behind my chair, 
 before 1 knew she had even entered the apart- 
 ment.'' 
 
 As Agatha thus spoke, her desire to rally 
 Clarina appeared to change into a participation 
 of the fears she had ridiculed ; and both sisters 
 expressing a wish that Rybrent might come 
 early next morning, prepared themselves for 
 rest with httle more conversation.
 
 88 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Mr. Dry winkle's cares were not yet over. In 
 his hurry to follow his young ladies, who had, 
 indeed, left him but httle time for that purpose, 
 he had taken no additional light, and when, 
 therefore, Agatha shut her door, he found 
 himself in utter darkness, with a sensation of 
 dismay his stout heart had seldom before expe- 
 rienced. For a moment or two he hesitated 
 whether he should not knock at the closed 
 door, and intreat the Miss Starinvilles to light 
 him as far as the hall, where he knew a lamp 
 still burned ; but shame forbade this, and with 
 groping hands, and short unsteady steps, he 
 began to make his way along a passage, and 
 down stairs, where he had never before even 
 thought of a fear. No daylight terrors, indeed, 
 had his path been bored with mines, or ambus- 
 caded by riflemen, could have inspired the kind 
 of loathing horror with which he now at each 
 step dreaded, lest he should run against, or be 
 followed by, this foreign creature, his own 
 description of which had just filled his imagi- 
 nation with terror and disgust. But whether
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 89 
 
 snake or woman, she was not there : and though 
 he did once fancy that his foot pressed upon a 
 soft tail, and drew it back with a loud excla- 
 mation of horror, it proved to be only a fold in 
 the stair-carpet, and he reached the hall in 
 safety, where the large lamp still spread its 
 cheering light. He now began again to breathe 
 with some freedom ; and already ashamed of his 
 fears, he took a candle, and after extinguishing 
 the lamp, and seeing that all was safe below, he 
 boldly proceeded up the principal staircase, and 
 towards the rooms occupied by the new comers. 
 A wide and handsome gallery crossed the head 
 of the staircase, and the door immediately in 
 front was that of the bedroom appropriated by 
 his master's order, to Madame de Rouvier. 
 This was a spacious and lofty apartment, and 
 communicated with a smaller one within, fur- 
 nished with much elegance as a sitting-room. 
 Another door in this sitting-room, or boudoir, 
 led into a second good-sized bedchamber, which 
 was allotted, by the same command, to Madame 
 de Rouvier's maid. Both these bedrooms (but
 
 90 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 not the apartment between them) opened into 
 the gallery above-mentioned ; and upon these 
 two doors GeofFr}^ had placed strong bolts, ac- 
 cording to the determination he had so early 
 expressed. Had Madame de Rouvier, indeed, 
 arrived by herself, it is very probable he might 
 have made little use of a precaution which 
 undoubtedly had never, in the course of her 
 life, been exercised before towards her: but 
 the strange dislike he had conceived against her 
 attendant, (though more akin to superstitious 
 awe, than to any dread of personal violence) com- 
 pletely altered the case, and Geoffry now stole to 
 each door, and gently closed the bolt, with a 
 caution, which, in spite of his lighted candle, and 
 resumed courage, looked very like fear. Nothing 
 was to be heard during this process in either of 
 the bed-rooms, but voices soon sounded plainly 
 from the apartment between them, and Geof- 
 fry, who possessed an honourable spirit, not- 
 withstanding his recent apparent cowardice, 
 revolting from the idea of acting as an eaves- 
 dropper, was about to remove, when the plain
 
 RYBRE>fT DE CRUCE. 91 
 
 articulation of some French words, in a very 
 animated tone, convinced him that he need 
 have no scruple about listening to conversation 
 he could not understand. He stood therefore 
 a few moments longer, near the apartment of 
 Madame de Rouvier's maid, when some slight 
 noises he now heard in that room, so unsettled 
 his courage, and brought her shape so closely 
 to his remembrance, that he began to fancy every 
 sound was a hiss ; and feeling his valour every 
 moment diminish, he wisely determined, that 
 since he had done all in his power, by fastening 
 them into their rooms, he had better forthwith 
 return to his own. In creeping for this pur- 
 pose gently up the narrow back-stairs, which 
 led to the attics, his excited nerves were startled 
 by a slight noise behind him, and turning sud- 
 denly round he beheld the footboy Joe, whose 
 black hands, face, and garment sufficiently 
 testified, that if he had by mistake that even- 
 ing entered the coal-cellar, he had equally mis- 
 taken his way out of it, since nothing less than 
 a protracted abode among its contents could
 
 92 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 have so begrimed him. The exclamation of 
 terror which justifiably enough burst from Mr. 
 Dry\vinkle"'s lips was speedily succeeded by an 
 objurgation more bitter than he was wont to 
 use. Poor Joe, however, received this angry ex- 
 postulation in dutiful silence, and both, fatigued 
 by the unusual excitement of the day, were 
 soon, notwithstanding their late terrors, buried 
 in profound sleep in their respective chambers.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 93 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The Miss Starinvilles rose earlier than usual 
 next morning, with the intention of walking 
 before breakfast down the avenue, in hopes of 
 meeting Rybrent, whose visit, they had no doubt, 
 would be earlier than usual, as they were aware 
 that the Esterfield servants must have carried 
 thither the intelligence of the last night's event. 
 
 They had not left their room, however, when 
 he already arrived ; and while he waited for 
 them below, Mr. Dry wrinkle gave him some ac- 
 count of the arrival and appearance of the new 
 comers. Daylight and a good sleep had much 
 softened GeofFry'^s fears, and his description 
 therefore of these new guests was, on the whole, 
 pretty favourable ; though a few words regard- 
 ing snakes, (unintelligible as they were to Ry-
 
 94 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 brent) betrayed that the ideas of the preceding 
 evening had not wholly evaporated. Of his 
 own over-wrought fears, however, GeofFry wise- 
 ly refrained from speaking ; and he was equally 
 prudent respecting the measure of the bolts, — 
 a precaution he deemed it quite needless to 
 mention, either to Mr. de Cruce or the young 
 ladies. Indeed, his harangue was quickly cut 
 short by the entrance of Agatha and Clarina, 
 and the three young friends were soon buried 
 in the deepest conference concerning the person 
 who was now to assume the guidance at War- 
 rington. 
 
 ''' I am very glad she is, at least, so pretty 
 and so pleasing," said Rybrent, at length, after 
 listening with the greatest interest to Agatha's 
 animated description of Madame de Rouvier's 
 person and manners, " but you do not say," he 
 continued, " what her plans seem to be regard- 
 ing you. About Mr. Starinville I scarcely like 
 to ask." 
 
 " She never once mentioned him last night," 
 cried Clarina, " which surprised us both, though
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 95 
 
 we could not bring ourselves to begin the sub- 
 ject. Nor did she say any thing whatever, res- 
 pecting the course she means to pursue here, 
 but only talked (as was natural, perhaps,) about 
 her journey. She certainly, however, spoke 
 very kindly and good-humouredly, and indeed 
 I like her appearance very well. But her maid, 
 dear Rybrent, I cannot express the aversion — " 
 Clarina stopped, conscious that this was too 
 strong an expression against one from whom she 
 had received no manner of offence. Yet her 
 speaking countenance told of disgust even 
 stronger than her words; and Rybrent, with 
 much surprise enquired, " My dear Clarina, 
 what can that woman be to you ? Geoifry and 
 Mr. Rustleton, indeed, who must associate with 
 her, may object to her face and manners; 
 and now, I remember, Geoffry did say some- 
 thing I could not understand, about her and a 
 snake, which I suppose meant to express he 
 thought her disagreeable. But of what con- 
 sequence can she possibly be to you, who may 
 probably scarcely see her .'^^
 
 96 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 These last words were spoken with a smile ; 
 and Agatha, whose own fears were now entirely 
 dissipated by her rising spirits and the pre- 
 sence of young De Cruce, entered gaily into the 
 topic, and gave so humorous an account of 
 their last night''s terror, and of GeofFry's ima- 
 ginations, (in which she took care not to omit 
 the circumstance of the tail,) that Rybrent 
 laughed heartily, and Clarina, much abashed 
 and half angry, was beginning to remind her 
 sister that she had then partaken of the fears 
 she now ridiculed, when the door slowly open- 
 ed, and the object of them, pale and sallow, and 
 looking even more singular in the glare of the 
 bright daylight, than in the dusk of the pre- 
 ceding evening, appeared at it. 
 
 Her dress of deep yellow hung in loose and 
 thick folds from her waist, round which it was 
 confined by a narrow black girdle. No speck of 
 white relieved the sickly effect of this crocus 
 robe upon her sallow skin : but on her head, 
 the wide borders of the cap before described, 
 dropped in thick and irregular clusters about
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 97 
 
 her face, displaying but partially at the sides a 
 few curls of her jet black hair, and so totally 
 covering her forehead as even to shade the wild 
 lustre of the dark glances, which now roved from 
 beneath it round the room, till at once they fell, 
 and rested on the young group, who were seated 
 on a sofa in one corner. For a moment, as 
 these bright black eyes gazed upon Rybrent 
 with an expression of some surprise, their re- 
 gard was so piercing, that he felt inchned 
 almost to shrink from it; but shaking off an 
 impulse of which he was ashamed, he was be- 
 ginning to address the intruder, when, suddenly 
 dropping her long dark eyelashes, she withdrew 
 her face, and closed the door. 
 
 A minute's pause ensued, and then young 
 de Cruce, in an affectionate tone addressing 
 Clarina, exclaimed : — *' I am sorry I laughed at 
 you, dear Clarina, for truly that damsePs face 
 is so exceedingly disagreeable, that I do not 
 wonder if in the agitation of last evening, you 
 felt afraid of her. Those keen black eyes 
 startled me, even with broad daylight to back 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 me. I suppose she was looking for her mis- 
 tress, but — " 
 
 Rybrent did not conclude, for, as he spoke, 
 that mistress appeared, and, in a very short 
 time, he had utterly forgotten the sinister looks 
 of the femme de chamhre, in the more agree- 
 able contemplation of the smiling and lovely 
 face and the fascinating and elegant address 
 of Madame de Rouvier herself. 
 
 She, on her part, appeared equally dehghted 
 with her new companions. Even at the moment 
 of her arrival she had evidently been struck by 
 Agatha's beauty, and with French freedom had 
 openly expressed her admiration : and while she 
 now gazed on Clarina's paler but still fairer 
 cheek, and caught the calmer but deeper ex- 
 pression of her liquid eyes, her own eloquent 
 smile told the pleasure and surprise with 
 which she regarded a style of loveliness, the 
 more attractive to her perhaps from its novelty, 
 Clarina's complexion, hair, and eyes, being of 
 a hue not often seen in France. 
 
 Young de Cruce's appearance and man-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 99 
 
 ners were also greatly in his favour. Though 
 slight and very tall for his age, he was erect, 
 and moved both with grace and spirit. His 
 countenance was open and serene, but his dark 
 eye had more of command in it than is usual 
 in one so young, whenever his ardent temper 
 was roused : at other times its expression was 
 rather serious and thoughtful, and indeed his 
 whole aspect bore generally an air of dignity 
 and composure, which added considerably to 
 the impression his height produced of man- 
 hood more advanced than his years might war- 
 rant. His seriousness, however, easily yielded 
 to livelier impulses, and when it thus gave 
 way, the smile that took its place seemed to 
 glance over all his features, like a ray of sun- 
 shine. It was difficult then not to gaze even 
 with delight on a face, which before, perhaps, 
 might have attracted no particular attention, 
 but which, thus on a sudden, became trans- 
 cendantly handsome ; and greatly had Madame 
 de Rouvier admired the fine youth, whose 
 F 2
 
 100 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 noble countenance had so expanded, while she 
 described at the breakfast-table some ludicrous 
 adventures on her journey, occasioned by va- 
 rious mistakes, not of language, for of that she 
 was perfect mistress, but in the customs of the 
 country. 
 
 " And d-propos of English customs," she 
 continued, " it seems to me a very singular 
 habit, and one of which I never before heard, 
 that you should like to be locked into your 
 apartments at night. Surely, in cases of fire, 
 or any sudden accident, such a custom must 
 add greatly to your danger, nor can I perceive 
 (with my foreign notions) any equivalent ad- 
 vantage to be gained by the practice. But 
 you English are a very sensible people, and 
 no doubt have some good reasons for it ; and 
 so I told Jaqueline last night, who began to 
 be rather angry when she found herself, as 
 she said, in prison. Perhaps you are more 
 given to walk in your sleep than we are."" 
 
 There was something like sarcasm in the 
 one of this remark, though the smile which
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 101 
 
 accompanied it was good-humoured, and even 
 bewitching. But the whole speech, as may 
 be supposed, caused unfeigned astonishment 
 in the persons to whom it was addressed. 
 
 " Nay, come and see, if you do not beheve 
 me," cried Madame de Rouvier, gaily, while 
 rising from the breakfast-table, she moved to- 
 wards the door. " If you have no bolts on 
 your doors, as you say, I assure you you will 
 find them on ours, and very substantial fasten- 
 ings they are !" 
 
 She led the way up the stairs with a light 
 step, followed by her young companions, who, 
 on arriving in the gallery, found, to their 
 utter amazement, that her bed- room door, and 
 that of Mademoiselle Jaqueline, were provid- 
 ed on the outside with strong and ponderous 
 bolts. All Geoffry's looks and murmurs of 
 suspicion, now rushing into their minds, they 
 instantly comprehended that he must be the 
 person who had adopted this strange, and, 
 it must be owned, not very courteous pre- 
 caution. Yet, obvious as the fact thus ap-
 
 102 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 peared to themselves, to explain it to Madame 
 de Rouvier was by no means easy, without 
 alluding to apprehensions which could not but 
 seem to her as revolting as absurd. Agatha 
 and Clarina blushed deeply, as each in turn 
 suffered a scrutinizing glance from their new 
 guest ; yet Clarina did not speak, while Agatha 
 only muttered a few unconnected words, among 
 which, "a mistake of the servants'' was the 
 only audible phrase. Ry brent's confusion was, 
 if possible, still greater, since the extreme ab- 
 surdity of employing such a measure against 
 a person like Madame de Rouvier, appeared 
 to him even more glaringly obvious. She 
 seemed quickly to perceive and pity their dis- 
 tress, and resuming the smile, which, as she 
 watched their looks with keen enquiry, had 
 for a moment vanished, she immediately pro- 
 ceeded to relieve their embarrassment, by say- 
 ing slightly as she turned and descended the 
 stairs, " Oh, yes, servants will sometimes make 
 odd mistakes ! Indeed, I might not, perhaps, 
 have found it out myself." She then briefly
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 103 
 
 explained that Jaqueline, in consequence of 
 hearing, as she fancied, some noise at her 
 door in the night, had attempted to open it, 
 " and finding that, and mine also, fastened, she 
 would have persuaded me," continued Madame 
 de Rouvier, " to ring the bell for our release ; 
 but that I positively refused, and mustered, for 
 her satisfaction as well as my own, all the rea- 
 sons I could possibly invent to account for 
 such a custom. But I could not fully succeed 
 in my explanation, and I promised myself to 
 obtain from you a better solution of the dif- 
 ficulty. But come, my dear young friends,"" 
 she now proceeded, in a more serious tone, 
 while, as she entered the drawing-room, she 
 took Agatha and Clarina by the hand, and 
 seating herself between them on the sofa, she 
 beckoned to Rybrent to take an opposite chair, 
 " We have, as yet, been conversing only on 
 trifles, and I have much to say to you of more 
 importance. I shall hope, too,'' she added, with 
 a winning smile, " to learn som.ething in return." 
 Heartily glad to escape from the unlucky
 
 104 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 topic of the bolts, and very desirous, though 
 half dreading, to hear what might come, they 
 seated themselves round her in silence, while 
 she commenced by giving them a short out- 
 line of her own history. She had been born 
 and educated in Paris, she said, and at the 
 desire of her parents had married Monsieur 
 de Rouvier, while she was still so young, that, 
 after the ceremony was solemnized, he had 
 departed immediately to join his regiment, then 
 at St. Domingo. 
 
 *' When he returned," she proceeded, " I 
 had almost forgotten his appearance, which was, 
 no doubt, a good deal altered by the heat of 
 the climate, and by his ill-health, but which 
 certainly never could have been very prepos- 
 sessing. However, during our union, which 
 lasted three years after his return, we should 
 perhaps have lived very comfortably, but that 
 his habits of expense being great, and his in- 
 come much straitened by the injustice of his 
 parents, who, from mere caprice, bestowed the 
 property he should have enjoyed on his younger
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 105 
 
 brother, he thought himself obhged to retire 
 into the country, and we resided, therefore, at a 
 chateau he possessed near Coutance in Nor- 
 mandy. At the end of that time, however, my 
 friends, (for my parents were dead,) would 
 not allow me to bury myself longer in seclu- 
 sion, but insisted on my returning to Paris ; 
 where I should still have remained, but that the 
 troubles in which so many of my acquaintances 
 have suffered, my friendship for your amiable 
 father, and some heavy sorrows of my own, have 
 induced me, as you see, to quit for a season my 
 native land, and undertake a charge, the charms 
 of which," and as she spoke she held out both 
 her hands with an enchanting grace, " I find 
 infinitely surpassing all I could have anticipated." 
 Agatha and Clarina took the hands she 
 offered ; but, young auditors as they were, and 
 insinuating as were both her looks and manners, 
 they could not but feel that there was some- 
 thing strangely unsatisfactory, to say the very 
 least, in the tale they had just heard ; and their 
 youthful sincerity probably betrayed itself by 
 F 5
 
 106 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 their countenances, for, without waiting longer 
 for the answer she had apparently paused to 
 receive, their new guest continued — " Any per- 
 son, indeed, might have commiserated the great 
 anxiety of your father, who assured me that he 
 had been searching in vain for some one to whom 
 he might entrust daughters so dear to him. 
 But none to whom he had applied, he said, had 
 answered all his wishes. Some had failed in 
 producing recommendations sufficiently respect- 
 able, (on which point he was minutely scru- 
 pulous,) others objected to leave their native 
 France" — a moment's stop here enabled Aga- 
 tha, with more spirit than courtesy, to exclaim, 
 " My father was extremely good, but as we 
 had always been perfectly happy with Miss 
 de Cruce, our mother's friend, and since she 
 as willingly as kindly undertook the charge of 
 us, and would still gladly have continued it, 
 it is unfortunate that he should have imagined 
 it necessary to press the office upon those who 
 desired it so little. We at least shall always 
 endeavour by the deepest gratitude and attach-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE, 107 
 
 ment, to repay to Miss de Cruce what we 
 owe her !" and the deepening colour on Aga- 
 tha's cheek showed how strongly she felt what 
 she said. 
 
 " My dear Miss Starinville," interrupted 
 Madame de Rouvier in the kindest and softest 
 tone, " I assure you I have heard your good 
 father, even with tears in his eyes, express the 
 extraordinary obligation he was under to that 
 excellent lady. Yet he certainly appeared to 
 consider that your advancing age might, per- 
 haps, now call for the polish of some modern 
 refinements, which Miss de Cruce's retired ha- 
 bits, he fancied, might not have placed with- 
 in her power to bestow. Had Mr. Starinville 
 indeed seen you both, as I now behold you, he 
 might no doubt have deemed all such improve- 
 ments utterly superfluous."" 
 
 Agatha blushed at a compliment so open, but 
 was silent; and Madame de Rouvier laughingly 
 proceeded — " I really am half afraid now to 
 detail any of the advantages which your father 
 intended to bestow on you, for I begin to sus-
 
 108 RYBRENT DE ORUCE 
 
 pect I shall myself gain here much more than 
 I can impart. You, Mr. de Cruce, must 
 ride over to us ever}^ day, as you are so near, 
 and see how we go on ; and if Miss de Cruce 
 also will condescend to come, or will allow me 
 to visit her frequently with her charming pupils, 
 I shall then partake both of the pleasure and 
 benefit of instructions, the result of which I 
 now behold with such delighted admiration. 
 
 It was impossible to hear all this quite 
 unmoved; and the lingering suspicions, which 
 otherwise might still have lurked in the minds 
 of her three young auditors, were effectu- 
 ally put to flight by the unrestrained inter- 
 course with Esterfield Lodge, thus not only 
 offered, but asked for with every grace of tone 
 and manner by their accomplished visitor. 
 With eager and pleased sincerity therefore, they 
 all hastily assured her that Miss de Cruce, 
 though too delicate at present to leave the house 
 would most gladly receive, her, and expressed 
 their hopes of passing many happy hours at 
 Esterfield together.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 109 
 
 Rybrent also thanked her warmly for the 
 wish she had manifested to see him keep up 
 the friendship he had so early formed, and 
 after some more conversation equally satisfac- 
 tory to all parties, he took his leave. 
 
 The Miss Starinvilles acccompanied him on 
 his road as far as it was overshadowed by the 
 noble avenue on that side of the mansion. He 
 led his grey galloway slowly, while Agatha took 
 his other arm, and Clarina walked by her side. 
 For some little time they proceeded in silence. 
 Their feelings, excited by the different turns 
 which the late conversation had taken, needed a 
 few moments to subside. Rybrent was the first 
 to speak. " Well, dearest Agatha and Clarina, 
 you see all our fears of separation have proved 
 unfounded ! Madame de Rouvier appears 
 almost as desirous that we should meet even 
 daily, as we ourselves can be ; while her wish 
 to cultivate the society, and improve by the 
 example of my aunt, has given me a more fa- 
 vourable impression both of her heart and mind, 
 than I must own her short history of herself
 
 110 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 at first produced. But we must not judge 
 hastily of the few circumstances she related. 
 French manners are, we know, widely differ- 
 ent from ours in all respects, and Monsieur de 
 Rouvier's character (the faults of which, to do 
 her justice, his widow does not mention) may 
 have been such as fully to justify the coldness 
 with which she speaks of him." Agatha and 
 Clarina both assented to this; and the latter 
 then added, in a tone of deeper feeling, " Sure- 
 ly we have wronged our father in believing him 
 insensible of Miss de Cruce's kindness, or in- 
 different to our welfare : did you not observe, 
 Agatha, what Madame de Rouvier said 't"" 
 
 " Indeed I did,'' replied Agatha, " though 
 I felt unable to pursue the subject just then. 
 When we become a little more acquainted with 
 her, how much shall we have to ask !" The ave- 
 nue now emerging into an open lawn, Rybrent 
 stopped to take leave. " You must not go 
 farther," he said, " as the sun is now hot. I 
 will, therefore, gallop home with tidings which 
 will surely relieve my aunt's anxiety ;" and so
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. Ill 
 
 saying, and taking cordial leave of his two 
 lovely companions, he jumped lightly on his 
 spirited pony, and was off at a pace which 
 promised to carry him quickly to Esterfield. 
 
 They had proceeded but a few steps on their 
 return, however, when he was again at their side. 
 " I have hastened back," he cried, '' lest you 
 should forget, as I had almost done, the pro- 
 voking circumstance of those foolish bolts. I 
 was really petrified at the sight of them, and 
 at Geoffry's extreme absurdity, for they must 
 have been his contrivance. We have had so 
 much since, however, to occupy our thoughts, 
 that I believe we had all forgotten them, so I 
 have returned thus to remind you that you 
 must oblige Geoffry to have them taken off 
 immediately, and we must hope Madame de 
 Rouvier will forget the whole affair. To this 
 the Miss Starinvilles agreed : and all expressed 
 much indignation against the steward for having 
 used so unwarrantable, and indeed insulting 
 a precaution. 
 
 " But it was strange, I thought/' observed
 
 112 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Clarina, *« that Madame de Rouvier only seem- 
 ed to have mentioned it, because that ill-hu- 
 moured Jaqueline had objected to it. Did you 
 not remark that ?" 
 
 ** No, indeed," answered Rybrent, smiling ; 
 " ugly as that damsel is, with her formidable 
 black eyes, I certainly never once thought of 
 her again, from the time her mistress entered 
 the room ; and I was truly too much shocked 
 at the sight of those clumsy bolts, to attend to 
 what was said. But, dear Clarina, you must 
 not take such aversion to that poor woman. 
 She looked very sickly, I thought, as well as 
 ugly, so she may well be a little peevish, but 
 Madame de Rouvier must have a regard for 
 her, and know her to possess valuable qualities, 
 or she would not indulge her whims.'' Clarina 
 was silent, and Rybrent again bade them fare- 
 well, saying, " Till to-morrow only ! but I 
 suppose I must now resume my usual habits, 
 and not come quite so early." 
 
 He galloped away, both now looking after 
 him till he was out of sight. The two sisters
 
 RY BRENT DE CRUCE. 113 
 
 then returned slowly to the house, comment- 
 ing as they went upon the particulars, few 
 and scanty as they were, which they had heard 
 from Madame de Rouvier : and being by this 
 time not a Uttle prepossessed in her favour, they 
 made up between them (Agatha being the chief 
 compiler) an outline by no means uninteresting 
 of the " heavy sorrows" to which the " young 
 widow" had probably alluded. Madame de 
 Rouvier was not, however, as their simplicity 
 presumed, a " widow ;" and indeed, as her real 
 history resembled but little the tale her young 
 pupils were now fabricating, it may be advisa- 
 ble, lest any of our readers should indulge in 
 reveries equally erroneous, to give a slight sketch 
 both of her former life, and of her present rea- 
 son for visiting England : she herself having 
 in her own short statement either forgotten 
 or omitted some particulars, without which the 
 facts she had mentioned, correct as most of them 
 were, afforded but imperfect information.
 
 114 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Madame de Rouvier's parents were obscure, 
 but rich; and this, their only daughter, pos- 
 sessing extreme beauty, and a fascination of 
 address, remarkable even in her childhood, was 
 early sought for in marriage by several of her 
 equals in life. While yet very young, however, 
 she attracted the notice of Monsieur de Rou- 
 vier, the eldest son of an ancient and proud, but 
 poor family ; and after many disputes, which it 
 would be tedious to detail, piqued by the diffi- 
 culties he had encountered, he at length resolved 
 at once to marry without the consent he des- 
 paired of obtaining. All precautions, therefore, 
 for secrecy being taken, with the connivance of 
 Victorine's parents, who were dazzled with the 
 alliance thus proposed, the ceremony was so-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 115 
 
 lemnized, and the beautiful but plebeian girl of 
 fifteen, became the wife of a meagre and ill- 
 looking man of thirty-five, whose habits of dis- 
 sipation and naturally repulsive countenance 
 made the disparity of age between them appear 
 much greater than it really was. 
 
 Scarcely, however, was the rite performed, 
 when he received intelhgence from a trusty 
 friend, that his parents, armed with a lettr^e de 
 cachet, were already on their way to arrest him ; 
 and so critical indeed was the emergency, that 
 he had scarcely time to mount his horse and 
 gallop from the city, before his pursuers had 
 already reached the house he left. Night and 
 day did Monsieur de Rouvier travel with the 
 fear of a dungeon before his eyes, till he arrived 
 at Bourdeaux ; where, finding a vessel (as his 
 friend had suggested,) ready to sail for St. Do- 
 mingo, he threw himself on board, and after 
 a favourable voyage, joined his regiment there 
 quartered. Meanwhile^ whether his parents 
 really believed the assertion of his adroit friend, 
 that the ceremony had not been completed, and
 
 116 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 were satisfied with having thus driven their 
 refractory son far from the immediate peril they 
 dreaded ; or whether, as was currently reported, 
 the father of the roturiere, whose alliance they 
 so despised, contrived to buy off an indignation 
 his station did not enable him to resist ; it is 
 certain, that, contented with having thus mani- 
 fested their displeasure, and expelled their son, 
 the haughty nobles carried their persecution no 
 farther; and the young Madame de Rouvier, 
 (though without assuming that title) remained 
 in her father's bourse, noted only for her beauty, 
 and for no very particular decorum of conduct. 
 Her husband, probably, lost much of his pas- 
 sion for his young bride (founded chiefly as it 
 had been on the mere caprice of an indulged 
 fancy,) by the united effects of distance and 
 time ; for he remained at St. Domingo for two 
 years, during the latter and greater part of 
 which period he dropped all correspondence 
 with her : while she, having as a mere child 
 obeyed her parents in her marriage, soon 
 thought and cared as little for the man who
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 117 
 
 had so deserted her; and perhaps both might 
 uhimately have forgotten, or at least never 
 renewed the tie thus broken, had all other cir- 
 cumstances remained as they were. But mo- 
 mentous changes had taken place before Mon- 
 sieur de Rouvier returned to France. The 
 power of the nobility in that country (though 
 their titles were not yet abolished) was shaken 
 to its very base, as well as that of the throne, on 
 which it depended. Lettres de cachet were no 
 longer to be feared, and it was become now a 
 fashion among the higher class to profess an 
 equality with that bourgeoisie hitherto so heartily 
 despised. While, therefore, his young wife's 
 personal charms, and what now perhaps pleased 
 him better, her ample dower, were cogent rea- 
 sons for his asserting his claims, there were no 
 longer any obstacles to it. Disgusted, how- 
 ever, with Paris, and entirely estranged from 
 his parents, who had, indeed, bestowed all 
 in their power upon his younger brother, he 
 bought the chateau already mentioned, in Nor- 
 mandy, with part of his wife's fortune, and took
 
 118 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 thither his unwilling bride, who now cordially 
 abhorred the union she had contracted with in- 
 difference, and scrupled not to express all the 
 reluctance she felt, both at being thus obliged 
 to quit Paris, and to reside with him. Her 
 mother had died soon after this ill-sorted mar- 
 riage had taken place, and her father did not 
 long survive the return of his noble son-in-law ; 
 for whose rank (notwithstanding the change of 
 the times) he ever felt a respect amounting to 
 awe ; a prej udice which he displayed as thought- 
 lessly for his daughter's interests, as he had 
 before proved himself careless of her happiness, 
 by leaving her whole fortune entirely in her 
 husband's power. Madame de Rouvier had, 
 therefore, no alternative but to accompany her 
 husband to his new chateau, near Coutance, 
 where her subsequent sufferings almost justified 
 the reluctance with which she had undertaken 
 the journey. 
 
 All bonds were, however, daily becoming 
 more and more lax in unhappy France, and 
 Madame de Rouvier soon believed, or suffered
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 119 
 
 herself to be persuaded, that she had little rea- 
 son to be fettered by hers to a husband, who, 
 drowned in daily intoxication, and squandering 
 in profusion on others his wife's fortune, cared 
 neither for her feelings nor her conduct. Yet 
 it was not till three years of her exile, as she 
 called it, had elapsed, that she took the decisive 
 step of quitting him altogether. He heard of 
 her departure with the observation merely of 
 " C'est bien r and was never afterwards known 
 to mention her among the company, more suited 
 to his taste, with which his house was constantly 
 filled. 
 
 Meantime her career at Paris began with all 
 the brilliancy her beauty, her fascination, and 
 her talents, could even in those times of con- 
 fusion command in that gay but guilty capital ; 
 and suspicious as her circumstances were, these 
 all-prevailing qualifications secured for her a re- 
 ception in many of its most splendid circles, 
 the individuals composing which were generally 
 as indulgent on the score of morality, as they 
 were scrupulous and fastidious in points of taste
 
 120 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 and refinement. Madame de Rouvier's motives 
 for quitting her husband, were all owned to be 
 reasonable and just, her low birth was over- 
 looked in the name she now bore, and few 
 troubled their heads as to which of her nume- 
 rous admirers had brought her to the capital, or 
 assisted her to maintain there the elegant esta- 
 blishment over which she presided with so much 
 gaiety and grace. But Paris now became every 
 day the theatre of deeper and deeper atrocities. 
 The lively badinage of its hitherto polished though 
 infidel coteries, appeared (as if by a frightful 
 process of anticipation) to be fast sinking into 
 the sarcastic malice of fiends. Death was daily 
 pronounced and endured with cold and biting 
 jests, and demons in human shape roved 
 through the streets uttering blasphemies which 
 needed not now even the flimsy veil of wit to 
 recommend them to the depraved taste of an 
 infatuated nation. Several of Madame de Rou- 
 vier's chief intimates had already perished a la 
 lanterne, or by the guillotine ; yet, chained to 
 her native place, by the united strength of habit
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 121 
 
 and inclination, she probably would not have 
 consented to leave Paris, notwithstanding all its 
 dangers and its horrors, had it not been for the 
 untimely and frightful death of her last and 
 best-loved admirer, the young Chevalier Theo- 
 dore Dugavet. This youth, wild and enthu- 
 siastic in his temper, ardent in his attachments, 
 and furious and implacable in his resentments, 
 had run vehemently into all the excesses of the 
 revolution, and might possibly have attained 
 the fearful pre-eminence of becoming one of its 
 leaders, had not a casual introduction to Ma- 
 dame de Rouvier created a violent passion for 
 her in his breast, which, with his characteristic 
 impetuosity, soon absorbed all his other pursuits. 
 She, on her side, struck with his appearance 
 and manners, awed by his vehement and com- 
 manding character, and charmed to discover the 
 power she had acquired over a mind of such a 
 stamp, soon returned his affection with an attach- 
 ment as strong as her light and fickle nature was 
 capable of entertaining ; and sincere indeed was 
 her grief, when, by a hasty and incoherent note 
 
 \0\,, 1. G
 
 122 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 from her lover, she found that he was exposed to 
 the most imminent danger, and constrained to 
 seek safety by an immediate flight. He was 
 pursued, he told her, by some powerful enemy, 
 whose emissaries were searching for him with 
 a ferocious eagerness only to be satisfied with 
 his blood. He had therefore taken shelter in an 
 obscure, but he believed safe asylum, to which, 
 lest she might be implicated in his fate, he would 
 give her at present no clue, but he conjured 
 her to quit Paris, now an abode of so much 
 danger, as speedily as possible, leaving with a 
 trusty friend, whom he named, the direction of 
 the place to which she might retire, that he 
 might join her again as soon as his perilous 
 circumstances would permit. For several days 
 her fears remained at a painful height, while 
 she expected every hour to hear that Dugavet 
 (from whom she received no further communi- 
 cation) had been discovered and dispatched. 
 But no such information reached her, and she 
 began to hope that his enemies were relaxing 
 in their bloody quest, or that his concealment
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 123 
 
 had proved profound enough to baffle their 
 pursuit. From Paris, however, according to 
 the suggestion of her lover, she now eagerly 
 desired to escape, and willingly therefore did 
 she accept a proposal just then made to her by 
 Antoine Barlot, a fierce demagogue with whom 
 she had lately become acquainted, to engage 
 herself if possible as a governess in England, 
 and in that capacity to serve him, as opportu- 
 nities might occur, in maintaining and extend- 
 ing his intercourse with a party in that country, 
 who were but too ready to adopt the ideas 
 and imitate the proceedings now so prevalent in 
 France. 
 
 Barlot had occasionally expressed an admi- 
 ration for Madame de Rouvier, which she had 
 dreaded him too much to repel with the disgust 
 it inspired : and he it was indeed who had 
 secretly instigated and driven on the search 
 for the Chevalier Dugavet, with keener anxiety 
 than even his natural thirst for blood could have 
 excited, had it not been sharpened by jealousy. 
 
 Besides the benefit therefore, which he ex- 
 G %
 
 124 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 pected to derive from an agent of her acknow- 
 ledged dexterity in England, he had the ulti- 
 mate but private purpose of removing her from 
 even the remembrance of a connection which 
 (notwithstanding that Dugavet had as yet es- 
 caped the vigilance of his satellites) he still 
 hoped effectually to break. He had also some 
 vague notions of thus securing in a foreign 
 country an asylum for himself, should the fate 
 he had already inflicted on several of his rivals, 
 in the course of time menace himself. At all 
 events he should, by this means, he imagined, 
 estabhsh the fascinating woman he admired, for 
 the present out of the reach of any other ad- 
 mirers ; while, by the artful arrangement he pro- 
 jected, he might retain her still within his own 
 power, and subject to the guidance of his single 
 influence. These thoughts had flashed across 
 his mind one day as he heard his English asso- 
 ciate, Mr. Starinville, express a casual wish that 
 his two daughters had some French woman 
 about them to teach them something superior 
 to English awkwardness.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 125 
 
 " Not that I trouble my head much," con- 
 tinued this tender and patriotic parent, " about 
 the girls ; but I suppose I must some day or 
 other go over into that cursed country of mine, 
 and I would fain escape being greeted there by 
 two raw daughters !" His companion, promp- 
 ted by the motives above mentioned, most of 
 which, if not all, glanced rapidly across his 
 subtle and contriving brain, seized the occasion 
 thus presented, and urged with so much ad- 
 dress the benefit which not only Mr. Starin- 
 ville'*s daughters, but also their favourite repub- 
 lican cause, might derive from the propagation 
 of French principles in England by clever and 
 well-tutored agents, that he soon drew from his 
 deceived associate, a commission to look out 
 for some person willing to undertake, and able 
 under proper direction to fulfil, such an import- 
 ant mission. To do Mr. Starinville justice, it 
 must be added, that he pressed oftener and 
 more strongly upon the necessity of moral pro- 
 priety in the character of the person to whom 
 his daughters were thus to be entrusted, than
 
 126 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 any one, especially the profligate wretch whom 
 he addressed, might have expected : and so 
 evidently was he in earnest, that his companion 
 ventured not to pronounce the sarcasm rising 
 to his lips, but with mock gravity promised to 
 attend particularly to that point in the recom- 
 mendation which he now affected to consider 
 as both difficult and important. He took 
 care, therefore, not to mention Madame de 
 Rouvier's name ; but going immediately to 
 her house, and finding, that from the private 
 motive already stated, joined to the increasing 
 embarrassment in her affairs, she was not 
 only content to leave Paris, but was inclined 
 to submit to such terms as he might take 
 on himself to propose, he imparted to her 
 Mr. Starinville's plan ; and painting in strong 
 colours the ascendency he really possessed over 
 his English associate, he promised to procure 
 for her the offer of a considerable salary, pro- 
 vided she would beforehand bind herself to fol- 
 low implicitly his secret direction, and commu-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 127 
 
 nicate to him every circumstance of importance 
 which might occur during her foreign residence. 
 To these conditions Madame de Rouvier, with- 
 out hesitation, submitted ; and it was agreed be- 
 tween them, that their present interview should 
 remain unknown to Mr. Starinville, whose oiFers 
 Barlot now undertook to procure. For that pur- 
 pose he hastened to the club, where he well 
 knew he should find his English dupe, and 
 taking him aside, informed him that he had 
 already by chance heard of a person in every 
 way suited for the important post he wished to 
 fill : and giving a varnished sketch of Madame 
 de Rouvier's circumstances, he added so highly 
 drawn a description of her conduct under them, 
 and of the respectability both of herself and 
 her acquaintances, many of whom, as he named 
 them, Mr. Starinville knew to possess what was 
 there called unexceptionable character, that in 
 regard to the point on which he had first in- 
 sisted, there seemed no cause for doubt. 
 " As for her talents to forward tlie more
 
 128 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 weighty part of your mission," continued the 
 artful Frenchman, " especially her knowledge 
 .of your language, in which I am told she ex- 
 cels, as well as her proficiency in such accom- 
 plishments and manners as you wish your no- 
 vices to learn, you must j udge for yourself, and 
 you may, if you will, do so immediately, for I 
 am slightly acquainted with the lady, and can 
 take you with me to wait upon her even now." 
 
 This proposition was accepted as soon as 
 made : and on their way Mr. Starinville's in- 
 iquiries elicited the farther information, that a 
 " heavy pecuniary loss had recently so reduced 
 Madame de Rouvier's circumstances, as to make 
 her willing to engage in some employment of the 
 nature proposed. Whether she will consent to 
 leave France, however," continued the wily 
 negotiator, " must depend on the effect of your 
 eloquence, and the liberality of your offers." 
 
 The result of this interview was such as 
 might have been anticipated. Madame de 
 Rouvier received her two visitors with her 
 wonted grace, and (as had been concerted) with
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 129 
 
 apparent ignorance of their intentions; and 
 Mr. Starinville, charmed with her beauty, her 
 accomphshments, her fluent and even elegant 
 English, and the fascination of her whole ad- 
 dress, concluded his visit by offering a larger 
 remuneration than he had himself intended ; 
 and far beyond her most sanguine expectations ; 
 '' not as an equivalent," he said, " that was im- 
 possible — but as a trifling acknowledgment of 
 the extraordinary benefit his daughters, as well 
 as the great cause of liberty, must derive from 
 such an instructress and advocate." 
 
 On leaving the house he expressed so warmly 
 his gratification in finding his offers received, 
 and his gratitude to the friend who had recom- 
 mended such a person to him, that his earnest- 
 ness drew forth a sneer from his hollow be- 
 nefactor. " We, Frenchmen, are not so much 
 astonished at meeting with beautiful or accom- 
 plished females in Paris. I suppose they are 
 rarer with you I*" Mr. Starinville made no re- 
 ply, and they soon after parted. 
 
 As Barlot proceeded with a sullen and 
 G 5
 
 130 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 thoughtful look across the Pont-Neuf, he was 
 overtaken by a stout and brawny fellow, who, 
 with the vulgar familiarity then prevalent, in- 
 creased almost to rudeness by an evident con- 
 sciousness that he had welcome news to impart, 
 suddenly grasped his shoulder. " I have rid 
 the nation of another aristocrat ^ cried the 
 ruffian in a kind of careless whisper, while his 
 eye glanced towards his long pike, the end of 
 which was discoloured with blood. '* Dugavet is 
 down in the Seine yonder. I thought I should 
 find him, and sure enough I came suddenly 
 upon him yesterday, just as he was stealing 
 along in the dusk of the evening, by the river 
 side. I troubled the Chevalier with no words, 
 but ran my pike here through his back at a ven- 
 ture, and hoisted him into the air." 
 
 " Are you sure then it was he ?" asked 
 Barlot eagerly. 
 
 " Yes, yes!" replied the murderer; "we 
 have had many a carouse together when he was 
 among us. But he has shunned our club of 
 late, and I would have piked him gladly on
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 131 
 
 that account, if I had not done it to oblige you, 
 citizen Barlot !" 
 
 " But did you see distinctly enough, as you 
 say it was dark, to be sure you were right ?" de- 
 manded his anxious employer. 
 
 " I tell you, I saw well enough," answered the 
 savage, " and heard too ; for I knew his voice, 
 though, to be sure, he had not time to say 
 more than a few words before he fell to the 
 ground, and then he did but give a gasp or 
 two, and all was done. I turned him over, and 
 searched his pockets, to see if he had any thing* 
 worth saving : but I got little for my trouble ; 
 only this old pocket-book here, and some let- 
 ters." And saying thus, the miscreant handed 
 over the packet to his employer, and while he 
 was examining them, continued : — " I then just 
 rolled him out of the way, down into the Seine 
 yonder, when I had quite done with him, and 
 set off to your house directly ; but you were not 
 at home, and I have now been there again to 
 no better purpose: so I was glad enough to 
 catch a glimpse of you here, and have overtaken
 
 132 RYBRE^fT DE CRUCE. 
 
 you, you see, though you were striding along 
 pretty fast. So now, citizen, I hope you re- 
 member that you promised me good pay ;'' and 
 the fellow held out his hand as he spoke, with 
 the triumphant grin of a fiend, which, how- 
 ever, changed suddenly into a furious glance of 
 anger, as he exclaimed : — " Five francs ! why, 
 I would scarcely have tossed an infant on my 
 pike for that ! Have you the conscience, citi- 
 zen, to offer me no more for that tall fellow ? 
 Your are no great deal heavier, yourself!" con- 
 tinued the ruffian, after a moment's ominous 
 pause, during which he scanned the figure of 
 him he addressed with an eye much like that of 
 the tiger ready to spring upon his prey. 
 
 The glance was not unobserved by his em- 
 ployer, who, however, replied in a careless tone : 
 — " Nay, nay, Thiebaut, I had no notion of 
 measuring your reward so exactly. I thought 
 you loved to serve the nation for its own sake ; 
 but you are a trusty fellow— here !" and he put 
 a piece of gold into the miscreant's hand, and 
 walked hastily away ; though not with so much
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 133 
 
 speed but that his ear still caught a few of the 
 low curses which the ill-satisfied villain muttered 
 while he stood sullenly looking at the fee in his 
 hand, as if he considered it much too small 
 for his services. He did not, however, follow 
 Barlot, but after a few more execrations, turned 
 and pursued his own way ; having, indeed, pro- 
 bably obtained more valuable booty than he had 
 described, from his plundered victim. 
 
 Early the next day, the savage instigator of 
 this murder was at Madame de Rouvier's door ; 
 and being admitted, and having discussed calmly 
 and with great minuteness the details of her 
 approaching mission, the monster, with apparent 
 composure, but inward exultation, described to 
 her, suppressing only the share he had himself 
 had in the catastrophe, the assassination, with 
 all its revolting circumstances, of the unfortu- 
 nate Dugavet. 
 
 She heard him with agony she endeavoured 
 in vain to conceal ; and satisfied with the blow 
 he had inflicted, he left her to the indulgence of 
 her feelings.
 
 134 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Several days elapsed before he again visited 
 his victim ; and though, from the natural levity 
 of her temper, she had already partly recovered 
 the shock she had sustained, she still trembled 
 and wept as she beheld him. 
 
 He found her, however, as he had expected, 
 very desirous to quit a scene of such danger, 
 and an establishment which she had no longer 
 means to support ; and he accordingly obtained 
 from her an assurance, (which he quickly con- 
 veyed to Mr. Starinville,) that she would leave 
 Paris immediately. 
 
 Upon this intelligence Mr. Starinville wrote 
 the letter which had caused so much alarm and 
 distress at Esterfield Lodge ; and it is probable 
 that Madame de Rouvier would have reached 
 Warrington almost as soon as the communication 
 which announced her approach, but for the diffi- 
 culty attending the choice of a companion for 
 her journey. She had no confidential servant 
 in Paris ; and indeed the cruel and wily poli- 
 tician, in whose service she was to act, at first 
 insisted that she needed no domestic but such
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 135 
 
 as she might easily engage in England ; pro- 
 bably arguing, that thus quite alone, in a 
 foreign country, she would be thrown more 
 completely under his influence, and would pay 
 him more implicit obedience. But she was both 
 timid and dejected, and positively refused to 
 quit France without some female companion of 
 her own country, with whom she might converse 
 at least without restraint, and in whose services 
 she might confide. After much debate, there- 
 fore, it was at length agreed that she should 
 take with her Jaqueline Varicourt, a native of 
 Coutance, whose faithful attachment, notwith- 
 standing a very singular disposition and cha- 
 racter, had greatly won her mistress's confidence 
 during the three years she had resided in her 
 husband's chateau. 
 
 " I did not bring her with me to Paris,'' 
 Madame de Rouvier said with a sigh ; " be- 
 cause the affectionate but reserved creature 
 could not be persuaded to exchange her silent 
 habits and narrow circle, for the noise and 
 multitude of this dissipated city. Alas ! would
 
 136 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 that I had dreaded it too ! but now, when the 
 question is to attend her half-exiled and un- 
 happy mistress to her long abode in a foreign 
 country, perhaps she will not refuse !"" 
 
 Accordingly Madame de Rouvier persisting 
 in her resolution not to set out alone, and the 
 point being sullenly yielded by her dictator, 
 the necessary arrangements were completed as 
 soon as possible: some days, however, being 
 necessarily taken up in Jaqueline's arrival, who 
 justified the reliance placed in her by \\er mis- 
 tress, by consenting, though with some hesitation, 
 to attend her to England. On Mr. Starinville's 
 part no difficulties whatever had arisen. Indeed 
 he had considered such an arrangement as so 
 entirely a matter of course that he had men- 
 tioned (as we have seen) Madame de Rouvier's 
 maid in his letter to his steward, without having 
 even inquired at that time whether she had 
 such an attendant. He was greatly charmed 
 with the person he had thus selected for his 
 daughters, for whom he did occasionally feel 
 a sort of interest, which, slight as it was, he
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 137 
 
 would have been ashamed to express before any 
 of his vile and stern associates : and though 
 Madame de Rouvier had prodigiously exagge- 
 rated on the topic, he really had shown some 
 trifling symptoms of tenderness, when, in his 
 final interview with her, he had recommended 
 his girls to her charge : and had even mention- 
 ed with respect the Miss de Cruce who, as he 
 expressed himself, *' had undertaken of her own 
 accord the superintendence of them several years 
 ago, and had ever since retained it." 
 
 It was observable that he had never been 
 known to mention Lady Ellen Starinville's 
 death ; whether the circumstance had really 
 been too trivial to retain a place in his memory, 
 or whether the recollection was attended with 
 any pang of remorse which it was not agreeable 
 to revive. 
 
 From that period, however, he certainly ap- 
 peared even less inclined to return to England ; 
 and being weak, as well as wicked, (a combina- 
 tion of qualities more usual than the mistaken 
 and wretched crew who would fain pass for the
 
 138 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Strong, as well as the wise, of the earth, wil- 
 lingly admit) he had gradually become the tool, 
 rather than the associate, of the foreign despe- 
 radoes, who secretly despised and laughed at 
 the Englishman, whose gold nevertheless pur- 
 chased their outward respect.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 139 
 
 CHAPTER Vir. 
 
 Madame de Rouvier, ostensibly Mr. Starin- 
 ville's agent, but really that of the wily Barlot, 
 at length quitted Paris. The arrangement of 
 her route, the novelty of the scenes through 
 which she passed, and the society of the faith- 
 ful Jaqueline, soothed her recently agitated 
 mind, and by the time she reached Warrington, 
 her spirits, naturally light, had so recovered 
 their wonted elasticity, as to enable her easily to 
 resume the air of liveliness and gaiety which 
 suited both herself and her purposes so well ; 
 and which had so quickly allayed the fears, if 
 not restored the cheerfulness, of her youthful 
 and unsuspicious pupils. Not so her attendant. 
 Speaking English with much difficulty, being
 
 140 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 by nature of a reserved and even haughty 
 disposition, and suffering therefore painfully 
 from the various embarrassments caused by 
 foreign customs and strange associates, Jaque- 
 line's austerity of manners and harshness of 
 temper seemed daily to increase ; and nothing, 
 certainly, but her attachment and compassion 
 for her mistress prevented her from quickly 
 leaving companions and a scene so little suited 
 to her taste. She had, indeed, acquired a slight 
 knowledge of English from the society of 
 some natives of that country who had visited 
 Coutance the year before, and with whom she 
 had become acquainted ; and Madame de Rou- 
 vier now kindly took much pains, though (it 
 must be owned) with no very great success, to 
 improve her power both of speaking and un- 
 derstanding it. As the intercourse betw^een a 
 Parisian lady and her maid is always on a foot- 
 ing of more ease and famiharity than is usual in 
 England, Mademoiselle Jaqueline therefore, on 
 the whole,^^5ontrived to secure such a portion of 
 her mistress''s society as indemnified her, in some
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 141 
 
 degree, for the hours in which she was con- 
 demned either to sohtude, or to endure the com- 
 pany of strangers and foreigners, whom she 
 appeared equally to dislike and despise. The 
 stiff and stately manners of Mrs. Rustleton in- 
 deed, increased as they were to the utmost 
 rigidity by the ill-will with which that person- 
 age contemplated her French guest, accorded 
 well enough with Jaqueline''s own reserved and 
 incommunicative habits, and even appeared 
 sometimes so to win on her, as to draw on some- 
 thing resembling an approach to conversation. 
 
 This, it is true, was in general quickly re- 
 pulsed by the Englishwoman, who, taking the 
 first opportunity which an ill-pronounced or 
 wrong-accented word afforded, used to observe in 
 a peevish voice : — *' I can't understand what you 
 say !" and thus was wont to put a sudden and 
 effectual stop to loquacity, not easily again excited. 
 Yet feeble as was the mutual affection which 
 subsisted between these two females, it might 
 be deemed a glowing and brilliant flame of love, 
 compared to the sentiments with which this
 
 142 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 foreign Abigail and Mr. GeofFry Drywrinkle 
 contemplated each other. In this case, how- 
 ever, the balance seemed to lean the other way ; 
 for Geoffry, naturally frank and kind-hearted, 
 and having gradually lost much of his former 
 ridiculous fear, was at first inclined so far to 
 overlook his dislike to Mademoiselle Jaqueline's 
 thin frame and black eyes, as occasionally to ad- 
 dress her with a good-humour almost amount- 
 ing to cordiality. But she appeared to detest the 
 very sound of his voice. His jests she despised ; 
 to his more serious remarks she never replied, 
 and from his offered civilities she actually re- 
 coiled. " Well ! I know better what French- 
 women are now, than I did when I expected 
 they would murder us !" cried Mr. Drywrinkle 
 one morning, in a voice inarticulate with pas- 
 sion, " but I only know them better to hate 
 them worse! I declare I had rather at once 
 live with a tiger, or a witch either, than be stared 
 at day after day, in this manner, by that thin, 
 yellow snake! But I was a great fool for my 
 pains : it shall be long enough before I trouble
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 143 
 
 myself about her again, much less make her 
 such another kindly offer !" 
 
 The cause of this explosion must be briefly 
 stated. Mademoiselle Jaqueline had looked 
 that morning at breakfast even thinner and 
 more sallow than usual ; her eyes seemed heavy, 
 and there was a dejection in her countenance, 
 which, added to an apparently total want of 
 appetite, had made the good-humoured steward 
 believe she must be very ill. He offered her 
 toast, eggs, cold meat, in short, every thing 
 either on the table or near at hand. But 
 though she slightly nodded, or muttered a word 
 of thanks, and even at last took one or two of 
 the things thus presented to her, she eat none 
 of them; and Geoffry, himself very hungrv, 
 and in a remarkably good temper, began to feel 
 sincere commiseration for her. 
 
 '' Have you got a head-ache. Mademoiselle ?'' 
 he asked. " No, Sare, thank you," was the 
 reply. " A tooth-ache ?" inquired Mr. Dry- 
 wrinkle. '^ No, Sare." — " I dare say you 
 caught cold yesterday evening, the grass was so
 
 144 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 damp," observed the persevering Geoffry ; but 
 the remark obtained no answer at all. 
 
 " Are you subject to rheumatism, Made- 
 moiselle ?" again demanded the well-meaning 
 steward, who, conscious of his own kind feeling, 
 expected the same in return, and was therefore 
 rather startled at the sharpness of the bare 
 "No!" which followed this inquiry. Attri- 
 buting this slight peevishness, however, to her 
 indisposition, and unwilling to press her further 
 with questions which appeared not acceptable, 
 he sat for some moments silent, till his busy 
 brain suggested to him suddenly that perhaps 
 their English viands disagreed with her, and 
 that her appetite, now blunted, might perhaps 
 revive at the sight of some food to which she 
 had been more accustomed. But poor GeoiFry's 
 notions of French cookery were very limited. 
 One solitary dish excepted, he had never heard 
 of any thing held in particular esteem by our 
 gastronomical neighbours ; and of that dish he 
 had been wont to think only with ridicule and
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 145 
 
 abhorrence. His good-nature, however, over- 
 came all his prejudices. 
 
 " Mademoiselle Jaqueline," said he, while 
 his little grey eyes twinkled with something be- 
 tween merriment and good will — " To be sure, 
 we don'*t eat them ourselves — but you don't 
 look well this morning, and if you have any 
 mind, as may be you have, to try some of our 
 frogs, I '11 run to the pond in our yard myself, 
 and catch you a plate-full in a moment ! This 
 is just the time for them, and I dare say you 
 
 know how to cook them, so "" But here 
 
 Geoffry suddenly stopped ; for a bright flush 
 had risen on Jaqueline's thin and sallow cheek, 
 and her black eyes actually sparkled with fur}^, 
 as, darting a glance on him, under which he 
 involuntarily crouched, she started from her 
 seat, and instantly quitted the room, without 
 deigning to answer the unlucky steward, who, 
 as soon as his wrath permitted him to speak, 
 vented it in the exclamation recorded above. 
 " It 's your own fault, Mr. Dry winkle, it *s 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 entirely your own fault !" reiterated the house- 
 keeper in a key much sharper than usual. 
 " How could you have thought of poisoning 
 our stew-pans with frogs ? I 'm sure I was 
 quite amazed to hear you offer such a thing ! 
 Why couldn't you let her alone, and if she was 
 ill let her complain herself— don't you know 
 her sulky way well enough ?" 
 
 " Well;' exclaimed Geoffry, " I have at last 
 roused her now out of her sulky way, as you 
 call it : for, look there ! what antics she is 
 making as she walks yonder with her mis- 
 tress ! — I warrant she is making up some terri- 
 ble tale. 'Tis an odd custom these French ladies 
 have to talk so much with their servants." 
 
 Geoffry and Mrs. Rustleton from the win- 
 dow now watched Jaqueline walking with 
 Madame de Rouvier, till they disappeared in 
 the shrubbery. The former talked vehemently, 
 and with much gesticulation; but the latter, 
 with a playful air, plucked the flowers as she 
 passed, and fastening them into a wreath, 
 had just raised her arms to throw it suddenly
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 147 
 
 in sport over her angry attendant's head, when, 
 turning an abrupt angle of the walk, they were 
 met by the Miss Starinvilles. 
 
 The contrast which Madame de Rouvier''s 
 small and graceful figure, at that moment in the 
 gay attitude of laughing sport, presented to the 
 thin and rigid form of her companion, whose 
 wrath had not yet subsided, was so striking, that 
 Agatha and Clarina both stopped to contem- 
 plate it. Agatha gazed with unusual admira- 
 tion on Madame de Rouvier's beautiful and smi- 
 ling face. But Clarina, who, though she had 
 in great measure subdued her early dislike to 
 Jaqueline, could never quite behold her with 
 indifference, almost instinctively at first fixed her 
 eyes on her, and continued the gaze from surprise. 
 For, notwithstanding all her prejudices against 
 this woman, she could not but own that beauty 
 of a very uncommon kind, and in no slight 
 degree, beamed in her indignant and speaking 
 face. Indeed, the languid inanimation and sickly 
 hue of her cheek; which was wont to make her 
 dark glances flash with a frightful and almost 
 H 2
 
 148 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 supernatural glare, was now exchanged for a 
 glowing colour which set off every feature, and 
 gave a living brilliancy to those really beautiful 
 eyes which were playing with every variety of 
 expression. 
 
 Neither of the spectators, however, had much 
 time to gaze ; for the two 'strangers, almost 
 immediately perceiving them, ceased from the 
 discourse in which they were engaged and ad- 
 vanced. Jaqueline, indeed, relapsing into her 
 usual silence, soon withdrew ; but Madame de 
 Rouvier, addressing them in the same sportive 
 tone with which she had evidently before been 
 speaking, exclaimed, *' I do not wonder that 
 you have come to seek me ; but the truth is, I 
 was just descending to the drawing-room when 
 I met Jaqueline in such a prodigious ferment 
 of indignation stalking across the hall, that I 
 insisted on her walking through the shrubbery 
 with me to cool herself I I beheve I have in 
 some measure quieted her wrath, but it is by 
 no means entirely pacified yet :" and in a few 
 words, but with much humour, Madame de
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 149 
 
 Rouvier related the cause of Jaqueline'^s dis- 
 pleasure, and the difficulty she had found iri 
 convincing her that Geoifry's unlucky offer had 
 certainly proceeded from honest kindness, and 
 was not, as Jaqueline imagined, a rude and 
 insulting jest. " How extremely beautiful she 
 is !*" exclaimed Clarina, as soon as a moment's 
 pause in Madame Rouvier's discourse gave 
 room for the remark which seemed bursting 
 from her lips. Agatha stared at her sister with 
 astonishment, but Madame de Rouvier replied, 
 " Yes, she is handsome certainly; but I always 
 fancied you disliked her appearance." 
 
 " So I did," answered Clarina, with the sin- 
 cerity of her age. " I really thought her coun- 
 tenance so repulsive, that I must own, at first 
 especially, 1 could hardly look at her without 
 
 " fear, Clarina was going to say, but she 
 
 blushed at the remembrance of notions which now 
 seemed ludicrous even to herself. She there- 
 fore paused a moment, and then added — " But 
 I never saw her look animated before ; she is 
 generally so very silent. But just now her
 
 150 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 countenance was reall}'^ beaming with expres- 
 sion, and her fine colour had so lighted up 
 those beautiful dark eyes ! Were you not 
 surprised, Agatha ?" 
 
 " Indeed," replied her sister, laughing, " I 
 was looking at Madame de Rouvier, and 
 saw none of this extraordinary sight. But I 
 must find some means of affronting Jaqueline 
 myself, if her anger produces such marvellous 
 effects. Meantime, I certainly like her the 
 better for hearing that she does sometimes 
 throw off that cold and tiresome monotony, 
 which made her pale face and half-shut eyes 
 almost as unpleasant at first to me as to you ; 
 though," Agatha archly added, " I was not so 
 ingenious as you in discovering comparisons for 
 her." 
 
 Clarina again coloured deeply, and Aga- 
 tha, willing to relieve her, addressed Ma- 
 dame de Rouvier, saying, " I have sometimes, 
 I confess, wondered that you should like an 
 attendant, whose dull and wayward mood seems 
 so different from your own. But I suppose
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 151 
 
 you have known her long, and she is no doubt 
 attached to you ?" 
 
 " I have known her long enough to receive 
 from her proofs of attachment, I cannot indeed 
 easily forget/' answered Madame de Rouvier, 
 with an air of much gravity ; " and I may well 
 prize her highly, for she is the only friend that 
 remains to me !" A tear stole down her cheek, 
 when, as if anxious to escape from gloomy 
 thoughts, she continued in a hurried manner — 
 " She was my sole support through a dark 
 period of suffering and sorrow ; and though her 
 temper is reserved and singular, I would on no 
 inducement part with her !" 
 
 Madame de Rouvier stopped ; but the Miss 
 Starinvilles, struck with the tone of feeling in 
 which this short explanation was given, and 
 partly shocked at having, as it were, called for 
 it by their remarks, were silent ; and quickly 
 recovering herself, and appearing to divine their 
 sentiments, she now added in a manner more 
 gay and like herself — " Oh, it was natural
 
 162 RY BRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 enough you should be curious about her ; for 
 she is certainly an odd-looking creature, though, 
 as you now seem inclined to admit, very hand- 
 some. Her father is a brazier at Coutance; 
 and her mother, having served me as nurse 
 through a severe illness which I had imme- 
 diately on my arrival in Normandy, naturally 
 took the opportunity of introducing her daugh- 
 ter as my femme de chamhre, as the situation 
 then happened to be vacant. You Would derive 
 little satisfaction from hearing all the troubles 
 and terrors which have fallen to my lot, and 
 perhaps could scarcely understand how I cling 
 to the only being left, who has known and 
 shared in them." 
 
 The Miss Starinvilles could not inwardly 
 yield to either of the positions thus assumed ; 
 they would gladly have heard the details, how- 
 ever melancholy, to which she alluded, and felt 
 themselves quite capable of appreciating the 
 affection she described. But the manner in 
 which she spoke manifested plainly, they 
 thought, a desire to wave the subject, and they
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 153 
 
 accordingly followed her to the house, where, 
 resuming their wonted occupations, the hours 
 flew rapidly and pleasantly away. 
 
 Never, indeed, had anticipations of misery 
 or horror been less realized, than were hitherto 
 those in which the timid and inexperienced 
 inhabitants of Esterfield Lodge had indulged, 
 previous to the dreaded arrival of Madame de 
 Rouvier, who now, daily instructing the Miss 
 Starinvilles in every elegant and useful accom- 
 plishment, frequently accompanying them in 
 their visits to Miss de Cruce, and receivinir 
 at Warrington every guest, and especially Ry- 
 brent, with polished urbanity, seemed hkely to 
 become in time a general favourite. 
 
 Of Mr. Starinville, his daughters had quickly 
 found, indeed, that they could not learn much 
 from their new guest, and what little informa- 
 tion they did gain, greatly repressed all desire 
 to ask for more. They could not even, by any 
 means, distinctly understand (knowing nothing of 
 the under-plot of Madame de Rouvier 's mission 
 to England) why their father should have se- 
 ll 5
 
 154 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 lected a person, of whom it was evident, from 
 her own account, he had seen so little, as their 
 companion ; why, indeed, he should have thought 
 of them at all, after so long a period of total 
 neglect, especially as it did not appear that he 
 had wished to commence any kind of intercourse 
 with them, even now. 
 
 He sent not a single line to his daughters by 
 Madame deRouvier; and when Agatha, some time 
 after her arrival, ventured to propose writing 
 to him, she repressed the idea, by an assurance 
 (which was really true) that she did not know 
 his address, being in the habit of transmitting 
 all communications to him through a mutual 
 friend. Agatha immediately proposed to en- 
 trust her letter also to that friend ; but Madame 
 de Rouviej* shook her head, saying, she feared 
 they were no longer on confidential terms. She 
 had, she continued, no other correspondent 
 in Paris now, and was indeed herself rather 
 anxiously expecting to receive, either from M. 
 Barlot or Mr. Starinville, directions as to her 
 future communication with them, as some time
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 155 
 
 had already elapsed since she had been apprised 
 of the breach between them. 
 
 This also was perfectly true. Madame de 
 Rouvier had not been two months in England, 
 when the savage Barlot, exasperated at some 
 transactions in which he fancied his associates, 
 and particularly Mr. Starinville, had betrayed 
 him, quarrelled with them all ; and forgetting 
 every other design in the eager hope of attaining 
 the power to which he now aspired, he speedily 
 joined some new colleagues, who, he imagined, 
 would secure to him the pre-eminence they 
 offered. 
 
 Meantime, Mr. Starinville, having heard from 
 this man false and very flourishing accounts 
 of Madame de Rouvier's increasing influence in 
 the neighbourhood of Warrington, and perfectly 
 unconscious that her private schemes there 
 might be directed by any influence but his 
 own, had not only no thought of removing her 
 from her present station, but was busily plan- 
 ning how he might secretly send, in a few 
 months, if not sooner, as her coadjutors in his
 
 156 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 political designs, some vile wretches, tools of his 
 own, whose desperate fortunes placed them 
 entirely at his disposal. For this reason alone, 
 he had neglected, on his quarrel with Barlot, 
 to open immediately any direct communication 
 with her, conceiving that he might do so more 
 fully, as well as more safely, through these emis- 
 saries, than by the post. It was well for the Mi&s 
 Starinvilles' present peace, at least, that of all 
 these machinations they were utterly ignorant. 
 
 Meantime, even Theresa de Cruce felt and 
 confessed the fascination of Madame de Rou- 
 vier's address, and an intimate intercourse 
 between the two houses was established, which 
 seemed equally pleasing to both parties. In 
 this intimacy. Mademoiselle Jaqueline, however, 
 was not included : for, as her attendance oh her 
 mistress was not there required^ and as she had 
 positively, and even doggedly refused two invi- 
 tations which Mrs. Gripskirt, partly from de- 
 corum, and still more from curiosity, had sent 
 to her, no further overtures were vouchsafed on
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 157 
 
 either side, and the domestics of Esterfield were 
 accordingly reluctantly constrained to be satis- 
 fied with the reports of Mr. Dry winkle, (reports 
 which, as may be imagined, were any thing but 
 favourable) concerning the habits and manners 
 of his unprepossessing associate.
 
 158 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 When the tidings of Madame de Rouvier'^s 
 expected arrival at Warrington Park, and of 
 the consequent establishment there of the two 
 Miss Starinvilles, were spread through the neigh- 
 bourhood, various became the cogitations among 
 the different famihes who resided within some 
 miles of that mansion, as to the course proper to 
 be pursued towards the foreigner, who, at her 
 own peril, or theirs, (it seemed uncertain which,) 
 was thus about to venture among them. 
 
 The point was discussed with greater ve- 
 hemence than ever, one day, at the house of Mrs. 
 Marchdale, a widow lady of some fortune, with 
 two grown up and very plain daughters, the 
 usual stagnation of whose dinner parties was on 
 that occasion greatly enlivened by the intelli-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 159 
 
 gence, which most of her guests had just re- 
 ceived, of the actual arrival of this their new 
 neighbour, at Warrington Park the preceding 
 evening. Busy and animated did the debate 
 become among the ladies, who, having retired 
 from the dining-room, were now assembled in- 
 a large conservatory, where the inquiries con- 
 cerning the long names affixed to each plant, 
 occasionally varied by a slight dispute as to 
 whether the intricate appellation just pro- 
 nounced had not lately been superseded by a 
 still longer, but totally different denomination, 
 formed in general the chief topic of discourse. 
 But not a syllable, scarcely even a look, was 
 this day bestowed upon the neglected flowers ; 
 except, indeed, by Miss Bridget Simmons, who, 
 being an expert gardener, and a profound Latin 
 scholar to boot, would not have been deterred 
 even by the arrival of the whole city of Paris, 
 from some keen animadversions on the dul- 
 ness of a certain lady, whom she could never 
 make either understand or remember the dis- 
 tinction between the " Geranium Batri^chioides
 
 160 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 odoratum/' and the " Geranium Africanum 
 odoratissimum." 
 
 " Though you know, my dear Miss March- 
 dale/' she proceeded, " they do not mean the 
 
 same thing, as every one " but even Miss 
 
 Marchdale's civility could not induce her to at- 
 tend to the difference about to be explained ; and 
 poor Miss Simmons, looking suddenly round, 
 found herself tete-a-tete with the injured gera- 
 nium whose cause she had thus warmly espoused, 
 while her impatient auditor had fairly escaped to 
 the other end of the conservatory, where a knot 
 of ladies were discussing a point so much more 
 interesting. 
 
 " I shall not visit her, certainly," said Lady 
 Rockstar, in a very decisive tone. " I cannot 
 allow Miss Belville to associate with a woman 
 of whose family and connexions I know no- 
 thing. Indeed, the Miss Starinvilles them- 
 selves are but awkward girls, having lived so 
 long in such a stupid way, with that dull Miss 
 de Cruce. So, I profess 1 can see no advan- 
 tage whatever in their society for Lydia ;*" and
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 161 
 
 Lydia, pale, thin, and very near-sighted, nodded 
 a kind of assent towards the place whence her 
 noble mother's voice seeraed to proceed, and 
 preserved a disdainful silence. 
 
 " Well," cried the fat and good-humoured 
 looking Mrs. Perkins, " I own I am dying with 
 curiosity to see these two Frenchwomen; and 
 if I can but get Mr. Perkins to go with me, I 
 am determined to call at .Warrington to-morrow. 
 Do you know, my maid told me this morn- 
 ing that the Esterfield servants saw these peo- 
 ple arrive, and that Madame de Rouvier her- 
 self is a pretty little woman, very oddly dress- 
 ed, and she has a kind of monkey that creeps 
 after her with a long scarlet tail. Miss de 
 Cruce's coachman saw it, and declares he never 
 beheld such an animal before; he says too, 
 that her maid is a pale, frightful-looking, dumb 
 creature, as thin as a skeleton ! I should be 
 afraid to go by myself, I confess ; but certainly 
 I should like to see them very much, so if Mr. 
 Perkins will go " 
 
 '^ Poor Agatha and Clarina !" exclaimed
 
 162 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 both the goodnatured Miss Marchdales at once, 
 interrupting her. " How very shocking it is, 
 for them to be obliged to hve with such people ! 
 I hope, Mamma, you will allow us to go and 
 see them now and then ?" 
 
 " My dears," replied their mother, in a tone 
 of dull composure, " I shall wait till I hear 
 what Miss de Cruce says about this French- 
 woman. She must know something about her 
 of course, and she is a very respectable woman ; 
 though Esterfield Lodge is certainly a stupid 
 place, as Lady Rockstar says. For my own 
 part, I have no curiosity to see either these 
 French people, or their monkey ; but if Miss 
 de Cruce countenances this Madame de Rou- 
 vier, I shall not object to your continuing to 
 visit the Miss Starinvilles occasionally.'' 
 
 In this speech, delivered with the solemnity 
 of an oracle, there was so much good discretion, 
 that her guests, Mrs. Perkins and all, unani- 
 mously agreed to pursue the policy it laid 
 down, except Lady Rockstar, who, elevating 
 her voice to rapther a sharper pitch than usual,
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 163 
 
 asserted, " I really cannot think of being di- 
 rected by Miss de Cruce in my choice of ac- 
 quaintance for my daughter. Indeed, as Miss 
 Belville goes to London every year, it is quite 
 unnecessary for us to extend our circle in the 
 country. I shall certainly not call at War- 
 rington." 
 
 " But I shall !" exclaimed gaily a very hand- 
 some young man, who, with the rest of the 
 gentlemen, entered at this moment. 
 
 " I have not seen my playmates, Agatha and 
 Clarina Starinville, since my last holidays from 
 Eton — an age ago ! and very pretty girls they 
 both were! I hear young De Cruce, too, is 
 grown a tall fellow now ; so, I suppose, he and 
 Agatha will soon commence a romance. But 
 he must be quite old enough for Oxford ; I 
 wonder if his father means to keep him poring 
 over his books with that red-pated quiz, Edward 
 Trefarley, all the rest of his life — I shall go 
 and see him, also, to-morrow. But I must 
 first renew my acquaintance with the Miss
 
 164 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Starinvilles, as I hear they are just settled at 
 Warrington, with a kind of French governess. 
 What is she like ? Have you seen her, Mrs. 
 Perkins?" 
 
 Mrs. Perkins was but too happy to commu- 
 nicate all that she had heard ; at which the young 
 man laughed heartily, and exclaimed, " Well, 
 I will go and attack them all to-morrow — skele- 
 ton and monkey and all ! I only hope I shall 
 find both the Miss Starinvilles as pretty as they 
 promised to be. I suppose, Clarina is hardly 
 grown up, but Agatha must be near seventeen." 
 
 This public announcement of Leonard Cla- 
 verham's intention of immediately paying his de- 
 voirs to the two young mistresses of Warrington 
 Park, seemed to be heard with no particular 
 pleasure by any of the party ; and all remained 
 in total silence, except Mrs. Perkins, who not 
 participating in the general sentiment, but, on 
 the contrary, brightening up at the hope of a 
 second and more efficient protector, (Mr. Per- 
 kins being a remarkably diminutive and puny
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 165 
 
 old man,) immediately exclaimed, " I declare, I 
 have a great mind not to wait for what Miss 
 de Cruce says ; — you know, Mrs. Marchdale, 
 as I have no daughter, it can't signify ; and 
 if you go to-morrow, Mr. Claverham, Mr. 
 Perkins and I might surely venture with you.'"' 
 Claverham had some difficulty in evading this 
 arrangement, which, however, at last he con- 
 trived to effect ; and glad to turn the conversa- 
 tion from Warrington, lest any new proposal 
 should be started, he addressed himself to Miss 
 Belville, who, listening to him with consider- 
 able attention, occasionally, by the aid of her 
 glass, attempted to discover whether pauses of 
 sentiment or yawns of ennui produced the long 
 and increasing gaps in his discourse. She was 
 probably at length convinced that it was the 
 latter, and relapsing into her own usual silence, 
 not another sentence passed between them, 
 though neither moved from their place till the 
 party dispersed. 
 
 The next day Leonard Claverham put both
 
 166 RYJiRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 his resolutions in practice. He found the Miss 
 Starinvilles grown and embellished even beyond 
 his expectations, and though both of them 
 were grave and thoughtful, (having but just 
 returned from their conference with Rybrent 
 in the avenue,) yet they greeted him with the 
 frankness and ease of long acquaintance, and 
 introduced him to Madame de Rouvier as the 
 early companion of their childish sports. She 
 received him with her usual captivating ad- 
 dress, and he left the house evidently very much 
 surprised and highly pleased with all the 
 elegance and beauty he had found in it. His 
 reception from young De Cruce was also easy 
 and sincere ; and from that time, few days 
 elapsed that did not bring Leonard Claverham 
 either to Esterfield or Warrington. Yet, ex- 
 cept from Madame de Rouvier, perhaps too 
 from Agatha, it could not be said that he met 
 with any very cordial welcome at either house. 
 
 He was the only child of a rich banker, who, 
 retiring from business, had built a country-seat, 
 called Woodberry Place, nearly half-way be-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 167 
 
 tween Warrington and Esterfield, and, conse- 
 quently, about three miles from both. 
 
 Anxious to give his son a finished education, 
 the opulent father sent him at ten years old to 
 Eton, and was just about to remove him 
 thence to Oxford^, when, after a short but severe 
 ilhiess, he died, leaving a handsome jointure to 
 his widow, and an immense fortune to his son, 
 under the charge of trustees, who were to act 
 as his guardians till the young man should 
 come of age ; every particular of his education, 
 in the mean time, being minutely regulated by 
 Mr. Claverham's will, lest the doting mother 
 might not be inclined to pursue the system he 
 desired. Young Leonard, therefore, was sent, 
 as soon as possible, to the College at Oxford 
 pointed out by his father's direction, and from 
 thence occasionally spent some short portions 
 of his time v/ith his mother, who had removed 
 to Bath, both for her health, and for the plea- 
 sure of being thus nearer to her darling son. 
 His longer vacations he employed in various 
 rambling excursions, both in England and on
 
 168 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 the Continent, with some associates of habits like 
 his own ; and his career of dissipation, rather 
 than study at Oxford, being ended, a few months 
 more only elapsed, when becoming of age, he 
 entered at once into the possession of all his 
 father's property, and tired already of residing 
 with his mother, whose remonstrances offended 
 him, and of whose ill-judged affection he was 
 weary, he had set out to see and take possession 
 of Woodberry Place, the spot in which he had 
 spent so many of his boyish days, both before 
 he went to Eton, and during the vacations of 
 that school. 
 
 It was in that early period of his life that 
 the acquaintance he now so eagerly sought to 
 renew with young De Cruce and the Miss 
 Starinvilles, had been formed. Older by several 
 years than either of his companions, and much 
 indulged by a weak and affectionate mother, 
 Leonard had rather tormented than played with 
 his little associates for the first two or three 
 years of their acquaintance ; and, indeed, so 
 offensive had he rendered himself to all parties,
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 169 
 
 that Theresa De Cruce would gladly have put 
 an end to the intercourse between the chil- 
 dren, had it not been for the earnest entreaties 
 of Mr. Claverham, Aware of his wife's in- 
 judicious treatment of their boy, and anxious 
 to secure for him the advantage of such com- 
 panions as those at Esterfield, he begged warmly 
 for the continuation of their acquaintance, from 
 which, as he said, his son must derive so much 
 benefit. Meantime, he laboured himself so in- 
 cessantly, both by hopes of reward and fear of 
 punishment, to repress the mean and cruel spirit, 
 by which he plainly perceived young Leonard 
 had made himself unwelcome at Esterfield 
 Lodge, that the boy at last began to quote the 
 maxim he so constantly heard from his father, 
 that it was ** beneath him'' to strike children so 
 much less than himself 
 
 Poor Rybrent, it is true, young as he was, 
 proved perverse enough to dislike this cause of 
 his tormentor's forbearance even worse than the 
 pain from which it exempted him ; and the spi- 
 rited boy was often observed to weep with more 
 
 VOL. 1. I
 
 170 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 bitterness when his youth and inferiority were 
 thus scornfully alleged by his haughty compa- 
 nion, as reasons for withholding the threatened 
 blow, than he had ever been known to do under 
 the chastisement itself. 
 
 This change of system, however, added 
 much to the peace of the two girls ; and when 
 Leonard returned for the first time from Eton 
 to spend his holidays at home, he appeared 
 greatly confirmed in his new mode of conduct, 
 and became, therefore, a more tolerable com- 
 panion to Agatha and Clarina ; while, on his 
 side, he so far preferred the company of his 
 young associates to the stupidity, as he called 
 it, of his own home, that scarcely a day passed 
 in which he did not appear on his pony at 
 Esterfield. 
 
 In proportion, however, as peace was thus 
 established with him and the Starinvilles, the 
 breach became wider between Rybrent and the 
 treacherous schoolboy, whose mockery of for- 
 bearance grew more and more offensive to the 
 former ; and as Leonard appeared to imagine
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 171 
 
 that tyranny was only despicable when it was 
 seen, Rybrenfs face and person often bore 
 marks of the contentions which passed in secret 
 between antagonists who, as if by mutual consent, 
 avoided each other's company. No inquiries, 
 however, could prevail on young De Cruce 
 to say that he had received these injuries 
 from Leonard ; and Theresa, seeing them daily 
 increasing, and remarking that Rybrent's un- 
 yielding spirit grew bolder every hour, be- 
 gan to feel serious alarm. She was concert- 
 ing measures to break off an intercourse now 
 becoming dangerous, when Mr. Claverham's 
 sudden death, his son's removal to Oxford, and 
 his widow's residence at Bath, relieved her at 
 once from all her perplexities. 
 
 From that time Leonard had never revisited 
 the scene of his boyish days, till the evening 
 previous to that in which we have introduced 
 him to our readers, — an evening memorable, also, 
 for the arrival of Madame de Rouvjer at War- 
 rington ; both coming from very different quar- 
 ters, and for equally opposite purposes, thus 
 I 2
 
 172 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 simultaneously to alarm or enliven a neighbour- 
 hood, in which events of any kind had of late 
 years been particularly rare. No wonder, then, 
 that Mrs. Marchdale's dinner-party, joined 
 unexpectedly as it was by young Claverham, 
 and animated by the discussion on the state of 
 affairs at Warrington, was pronounced by all 
 who had been present to have been '' remark- 
 ably agreeable ;" while, piqued by Leonard's 
 declaration of his intended visit there, and 
 encouraged by the news of the friendly inter- 
 course quickly established between that house 
 and Esterfield, all the guests (Lady Rockstar 
 only excepted, who steadily persevered in her 
 resolution,) in the course of the following week 
 gratified their curiosity, and performed the du- 
 ties of vicinity, by calling at Warrington Park. 
 From this mansion, though various were the 
 opinions pronounced concerning the proportion 
 of beauty possessed by its inhabitants, all re- 
 turned highly pleased with Madame de Rou- 
 vier's winning and elegant address. The report 
 of this, aided by the fact now ascertained by
 
 rybre:nt de cruce. 173 
 
 these bold spirits, that she understood and 
 spoke English fluently, so excited the good- will, 
 and allayed the fears of the more timid part of 
 the community, that this example was ere long 
 followed by all who, either on foot, on horse- 
 back, or in carriages, could bring such an exploit 
 within the compass of the early hours then 
 allotted to morning civilities. These visits were 
 in due time returned and repeated; and Madame 
 de Rouvier arranged, with French taste and 
 gaiety, several rural fetes, into which Agatha 
 entered with all the spirit of her age and cha- 
 racter ; while Clarina's younger brow became 
 gradually overcast with unwonted gravity, nor 
 was the care which thus clouded her cheek 
 altogether without cause. 
 
 On Leonard Claverham's return to the neigh- 
 bourhood of Esterfield, Rybrent, forgetting the 
 boyish animosity which had formerly subsisted 
 between them, had met him with a reception 
 which, if not very warm, was friendly and 
 sincere. Leonard, on his part, had greeted 
 the manly youth, who thus proffered his hand.
 
 174 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 with equal apparent oblivion of all their child- 
 ish broils; and the difference in their age 
 (though still very perceptible) being now in 
 the eyes of both of less importance, they seemed 
 likely to live on terms of equality, which might 
 well insure their future peace, and which had 
 at first relieved Miss De Cruce from the invo- 
 luntary fear which the news of Claverham's 
 arrival had excited in her mind. But the eyes 
 of affection are keen and watchful ; and, not- 
 withstanding all her wishes and her hopes, 
 Theresa soon observed that the flame of ani- 
 mosity, only suppressed from rising into open 
 action, burned the deeper in the breast of 
 Leonard, who, constrained to treat as his equal 
 in life the young competitor whom he had 
 always delighted to oppress, could scarce- 
 ly at times conceal, even from eyes less ob- 
 servant than hers, a dislike fast rankling into 
 hatred. Still Theresa''s means of observation 
 were but few. She saw, however, occasional 
 glances of scorn and scowls of envy in the 
 handsome but mahgnant eyes of Claverham ;
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 175 
 
 and though Rybrent disregarded, and even evi- 
 dently despised, the covert insolence with which 
 his older but ignorant companion often taunted 
 him respecting his private education and his 
 regular habits, the indignation which sometimes 
 flashed from his eye, and mantled in crimson 
 on his cheek, when Leonard's sarcasms were di- 
 rected against Trefarley, seemed but too plain- 
 ly to show that occasions might arise in which 
 his forbearance, deeply principled as it was, 
 might yield to the united force of wounded 
 friendship and an ardent temper. 
 
 These fears she quickly imparted to the Miss 
 Starinvilles ; and by Clarina they were deeply 
 shared. Agatha, of a more sanguine tempera- 
 ment, more vehement in her own feehngs, and 
 perhaps, for that reason, less observant of those 
 of others, was entirely engrossed at this time 
 by the new and peculiar charms of Madame de 
 Rouvier's society, by the progress of her own 
 acquirements under such tuition, and by the fes- 
 tivities of which she was sensible she was herself 
 a chief ornament. Yet she could not perceive or
 
 176 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 be alarmed by the dangers thus pointed out ; 
 and Miss De Cruce, unwilling to damp the 
 happy security of her unsuspicious youth, half 
 chid herself for having mentioned such fore- 
 bodings; and only charging them both to be 
 very cautious, by no imprudence on their parts 
 to raise cause for ill-will between the two young 
 men, she changed the subject of discourse. 
 
 But all the gaiety now reigning at War- 
 rington, Agatha's lively spirits, Madame de 
 Rouvier's fascination, and the natural cheer- 
 fulness of her own age and temper, were insuf- 
 ficient altogether to banish the anxiety which 
 Ciarina now endured ; while she perceived how 
 numerous were the occurrences which might 
 kindle into explosion the embers of ill-will, 
 which on Leonard's side she saw, or fancied she 
 saw, daily increase. 
 
 " I will ride against you, or any of your own 
 horses, Leonard, whenever you please !" Ry- 
 brent one day exclaimed, while his eye spark- 
 led with fire. He had for some minutes re- 
 frained from answering various contemptuous
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 177 
 
 jests concerning the favourite grey pony on 
 which he had just arrived at Warrington ; 
 but when Claverham hazarded the observation, 
 that no doubt it must be easier to manage 
 than a larger animal, Rybrent's temper broke 
 loose, and he replied with the challenge above- 
 mentioned, spoken in a tone of defiance which 
 startled all present, and to which his flash- 
 ing eye and crimsoned cheek gave additional 
 force. He added, " I think, you cannot but 
 know, that I am in the habit of riding other 
 horses, though not perhaps in your company." 
 But, as if with sudden recollection, he stopped 
 as he looked on Clarina, from whose pale face 
 the colour seemed to have fled, and mounted 
 into his own, and whose lip was quivering with 
 fear. She raised her eye to his, and seeing 
 the storm which had so lately gathered there 
 quickly subsiding, a glow again tinged her 
 cheek, and she exclaimed, " Will you come to 
 the garden with me, Rybrent, and -see my new 
 walk .?" By this simple stratagem she hoped 
 to break off* a discourse thus angrily begun. 
 I 5
 
 178 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 She accordingly moved towards the door, when 
 Claverham exclaimed (the constrained calm- 
 ness of his voice contrasting strangely with the 
 ferocious expression of his features) — 
 
 '* To-morrow, then, De Cruce, if you do not 
 change your mind, I will bring a couple of my 
 horses here, and we will try our skill. You 
 must excuse me, as I have not the honour of 
 your company much elsewhere, for being igno- 
 rant of your horsemanship !" 
 
 " Well tl^en, to-morrow we will try it,'*^ re- 
 plied Rybrent, in a gay but rather haughty 
 tone, and he left the room with Clarina. 
 
 " I have frequently asked you of late, Cla- 
 rina," he said as they went, " what has caused 
 your grave and anxious looks, and now, I think, 
 I have discovered it. The insolence of that 
 cowardly Claverham alarms you ; and you fear 
 lest we should contend, as we did when we 
 were boys. But do not be uneasy, dearest 
 Clarina ; we should have no intercourse at all, 
 but that we meet here, and here you shall see
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 179 
 
 that I will not again be moved to anger by 
 any of his rude jeers !" 
 
 *' You have, indeed, dearRybrent," answered 
 Clarina, " discovered, and, what is better, partly 
 removed fears which I have only not owned to 
 you before, lest, by pointing to their cause, I 
 should but make matters worse. Were it not 
 for this anxiety, I should, I think, by this time 
 be well contented here with Madame de Rou- 
 vier; though never again, I believe, so happy 
 as when we were all together at Esterfield." 
 
 *' Surely," she added, after a slight pause, in 
 which neither of them spoke, " you will not 
 keep this imprudent wager to-morrow ?" 
 
 " Oh, as for that," replied young De Cruce, 
 " I should really like to try his horses ; but 
 you may firmly depend upon my being care- 
 ful of my temper on the occasion." 
 
 Clarina was not well satisfied, and strenu- 
 ously endeavoured to induce her companion 
 to alter his purpose ; but he was not to be per- 
 suaded — and smiled so incredulously when at
 
 180 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 last she hinted a fear that Leonard might use 
 some vile stratagem against him, that she could 
 venture no farther. 
 
 " Adieu, dearest Clarina !" he now cried, as 
 he affectionately took leave of her, " you shall 
 see how careful I will be henceforth to remove 
 the uneasiness you have been suffering :" and 
 he galloped off, leaving his young friend re- 
 lieved of half her cares, though yet ill at ease 
 regarding the engagement of to-morrow. 
 
 On her return to the drawing-room, she found 
 Claverham quitting it ; and when he was gone, 
 Madame de Rouvier and Agatha both told 
 her, that they had been strongly reproving him 
 for his sarcasms on R) brent; and that he had 
 acknowledged his fault, and promised to as- 
 sume a more friendly demeanour in future. 
 They added, that he had also especially en- 
 gaged, that the wager thus commenced in al- 
 most open hostility should be concluded in 
 peace. 
 
 " We will but gallop over that open space 
 in the park there, or perhaps jump one or
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 181 
 
 two of those fences, and that may surely be 
 done as amicably as safely;" Claverham had 
 said, and his auditors were satisfied ; and Cla- 
 rina now laboured also to be contented, though 
 inwardly she heartily wished that the morrow 
 were over. " Did you go down to take leave 
 of the grey pony, or to advise Rybrent to 
 make his will before he comes here to-mor- 
 row, Clarina ?'' asked Agatha, with a tone so 
 ironical, that her sister, a little abashed, turned 
 to the wdndow without speaking. Madame de 
 Rouvier, however, kindly said, " Mr. De Cruce 
 is a very fine young man ; but truly, dear Cla- 
 rina, you must soon learn to take care how you 
 express any preference very openly between 
 two such fiery spirits as his and Leonard 
 Claverham*'s.'" 
 
 This speech, though meant to relieve Cla- 
 rina's natural timidity, would probably have 
 only increased it, had she heard it ; but her 
 attention was at that moment entirely engrossed 
 by seeing Claverham's figure half emerge from 
 some thick shrubs, behind which he was evi-
 
 182 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 dently engaged in very earnest conversation. 
 These shrubs abruptly terminating near the 
 house, the narrow walk which they shaded and 
 enclosed then crossed the open lawn, and joined 
 the carriage-road in front. Within the point 
 of concealment, it was now plain that Leonard 
 was holding some conference he did not mean 
 should be observed ; for having inadvertently 
 advanced a few inches in the heat of a dis- 
 course, which by his gesticulations appeared 
 vehement, he suddenly drew back, allowing 
 Clarina, however, the opportunity to observe 
 that he had his horse's bridle on his arm. 
 There was indeed nothing surprising in this. 
 A back way from the stables led to this shrub- 
 bery, and he might for variety, or for the sake of 
 the shade, have brought his horse out that way. 
 But with whom, or about what, could he be con- 
 versing, as it seemed, so eagerly ? But Cla- 
 rina was startled, even to astonishment, when 
 the horse, putting his neck forward to browse 
 at some of the outer shrubs, she saw the yellow
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 183 
 
 sleeve of Jaqueline suddenly extended, and 
 beheld her hand check the bridle. An ex- 
 clamation of surprise brought Agatha and 
 Madame de Rouvier to the window. But 
 Leonard, it appeared, had now taken leave of 
 his female companion, and was walking thought- 
 fully across the open lawn, followed by his 
 horse, whose bridle still hung upon his arm. 
 
 He had nearly crossed the sward before he 
 looked up, when, seeing the ladies at the win- 
 dow, he bowed with rather a confused air, 
 and glanced hastily back, as if to ascertain that 
 all was safe. No one was to be seen, and he 
 himself quickly disappearing behind the angle 
 of the wall, Agatha exclaimed, " Well, Cla- 
 rina, what is to be seen ? Was it Claverham's 
 departure that astonished you so much ?" 
 
 " No," rephed her sister; " it was behold- 
 ing him deeply engaged in conversation with 
 Jaquehne, that silent and reserved woman, 
 who scarcely even yet speaks to us, that 
 amazed me so greatly !"
 
 184 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Agatha's colour rose with surprise and dis- 
 pleasure, as she exclaimed, " What could he 
 have to say to her ?" 
 
 Madame de Rouvier now questioned Clarina, 
 and finding that she had only caught the tran- 
 sitory glimpse above described of the person 
 with whom Claverham was conversing, she ex- 
 pressed so forcibly, yet so gaily, her disbelief 
 of its having been Jaqueline, that Agatha at 
 length joined in the same incredulity ; though a 
 proposal she made to see whether that person 
 was in her usual apartment, still betrayed 
 some lurking suspicion. To this proposition 
 Madame de Rouvier wiUingly assented, and, 
 asking them to accompany her, she hastened up 
 the stairs. The Miss Starinvilles waited at 
 her door as she entered; but an instant had 
 scarcely elapsed when Madame de Rouvier, 
 again issuing from the room, said, with a look 
 of much surprise — 
 
 " The bird is really flown, though she can- 
 not have been gone long !" and taking the 
 Miss Starinvilles into the small sitting-room, she
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 185 
 
 showed them Jaqueline's work, lying as if but 
 just thrown down ; and while they were examin- 
 ing it, the object of their search herself entered 
 the apartment. She seemed startled at finding 
 her generally solitary chamber so occupied, and, 
 whether from that, or from the hurry of her re- 
 cent interview, she had on her complexion the 
 fine glow which Agatha, as well as her sister, now 
 internally owned made her appear extremely 
 handsome. She did not, however, long meet 
 their gaze with the keen and animated expres- 
 sion her dark and beautiful eyes had at first 
 betrayed, but dropping their glances to the 
 floor, she retired silently to the other end of the 
 apartment, where she stood waiting, as it seem- 
 ed, their departure, to resume her occupation. 
 While Madame de Rouvier, with rather an 
 embarrassed air, was about to address her, the 
 Miss Starinvilles returned to the drawing- 
 room, and were still expressing the mixed senti- 
 ments of surprise and dissatisfaction they felt, 
 when they were again joined by their guest, 
 who, with a flushed cheek, but a gay smile, and
 
 186 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 laughing tone, exclaimed to Clarina, " I find 
 it really was Jaqueline's arm which you saw ; 
 though Mr. Claverham's conversation, as you 
 thought it, was not addressed to her, but con- 
 sisted, I fancy, in some vehement ejaculations to 
 a tenacious bramble, from which he was busily 
 disengaging himself, when Jaqueline, who hap- 
 pened to be stroUing down that walk, came up 
 just in time to catch at the horse's bridle, and 
 thus prevent the animal's escape from his en- 
 tangled master. We all saw that Mr. Claver- 
 ham then proceeded on his way immediately, 
 and poor Jaqueline returned to the house, little 
 dreaming that she had given rise to so much 
 wonder by such a simple action. I was not 
 willing to vex her," continued her mistress, 
 turning to Agatha, " by informing her of all 
 our surmises, so I merely gained from her these 
 particulars, which sufficiently explain Clarina'^s 
 rather marvellous story." 
 
 Agatha was perfectly satisfied ; and though 
 Clarina felt differently, she remained silent, 
 revolving every circumstance which might pos-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 187 
 
 sibly account for the conference she was still 
 convinced she had witnessed, and, what was yet 
 more inexpHcable, for the desire she fancied 
 Madame de Rouvier manifested to conceal an 
 interview, of which, though it was plain she 
 had not been aware, it did not appear that 
 she disapproved. But poor Clarina puzzled 
 herself in vain ; and so completely were all her 
 conjectures baffled, that at length she even be- 
 gan to believe she had been herself mistaken. 
 '' I was so vexed," she thought, " that perhaps 
 I fancied more than I saw : at all events, I will 
 not mention suspicions no better founded either 
 to Rybrent or Miss De Cruce ;" and with this 
 resolution, her thoughts set out on their usual 
 road to Esterfield Lodge.
 
 188 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Early the next day Claverham, riding 
 slowly on his servant's horse, and followed by 
 his man leading two spirited and beautiful 
 hunters, appeared at Warrington. He was in a 
 gay and sportive mood, and referring, of his 
 own accord, to the angry words which had 
 passed the day before, lie assured the Miss 
 Starinvilles that he would not again try De 
 Cruce'^s patience so severely, but that the}^ 
 would have an amicable race, which, he insisted 
 upon it, the ladies should witness. In this 
 Madame de Rouvier and Agatha willingly con- 
 sented ; and Clarina, who would otherwise have 
 shunned the sight, also readily yielded, from 
 the secret hope that their presence might pre-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 189 
 
 vent any farther provocation on either side. 
 Claverham was very anxious for Rybrent's ar- 
 rival ; and notwithstanding the care he plainly 
 took to check the sarcasms which as the hours 
 passed by seemed ready to burst from his lips, 
 sinister glances of his eye occasionally betrayed 
 the contempt and hatred which lurked under 
 the guarded smoothness of his words. Several 
 times he visited the stables, where his horses 
 were, he said, nearly as impatient as himself. 
 Meantime, unconscious of the expectation he 
 was thus strongly exciting, Rybrent did not 
 arrive till his usual hour, when he was seen 
 gently advancing on his grey galloway towards 
 the house, quickening, however, his pace as he 
 approached it. 
 
 Claverham's eye, now actually flashing with 
 triumph, evinced at once his satisfaction in see- 
 ing his antagonist arrive, and his contempt for 
 that antagonist's placid and simple appearance. 
 Yet he constrained himself into a show of cor- 
 dial welcome, and only slightly and in a friend- 
 ly tone, as young De Cruce entered the room,
 
 190 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 reproached him for having kept the ladies, as 
 well as himself and his horses, so long waiting. 
 Rybrent met these advances mildly, but with 
 the dignity of manner which had been inherent 
 in him from his earhest years, and which well 
 suited the lofty character of his features and 
 person. He greeted Agatha and Clarina with 
 his usual affection ; and then turning to Ma- 
 dame de Rouvier — 
 
 *' I never imagined," he said, " that you were 
 waiting for me, nor indeed that you would think 
 a gallop in the park a sight worth looking at ; 
 but I shall certainly hke my race all the better 
 if you witness it ; so let us now lose no time, 
 Claverham. I did not leave Esterfield till my 
 usual hour,'' he added, addressing Leonard par- 
 ticularly, " because I did not wish to disturb 
 Mr. Trefarley's arrangements without some more 
 important cause." A sneer of contempt seemed 
 ready to curl Claverham's lip into the expression 
 of scorn his features were so eminently fitted to 
 wear : but there was a command in the calm 
 decision of Rybrent's eye, now fixed full upon
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. IQl 
 
 him, under which his own glance involuntarily 
 cowered ; and therefore, turning about, he led 
 the way to the stables in silence. 
 
 The horses were now brought out, led by 
 Claverham's groom ; and all the servants, 
 and even some of the peasantry, having heard 
 of the approaching trial of skill between the 
 two young men, assembled on the sward which 
 has been described, whence there was an exten- 
 sive view over the open space in the park, 
 which was fixed to be the scene of this exploit. 
 Madame de Rouvier and the Miss Starinvilles 
 took their station at an open window, which 
 commanded the same prospect. The condi- 
 tions and particulars of the race were soon 
 determined, and nothing remained but for the 
 competitors to mount. Rybrent refused to 
 make any selection between the horses, both of 
 whom were very handsome animals; but on 
 Leonard's observing that the chesnut, though 
 equally fleet, was rather the slightest of the 
 two, and therefore better suited to his weight, 
 he instantly agreed to take it. Claverham's
 
 192 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 groom was still holding the horses, and, per- 
 haps, but for the presence of this man, whose 
 wishes, of course, accompanied his master, few 
 contests of this nature have ever been witnessed 
 by a set of spectators more unanimous in favour- 
 ing one side, than were those on the green, 
 where Mr. Dry winkle and Mrs. Rustleton head- 
 ed the inferior domestics and labourers. 
 
 One and all, cordially attached to young 
 De Cruce, and heartily disliking, though for 
 different motives, Leonard Claverham, were 
 making their united vows for the success 
 of the former, in very audible tones, and 
 with manj^ vehement gestures. There was less 
 open display of partiality at the window, 
 and perhaps more variety of sentiment. Cla- 
 rina's wishes were indeed plainly enough to 
 be gathered from the intense interest with 
 which, in the happy artlessness of her age, 
 and without any attempt at concealment, she 
 watched all Rybrent's movements. Agatha 
 looked on both, and it was difficult to discover 
 whether, on this occasion, her regard for the
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 193 
 
 companion with whom she had grown up was 
 balanced or not by the interest she now felt 
 for the childish playmate, whom, after such 
 long separation, she had thus recently met as 
 a handsome and gay-spirited young man. On 
 Madame Rouvier's sentiments it was harder 
 still to pronounce. She always professed, and 
 indeed appeared to feel, much good- will for Ry- 
 brent, the friend and companion of her pupils, 
 and himself a very interesting and noble-looking 
 youth ; but Leonard Claverham\s free manners, 
 and some confidential looks which had lately been 
 seen to pass between them, had already given 
 rise to reports of an attachment, which, though 
 founded on no ' certain proofs, began to be 
 strongly rumoured in the neighbourhood. 
 
 With what sentiments^ however, she now 
 really looked from the window must remain an 
 enigma : and equally impervious were the feel- 
 ings of the reserved and mysterious Mademoi- 
 selle Jaqueline, who (unlike her usual insou- 
 ciance) seemed to watch with some interest the 
 proceedings of the young rivals. Yet, with her 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 wonted in sociability, she mixed not in the 
 group which crowded the green plot, across 
 which ran the walk to the shrubbery, but 
 posted herself alone, just at the point where 
 the shrubs terminated — a place which Clarina, 
 had she looked upon any thing but Rybrent^ 
 would have recognized as the exact spot of the 
 conference the day before. Whether Jaque- 
 line now watched Mr. Claverham with all the 
 concern that conference might seem to imply, 
 it was not possible for Clarina from that dis- 
 tance to have discovered, even had she endea- 
 voured to make the observation : but it was 
 evident from her attitude that she regarded 
 the sight with curiosity, while, though apart 
 from the rest, the point she had chosen com- 
 manded a good view of the ground. Leonard, 
 having finished his inspection of the horses, 
 which stood trembling with eaojerness on the 
 turf, now jumped lightly on his beautiful bay, 
 who, curveting and prancing, gave his mas- 
 ter an opportunity of displaying his horse- 
 manship, as well as his fine and manly figure.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 195 
 
 to great advantage, while, reining in his impa- 
 tient steed, he waited to see Rybrent mount, 
 with a sneer of mahce he was unable totally 
 to suppress. The chestnut hunter, who had 
 been champing his bit with even more than the 
 fretful restlessness such horses are apt to dis- 
 play, was still held by the groom ; but Ry- 
 brent, now taking the bridle, vaulted instantl}'^ 
 on the saddle, and as immediately, even be- 
 fore his other foot was in the stirrup, was 
 nearly thrown backwards by the violent rear- 
 ing of the horse, who, as if mad with fury, 
 started bolt upright, pawing the air angrily 
 with his feet, and vibrating on his hinder legs, 
 in imminent peril of losing his balance and 
 coming to the ground on his back. 
 
 Rybrent, who was a cool and able horse- 
 man, notwithstanding his youth, instantly 
 guessed (what, indeed, was the fact) that the 
 horse, naturally fretful, was now rendered fran- 
 tic by a bit in his mouth of different and 
 severer construction than he had ever before 
 experienced. He kept his seat steadily, and 
 K 2
 
 196 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 loosening the rein, the horse at length de- 
 scended forward to the ground. He scarcely 
 touched it, however, but to rise from it again 
 as high as ever ; and once more did he stand 
 perfectly erect, snorting with fear and anger, 
 foaming at the mouth, and beating the air with 
 his feet, while his eye flashed wildly round, as 
 if in hopes to discover some object on which to 
 wreak his vengeance. 
 
 Rybrent, however, had seized the momen- 
 tary opportunity of the frightened and furi- 
 ous animal's descent, to get his other foot 
 in the stirrup; and accordingly, when, after 
 prancing about like a dancing bear for some 
 more seconds, the horse once more lowered 
 his feet to the ground, he dashed both his 
 spurs into its sides, and giving it the rein, the 
 animal, with a violent plunge, set off at a rate 
 which seemed to leave little chance of being 
 overtaken. It had been agreed that the racers 
 were only to start at a certain signal to be 
 given by Geoffry Drywinkle : but poor GeofFry, 
 half paralyzed with fear on seeing his young
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 197 
 
 favourite's danger, was even yet holding fast in 
 his clenched hands the handkerchief he should 
 have dropped, and uttering low exclamations of 
 " Sit fast, dear Master De Cruce ! that's right, 
 sit fast, I say !" — words which, had he known 
 the treachery employed, would assuredly have 
 been turned into execrations on his mean and 
 perfidious rival. That rival, meantime, per- 
 ceiving that his traitorous device had not pro- 
 duced the effect of causing young De Cruce's 
 fall, as he had expected, and being apprised, 
 by one keen, flashing glance from Ry brent's 
 eye, darted on him as he sat sneering with 
 fiendish delight at the mischief he was in hopes 
 of creating, that his design was at once disco- 
 vered and despised, felt himself in no very 
 enviable situation, and curbing tighter his horse, 
 was glad to busy himself in false attempts to re- 
 strain movements he was in reality exciting, and 
 thus, as he fancied, to mislead the eyes which 
 his conscious guilt made him believe were from 
 all quarters fixed on him. But in this he was 
 egregiously mistaken. His blanching cheek
 
 198 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 was marked by none ; for all eyes, even those 
 of Madame de Rouvier and Jaqueline, were 
 eagerly pursuing Rybrent ; and a smile of warm 
 approbation shone on every countenance, when, 
 having soothed and mastered his fiery horse, he 
 returned at a gentler pace, to the point from 
 which they were to start. No smile, however, 
 was on his face, though his cheek was flushed 
 with exertion : but an expression more lofty 
 than usual sat on his brow, while, as he drew 
 near, he fixed a piercing and commanding look 
 on Leonard, and said, " Now, Mr. Claverham, 
 I am ready !" The latter made no reply, but, 
 glad to escape from a glance which embarrassed 
 him, advanced his horse to the appointed spot 
 by De Cruce's side, and, not waiting for Geof- 
 fry's signal, both young men set off. Each was 
 under the influence of strong feelings, though 
 of a very different nature ; and as they sat, side 
 by side, on their straining steeds, engaged in 
 what the spectators all imagined to be an ami- 
 cable contest, their respective gestures, and the 
 opposite expression of their features, might to
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 199 
 
 more accurate or nearer observers have told of 
 characters as dissimilar as their actions. 
 
 Claverham, confused and irritated both at the 
 failure and discovery of his base contrivance ; 
 goaded by his own ungovernable temper, and 
 eager to dissipate by violent motion the 
 thoughts which thus molested him, flew onwards, 
 with a pale cheek, and eye of almost savage ex- 
 pression, spurring and whipping his fine and ac- 
 tive horse, who, needing no such excitement, 
 was already galloping at his fullest stretch, and 
 only wasted his strength with fretting under such 
 treatment ; while Rybrent, with a calm and 
 steady mien, using neither whip nor spur, but 
 bending forward on his saddle, and meeting 
 with a placid and noble brow, and a cheek glow- 
 ing with health and animation, the air as it rush- 
 ed swiftly by, kept his spirited horse from exert- 
 ing his utmost speed, yet followed his antagonist 
 closely enough to prepare for the final struggle. 
 
 In this manner they made their first circuit 
 round the space they had chosen, and passed 
 again the spectators, who were eagerly watch-
 
 ^00 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 ing them. Claverham's cheek, now heated 
 to crimson by his incessant exertions, increased 
 the wildness of his eye almost to the glare of 
 frenzy. None, however, caught its glance, 
 as with a bent head he speeded by, still urging 
 on his chafed but willing horse ; while Rybrent, 
 as he passed, turned, and looking up to the win- 
 dow, a smile like sunshine on his face spoke his 
 youthful security, and his wish to impart it, and 
 called forth loud and reiterated exclamations of 
 good- will from all the party on the lawn. 
 
 Clarina, however, to whom that smile was 
 chiefly directed, saw it not. At the first 
 spectacle of his danger, her heart had sunk 
 within her, her cheek had grown deadly pale, 
 and but that in a few more seconds the ejacu- 
 lations of the rest had told her that De Cruce 
 was safe, she probably would have required re- 
 moval from the window. As it was, leaning 
 faintly against the shutter, and neither speak- 
 ing nor moving, she attracted no observation 
 from her two companions, eagerly engaged as 
 they were in the scene before them. Yet,
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 201 
 
 though the first shock of her terror was past, 
 every object still swam dimly before her eyes, 
 and scarcely could she direct them towards the 
 space where, as she heard from all voices, the 
 youthful racers were pursuing their career. 
 
 At last, however, the sudden exclamations 
 of admiration and pleasure which broke forth 
 on Rybrent's passing, as has been described, 
 so far roused her, that with a strong effort she 
 forced herself to look ; but she saw not his 
 hopeful and animating smile — ^he had galloped 
 by, and was already nearly half over the cir- 
 cuit, now to be the last. Accordingly he was 
 plainly perceived to urge on his horse, and 
 a loud shout from the servants, as it became 
 evident he was beginning to gain ground on 
 his opponent, testified openly which way their 
 wishes led. Claverham's longer experience and 
 maturer strength had been balanced on this 
 occasion by the start of shame and fury which 
 had disturbed his judgment, as also by the con- 
 tempt he had erroneously entertained for his 
 youthful adversary, with whom horsemanship 
 K 5
 
 ^02 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 had always been a favourite exercise, and whose 
 lighter weight and cooler management now pro- 
 mised a decided advantage. Yet was it still 
 very difficult to foresee how the contest might 
 end; for Claverham, rendered furious by the 
 shout he heard, and by the gradual approach of 
 Rybrent behind him, now exerted his utmost 
 strength and skill (both of which he possessed in 
 no small degree) to maintain his forward place, 
 and the horses were soon straining; almost neck 
 to neck, but Leonard still the foremost, as they 
 again approached the eager spectators, who in 
 dead silence awaited the event. 
 
 Rybrent's horse's head now evidently gained on 
 the other, and he was at last nearly half a length 
 before his competitor, and both were scarce a 
 stone's throw from the goal, when Claverham, 
 mad with vexation, made a desperate effort, and 
 turning his racer aside, as if to cross or interrupt 
 his rival, the animal's foot struck violently 
 against a large mole heap, and in an instant he 
 and his rider were both stretched motionless 
 on the ground. Young De Cruce meantime
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 203 
 
 had already shot by, and reached the starting 
 point utterly unconscious of what had happened, 
 when a sudden and general exclamation of hor- 
 ror checked at once the bright glance of tri- 
 umph in his eye, and throwing himself hastily 
 off his panting steed, he hurried towards the 
 crowd which had already surrounded the fallen 
 Claverham. The group was in a moment after 
 increased by Madame de Rouvier and the Miss 
 Starinvilles, and all now gathered about the un- 
 fortunate young man, who was lying stunned, 
 and apparently dead, a few paces in front of his 
 horse, who had already expired, the poor animal 
 having broken his neck by the violence of the fall. 
 Claverham's cheek, so lately crimsoned with 
 fury, was now pale as ashes ; a few drops of 
 blood were sprinkled on one of his temples, 
 while his eyes were closed as in sleep : but not 
 tranquil as sleep, was the expression of his 
 countenance. His features, cast by Nature in a 
 fine mould, were drawn into strong lines of ha- 
 tred and revenge, heightened now perhaps by 
 pain ; and Clarina, who always feared him,
 
 204 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 actually trembled with terror as well as pity, 
 while she gazed on the haggard and malicious, 
 but still handsome face on the earth before her, 
 and watched intently the fast-sealed eyes she 
 half-dreaded to see open. Yet busily as the 
 rest did she apply herself in using the few re- 
 medies they possessed ; and in the course of 
 some minutes, returning life became visible in a 
 faint tinge which spread over Leonard's cheek. 
 He slowly unclosed his eyes, and, looking up, 
 all traces but those of pain vanished from his 
 features, as the pangs of his body seemed to 
 supersede those of his mind, for he was evi- 
 dently suffering grievously. 
 
 As life returned, however, the blood began to 
 flow copiously from the wound in his head ; and 
 partly relieved by the discharge, he was attempt- 
 ing with assistance to rise, when his left arm 
 was found to drop useless and broken by his side. 
 Medical aid was of course immediately necessary ; 
 and Rybrent, seizing the servant's horse, who had 
 been brought out with the others, and was un- 
 concernedly picking all the grass within reach
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 205 
 
 of the rail to which he was fastened, galloped 
 away at full speed ; nor was it long before he 
 again returned at the same pace, bringing with 
 him the surgeon of a neighbouring town, whom 
 he had fortunately encountered on the road. 
 Claverham was still on the grass, his head a 
 little raised, and supported by Mr. Drywinkle. 
 As young De Cruce and the surgeon approach- 
 ed, he raised heavily his eyes, and, for the first 
 time since his fall, meeting those of Rybrent, 
 a dark and deadly expression passed over his 
 face, tinging it with a hue more ghastly than 
 before, and stamping it with lines fit only for 
 the visage of a demon. 
 
 But he was now too weak to sustain the ve- 
 hemence of his own passions, and again closing 
 his eyes he fainted. Rybrent, shocked to be- 
 hold him in such a state both of mind and 
 body, and perceiving with regret that his ap- 
 pearance was injurious to him, withdrew re- 
 luctantly to the outer circle ; and the surgeon's 
 skill having quickly restored Leonard's senses, 
 and all necessary aids being soon procured, his 
 
 Xr
 
 W6 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 broken arm was at length set, the wound in his 
 head dressed, and with some difficulty, on ac- 
 count of his extreme faintness, and the pain he 
 endured, he was removed slowly towards the 
 house. 
 
 All the party, now a very sad group, fol- 
 lowed the steps of those who bore him. The 
 servants, eager to give aid, crowded about 
 him ; while Madame de Rouvier, the Miss Sta- 
 rinvilles, and Rybrent, walked close behind, 
 none speaking, or averting their eyes a moment 
 from the half lifeless figure of Claverham, car- 
 ried on a sofa before them. A slight stop made 
 by the bearers, however, as they reached the 
 steps, broke for an instant Rybrent's attention 
 to the wounded suflPerer, and he casually raised 
 his eyes to the house. At one of the windows 
 stood Jaqueline, watching intently the move- 
 ments of the procession below, but with an ex- 
 pression of face so very singular, that it abso- 
 lutely riveted Rybrent's regard. Her eyes 
 betrayed deep and varying interest. " But of 
 what nature .?" thought he, as he scanned their
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 207 
 
 changeful expression in vain. " Is she painfully 
 concerned for poor Leonard's misfortune, and 
 are these the speaking but fitful glances of sym- 
 pathy ? or is it lurking triumph that so flashes 
 in those dark and beautiful eyes P" Much 
 puzzled, and not sorry to find some observation 
 which might rouse Clarina from the dejection 
 in which she was standing by his side, he re- 
 marked to her in a whisper, " As Jaqueline is 
 the only person who has returned to the house 
 without offering any assistance to poor Claver- 
 ham, I hope at least she has got some room 
 prepared for him, and is not satisfied with mere- 
 ly gazing so intently on him from that window. 
 You know her better than I do ; what can she 
 be thinking of?'' The suspicions of the pre- 
 vious day rushed into Clarina's mind, and she 
 looked up ; but she had no opportunity of ob- 
 serving a countenance she could never at any 
 time decipher ; for Jaquehne, perceiving that she 
 was remarked, had already hastily withdrawn. 
 
 All was at length arranged, and Claverham 
 laid in bed, where he was to remain in total
 
 208 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 quietness, only attended by his own servant 
 and a nurse, by the express order of the sur- 
 geon, who appeared to consider the wound in 
 his head as dangerous, and predicted a long 
 confinement. Rybrent, who in the sight of 
 Leonard's sufferings had quite lost the remem- 
 brance of his baseness, and felt very anxious 
 concerning him, now took his leave, saying he 
 should send in the evening to know how all was 
 going on, and would come himself again on the 
 following morning ; and the party, which had 
 met so gaily, separated in sadness. 
 
 Madame de Rouvier and the Miss Starin- 
 villes made a silent and melancholy meal, and 
 after a second visit from the surgeon in the 
 evening had relieved them by the assurance 
 that his patient was going on as well as he 
 could expect, they retired early to their re- 
 spective apartments. There, wearied out by the 
 excitement and agitation of the day, Madame 
 de Rouvier and Agatha were soon buried in 
 profound slumber; but Clarina could not sleep. 
 The hours of the morning spent by her in the
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 209 
 
 feverish expectation of the approaching contest 
 between these two contrary spirits; Rybrent's 
 subsequent danger, and the alarming termina- 
 tion of the race ; the httle chance there ap- 
 peared of any permanent peace, at least on 
 Leonard's side, whose ferocious visage, as he 
 looked upon Rybrent, was indehbly stamped on 
 her remembrance, and in the darkness and 
 silence of the night glared upon her with fright- 
 ful distinctness — all these images crowded 
 through her mind, and for several hours ef- 
 fectually banished slumber; and when at length 
 it did arrive, it was haunted with fearful and 
 incoherent visions.
 
 210 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Little restored by her unrefreshing sleep, 
 Clarina, at an earlier hour than usual, again 
 rose. The morning was remarkably fine, and 
 the wooded scenery from her window, tinged on 
 all sides as it was with the brightest hues of 
 autumn, appeared so lovely, that, as an hour 
 still remained before breakfast, she resolved to 
 recruit her spirits, and refresh her yet feverish 
 frame by the coolness of the early air. She 
 accordingly left her apartment, and, descending 
 to the hall, made inquiries of Geoffry concern- 
 ing Mr. Claverham, and was informed, that 
 after many restless hours, by his servant's re- 
 port, his master had sunk into a profound sleep, 
 from which, by his deep and quiet breathing, 
 he appeared not likely yet to awake.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. Sll 
 
 Having received this gratifying intelligence, 
 Clarina proceeded to the avenue. 
 
 Her cheek was still heated with the fatigue 
 and anxiety of the preceding day, increased 
 rather than repaired by the disturbed slumbers 
 of the night ; but under the benign influence of 
 the fresh and bracing air, added to the still 
 more sovereign balm of a chastened and well 
 regulated spirit, its over-bright and feverish 
 hue soon changed to a tint of the fairest bloom 
 that youth and health can wear. With a 
 light and free, though still rather thoughtful 
 step, she now advanced under the shade of the 
 lofty trees which had canopied the heads of 
 many generations, sometimes stopping to gaze 
 upwards at their spreading and tufted heads, and 
 sometimes watching the broken rays of sunlight, 
 which, piercing the still thick foliage, danced 
 with flickering activity on the ground before her. 
 
 Clarina Avas naturally thoughtful for her age, 
 and the separation, keenly felt by her, from Miss 
 De Cruce, the guardian of her early years, had 
 greatly increased her seriousness.
 
 212 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 There were indeed peculiarities in her own 
 and her sister's situation, which might well 
 weigh deeply even on the most youthful minds ; 
 and in the anxiety these circumstances were 
 calculated to produce, Agatha, for some time 
 after their establishment at Warrington, had 
 fully shared, though her spirits had at length 
 with rising buoyancy lifted her above the 
 difficulties which still depressed her younger 
 but graver sister. Even Claverham''s repeated 
 visits, which had so greatly added to the 
 anxiety of the latter, had seemed but to in- 
 crease the enjoyment of the former, who would 
 occasionally treat him with distinguished par- 
 tiality. This, it is true, proceeded but from 
 youthful caprice ; for she had little real affection 
 for Leonard, and would certainly have started 
 even at the contemplation of a possibility of 
 being attached to him. How then w^ould she 
 have been shocked, had she known that such 
 was the general report in the neighbourhood, 
 raised at first on the sapient authority of Mrs. 
 Perkins, who had found Claverham and Agatha
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. ^13 
 
 deeply engaged in a game at battledore and 
 shuttlecock, and confirmed afterwards by many 
 equally convincing proofs obtained by others, 
 who, with such a clue for inquiry, had taxed 
 their powers of discovery to the uttermost ! 
 
 Many, indeed, were the conflicting opinions, 
 for some time maintained with great vehemence, 
 as to the state of affairs at Warrington Park ; 
 but at length all parties subsided, as by mutual 
 consent, into the determination that Miss Starin- 
 ville was desperately in love with Leonard 
 Claverham, but that he slighted her in order 
 to pay secret addresses to Madame de Rouvier, 
 concerning whose conduct and proceedings many 
 unfavourable innuendoes were diligently spread. 
 
 With regard to Ry brent and Clarina, every 
 one agreed that, though almost too young to 
 settle such matters yet, they were certainly 
 formed for each other, and would in time make 
 a very pretty match. 
 
 Meanwhile, though many doubts were held 
 regarding Madame de Rouvier's prudence, 
 many grave looks put on respecting Leonard
 
 214 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Claverham's unrestrained intimacy at the house, 
 and many animadversions made on Mr. Starin- 
 ville's blameable indiscretion, (to call it nothing 
 worse,) in sending a woman so young, so hand- 
 some, and so gay, to superintend the conduct 
 of his daughters, all continued from different 
 motives to visit a mansion which contained at- 
 tractions of various kinds. 
 . In obedience to her secret instructions, Ma- 
 dame de Rouvier had from the first adroitly used 
 such means of fascination as her beauty and 
 grace plentifully afforded, in endeavouring to 
 persuade some among the surrounding gen- 
 try, to rail at and despise their own Govern- 
 ment, and to form a Jacobin club in affiliation 
 with those now so greatly in vogue in France. 
 The Miss Starinvilles v/ere utterly ignorant of 
 any such design on her part ; for though they 
 frequently heard her discussing political topics in 
 lively and even vehement terms with several of 
 the angry squires above described, they merely 
 attributed her choice of such subjects to the 
 acknowledged and general politeness which
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 215 
 
 prompted her to converse on topics which she 
 might think acceptable ; and they never either 
 listened to, or joined in such debates. Her 
 auditors themselves probably paid but little 
 attention to her arguments ; and Mr. Starin- 
 ville might, indeed, well have been aware how 
 trifling was the effect to be expected from the 
 political efforts of any female agent in England. 
 But he had lived so long in the vortex of Pa- 
 risian society, and was so infatuated by the 
 notions he had there adopted, that he had been 
 easily persuaded to hope that his own country 
 was in the same mad state of excitation, and 
 ready to kindle into a flame. 
 
 Madame de Rouvier herself, as well as 
 Barlot, her secret employer, accustomed to 
 the power which females are wont so trium- 
 phantly to exercise on such matters in France, 
 little imagined how weak an impression her 
 flimsy reasonings and wild proposals, however 
 recommended by the charms of her beauty and 
 wit, were likely to make on the plain but ster- 
 ling understandings she would fain have misled.
 
 216 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Her total failure, indeed, would soon have un- 
 deceived herself and her employers, but for 
 her speedy acquaintance and increasing inti- 
 macy with Leonard Claverham, who, in his fre- 
 quent trips to France, had imbibed a sufficient 
 portion of the spirit of revolution and infidelity, 
 (two demons, who in those days walked hand in 
 hand,) to enter with alacrity into any scheme 
 for the propagation of those benefits, even had 
 their agent been less attractive than the lovely 
 and elegant woman whose society he was at pre- 
 sent, for several reasons, eager to court. 
 
 With the aid of this ally, therefore, Madame 
 de Rouvier had lately attained some real pros- 
 pect of forming an association of the dangerous 
 kind above mentioned, in a hitherto peaceful 
 neighbourhood, where the poison of such prin- 
 ciples had else, perhaps, never penetrated. In 
 this political intrigue she was henceforth to 
 be assisted by Jaqueline, who (as warm a re- 
 publican as her mistress) wilhngly undertook to 
 receive intelligence from Mr. Claverham, or 
 communicate directions to him, whenever Ma-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 217 
 
 dame de Rouvier herself might find private 
 conference with him difficult. It is true, her 
 mistress was exceedingly averse to this mode 
 of intercourse, and bitterly and angrily had she 
 remonstrated with Jaqueline the previous day, 
 when, through Clarina's means, she had so sud- 
 denly discovered a secret intelligence between 
 her attendant and Claverham, w^hich she had not 
 till then suspected. For the first time she heard, 
 with as much displeasure as surprise, that Ma- 
 demoiselle Jaqueline had met and become ac- 
 quainted with Mr. Claverham in Normandy, the 
 preceding year. She assured her mistress, how- 
 ever, that she had rather avoided than sought a 
 recognition, which she now confessed had taken 
 place some months before. She had casually 
 met him in the wood, which was her favourite 
 walk, she said, when, notwithstanding her en- 
 deavour to elude him, he had joined, and quick- 
 ly remembered her ; and she had afterwards 
 found it impossible to shun occasional inter- 
 views, which, she affirmed, she had only re- 
 frained from mentioning to her mistress, from a 
 VOL. I. L
 
 218 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 dread of the displeasure she might excite. Ma- 
 dame de Kouvier was indeed both vexed and 
 angry at this disclosure ; but Jaqueline at 
 length so far succeeded in calming her mistress's 
 wrath, by reiterated assurances of fidelity and 
 discretion, that she not only obtained pardon, 
 but a promise of being intrusted, as mentioned 
 above, with the task of carrying on such secret 
 negotiations as might hereafter arise. 
 
 While Claverham's arrival had been thus 
 pregnant with mischief to a neighbourhood, of 
 which, from his station, he ought to have been 
 one of the chief guardians, poor Clarina's anxie- 
 ties had been increased by it, as we have seen, ten- 
 fold. She had seriously thought, in her youthful 
 grief, on quitting Esterfield Lodge, that she 
 could scarcely survive the loss of society, on 
 which her very existence seemed to hang ; yet 
 it was not long before she actually dreaded the 
 approach of Rybrent, whenever (as was gene- 
 rally the case) Leonard was already at War- 
 rington ; and she even looked half wishfully to 
 the period, how drawing very near, when young
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 219 
 
 De Cruce expected the permission of his father 
 would arrive for his removal to Oxford, for 
 which he had been long prepared. 
 
 Engrossed in these reflections, which had 
 quickly succeeded the first emotions of natural 
 pleasure her morning walk had excited, Clarina 
 half murmured, as she turned to retrace her 
 steps towards the house ; *' And I am thus 
 constrained to wish for the absence of Ry- 
 brent, my friend and adviser, on account of this 
 dark and ill-principled young man, who, I 
 suppose, must now remain in the house for 
 some time !" Clarina sighed at the former 
 thought, and recoiled at the last, as a sensa- 
 tion of the impropriety of harbouring such 
 a guest forced itself on her well-judging 
 though youthful mind. From these musings, 
 however, she was suddenly roused by the noise 
 of galloping behind her ; and turning quickly 
 round, she beheld Rybrent at some distance, 
 not on his usual pony, but on a fleet and strong 
 horse, advancing at full speed. Clarina, who 
 knew his generous temper, and the ease with 
 L 2
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 which suffering of any kind obliterated from 
 
 his heart the impression of former injury, did 
 
 not wonder at the anxiety to hear of Leonard's 
 
 welfare which this haste betrayed. To herself, 
 
 when as now no danger was to be apprehended 
 
 from his arrival, the sight of Rybrent always 
 
 brought pleasure ; and conscious that she had a 
 
 report of Claverham's condition to give, which 
 
 would relieve his anxiety, she now stood to wait 
 
 his approach, with a glowing smile on her 
 
 cheek, and a beam of joy in her eyes, which 
 
 rendered even her unusually lovely. But these 
 
 beautiful looks of welcome in her speaking face 
 
 changed quickly to glances of anxiety and fear, 
 
 as young De Cruce checked his career by her 
 
 side, and she perceived that his cheek was 
 
 deadly pale, and his eyes fixed on her with a 
 
 gaze of mingled affection and sorrow. He did 
 
 not speak, and for a moment after he stopped 
 
 his horse, seemed unable to dismount. 
 
 " Dear Rybrent," exclaimed Clarina, as she 
 held up her hand to him, " Leonard is going 
 on extremely well, and is at this moment en-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 221 
 
 joying deep and quiet sleep. But what is the 
 
 matter with you ? Surely ^" she stopped in 
 
 utter dismay, for Rybrent had not taken her 
 proffered hand, but still sat on his horse, pale 
 and motionless. Her look of alarm, however, 
 roused him, and jumping instantly to the 
 ground, instead of taking the hand she still 
 offered, he clasped her trembling form to his 
 breast. Clarina coloured at a salutation so un- 
 usual, and gently disengaging herself, inquired 
 the cause of agitation so apparent. 
 
 " I did not expect," cried Rybrent, at length, 
 "to meet you here thus suddenly, though I can- 
 not express how fortunate I consider such a 
 chance ! I could not to any one else so unreser- 
 vedly describe what I feel on an event so un- 
 expected, that I can hardly yet analyze the ideas 
 it has excited. That it calls on me to part from 
 you, dearest Clarina, is at present the only very 
 distinct sensation I possess."" And again Ry- 
 brent stopped, while pale, and much shock- 
 ed, Clarina asked, " Are you then going to 
 Oxford so iiiimediately ?"
 
 222 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 " Dearest Clarina," replied Rybrent, in a 
 tone of deep feeling, " my destination is 
 likely to be more distant than Oxford. I have 
 just received the letter from my father which, 
 you know, I have for some time expected. 
 My mother is dying, perhaps already dead ; 
 and I must instantly fly to join parents from 
 whom I have been but too long estranged." 
 
 He paused for a moment, then resumed, in 
 a quicker tone — " I will now show you the me- 
 lancholy letter itself ; — only let me first seat you 
 on that bank, for you look fearfully pale ; — or 
 shall I keep it till we reach the house ?" he 
 added, in alarm, for Clarina neither spoke nor 
 moved, but stood as apparently lifeless as a 
 marble statue before him. That Rybrent 
 should go to India, was an idea that had never 
 before entered her mind. His parents, chained 
 by habit, rather than necessity, to a country 
 which every year they were proposing to leave, 
 greatly attached to their son, and sincerely 
 anxious that he should not adopt the indolent 
 habits to which they had themselves so long
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 yielded, had kept always firm in denying them- 
 selves his company in India. Not a sur- 
 mise, consequently, of Ry brent's going there 
 had ever crossed Clarina's imagination. The 
 shock, therefore, after a preceding day and 
 night of much anxiety, seemed too much 
 for her youthful fortitude, and she stood 
 tearless and still ; her blue eyes bent to 
 the earth, that not a vestige of their colour 
 could be seen under the long lashes which rest- 
 ed on her pale and death-like cheek. But as 
 Rybrent, whose alarm now amounted to terror, 
 drew her unresisting arm within his, and 
 attempted to lead her to the bank he had 
 pointed out, the slight motion roused her, and, 
 struggling to rally her fainting strength, she 
 raised her eyes to his face. 
 
 The expression of sorrow on that noble coun - 
 tenance, to which she had so often looked for 
 protection and advice, so struck upon her heart, 
 that, leaning her head on his shoulder, she burst 
 into a torrent of tears, which brought almost as 
 much relief to him as to herself.
 
 224 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 " Nay, do not attempt to check your grief!" 
 cried Rybrent, as she raised her head, and en- 
 deavoured to speak ; " it makes you but dearer 
 to me than ever ! But let me lead you to 
 this seat, and you shall then tell me all you 
 would say ;" and gently supporting her, he 
 placed her on the bank, and seated himself 
 by her side, after fastening his horse to an ad- 
 joining tree. His tall though youthful figure, 
 and her slight and graceful form, thus repo- 
 sing under lofty trees, might have made 
 a picture for two lovers in the groves of Ar- 
 cadia; but a near spectator, who should have 
 marked their extreme youth, the open, though 
 sorrowful expression of their faces, and the 
 unembarrassed looks of distress with which 
 each regarded the other, while they now in- 
 terchanged mutual condolence and support, 
 would rather have deemed them a young bro- 
 ther and sister on the eve of their first sepa- 
 ration. 
 
 " You will not believe, Rybrent, — ^indeed, I 
 can scarcely now believe it myself," said Cla-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 2^5 
 
 rina sorrowfully, — " that, only the moment 
 before you reached me, I had been half wishing 
 for your absence. But, then, it was not — "* 
 Again she paused, and it was some moments 
 before she added, " But we must not think only 
 of ourselves ! How shall we console Miss De 
 Cruce ?" 
 
 " It is to you, dearest Clarina," repHed Ry- 
 brent, in a broken voice, *' that I must trust 
 the performance of duties I would willingly 
 myself have fulfilled towards one to whom I 
 owe more than the utmost affection and grati- 
 tude can repay. She is declining, I am grieved 
 to say, very fast; and what effect this unex- 
 pected news may have on her weakened spirits, 
 I almost fear to anticipate. It was to consult 
 with you and Agatha on this point, as well as 
 to impart this unlooked-for inteUigence, that 
 I rode here so hastily, almost, indeed, before I 
 had concluded reading this letter, of the arrival 
 of which my aunt is not yet apprised, as I 
 charged Trefarley carefully to conceal it from 
 
 her till my return." 
 
 L 5
 
 226 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Clarina now looked once more upon the letter, 
 which was still open in her hand, and which she 
 had already several times commenced, though 
 each attempt to peruse it through had as yet 
 proved unsuccessful. She probably would this 
 time, however, have completed it, had she not 
 been interrupted by the approach of Geoffry 
 Dry winkle. He had evidently slackened the 
 rapid pace at which he was advancing up the 
 avenue, as soon as he beheld the young couple ; 
 and he now drew near with a gentle step, and 
 a smile upon his face, which widened into a posi- 
 tive grin as he reached the spot where they sat ; 
 while he was talking to himself as earnestly as 
 his panting breath would permit. 
 
 " Well, to be sure ; I need not have been so 
 uneasy, or run so fast ! Bless me, I can scarcely 
 speak ! But who would ever have thought to 
 see them both sitting there so lovingly at this 
 time in the morning ! Why, Miss Clarina, 
 don't you know that the whole house has been 
 looking for you, while you are talking so quietly 
 here to Master De Cruce ? But, dear me, you
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 227 
 
 look very sorrowful ! I hope you have not 
 been falling out ; for Mrs. Gripskirt and I 
 were saying only this very last week — " But 
 Geoffry did not betray, as in his surprise and 
 haste he was about to do, the opinion of himself 
 and his confederate : a secret which, had it 
 been thus abruptly announced, might perhaps 
 have seriously disturbed the perfect ease which 
 at present, at least, subsisted between these 
 two young people. 
 
 Whether in the process of some short 
 time they might not have lighted on the 
 same notion themselves, was a problem which 
 Ry brent's present summons to a part of the 
 globe so distant seemed likely to leave for 
 some years, if not for ever, unsolved. Mean- 
 time, such a speculation had certainly never 
 entered into Clarina's head, though young De 
 Cruce's affection for her was every day be- 
 coming deeper and more manifest. Nothing 
 undoubtedly could have been more injudicious 
 and ill-timed than the disclosure Geoffry was 
 thus about to make of the plan which he
 
 228 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 and Mrs. Gripskirt had formed concerning them 
 long ago, and had as yet, with such marvellous 
 and unusual discretion, kept profoundly to 
 themselves. Taken, however, by surprise, as 
 he was, at the sight of this unwonted tke-d-tete, 
 it was not discretion which had so opportunely 
 chained Mr. Drywinkle's tongue. The truth 
 was, his eyes had at that moment fixed them- 
 selves upon the open letter in Clarina's hand, 
 the sight of which, coupled with the extreme 
 sorrow in both their speaking faces, instanta- 
 neously changed the current of the warm- 
 hearted steward's ideas into an alarming antici- 
 pation of evil tidings. 
 
 After a moment's pause, therefore, during 
 which the sly ^'ance of pleasure which had 
 sparkled in his grey eyes as he approached, was 
 half dimmed by a tear of affectionate anxiety, 
 he exclaimed, " Heaven bless you, my dear 
 young lady ! I am afraid you have got some ill 
 news in your letter there ! I hope there are no 
 more Frenchwomen coming ! I 'm sure there 's 
 strange enough work doing among these al-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. J229 
 
 ready — not that I venture to speak to Made- 
 moiselle Jaqueline — " GeofFry again stopped, 
 though his theme was one on which he was par- 
 ticularly given to be loquacious; thus indem- 
 nifying himself for his unwilling silence in 
 Mademoiselle Jaqueline's presence, by a double 
 proportion of volubility as soon as her absence 
 relieved him from the restraint in which, grie- 
 vously against his will, she yet contrived to 
 hold him. But as he spoke, the youthful pair 
 both rose ; and Rybrent, touched with the 
 honest sympathy he had displayed, said to him 
 kindly, " Indeed, Geoffry, we have sorrowful 
 tidings. I am about to leave you all !"" 
 
 Clarina was also about to speak ; but as she 
 looked on GeofFry, his countenance had al- 
 ready brightened up so unseasonably, that 
 she remained silent. The case was, that the 
 steward very naturally imagined this announ- 
 ced departure to be only that removal to 
 Oxford which, he was aware, had been for 
 some time expected. He was therefore totally 
 unable to view the matter so dolefully as it
 
 230 RYRRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 was evident the young people themselves did, 
 but rather, on the contrary, finding it somewhat 
 difficult to repress a lurking smile at this ap- 
 parent confirmation of his own and Mrs. Pene- 
 lope^s sagacity, he was glad to busy himself, with- 
 out farther questions, in unloosing the horse, 
 and led it slowly behind the youthful pair, who 
 now, arm-in-arm, with dejected looks, and often 
 stopping, as if engaged in very serious discourse, 
 proceeded towards the house. Pleased to ob- 
 serve their mutual friendship, and storing up 
 various remarks, which he determined to carry 
 himself to Mrs. Gripskirt, as soon as pos- 
 sible, he suffered none of the impatience his 
 eager temper would otherwise have felt at their 
 very leisurely pace ; and when at last they 
 reached the house, he turned towards the 
 stables with the composed and easy mien 
 of one who knows the most of some very trifling 
 disaster. 
 
 With no such indifference, however, was 
 the intelligence received by Madame de Rou- 
 vier and Agatha, whose alarm at Clarina's un-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 9JS1 
 
 usual and protracted absence, was at first in- 
 creased by the pale and sorrowful looks with 
 which she and Rybrent now entered the room 
 together, and was speedily changed into sur- 
 prise and grief, when they heard him announce 
 his approaching departure, and its cause. 
 
 Agatha, notwithstanding some occasional ca- 
 price of humour, truly loved Rybrent ; and, 
 moved by this unexpected intelligence, felt and 
 expressed a sorrow at the prospect of parting 
 with him so suddenly, and for so long a period, 
 almost as acute, if not so deep, as that endured 
 by Clarina. Madame de Rouvier also, naturally 
 kind, and ready to join in the feelings of all 
 who surrounded her, participated in some mea- 
 sure in their distress; though she could not 
 but secretly acknowledge that there were many 
 reasons which would render De Cruce's ab- 
 sence at this time peculiarly acceptable to Cla- 
 verham, and by no means incommodious to 
 herself. Yet she joined — not very sincerely 
 perhaps — in the lamentations warmly expressed 
 by Agatha at this sudden intelhgence, and
 
 232 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 read aloud General De Cruce's letter, in a tone 
 which appeared as if she were affected by its 
 contents. This letter, after detailing the parti- 
 culars of Mrs. De Cruce's recent and danger- 
 ous illness, proceeded thus : — 
 
 " Thank Heaven, your mother is now bet- 
 ter, though in a state of weakness so alarm- 
 ing, that I know not whether I may hope 
 ever to see her regain sufficient strength to 
 bear removal. To the cold and variable cli- 
 mate of England, indeed, after so long a re- 
 sidence in the East, return would now be 
 fatal ; nor will her medical attendants, at pre- 
 sent, sanction any change. But in a few 
 months, should her health improve, I purpose 
 to accompany her to the Cape, from the salu- 
 brious air of which, as well as from the sea 
 voyage, much advantage may be hoped. But I 
 must not disguise from you, my dear Rybrent, 
 that my expectations of her recovery are but 
 feeble. Still, her physician says, there are at 
 present no symptoms of immediate danger, and 
 that even should she not ultimately rally, she
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 233 
 
 may yet linger for a year or more. Under these 
 circumstances, your presence appears indispen- 
 sable to us both. Come then, my dear son, to 
 your afflicted parents ; and may you yet arrive 
 in time to see us both ! You will, of course, 
 touch at the Cape, where, if you do not find us 
 as I hope, you shall receive at least farther 
 intelligence.'" 
 
 An inclosure in this letter contained detailed 
 instructions concerning the voyage ; a munifi- 
 cent addition to Rybrent's already plentiful 
 means ; and an order for a handsome remune- 
 ration for Edward Trefarley's services. Gene- 
 ral De Cruce, indeed, seemed to wish the 
 latter might accompany his pupil to India, but 
 left this arrangement to be decided wholly by 
 his son. A note to Miss De Cruce was also 
 contained in this packet, which her brother, with 
 many expressions of affectionate solicitude for 
 her health, told his son he had thus confided 
 to his care, that he might gently break to her 
 the afflicting intelligence it conveyed, before 
 delivering it.
 
 234 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 '* Clarina and I will go back with you, Ry- 
 brent," cried Agatha, as Madame Roiivier con- 
 cluded this sentence ; '* and will assist you 
 in supporting poor Miss De Cruce." Cla- 
 rina, who had already arranged this with 
 Rybrent, as they walked towards the house, 
 rose instinctively to go. But the excessive 
 paleness of her cheek, and the evident tre- 
 mour of her whole frame, proved her, notwith- 
 standing the outward calmness of her manner, 
 little capable of such an exertion. " You have 
 had no breakfast, Clarina," cried Madame de 
 Rouvier, " and yourself need the support you 
 are so desirous to give ! But the carriage cannot 
 be ready for some little time ; therefore do seat 
 yourself here, and take some food!'"* This re- 
 quest being anxiously seconded by Agatha, 
 Clarina and Rybrent now made together a sor- 
 rowful and silent meal. This refreshment having 
 its effect in restoring her strength, she descended 
 with a firmer step to the door, where the car- 
 riage was soon waiting ; while Rybrent, as he
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 235 
 
 handed her and Agatha into it, begged Madame 
 de Rouvier to inform Claverham of the event 
 which had occurred, and to assure him of his 
 soUcitude for his recovery, and his hope of see- 
 ing him before his departure. 
 
 The carriage then drove oiF; and during 
 their short journey, the three young friends 
 agreed that the arrival of the Miss Starinvilles 
 — who were prepared to stay several days at 
 Esterfield Lodge — should not be mentioned, till 
 the melancholy occasion which brought them 
 there should have been broken to her by Ry- 
 brent himself. Many other arrangements were 
 also discussed between them ; and by the time 
 they reached the house, all three were tolerably 
 calm, though the pleasure in Mrs. Gripskirt's 
 face, (whom they were rather surprised to find 
 waiting for them at the door,) on first behold- 
 ing the Miss Starinvilles, was quickly check- 
 ed by the gravity and sorrow visible on each of 
 their youthful brows. A few whispered words 
 from Ry brent soon imparted to her enough of
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUGE. 
 
 the truth to set her weeping too violently to 
 answer any of his questions. From the foot- 
 man, however, he learned that Miss De Cruce 
 was still in her chamber, to which, from in- 
 creasing weakness, she had of late been occa- 
 sionally for whole days confined.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 237 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 While Rybrent hastily proceeded to his 
 aunt''s apartment, the Miss Starinvilles had 
 entered the drawing-room with Trefarley ; and 
 the servants now crowding round Mrs. Grip- 
 skirt, who was still weeping on the steps, anxi- 
 ously asked and soon obtained the information 
 which had so affected her. Many wondering 
 remarks were made, and many honest tears 
 shed; the intelligence having brought every 
 domestic in the house to the spot, till having 
 exhausted their several capacities in attempts to 
 fill up by conjectures the very scanty outline 
 they possessed, the group was sadly beginning 
 to disperse, when the sight of Mr. Dry winkle's 
 white pony advancing at a very quick trot, 
 kept them still in their places.
 
 238 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 " He will tell us every thing about it !'' ex- 
 claimed several voices at once ; and all equally 
 desirous to hear the particulars they expected, 
 eagerly watched his approach. GeofFry himself 
 no whit dismayed, though not a little surprised 
 to behold so numerous a company evidently 
 waiting his arrival, continued to advance at a 
 brisk pace. His nicely brushed hat was placed 
 a little on one side upon his yellow wig with a 
 very triumphant air, and his best pair of bril- 
 liant steel shoe-buckles sparkled gaily in the 
 sun, as he now trotted up to the door of the 
 house, and began eagerly to dismount. 
 
 While he was doing this, the party assembled 
 on the steps had time to observe not only the 
 nicety and choice of his apparel, but an ambi- 
 guous expression of gratified importance in his 
 face, which seemed rather to befit the possessor 
 of some weighty and agreeable secret, than the 
 bearer of such sad details as they expected. 
 This unaccountable meaning, thus plainly visi- 
 ble in Geoff ry's twinkling eyes and bustling 
 gestures, so overset the conjectures of those
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 239 
 
 who were awaiting him, that none ventured to 
 break the general silence ; while Mr. Dry winkle, 
 fairly landed on his feet, began to ascend the 
 steps with a smiling visage, which increased 
 their amazement almost to terror. Some even 
 crept back, as the steward approached, believ- 
 ing him to have arrived in a paroxysm of 
 insanity. 
 
 *' Why are you all standing here ?" cried 
 Geoffry, with rather a puzzled look, as he sur- 
 veyed the group at the door. " And what are 
 you crying about ?" he added with much sur- 
 prise, as, on farther inspection, he found that 
 several of the maids were weeping, and observed 
 that Mrs. Gripskirt's face was totally hid in her 
 apron. 
 
 " Lord help you, Mr. Drywinkle !" cried the 
 cook, who could no longer suppress her pity 
 and dismay — " This is very shocking indeed !" 
 Then in a lower but whimpering voice she added, 
 " Don''t you know that we are going to lose 
 our young master ? We have but this minute, 
 as I may say, heard of it : but you must know
 
 240 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 all about it, and to see you ride here mazed 
 like this ! Indeed it 's very shocking !" and the 
 good-natured cook again began to cry. 
 
 But Geoffry was now out of patience. 
 "Why, yes, to be sure, I know it!" he cried 
 pettishly ; " but I never thought to find you all 
 fiuch fools ! Of course, I did not wonder that 
 some people" (and he assumed a very mys- 
 terious air) " take it sadly to heart. I have, 
 indeed, something very particular to tell you, 
 Mrs. Gripskirt/' he continued ; ''so do come 
 to your senses, and let us have a talk below ;" 
 and so saying, he gently attempted to remove 
 the apron with which Mrs. Penelope still cover- 
 ed her face. But she had beheld his gay and 
 unfeeling demeanour ; and the cook's openly 
 expressed opinion was now, she thought, so 
 fully confirmed by this reply, that she shrieked 
 aloud as she felt him touch her apron, and, 
 starting back, exclaimed — " Stand off, Mr. Dry- 
 winkle, — stand off !" 
 
 " Well," cried Geoffry, in a surly tone, " it 's 
 my belief you are all gone mad together ; so I
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 241 
 
 shall just go back again, and keep my news to 
 myself. Certainly, whatever others may feel, 
 (and that 's natural enough,) I did not think to 
 find you all flustering and puffing at the door 
 here, like so many angry turkey-cocks, merely 
 because Master De Cruce is going to Oxford 
 for a month or so !" 
 
 Marvellous as it seemed, that GeofFry, just 
 arrived from Warrington, where Rybrent had 
 been so long, should be thus totally ignorant 
 of what was going on, it was too plain that 
 such was really the case ; and as, in very bad 
 humour, he now fidgeted down the steps and 
 was about to remount, Mrs. Gripskirt exclaim- 
 ed, '• To Oxford ! Why, Mr. Dry winkle, his 
 mother, poor lady, is dying, and he is going 
 immediately to India. I thought something 
 strange had happened, when he went off in 
 such a hurry this morning, and I found Miss 
 De Cruce was not to be told of it ; and so I 
 waited here anxiously for his return, and he 
 whispered it to me just now as he came up 
 the steps."" 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 242 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 " Mercy upon us ! To India !'^ cried the as- 
 tonished GeofFry, while his cheek turned as pale 
 as its tanned surface would permit. " And are 
 we then to be left alone with Mr. Claverham 
 and these Frenchwomen .?" 
 
 Mr. Dry winkle stopped, unable to proceed ; 
 and though he now entered the house, it was 
 a considerable time before he could regain his 
 composure, so real was his sorrow, and so pain- 
 ful his fears for the future safety of his young 
 ladies, thus about to be deprived of those daily 
 visits from Rybrent, which the steward had 
 considered their best protection ever since their 
 arrival at Warrington. 
 
 It is true, he could not very satisfactorily 
 have explained the cause of these terrors ; but 
 from the moment Madame de Rouvier had en- 
 tered the house, the shrewd domestic had 
 watched both her and her attendant with such 
 suspicion and fear, as a wary and experienced 
 mouse might be supposed to entertain in view- 
 ing the movements of a cat ; and as, notwith- 
 standing grimalkin's velvet coat and peaceful
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 purr, such an observer would occasionally catch 
 a glimpse of the claws and teeth, which in her 
 gayest frolics may sometimes be seen, so Geof- 
 fry perceived, or fancied that he saw, amid all 
 the pohsh of Madame de Rouvier's exterior, 
 and under the reserved and silent demeanour of 
 Mademoiselle Jaqueline, various indications of 
 tempers and designs, very different from any 
 object they openly professed. 
 
 He had observed that the latter, though if 
 possible more taciturn than ever towards him- 
 self and Mrs. Rustleton, held daily longer and 
 more earnest conferences with her mistress. 
 Occasionally, both would issue forth together 
 to continue their consultations in the shrub- 
 beries, where they might be seen pacing the 
 walks eno^aged in ea^er discussion. All this 
 Geoffry did not like, though, on once mention- 
 ing it to Miss Starinville, she treated it slight- 
 ly ; endeavouring to explain to him that French 
 ladies were wont, even in their own country, to 
 converse and associate thus with their attend- 
 ants — much more in a foreign land : and when 
 M 2
 
 244 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 GeofFry, still unsatisfied, reiterated his convic- 
 tion that they were not conspiring together for 
 any good, and even added, that Mademoiselle 
 Jaqueline seemed to him to be watching both 
 her and Miss Clarina of late in a very suspi- 
 cious way, and that he wondered they had not 
 observed it themselves, Agatha fairly laughed, 
 and replied, " Really, GeofFry, ever since you 
 discovered that Jaqueline was not a snake, I 
 have totally ceased being afraid of her. But 
 you and Mrs. Rustleton should try to make 
 yourselves more agreeable to her, and then, I 
 dare say, she would talk less to her mistress, 
 and look less heedfully after us ; though I can- 
 not say I have myself observed her to be parti- 
 cularly guilty of either of these enormities." 
 
 Mr. Drywinkle had in his own mind a still 
 heavier charge against her. He firmly believed 
 that she held secret but frequent intercourse 
 with Mr. Claverham, whose principles and deal- 
 ings the upright steward held in utter abhor- 
 rence. 
 
 Yet, though it was true he had twice sur-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 245 
 
 prised this young man conversing with Made- 
 moiselle Jaqueline, both instances might have 
 been only accidental, and he therefore conscien- 
 tiously abstained from saying more, and received 
 Agatha's laughing rebuke in silence. With 
 others, however, he by no means held himself 
 bound to preserve equal discretion ; and, indeed, 
 among his associates, scrupled not to avow 
 openly his opinion, that Mademoiselle Jaque- 
 line's chief motive for the long and solitary 
 walks in which she was wont to indulge, was 
 to meet this profligate young man. He frank- 
 ly owned, however, that he had watched her 
 more than once in vain, in hopes to confirm or 
 refute this suspicion. 
 
 " She found out I was after her," continued 
 GeofFry, in a tone which savoured still of the 
 trepidation he had felt at the discovery, " and, I 
 confess, I could not endure the stare of her 
 black eyes, in the out of the way paths too 
 where she chooses to walk; so I just left her 
 to go where she liked. I ""m sure, if I were Mr. 
 Claverham, she might tramp far enough before
 
 246 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 I 'd go to meet her V* Poor Geoffry had always 
 concluded these narrations by adverting to the 
 protection and support his young ladies derived 
 from Mr. De Cruce's daily visits ; no wonder, 
 then, that he now felt acutely the deprivation 
 which so suddenly menaced them. But we must 
 leave him to receive what comfort he could de- 
 rive from Mrs. Gripskirt's condolences ; only ob- 
 serving, that the spirits of the latter gradually 
 revived as, with unaccountable infatuation, she 
 began to persuade herself, that, having brought 
 young De Cruce to England, she should un- 
 doubtedly be required to accompany him back 
 to India. 
 
 Rybrent, meantime, had proceeded with a 
 slow and reluctant step to Miss De Cruce's 
 apartment, and there, with many precautions, 
 in consequence of the feeble state in which he 
 found her, he gently broke to her the afflicting 
 intelligence he had received. With a very 
 pale cheek, but with more fortitude than he 
 could have anticipated from her delicate frame, 
 she heard the circumstances he detailed, and
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 247 
 
 approved of the intention he expressed of obey- 
 ing as soon as possible his parent's injunctions; 
 but when in a broken voice he spoke of his re- 
 gret on leaving her, a faint flush of colour tinged 
 her face; and fixing on a large window opposite, 
 her eyes, which beamed with an exalted expres- 
 sion, she said in a firm and solemn tone, " Believe 
 me, dearest Rybrent, it is but to say farewell a 
 few months the sooner ! I shall not long be 
 here ; and when we meet again, it will be, I 
 trust, in yonder glorious sky !" She stopped ; 
 but her young companion's heart was too deeply 
 oppressed for speech. He had long beheld her 
 declining health, and even as he gazed on her 
 at his entrance, he had felt but too keenly the 
 possibiUty that the adieu now impending might 
 be the last. Yet the certainty thus pronounced 
 by her own lips of her speedy dissolution, 
 seemed to come on him with a suddenness which 
 stunned and bewildered him. A pause, there- 
 fore, of considerable length ensued, during which 
 a few tears that silently trickled down Theresa's 
 cheek appearing to relieve her, Rybrent, strug-
 
 MS RYBRENT D£ CRUCE. 
 
 gling to assume composure, asked, " Shall I 
 give you my father's letter now, or will you see 
 Agatha and Clarina, whom I have brought from 
 Warrington this morning, and who mean to 
 pass some days here, or — " (as he marked 
 that she faintly shook her head) " will you be 
 quite alone at present ? Indeed, I fear I have 
 already suffered you to exert yourself too 
 much V He gazed anxiously on her pale coun- 
 tenance as he spoke, and she replied, " You 
 may leave me, dear Rybrent, for a while ; and 
 when I have read my brother's letter, and have 
 had time to regain a little strength, I will send 
 for you all.'' Rybrent accordingly, having 
 given her the letter, retired, and hastening to 
 the solitude of his own apartment, there indulg- 
 ed in the emotions he had so long been endea- 
 vouring to suppress, till, gradually soothed by 
 this effusion of unwitnessed grief, his naturally 
 strong mind regained its tone, and he planned 
 and resolved to pursue without delay the path 
 to which his duty pointed, and to shorten the 
 moments of a separation so painful, but so ne-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 249 
 
 cessary, as much as possible. It is true, a pang 
 of acute anguish thrilled through his hearty 
 whenever the situation of those he was thus 
 to leave presented itself to his thoughts. " I 
 may not be absent above a year," he endea- 
 voured to persuade himself. " If my mother 
 is better, I shall find them at the Cape ; and if 
 I am too late to behold her, my father promises 
 to return with me immediately to England." 
 But he could trust his hopes no farther ; for, 
 sanguine as his youth and disposition were, 
 he felt but too poignantly, that during that pe- 
 riod Miss De Cruce'^s health might finally sink, 
 and that difficulties of no common nature might 
 surround the Miss Starinvilles. 
 
 Anxious, however, to impart to them and to 
 Trefarley the plan he had been arranging for 
 his departure, he now descended to the drawing- 
 room, where he found Agatha and Trefarley 
 already discussing, with much earnestness, the 
 topic so interesting to them all ; while Clarina 
 sat apart at a window, gazing with eyes of ab- 
 stracted expression on the prospect before her. 
 M 5
 
 250 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 They gathered round him as he entered, and 
 he informed them both of the communication 
 he had made to Miss De Cruce, and of the 
 calmness and fortitude with which she had re- 
 ceived it ; though, unwiUing to increase their 
 dejection, he avoided mentioning the fatal fore- 
 bodings his inteUigence had drawn from her 
 respecting her own health. He then detailed 
 the proposed arrangements, by which he hoped 
 to be able to embark in the vessel General De 
 Cruce's letter had pointed out as likely to be 
 ready to sail; though, on consulting some news- 
 papers, he had discovered that it must leave 
 England in less than a week. " I must there- 
 fore," he concluded, " lose not an hour in pre- 
 paring for my departure to London, where, if 
 I succeed in obtaining a passage in that ship, I 
 may, by help of my father's directions, easily 
 procure every thing I may want. You, Tre- 
 farley, will perhaps kindly accompany me to 
 London, and aid me in transactions so new to 
 me .?" Rybrent paused; for Agatha, shocked at 
 his design of departing thus suddenly, was
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. S51 
 
 weeping bitterly, and expressing in broken sen- 
 tences her disapprobation of haste (as she con- 
 sidered it) so extreme and unnecessary. 
 
 Trefarley's pale eye, on the contrary, had 
 gleamed approval on his young friend as he 
 spoke; and though a slight tremour passing 
 across his brow showed some internal struggle, 
 he answered firmly, and almost cheerfully, " I 
 am ready to set out with you, De Cruce, to- 
 day, or to-morrow, or as soon as you will : and 
 doubt not, the same Eye which beholds your 
 advance in the forward road of duty, will watch 
 over the safety of those you leave behind !" 
 
 Trefarley was indeed of a nature too noble 
 to permit any selfish regrets to influence his ge- 
 nerous mind, and had therefore already sub- 
 dued the keen pang of disappointment which 
 this sudden change had at first created in his 
 breast. He had long cherished a wish to ac- 
 company young De Cruce to Oxford, and thus 
 to witness and share in the honourable career 
 for which his unremitting attention had long 
 prepared him, and on the success of which he
 
 252 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 was unusually sanguine; and this secret, but 
 natural desire, had been on the very eve of 
 gratification by the unsolicited wish of all par- 
 ties, when the very letter for which alone they 
 waited, had by its arrival produced a change 
 so unexpected. He was however proceeding 
 to confirm Rybrent in his necessary but pain- 
 ful resolution, when Miss De Cruce^s bell was 
 heard, and in a few minutes Mrs. Gripskirt 
 appeared at the door, to summon them to her 
 lady's apartment. This message, simple as it 
 was, Mrs. Penelope concluded with sobs, so 
 mournfully did the contrast touch her heart, 
 between the sorrowful faces of the young group 
 now assembled, and the gay and smiling coun- 
 tenances they had formerly been wont to wear. 
 Rybrent, moved with her tears, held out his 
 hand to her, saying kindly, " Nay, dear Pen., 
 you should not grieve thus ; for you know well 
 that a voyage to India is no such great under- 
 taking, after all ! Do not you remember how 
 prosperously we performed it together many 
 years ago .?*'
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 253 
 
 Mrs. Gripskirt had indeed, from his earliest 
 youth, long even before he could possibly under- 
 stand either her descriptions or her tales, laboured 
 to imprint on her nursling's mind all the circum- 
 stances of their voyage from India, the happy 
 termination of which (under Providence) she 
 had ever conscientiously attributed to her- 
 self: since naturally considering the lovely in- 
 fant, the darling hope of wealthy and distin- 
 guished parents committed to her care, as far 
 the most valuable portion of the ship's cargo, 
 and aware that his health and strength increased 
 daily under her management, the captain's 
 skill, the labours of the crew, or the favourable 
 winds, and propitious weather, had appeared to 
 her as matters too subordinate to be worthy of 
 much mention in her narrations : so that, had 
 not Rybrent's ideas on the subject received va- 
 rious modifications from other sources of in- 
 formation, he might to that hour have held, 
 that the good ship Acesta had, in the year 
 1773, sailed from Bombay, commanded by Mrs. 
 Penelope Gripskirt, and laden with Master
 
 254 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Rjbrent De Cruce, and had in due time safely 
 arrived and discharged her said cargo at Graves- 
 end, having brought also across the ocean a few 
 sailors and passengers, who had occasionally ap- 
 peared on the deck, or run up the rigging for 
 the amusement of the above Master De Cruce. 
 
 No wonder was it, then, that Rybrent now al- 
 luded to this well-known topic in his attempt 
 to console his faithful attendant, — little indeed 
 imagining that by these few kind words he 
 confirmed, even to absolute certainty, the very 
 odd whim already uppermost in her mind, that 
 she was to accompany him to India. Accord- 
 ingly, a sudden and ludicrous change, from sym- 
 pathy and sorrow, to joy and importance, took 
 place in her looks and demeanour. She has- 
 tily brushed away her tears, and composing her 
 sobbing face into a dignified smile, she bridled 
 up by the side of the tall youth, whose shoulder 
 the highest point of her stiff cap scarcely reach- 
 ed, with an air of protection at once affectionate 
 and ridiculous. All this, however, was unno- 
 ticed by Rybrent, who, having seen her eyes
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 255 
 
 brighten as he spoke, and being satisfied with 
 the effect he had produced, had already turned 
 to the pale and silent Clarina, and offering his 
 arm, they followed Agatha and Trefarley; 
 while Mrs. Gripskirt, suddenly recollecting 
 herself, and dropping behind, looked after them 
 a moment, and then hastened below. There, 
 amid her own circle, the few words so simply 
 pronounced by Rybrent being properly para- 
 phrased and elucidated by her remarks, were 
 unanimously considered to have contained an 
 express desire for her company on the voyage; 
 and the point being thus fully established, Mrs. 
 Gripskirt, rising with much dignity, left her 
 associates to discuss by themselves the merits 
 and propriety of the measure, while she retired 
 to arrange some necessary preparations for Mr. 
 De Cruce and herself. 
 
 Wlien the young friends reached Theresa's 
 room, they found her looking very feeble, but 
 collected and composed. She received the Miss 
 Starinvilles with great affection, saying, '^ You 
 have indeed, my dear girls, anticipated my
 
 ^56 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 wishes, by thus hastening to me at present P' 
 The firm though low tone in which she spoke, 
 and the fortitude and resignation apparent 
 in her demeanour, produced a visible and ad- 
 vantageous effect on the whole party ; and Ry- 
 brent now detailed to her the plans lie had al- 
 ready mentioned to the rest, 
 
 A faint tinge of red coloured her cheek, as he 
 named the day after the morrow for his depar- 
 ture ; which was instantly succeeded by a deadly 
 paleness. She did not, however, interrupt him 
 while he proceeded ; and when he had conclud- 
 ed, she acquiesced in all his arrangements, as- 
 suring him that she fully approved of his reso- 
 lution to make every exertion in order to join 
 the ship now preparing to sail. 
 
 " If, as you suggest for our sakes, I think," 
 she added, " you should find it impossible to 
 procure a passage in that vessel, and should re- 
 turn to us for some weeks longer, we shall then 
 at least be satisfied that we are not defrauding 
 your parents of your society and assistance. 
 Those who will have to part with you again
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 257 
 
 will, I hope, endeavour in that interval to for- 
 tify rather than weaken their resolution." She 
 looked at the Miss Starinvilles, and they, sur- 
 prised but tranquillized by her calmness, assured 
 her they would use every effort to imitate her 
 example. But Rybrent, who in her ashy cheek 
 and last ambiguous words read a meaning his 
 two young companions did not even suspect, 
 was so deeply affected by her touching remark, 
 that, hastily recommending Agatha and Clarina 
 not to allow her to exert herself farther at pre- 
 sent, he quitted the apartment. Trefarley soon 
 followed, but sought him in vain. He had 
 wandered from the house to indulge at liberty 
 feelings which almost overwhelmed him ; and 
 nearly an hour elapsed before, with a sad but 
 calmer brow, he returned to begin the prepa- 
 rations for which so short a time remained. 
 
 For a considerable period Rybrent had alto- 
 gether relieved Miss De Cruce from the trouble 
 of communication with the agent who, by her 
 appointment, overlooked the management of 
 his father's estate. With this man, therefore,
 
 258 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 and with Edward Trefarley, he now spent some 
 hours in receiving and settling accounts. 
 
 Meanwhile, Theresa, mingling her conversa- 
 tion with the Miss Starinvilles with the most af- 
 fectionate and judicious advice, became at 
 length so much exhausted, that she yielded to 
 their entreaties, by consenting to take some 
 repose. 
 
 She would not, however, leave her chair, but 
 directed them to place pillows in it for her sup- 
 port, and allowed them, as they requested, to 
 remain in her room while she slept. They ac- 
 cordingly seated themselves at the window in 
 silence, broken occasionally by whispered and 
 sorrowful remarks interchanged between the 
 sisters, on the too visible effect of the shock her 
 feeble frame had undergone (notwithstanding the 
 outward composure of her looks and manner) 
 in consequence of this distressing intelligence. 
 She had closed her eyes, and, if not asleep, was 
 yet so still, that a faint but regular breathing 
 alone indicated that life still resided in the vi- 
 sage, which, white as the pillow it pressed, lay
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 259 
 
 motionless before them. With increasing an- 
 xiety not to disturb her approaching slumber, 
 both sisters now sunk into total silence, and 
 sat absorbed in their own separate and painful 
 reflections. 
 
 Agatha, casting every now and then a hurried 
 glance on Miss De Cruce's pale but tranquil 
 face, and shocked at its death-like hue, began, 
 for the first time in her life, to meditate seri- 
 ously on the prospect of losing her best and 
 earliest friend ; and bitter were the tears which 
 now chased each other down her polished cheek, 
 as she internally owned, that though she had 
 enjoyed more excitement and gaiety in Madame 
 de Rouvier's society than she had ever before 
 experienced, this foreigner possessed no qualities 
 to which she could possibly transfer any of the 
 deep affection, esteem, and gratitude she had 
 so long entertained for the excellent guardian 
 of their youth. " My father too !" thought 
 Agatha — " alas ! it is but too evident that we 
 can never look to him for either protection or 
 advice !*" and a vague but fearful sensation
 
 260 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Stole over her that she might soon need both. 
 The difficulties and dangers which now crowd- 
 ed on her startled fancy, presented indeed like 
 the hearings of a midnight ocean, only dark 
 and indefinable outlines ; except that, which- 
 soever way she looked, the visage of Leonard 
 Claverham, drawn into fury, as she had seen it 
 the day before, or wreathed with his usual 
 gay but ambiguous smiles, rose in vivid and 
 frightful prominence on every portraiture which 
 her disturbed imagination presented. Yet could 
 she not, even to herself, account satisfactorily 
 for the preponderating share he thus seemed 
 to have in her forebodings. She neither loved 
 nor esteemed him ; but he was handsome and 
 gay ; and while Rybrent, on all occasions, mani- 
 fested his preference for Clarina, Leonard had 
 frequently shown her attentions which soothed 
 and flattered her, and which sometimes, in her 
 moments of caprice, she had repaid with tokens 
 of regard greater than she really felt. But 
 who might tell what Claverham himself de- 
 signed.? Agatha, of late, with suspicious co-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 261 
 
 quetry, had watched his motions, and had seen 
 or fancied that he possessed and exerted an 
 influence over Madame de Rouvier, which, 
 even with her consummate address, it was im- 
 possible for her totally to conceal, and which 
 occasionally appeared in tokens of a secret un- 
 derstanding between them, the very suspicion 
 of which was revolting. She had indeed not 
 mentioned these surmises even to Clarina; but 
 now, as she again gazed on Miss De Cruce's 
 pale and emaciated face, those thoughts rushed 
 upon her heart with pain increased to anguish ; 
 while, with a bitter foreboding of the irrepa- 
 rable loss that might await them, was mingled 
 a sensation of disgust and horror at the hands 
 in which they would be left. *'And with- 
 out Rybrent too!" thought Agatha, "though 
 truly his presence might only increase our 
 difficulties. Leonard's countenance and man- 
 ner certainly betrayed a deeper hatred to him 
 yesterday than I had ever before observed; 
 and I could almost have fancied it grew more 
 intense after the display of Clarina's interest in
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 him." As Agatha thus mused, she fixed her 
 eyes on her sister, and seeing a large tear slowly 
 trickling down her pale and youthful cheek, 
 the thought of their friendless situation struck 
 so coldly on her heart, that suddenly throwing 
 her arms round Clarina's neck, she rested her 
 head on her shoulder, and sobbed convulsively. 
 Clarina received her embrace with a kindred 
 feeling, and the two young and afflicted sisters 
 wept together in silence.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Ry BRENT, meantime, was engaged in earnest 
 conference with Trefarley respecting his future 
 plans, and especially concerning the welfare of 
 the Miss Starinvilles, whose situation filled him 
 with the deepest anxiety. He forcibly repre- 
 sented to Trefarley, that, though he should 
 otherwise have derived the greatest consolation 
 from .his society in his present expedition, the 
 reflection, that in him he had left behind one 
 who would watch over, and, if necessary, stand 
 forward to protect, the two nearly orphan girls, 
 whose circumstances were so replete with dan- 
 ger, was much more essential to his peace. 
 
 " I have told you," continued Rybrent, 
 " Miss De Cruce''s assertion regarding her own 
 health, which appearances do indeed but too
 
 264 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 sadly confirm; and should she depart to the 
 Heaven, where her hopes have so long dwelt, 
 before my return, where could these two friend- 
 less girls look for advice or protection against 
 the very worst evils? You will say, perhaps, 
 that I am unreasonable in my fears; but surely 
 their present state is such as may well create 
 alarm. You know Claverham, as I do; and 
 yet I firmly believe neither of us are aware o^ 
 the full extent of his evil practices and character. 
 I have seen enough, however, to give me but 
 too well-founded cause for suspicion; and the se- 
 cret intercourse which I am convinced he holds 
 with Madame de Rouvier, whether political 
 merely, or otherwise, equally destroys all es- 
 teem or confidence in her ; while it increases ten- 
 fold both his power at Warrington, and the 
 dangerous uses to which it may be applied. 
 Even that Jaqueline, though, at first, I only 
 laughed at Clarina's dislike to her, I have of 
 late regarded with suspicion and disgust. She 
 is a dark and ill-principled woman ; and if once 
 (as, I begin to suspect, is already the case) she
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 265 
 
 is gained over by Leonard, she will be an apt 
 and subtle instrument in his hands to work all 
 manner of evil ; and it is in the midst of such 
 people as these that I must now leave my young 
 and helpless friends !" He paused a moment, 
 and then added, " Of their only natural guar- 
 dian, their father, the utmost one can hope 
 is, that he may continue at least, as unde- 
 sirous of their society as he has hitherto been. 
 Yet, even here, they may be exposed to 
 more dangers than I can anticipate : Agatha, 
 though noble and high spirited, is rash and 
 capricious. Clarina, indeed — " But Ry brent 
 here stopped in distress so evident that Tre- 
 farley hastened to relieve it, by promising to 
 watch scrupulously over the proceedings at 
 Warrington, and to offer instant advice and as- 
 sistance to the Miss Starinvilles, should any 
 difficult emergency occur. He laboured also 
 to convince Rybrent, that he could fulfil this 
 promise as easily as willingly, since his father's 
 increasing infirmities made his residence at home 
 just now extremely desirable, and he should 
 VOL. I. N
 
 266 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 then be even nearer Warrington than at 
 present. " Should I obtain the living I have so 
 long expected/' he added, " during your ab- 
 sence, I shall then be still more permanently 
 settled here, and also better able to be of ser- 
 vice to the Miss Starinvilles, should they need 
 a friend. Meantime," and Trefarley forced a 
 smile as he spoke, " Parisian ladies, we must 
 remember, are not as powerful here as in their 
 native land ; and while we possess the laws and 
 magistrates, of which they and their country- 
 men would so gladly deprive us, these two mis- 
 chievous women can proceed to no extremities, 
 unprotected as the Miss Starinvilles may ap- 
 pear, and backed as their devices may be by 
 all Mr. Claverham's arts. We may confidently 
 rely on the goodness and prudence of your 
 young friends, and, believe me, I will take care 
 they shall not be forced into any measures they 
 do not themselves approve."" 
 
 Rybrent, apparently much relieved by Tre- 
 farley's assurances, thanked him briefly but 
 warmly, and both now turned towards the
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. S67 
 
 house, conversing as they went on tlieir ap- 
 proaching journey to London, where they had 
 agreed Trefarle should remain till Rybrent had 
 secured his passage, and joined the vessel. 
 
 On returning to the house, they found that 
 Miss De Cruce had wakened, much refreshed 
 by her slumber, and had insisted that the Miss 
 Starinvilles should leave her; accordingly the 
 young party, each relieved by some indulgence 
 of their feelings, met at dinner, and afterwards 
 again joined Miss De Cruce in her apartment, 
 with more composure than they had yet mani- 
 fested since the arrival of this unexpected news. 
 Still the evening passed but sorrowfully ; and 
 the young friends lingered ' awhile together, 
 after quitting Miss De Cruce, engaged in sad 
 but earnest consultation on the future. 
 
 Rybrent now hazarded opinions concerning 
 Madame de Rouvier, harsher than he had evei 
 before pronounced to them ; reiterated with af- 
 fectionate vehemence his entreaties that they 
 would be careful to engage in no step of any 
 importance without consulting Miss De Cruce 
 N 2
 
 ^^68 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 or Trefarley ; recommended them to urge Cla- 
 verham's removal from their house as soon as it 
 could be effected without injury to him ; and 
 above all, enjoined them not to suffer them- 
 selves to be induced, under any pretences, to quit 
 Warrington. '^ You have no friends elsewhere, 
 Agatha,*" he continued, having addressed all 
 this chiefly to her, " and even if I err in my 
 surmises regarding Madame de Rouvier, 1 am 
 sure, at all events, that it would not be fit for 
 you and Clarina to trust yourselves with her, 
 out of the reach or protection of those who are 
 alone interested for you/' 
 
 He paused, and both sisters hastened to re- 
 lieve the distress they saw deeply traced on his 
 countenance, by cordial assurances that they 
 would in every respect punctually follow his 
 council ; and many and minute were the di- 
 rections now mutually bestowed regarding the 
 full and frequent correspondence which was to 
 be maintained on both sides. 
 
 The next day brought much hurry and busi- 
 ness with it. Miss De Cruce spoke little and
 
 RY BRENT DE CRUCE. ^69 
 
 seemed ver37 feeble, but continued tranquil, 
 though the tears which from time to time es- 
 caped her, told of sorrow suppressed rather 
 than subdued. Agatha and Clarina busied 
 themselves in assisting Rybrent's preparations, 
 and he for some time took part in the arrange- 
 ments ; but all being nearly completed, and 
 considering Mrs. Gripskirt"'s exertions quite suf- 
 ficient for the selection of his apparel, (a task 
 in which she had indeed been so deeply engaged 
 that lie had not seen her since they parted on 
 the stairs,) he ordered his horse, and mounting 
 it, rode hastily to Warrington. 
 
 Madame de Rouvler received him with much 
 kindness. Mr. Claverham was going on well, 
 she said, but the surgeon had expressly ordered 
 that no one should be admitted to him. The 
 truth was, this gentleman had perceived the in- 
 jurious effect which the approach of young De 
 Cruce had produced on his patient ; and with- 
 out making any inquiries, or hazarding any 
 allusions to it, he had therefore issued the strict 
 injunctions now mentioned, in order to prevent
 
 270 RY BRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 the recurrence of agitation which Leonard's 
 precarious state rendered dangerous. Rybrent 
 received this prohibition with some regret, but 
 charging Madame de Rouvier with the delivery 
 of such conciliating sentiments, as his own 
 approaching departure, and Leonard's present 
 state of suffering drew sincerely from him, he 
 took his leave. She, on her part, expressed so 
 much affectionate anxiety for the affliction of 
 Miss De Cruce and her pupils in losing him, 
 and manifested so much good- will and kind so- 
 licitude for himself, that Rybrent had almost 
 reached his home again, before his fascinated 
 judgment and beguiled senses were sufficiently 
 restored to allow him to acknowledge, that the 
 elegant and winning woman he had left was 
 only the more dangerous from these very qua- 
 lifications. 
 
 " What, with better education and princi- 
 ples, might she not have been?'' bethought; 
 "yet what is she now? and how are Agatha 
 and Clarina to resist her constant blandishments.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 271 
 
 when I, with prejudices but too well founded 
 against her, am disarmed thus of all my cau- 
 tion in half an hour's conversation ?'' The 
 thought was oppressively painful; and, dis- 
 mounting at the door, he proceeded to his own 
 apartment, absorbed in anxious reflection. 
 
 The sight of an enormous trunk, placed upon 
 two chairs, and so full that the cover, resting 
 upon its contents, was gaping at least a foot 
 from the point of junction (it seemed hopeless 
 to expect it could ever reach) with its lock, 
 arrested his attention. He had himself, with 
 the assistance of the Miss Starinvilles, put up 
 his books, papers, writing and drawing mate- 
 rials, and, in short, every thing which their 
 inventive kindness could devise to lessen the 
 tedium of a long voyage. 
 
 He had left but his apparel to be packed by 
 Mrs. Gripskirt, and he now stood aghast at the 
 bulk of the huge chest before him. " I did not 
 think my whole wardrobe could have so filled 
 that prodigious box," he muttered to himself.
 
 272 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 "But I certainly cannot take all this in ad- 
 dition to what I must necessarily purchase in 
 London.^' 
 
 A slight noise in the dressing-room adjoining, 
 led him to fancy Mrs. Gripskirt herself might 
 be there, and eager to discard, by some new 
 arrangement, the numberless superfluities he 
 was convinced the monstrous machine before 
 him must hold, he hastened thither. No one, 
 however, was there. But, on entering the 
 room, he found with dismay, that the trunk he 
 had imagined so much too large for his posses- 
 sions, had not in fact been able to contain 
 them. A smaller- sized, but still considerable 
 box, closed, and well-corded, and two band- 
 boxes, as carefully secured, showed plainly that 
 he must have many more garments than the 
 leviathan in the next chamber had been ca- 
 pable of swallowing. '• This is very strange !" 
 exclaimed Rybrent, after a pause of much per- 
 plexity ; " what can Pen have found to put in 
 those two band-boxes ?" He would fain have 
 looked, but they were too carefully fastened ; and.
 
 RY BRENT DE CRUCE. STS 
 
 much perplexed, he returned to the other apart- 
 ment. " I will, at least," he thought, " turn out 
 some of the contents of this monstrous reservoir, 
 and I may then, perhaps, reduce the number of 
 these packages." 
 
 He accordingly approached the huge trunk, 
 and lifted its cover. A tier of linen, neatly 
 folded, and laid in with the greatest precision, 
 was on the top, and Rybrent's good-nature be- 
 gan to struggle hard against the merciless de- 
 sign of disturbing the result of so much care : 
 but his horror of the band-boxes prevailed. 
 
 He lifted out some of the linen, and to his 
 great astonishment perceived beneath it the 
 folds of a well-trimmed green silk gown. A 
 glimpse of some figured cottons, and the finely 
 plaited frills of various muslin caps, completed 
 his amazement ; and letting the things again drop 
 into their places, he flew to the door with an 
 intention of proceeding forthwith to Mrs. Grip- 
 skirt's apartment, when he beheld her slowly, 
 and with great dignity, ascend the stairs. 
 
 " What have you been doing here, Pen !" 
 N 5
 
 274 RY BRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 cried he, in real alarm, at a proceeding which 
 appeared to betoken manifest insanity. 
 
 Mrs. Grlpskirt, nearly as much surprised, 
 though less disconcerted, only replied to this 
 (as it seemed to her) superfluous question, by 
 an inquiring glance at his face. But Rybrent 
 now preceded her into his apartment, and 
 pointing to the disarranged trunk, said, in a 
 tone of some vexation, " I cannot possibly take 
 this enormous box with me, still less the others 
 in the next room also. Nor can I imagine 
 whose things they are which you have chosen to 
 put into them. It would seem, that you have 
 been packing all the clothes of the family. I 
 am sorry, certainly, that I did not give you more 
 particular instructions ; but how could I guess 
 you would do any thing so very strange, as thus 
 to fill up my trunk with such useless lumber ? 
 I must have it all taken out as quickly as pos- 
 sible." 
 
 " Truly, Mr. De Cruce," replied Mrs. Grip- 
 skirt, in a surprised and peevish tone, " I 
 think you might as well have left the boxes
 
 J^YBRENT DE CRUCE. 275 
 
 alone, and not have groped into them in this 
 untidy manner !" and she glanced with evident 
 displeasure at the ruffled state of the linen. 
 " You sent me word yourself," she continued, 
 " that you left the packing of the clothes to 
 me ; and, I must say, I wish you had kept to 
 your resolution, and not have come disturbing 
 the things here. As for ' useless lumber," I 
 can't tell what you mean, unless you think 
 nobody's clothes worth looking at but your 
 own !" 
 
 " Indeed, dear Pen,**' answered Rybrent with 
 a good-humoured smile, " I have a great re- 
 spect for other people's clothes when I see them 
 on their backs; but I certainly do not want 
 them at present in my trunk — and what, in the 
 world, for instance, did you think I could do 
 with the silk gown there, however cordially I 
 might admire it .?" The laughing tone in which 
 Rybrent said this completed Mrs. Penelope's 
 wrath, and drawing herself up, she replied 
 with much asperity, " I can assure you, Mr. 
 De Cruce, for all you say, I am not going to
 
 276 RYBRE^JT DE CRUCE. 
 
 leave all my clothes behind me. I don't choose 
 to go like a mere scrub among those rich India 
 people. Besides, my things would only get 
 mildewed and faded at home : so, as for taking 
 them out, as you desire, and leaving them be- 
 hind, it is what I cannot possibly " 
 
 Till now Rybrent's extreme astonishment had 
 prevented him from breaking this harangue ; 
 but his eyes being at length opened to the 
 truth, he here interrupted her by an explana- 
 tion, which effectually cut short all her argu- 
 ments and remarks. Yet the smile which the 
 absurdity of the mistake provoked, as it first 
 flashed across his comprehension, quickly yielded 
 to regret at the bitter disappointment which the 
 faithful creature evidently felt, when she found 
 that no remonstrances, nor representations of 
 his own utter inability to undertake the charge 
 of his clothes, could prevail on him, even for a 
 moment, to listen to her entreaties to accom- 
 pany him. 
 
 He endeavoured, however, to soothe and 
 comfort her by every assurance in his power ;
 
 RYKRENT DE CRUCE. 277 
 
 and even kindly offered to save her the painful 
 task of disturbing what she had with so much 
 care arranged, by selecting and putting up 
 himself the few necessaries he should want : 
 but with characteristic confidence in her own 
 talents for packing, and sovereign contempt 
 for his abihties in that department, she perti- 
 naciously refused all such succour, and even 
 began with sobs to perform her task. As soon, 
 therefore, as he found her becoming gradually 
 so absorbed in. her occupation, as to intermingle 
 it with fewer sighs and lamentations, he left her 
 to her labours; and joining his friends, the day 
 passed away, as such mournful periods are wont, 
 in long silence and detached observations, all par- 
 ties feeling as if they had matters of the utmost 
 importance to discuss, but being utterly una- 
 ble to recollect precisely what they were. 
 
 Rybrent and the Miss Starinvillcs lingered at 
 night in Miss De Cruce's apartment till she 
 herself, though with a voice scarcely audible, 
 recommended him to God, and bade him fare- 
 well. Her emotion was visible — as visible, how-
 
 J278 RY BRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 ever was the struggle she made to suppress 
 it ; and Rybrent, fearing, for her sake and his 
 own, to prolong such a moment, embraced her 
 fervently, but in deep silence, and quitted the 
 room. Agatha and Clarina followed him, 
 and on the stairs he now clasped them both 
 for the last time in his arms ; and breaking 
 from them, hurried, scarcely conscious of his 
 steps, to his own apartment. It was not till the 
 morning hours were approaching, that any of 
 those, whose hearts thus ached at parting, 
 could woo the sleep all wanted. Agatha and 
 Clarina then, at length, fell into disturbed and 
 feverish slumber ; but, quickly rousing then> 
 selves, began hastily to dress, in order to join 
 the breakfast they expected Rybrent would 
 partake. But they had scarcely risen, when a 
 servant knocked at their door, with a note 
 written in pencil. B.ybrent and Trefarley were 
 gone ! and the two friendless girls threw them- 
 selves again on the bed, with a sensation of de- 
 solation more profound than hearts so young 
 have often cause to experience.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 279 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 It was not till some time after the usual hour 
 of Miss De Cruce's rising, that Agatha and 
 Clarina, struggling for her sake to maintain an 
 assumed composure, entered her apartment. It 
 was nearly dark ; for her attendant, having 
 found her mistress sleeping, had gently retired 
 without disturbing hsr. 
 
 The Miss Starinvilles, with equal caution, 
 now approached the bedside, but perceiving by 
 a slight motion of her hand that she was awake, 
 Agatha proceeded to the window, and partly 
 opening the shutter, the rays of day-light soon pe- 
 netrated the dim apartment, and streamed across 
 the bed by which Clarina stood, watching with 
 some impatience to behold more distinctly the 
 countenance whose still outline had as yet been
 
 280 RY BRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 alone visible. Cold and fearful was the horror 
 that suddenly struck on her heart, as the broad 
 light now admitted showed that countenance 
 drawn into lines which almost defied recognition, 
 while the eyes, though open, betrayed not a gleam 
 of their usual expression, but, as if attracted by 
 the sunshine, gazed vacantly on the newly-opened 
 window. Shocked as she was, however, Clarina 
 spoke not a word, but sunk on a chair by the 
 bedside; while Agatha, turning from the window? 
 and beholding her sister"'s face, glanced instantly 
 from that to the altered visage on the bed before 
 her, and uttered a piercing shriek. The noise 
 appeared slightly to rouse Theresa, who again 
 made with her hand the feeble signal they had 
 at first observed ; and Agatha, in a transport 
 of fear and grief, believing her to be dying, 
 violently rang the bell, and then flew from 
 the apartment to procure assistance yet more 
 speedily. Clarina, though entertaining the same 
 alarming opinion, and deeply shocked, sat still 
 by the sufferer's bed, and taking the hand, which
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 281 
 
 alone seemed capable of motion, fervently en- 
 treated Miss De Cruce to speak. Her questions 
 and her tears, which were now rolling in torrents 
 down her cheek, were, however, all in vain. 
 Theresa, indeed, looked with vacant eyes upon 
 her face, but she either did not understand, or 
 could not reply to the enquiries thus made, nor 
 did she return, by the slightest pressure, the 
 grasp of sorrow and affection with which the 
 terrified and afflicted girl still clasped her hand. 
 Clarina's courage and senses well nigh failed ; 
 and when, in breathless haste, Agatha again 
 rushed into the room, attended by Mrs. Pene- 
 lope and several other servants, the latter at 
 first imagined that it was to Clarina's aid they 
 had been summoned. A glance, however, at 
 Miss DeCruce's countenance, evidently distorted 
 by a paralytic seizure, soon revealed the truth. 
 Medical assistance was immediately sought, but 
 before it could arrive, the violence of the stroke 
 had already relaxed, her features began to resume 
 their wonted form, and some faint trace of
 
 282 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 meaning in her eye, appeared to denote return- 
 ing recollection. She still, however, remained 
 speechless, and apparently unconscious of the 
 import of the questions which her attendants ad- 
 dressed to her, nor did it seem that any power of 
 motion remained to her, except in the hand, 
 with which, from time to time, she still made 
 feeble signals, of the purport of which she herself 
 seemed ignorant. In this state she was found 
 by the two medical gentlemen who had obeyed 
 the summons for their presence as quickly as 
 possible. They pronounced her case to be very 
 critical, but expressed hopes which, perhaps, 
 the agony of distress, in which they saw her 
 afflicted young friends, had more share in 
 prompting, than any of the symptoms of their 
 patient. 
 
 Both, however, agreed in affirming, that 
 should her strength not sink immediately under 
 the violence of the present shock, a gradual 
 amendment, and even ultimate recovery, might 
 ensue ; and having administered all the necessary
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 283 
 
 remedies, Mr. Bristow, the surgeon, a kind and 
 humane man, offered to remain in the house 
 for the rest of the day, lest any change should 
 occur. 
 
 This offer was accepted almost in silence by 
 the Miss Starinvilles, whose distress was too 
 intense to allow of any expression of their feel- 
 ings. 
 
 It had been ascertained, that the whole of 
 Theresa's left side was rendered motionless by 
 this stroke, which had totally deprived her of 
 speech, and, as it seemed, of understanding also ; 
 since she continued apparently quite unconsci- 
 ous of all that was said to her. 
 
 Seated on each side of her bed, the Miss 
 Starinvilles now remained through the day, 
 watching with intense anxiety the half lifeless 
 form before them ; sometimes anticipating with 
 all the eagerness of youthful hope a favourable 
 change from some slight symptom of reviving 
 animation ; and sometimes relapsing into the 
 deepest despondency, as the mute frame of
 
 S84 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 their affectionate, and now only remaining 
 friend, lay again utterly motionless, and in all 
 the semblance of death, before their eyes. 
 
 '* Let us write to Ry brent, and conjure him 
 to return !" had been Clarina'^s first exclama- 
 tion, when the opinion of the medical men was 
 first pronounced. But she checked the wish 
 as soon as uttered ; and after much consultation, 
 both sisters agreed that, though they would im- 
 mediately inform him of this calamitous event, 
 they would leave altogether to himself the decision 
 as to which duty he should consider paramount. 
 On still farther reflection, they determined even 
 to write in terms as little alarming as the truth 
 would allow, endeavouring to avoid any such 
 expression of their own feelings as might un- 
 necessarily increase Rybrent's anxiety and 
 alarm. But their faculties were benumbed 
 by grief; and the letter, which Clarina at 
 length wrote, contained in a few touching lines 
 the very intensity of alarm and sorrow which 
 she fully intended to have concealed. It was 
 indeed too late for that day's post, for moments
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 285 
 
 of terror are wont to flit by, like the dark 
 birds of night on their leathern pinions, even 
 more rapidly than the feather-winged hours of 
 joy : but.Clarina, relieved by having written it, 
 returned to the chamber of her sick friend, 
 where she and Agatha passed the anxious night 
 in alternate watchings and uneasy slumber. 
 For two more days and nights Miss De Cruce 
 lay nearly motionless, receiving with difficulty 
 any nourishment, and apparently entirely un- 
 conscious of all around her. At the end of 
 that time, however, a decided change for the 
 better appeared. Agatha and Clarina, worn 
 out by continued watching, had retired to their 
 own apartment for a few hours, and on their 
 return, were questioning Mrs. Gripskirt with 
 anxiety, when a slight motion in the bed drew 
 them instantly to its side. Theresa had ex- 
 tended her hand to them, and as Clarina hastily 
 took it, her eyes, so long bereaved of expression, 
 now turned towards her fond and youthful at- 
 tendants, with evident consciousness of their pre- 
 sence, while a faint smile played round her lip.
 
 286 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 The affectionate and surprised girls, as if by 
 a common impulse, threw themselves on their 
 knees by the bedside in an ecstasy of joy 
 and gratitude ; and only began to check their 
 transport of tears, as by degrees they remem- 
 bered that composure and tranquillity were 
 necessary to the recovery they thus suddenly 
 anticipated. 
 
 Shocked at their own imprudence, they rose 
 gently, and watched with some fear, lest such 
 want of self-command had already produced 
 injurious effects on their patient. But Miss De 
 Cruce's powers of perception, although return- 
 ing, were still much blunted; and while she 
 still gazed on them, and even followed their 
 movements with her eyes, she showed no signs 
 of observing or participating in their senti^ 
 ments, and was evidently neither disturbed nor 
 injured by the natural burst of feeling they had 
 displayed. Yet she still beheld them with a 
 languid look of pleasure which thrilled their 
 hearts with joy ; while the slight endeavours she 
 occasionally made, if either of them moved
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 287 
 
 away, to retain her sight of them, again 
 brought warm tears of satisfaction and thank- 
 fulness down their cheeks. Their hopes were 
 soon confirmed by the opinion of her medical 
 attendants, who pronounced decidedly that an 
 important change had taken place, and who 
 now- seemed to participate in the expectations 
 of recovery, which they had before rather 
 permitted than encouraged. With spirits, 
 therefore, greatly elevated, the Miss Starin- 
 villes wrote these favourable tidings to Ry- 
 brent, and again posted themselves in the sick 
 chamber, where various small tokens, scarcely 
 perceptible but to the keen eyes of affection, 
 proved to their delighted hearts that their be- 
 loved friend was now conscious of, and took 
 pleasure in their presence. 
 
 Daily inquiries had been made by Madame de 
 Rouvier in person at Esterfield during the alarm- 
 ing illness of Miss De Cruce, and on her arrival 
 this morning, Agatha descended to her, and after 
 describing with tears of joy the amendment which 
 had taken place, she made some inquiries con-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 cerning Leonard Claverham, whose very exist- 
 ence had been unthought of by them for the 
 last few days. 
 
 " He was littJe better," Madame de Ilouvier 
 said, " and was likely to be yet confined to his 
 bed for a considerable time, as the slightest 
 exertion produced fever and irritation." She 
 repeated this intelligence to Clarina, with whom 
 she had also an interview, when Agatha had 
 resumed her post in the sick room, and then 
 took her leave, after expressing her sohcitude 
 on Miss De Cruce's account with a cordiality 
 and kindness which won from her youthful 
 pupil sincere and affectionate thanks. 
 
 The day had been gloomy, and the dusk of a 
 November evening was already fast approach- 
 ing to darkness, when, as the Miss Starinvilles 
 were still both seated by the bed of their friend, 
 a slight commotion in the house below, was fol- 
 lowed by a quick step up the stairs, which how- 
 ever paused at the door. A few seconds only 
 elapsed before it gently opened, and one of the 
 servants appearing, beckoned to Mrs. Gripskirt,
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 289 
 
 who was seated at the other extremity of the 
 rooii), and who immediately obeyed the sum- 
 mons. She returned as speedily, and in a low 
 whisper to Agatha, Clarina heard Trefarley's 
 name pronounced. "Is he come?"" she asked 
 in a subdued but hurried voice, while in the 
 first emotion of surprise she half rose from her 
 seat, but recollecting herself, again resumed her 
 place. " Yes, my dear ladies," whispered Mrs. 
 Penelope, in so cautious a tone as to be scarcely 
 audible ; " he is come, and wishes to see 
 you very much. So you had better go down ; 
 for it is so dark Miss De Cruce can scarcely 
 see you leave her. Besides, she is asleep just 
 now, I think ; so I will take your place by her 
 side, and will send to you immediately, if she 
 should waken before your return." Agatha 
 and Clarina looked a moment on the bed, and 
 perceiving that Miss De Cruce was quite quiet 
 there, the change was quickly but silently made, 
 and with the utmost care both now stole gently 
 from the room, and descended the stairs. 
 
 At the door of the drawing-room stood Tre- 
 
 VOL. I. o
 
 290 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 farley, looking pale and fatigued by the light of 
 a solitary candle, and evidently much overcome 
 by his feelings. The sight of him brought so 
 forcibly before them all that they had suffered 
 during the short interval since they parted, 
 that an uncontrollable burst of tears preceded 
 every effort to speak, while Trefarley's quiver- 
 ing lip and dim eye betrayed sorrow almost 
 as poignant as their own. At length, however, 
 Clarina forced a smile, Avhile she said, *' You 
 would not believe, by this reception, what good 
 intelligence we have to give you!" And gain- 
 ing more firmness as she proceeded, she detail- 
 ed the progress of amendment which had taken 
 place since last they wrote, and which had 
 given to every hour an increase of hope. Tre- 
 farley listened with evident delight to a report 
 so unexpected ; for having left London on the 
 evening of the very day in which Clarina's first 
 letter had conveyed to Rybrent the misfortune 
 which had befallen them, he had, of course, 
 received no tidings since, and had, therefore, 
 reached the house with impressions so mournful.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 291 
 
 that surprise was mingled with his pleasure on 
 hearing from the servants that Miss De Cruce 
 still lived. 
 
 He now eagerly asked the Miss Starinvilles 
 whether their last letter to Rybrent contained 
 tlie hopes they at present entertained, and he 
 expressed a lively satisfaction on being inform- 
 ed, that, being written just after the favourable 
 opinion pronounced by the medical men, it had 
 conveyed that, in addition to their own senti- 
 ments on the subject, and had been dictated by 
 feehngs of almost joyful certainty. 
 
 Trefarley then informed them, that on ar- 
 riving in London, Rybrent had found that the 
 vessel in which he proposed to depart was to 
 sail in five days ; that on hastening to ascertain 
 whether a passage in it could be procured, he 
 had found no difficulty in obtaining one both 
 for himself and his servant, and that he had 
 then proceeded forthwith to collect, with all 
 possible dispatch, the necessary articles for his 
 voyage. " These first steps had been taken, 
 and Mr. De Cruce was writing all details to 
 o S
 
 292 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 you,"" continued Trefarley, " when your letter 
 containing this alarming intelligence reached us. 
 I will not attempt to describe to you his feel- 
 ings ; the packet I have brought you from him 
 will no doubt do that better ; nor will I even 
 dwell upon my own. His first thought was to 
 return here himself, but duty, still more in- 
 perious, forbade this ; and he then urged me 
 instantly to depart, which I was myself suffi- 
 ciently eager to do, and hasten to your assist- 
 ance. I left him, therefore, that same evening ; 
 and I will now own to you that I left him in a 
 state of distress from conflicting feelings, which, 
 had I found matters here as I expected, would 
 have rendered me seriously uneasy on his ac- 
 count. But, thank Heaven, your last commu- 
 nication must have relieved his mind from its 
 worst fears, and he will sail to-morrow with 
 a heart lightened of half its load." 
 
 " To-morrow !" exclaimed Clarina faintly, 
 while she and her sister again burst into tears, 
 which Trefarley attempted not to check, and 
 which flowed long in silence. At length, how-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 ever, he again gently drew them to converse; 
 gave them every minute detail in answer to 
 their questions, and promised to deliver to them 
 the packet he had brought from Rybrent early 
 on the morrow, when he expected some luggage, 
 which in his haste he had left at the inn of the 
 adjacent town, would arrive. 
 
 He then reverted to Miss De Cruce, and 
 anxiously demanded if he might be permitted 
 to see her. To this, however, the sisters feared 
 to consent ; the physician attending her having 
 expressly and earnestly warned them against 
 suffering her to experience the slightest agi- 
 tation of spirits, which the sight of Trefar- 
 ley would assuredly produce. They therefore 
 agreed that she should not even be apprised 
 of his arrival till her medical attendants should 
 consider her in such a state as might sanction 
 the disclosure ; and to these precautions Tre- 
 farley, on hearing their opinions, willingly 
 yielded. They now expressed some anxiety on 
 his own account, as his appearance plainly beto- 
 kened the agitation and fatigue he had endured,
 
 ^9^ RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 and having insisted on his taking some refreshment 
 immediately, they left him to seek repose, while 
 they returned to Miss De Cruce's apartment. 
 
 All there was tranquil as they had left it ; 
 Mrs. Gripskirt having only removed to her 
 usual end of the room, where, having lighted a 
 small taper, the beams of which were carefully 
 screened from Theresa^s sight by the dark bed- 
 curtains, she was busily engaged at work. Her 
 anxiety, however, to hear intelligence of Ry- 
 brent had been intense during the absence 
 (which had seemed to her interminable) of the 
 Miss Starinvilles ; and accordingly they no 
 sooner appeared at the door, than she softly but 
 hastily rose, and advancing towards them, whis- 
 pered several inquiries in a breath. 
 
 Fatigued by the agitation they had them- 
 selves undergone, and fearful of disturbing 
 Theresa's still profound slumber by even a 
 whispered conversation, Agatha and Clarina 
 were in no humour to satisfy a curiosity 
 they yet wished to indulge ; and therefore after 
 some inquiries, by which they found their
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 295 
 
 patient's sleep had continued unbroken since 
 they left her, they told Mrs. Gripskirt that 
 she might herself go and learn every particular 
 which interested her from Mr. Trefarley, who 
 was still below. The affectionate creature 
 waited for no second permission, but instantly 
 left the room, while advancing towards the 
 chair she had left, Agatha seated herself there, 
 and Clarina taking the opposite place, both 
 remained for a considerable time plunged in 
 their own reflections and preserving total silence. 
 At length Clarina cast her eyes on a timepiece 
 over the chimney, and seeing that the hour 
 approached when the medicine ordered for Miss 
 De Cruce should be administered, she pointed 
 it out to Agatha, and making signs to her to 
 prepare the draught, she herself advanced to- 
 wards the bed. She took the taper in her 
 hand, but hid it behind the curtain as she 
 stood by Theresa's side, and in a gentle whisper 
 spoke her name, inquiring if she would take 
 the medicines now prepared. 
 
 Miss De Cruce made no answer, and Clarina,
 
 296 RYBllENT DE CRUCK. 
 
 for a moment, moved the light to see the ^leep 
 that was so profound. One glance was sufficient 
 to show that the lineaments of death bear an 
 awful aspect, which the paleness of no living 
 visage can resemble ; and poor Clarina, utter- 
 ing a cry of horror, fell senseless on the floor. 
 The taper was extinguished ; and Agatha, 
 pale, wild, and speechless with terror, had 
 rushed into the room where Trefarley was 
 still conversing with Mrs. Penelope, before 
 she was herself entirely conscious that she had 
 groped her passage to the door. The light, 
 and the sight of these two, so far brought her 
 to herself, that she checked the frantic speed 
 with which she was before advancing, for what 
 purpose she scarcely knew ; yet she now stood 
 before them, the very image of fear, and utterly 
 unable to speak. 
 
 Her appearance, however, sufficiently de- 
 noted some dreadful catastrophe, and while 
 Trefarley, greatly shocked, moved towards her, 
 Mrs. Gripskirt, snatching a candle, hastened to 
 the door. This movement again roused Aga-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 297 
 
 tha, and dragging Trefarley with her, she also 
 turned, and hurried up the stairs. He asked 
 no questions, and they all entered the chamber 
 together, where Clarina still lay senseless on 
 the floor. Placing Agatha, who was nearly 
 sinking by her sister, in a chair, and by one 
 glance at the bed ascertaining the afflicting 
 cause of all this commotion, Trefarley assisted 
 Mrs. Gripskirt in raising Clarina, about whom 
 she was so earnestly occupied that she was still 
 unconscious of the calamity which had befallen 
 them. Relieved, however, by his assistance, 
 she now looked anxiously on Miss De Cruce, as 
 if to observe the effect of so much disturbance, 
 and the truth instantly stood unveiled to her, as 
 she beheld her corpse stretched out in all the 
 rigid tranquillity of death. Loud exclamations 
 of horror burst from her lips, while wringing 
 her hands in grief, the tears rolled from her 
 eyes, and she stood for some moments utterly 
 regardless of Clarina's situation, and gazing only 
 on the pallid form, from which life had but too 
 plainly for some time departed. At length, 
 o5
 
 298 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 Trefarley ringing the bell violently, the apart- 
 ment was quickly filled by the other domestics, 
 and a scene of terror and grief ensued, which, 
 but for his presence, might have proved alto- 
 gether fatal to Clarina, whose long suspended 
 senses seemed on the eve of utterly forsaking 
 her. He directed her immediate removal to 
 another apartment, and assisting Agatha, who, 
 alarmed at her sister's situation, exerted her- 
 self in applying the necessary remedies, they 
 at length succeeded in restoring animation ; and 
 Clarina again waked to a full sense of the loss 
 they had sustained. It was a grievous trial to 
 Trefarley's kind heart, melting as it was with 
 his own sorrow at this lamentable event, tobehold 
 the deep affliction of the two youthful orphans, 
 (for such they might well be esteemed,) as they 
 began to feel the full poignancy of a blow 
 which at first had stunned their faculties. 
 They warmly insisted on returning to the 
 chamber of their friend, and hope even seem- 
 ed to stir in their hearts, as they now blamed 
 themselves for having quitted it upon so cur-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 299 
 
 sory a view only of what might, after all, they 
 said, be but a second attack, which might yet 
 yield to the former remedies. 
 
 But Trefarley shook his head. He endea- 
 voured, however, to soothe them, even while he 
 repressed their delusive hopes, by the kindest 
 attentions, and promised that they should re- 
 visit the apartment they had left, whenever 
 their minds should attain more firmness, and 
 their strength be recruited ; for, pale and 
 trembhng, their limbs could still hardly sustain 
 their weight. The momentary excitation of 
 false hope vanished quickly before Trefarley \s, 
 kind but grave remonstrances ; and both sis- 
 ters, covering their faces with their hands, sunk 
 into the deepest dejection. It was some time 
 before tears came to their relief, but at length 
 their grief took its natural course, and Trefar- 
 ley, seeing them thus affected, and desirous 
 that they should indulge their sorrows, left 
 the room, and returned to the chamber of 
 death.
 
 300 RYBRENT DRCRUCK 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Mrs. Penelope, assisted by the other domes- 
 tics, had in this interval arranged the body, and 
 was now weeping in a chair by its side. She was, 
 however, collected enough to answer Trefarley's 
 inquiries, though he soon found she could give 
 no satisfactory account of the event. Miss De 
 Cruce, she said, had received her last medicine 
 from the Miss Starinvilles only about ten mi- 
 nutes before his arrival, and had appeared then 
 better than she had ever been since her attack ; 
 and she well recollected the pleasure with which 
 the young ladies kissed the hand which their 
 gentle patient held out to them, as if in thanks 
 for their services. But it was growing dark, 
 and as she seemed inclined to sleep, the Miss Sta- 
 rinvilles had sat in perfect silence by her bed.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 301 
 
 till Mrs. Penelope herself, being called to the 
 door, had returned to tell them of the arrival 
 that had taken place, and of Mr. Trefarley's 
 wish to see them. " But I whispered it all so 
 low/' continued Mrs. Gripskirt, " that Miss 
 De Cruce could never have heard it, even if she 
 had not been asleep, as we all then believed. 
 I did certainly fancy, that as the young ladies 
 moved towards the door, I saw her stir slightly 
 in the bed; but I did not notice it to them, and, 
 indeed, she remained from that time so still, that 
 I was quite satisfied she was sleeping. Alas! I 
 now fear that must have been her last movement ; 
 for she was quite cold and so stiff, poor lady ! 
 when we found her just now, that she must 
 surely have expired at least an hour before." 
 Mrs. Gripskirt paused for a moment, much af- 
 fected, and then continued — " After the ladies 
 were gone, I sat by the bed, thinking sadl}^ of 
 young Mr. De Cruce, and wishing I could hear 
 what you were telling them, till I grew so 
 mournful, I could sit in the dark no longer ; 
 so I crept gently to the other end of the room.
 
 302 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 and lighting my candle, I sat down to work. I 
 kept the light carefully away from Miss De 
 Cruce, never doubting but that she was still 
 asleep, and would be all the better for her re- 
 pose — and but too surely she is, good lady, and 
 rejoicing with the saints in heaven !" 
 
 Poor Mrs. Gripskirt's tears here stopped her 
 speech. Trefarley had listened to her narrative 
 (if such it might be called) with feelings of re- 
 morse mingled with his sorrow ; as it appear- 
 ed to him but too evident, that the disturbance, 
 slight as it was, created in the house by his 
 arrival, had produced this sad catastrophe. " She 
 probably imagined/' he thought, '^ that Rybrent 
 himself had returned, and the sudden emotion 
 was too strong for her frame." He accordingly 
 blamed himself severely for not having used 
 precautions, which, but for the present excite- 
 ment of his feelings, he would readily have 
 perceived, were beyond the reach of all common 
 calculation ; he having, in reality, taken all those 
 which coeld be deemed necessary. But Mrs. 
 Gripskirt, thrown off her guard by the inteUi-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 303 
 
 gence (purposely conveyed first to her) of Tre- 
 farley's arrival, had scarcely waited to hear 
 more, but repeated the news to the Miss Starin- 
 villes in the manner described. 
 
 Whether Miss De Cruce had really been a- 
 larmed and agitated by hearing this whisper, and 
 beholding the consequent movement in her room, 
 or whether the stroke which had thus deprived 
 her of life had come on without any external 
 cause, it was now impossible to ascertain. Her 
 spirit had fled for ever from its frail and perish- 
 able clay, and while Trefarley deeply mourned 
 for the friendless and unprotected girls thus 
 suddenly (even in the midst of their newly- 
 raised hopes) deprived of their kind and faithful 
 guardian, he internally acknowledged, that a 
 wish to call her back to earth were as cruel as 
 vain. 
 
 Again and again, however, he revolved in his 
 thoughts the situation of those she had left be- 
 hind her, with the fruitless hope of devising 
 some asylum for them more safe, (and'lie shud- 
 dered as he added,) more proper than their
 
 304 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 father's house, under its present circumstances 
 But he mused in vain. Since the death of his 
 mother's brother, Mr. Starinville had neither 
 relative nor friend remaining in England ; while 
 with Lady Ellen's family he had long been at 
 open war. They also were haughty and im- 
 placable ; and who could hope, with any chance 
 of success, to apply to them in favour of the 
 unknown, and probably despised daughters of a 
 man whose very name they detested ? Besides, 
 Trefarley could not but perceive that these dif- 
 ficulties, great as they were, formed but the 
 smallest part of the obstacles which stood in the 
 way of any such application. Had the Miss 
 Starinvilles been really orphans, their forlorn 
 situation, their youth and inexperience, and 
 above all, the removal of the person so offensive 
 to all parties, might have raised a feeling in 
 their favour, which, he was well assured, their 
 appearance and manners once seen would have 
 strongly confirmed. But their father not only 
 lived, but had of late assumed a control over 
 them, his right to which no one could dispute.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 305 
 
 To Warrington, therefore, he was forced 
 reluctantly to own to himself, they must now 
 return ; nor could he see a hope of any favour- 
 able change in their situation, except the for- 
 lorn expectation, to which Ry brent had clung 
 with an eagerness which had borne away even 
 Trefarley's less sanguine judgment, that his 
 mother might be so recovered as to venture on 
 returning to England ; in which case her son's 
 ardent age and temper left him no doubt but 
 that she would willingly befriend and advise 
 the Miss Starinvilles in any emergency, if not 
 take them totally under her care, should the 
 event, which had now really happened, deprive 
 them of Miss De Cruce's protection. 
 
 Left however now to his own cooler reflec- 
 tions, and saddened almost todespondency by the 
 afilicting calamity which had just taken place, 
 Trefarley's views on the subject naturally be- 
 came more sober, nor could he be blind either 
 to the extreme improbability of such a restora- 
 tion in Mrs, De Cruce's health, as would enable 
 her to reside in England, or to the many objec>
 
 306 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 tions which might arise to prevent her from un- 
 dertaking such a charge, even without taking 
 into consideration Mr. Starinville's probable 
 refusal to the plan. 
 
 Still, if she ever did return to England, and 
 reside at Esterfield, she might, no doubt, be of 
 much service to the Miss Starinvilles, and small 
 as the chance was, it seemed to offer the only 
 hope for them ; and Trefarley, therefore, finally 
 lingered on the thought. 
 
 He resolved now not to avail himself of the 
 only opportunit}^, which Rybrent, unprepared 
 for such a speedy parting, had been able to 
 point out for receiving communication from 
 Esterfield before leaving the coast; and thus 
 by such friendly neglect, suffer him to de- 
 part from England with his spirits cheered by 
 the favourable report the Miss Starinvilles' 
 last letter had contained. *' He will thus, 
 at least," thought Trefarley, " not hear of 
 this fatal catastrophe till I shall be enabled, 
 I hope, to give him at the same time a fa- 
 vourable account of the manner in which his
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 307 
 
 young friends have borne it ; and, I will trust 
 also, a tolerably satisfactory detail of their si- 
 tuation. Claverham must leave the house 
 soon. If, as he seems occasionally to pretend, 
 he has a regard for Miss Starinville, and any 
 serious intentions towards her, he must, ere 
 
 long, openly announce " 
 
 But Trefarley turned from this thought with 
 a sickening feeling of disgust, which he ho- 
 nestly attributed to his dislike of Leonard's 
 profligate character. 
 
 Deeply conscious of his own personal defects, 
 his dependent situation, and uncertain pro- 
 spects; having also, during the early part of 
 his residence at Esterfield, been accustomed to 
 regard the wild and laughing glances of Aga- 
 tha's dark eyes with terror, displeasure — any 
 thing, in short, but admiration, poor Trefarley 
 was by no means aware of the gradual, though 
 silent, change which had of late years taken 
 place in his sentiments on that subject. 
 
 He knew, indeed, that he now gazed with 
 pleasure on the beautiful eyes from which he
 
 308 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 had formerly turned away with dread ; but 
 then those eyes had lost all trace of the surprise 
 and amusement with which they had at first 
 been wont to dance at his approach ; besides, 
 though their beaming glances were thus robbed 
 of their formidable expression, he was still very 
 conscious that he could not now encounter 
 them without some disturbance. Where, then, 
 was the difference ? Alas, poor Trefarley never 
 fairly asked himself a question it appeared so 
 entirely unnecessary to solve ! Agatha's situ- 
 ation as co-heiress to Mr. Starinville's very ex- 
 tensive property, her beauty, and the thousand 
 charms, which certainly he did not appreciate 
 below their value, placed her, in his eyes, so 
 much above his reach, that he never even 
 dreamed that the fear with which he had at 
 first regarded her, had gradually yielded to an 
 admiration as secret as intense. IMeantime, 
 Agatha, whose childish wonder at Trefarley's 
 somewhat grotesque appearance had long since 
 subsided, treated him with the increasing esteem 
 and regard his virtues, his character, and ta-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 309 
 
 lents deserved ; and it was even doubtful whe- 
 ther the sisterly aftection she felt for Ry brent 
 much exceeded that she had for some time 
 experienced for Trefarley. The latter feeling 
 was at least never marred by the slight displea- 
 sure which occasionally tinged the former, as 
 Rybrent manifested daily more and more his 
 distinguishing preference for Clarina. Agatha's 
 intercourse with Trefarley was, indeed, neither 
 so frequent nor so familiar as with young De 
 Cruce ; but her good-will towards him was pro- 
 ceeding in that even and unbroken course, 
 which, if it denotes the immediate absence of 
 any stronger sentiment, is not, perhaps, always 
 ill calculated to produce it. Meanwhile, if he 
 were unconscious of his own feehngs, Agatha 
 was still more so ; and since Rybrent's intended 
 departure had been announced, she had looked 
 to Trefarley for assistance and advice with an 
 open confidence, which proved better than vo- 
 lumes of argument, her total want of suspicion 
 on this subject. 
 
 Deeply touched with these proofs of her
 
 310 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 friendship, and naturally participating warmly 
 in the distress which the parting of the young 
 friends, under all the peculiar circumstances, 
 had occasioned, neither Trefarley himself, nor 
 any of the party concerned, had experienced the 
 least wonder at the evident anxiety he both felt 
 and expressed for the trying situation in which 
 the Miss Starinvilles seemed likely to be placed ; 
 nor, when that anxiety was now heightened even 
 to intensity by the present* calamitous event, 
 was he at all aware that it exceeded, either in 
 kind or degree, what was natural to friendship. 
 He now sat pondering all the evils which 
 might befal them, and so absorbed in these 
 reflections, that he was perfectly unconscious 
 of the heavy and long-drawn sobs of poor Mrs. 
 Gripskirt, who, overwhelmed by the detail 
 of the few sad particulars she had recited, 
 still sat weeping bitterly, till the current of her 
 tears a little abating, she looked on Trefarley, 
 and was so struck with the deep" woe his coun- 
 tenance betrayed-, that, rising hazily, she ex- 
 claimed, " Why, Mr. Trefarley, you are look-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUGE. 311 
 
 ing no better than a ghost ! You have been tra- 
 veiling day and night, and I'm sure you are not 
 fit to sit here watching over my poor lady's 
 corpse to-night ! So, pray go to your room, 
 and try to get some sleep ; and I will call some 
 one here, and then go and see after our poor 
 young ladies, and make them do the same." 
 Trefarley was, indeed, much exhausted, and 
 yielded in silence to Mrs. Gripskirfs sugges- 
 tions. He hesitated a moment whether he should 
 not accompany her to the Miss Starinvilles, 
 whom he* had left absorbed in their sorrow ; 
 but an instant's reflection convinced him that it 
 was better to defer the meeting till the ensuing 
 morning, and he retired to his chamber. 
 
 When Mrs. Penelope entered the apartment 
 where the Miss Starinvilles were, she found them 
 pale and silent, no longer weeping, but in that 
 stupor of sorrow which so nearly resembles com- 
 posure. Her entrance, however, somewhat roused 
 them, and a few natural tears again trickled down 
 their cheeks as* she approached, and in tones of 
 kindness, urged them to remove to their own
 
 312 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 chamber, and go to rest. For a few moments 
 neither of them replied ; but at length, in a low 
 and tremulous tone, and with a cheek as pale as 
 marble, Clarina said, they could not retire for 
 the night till they had once more seen and taken 
 leave of the inanimate form, which was all now 
 remaining to them of their best and earliest friend. 
 
 Mrs. Penelope strongly and vehemently op- 
 posed this wish, but Agatha, corroborating her 
 sister's declaration, and both insisting firmly in 
 their intention, she was obliged to yield, and 
 the two afflicted girls followed her in deep si- 
 lence to the chamber, their attendance in 
 which had been so abruptly terminated. 
 
 Theresa De Cruce's countenance, relaxed 
 from the lines into which disease had contracted 
 it, wore a placid and even smiling expression of 
 tranquil happiness! But the indescribable want 
 of life in its hue, its profound and terrible still- 
 ness, and the formal and unnatural arrangement 
 of the whole form, showed that Death had war- 
 red and triumphed there, and now claimed the 
 deserted carcase as his trophy.
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 313 
 
 The spectacle was too much for their youth- 
 ful and inexperienced fortitude. Their friend 
 was indeed gone, and the semblance of her which 
 remained seemed but a frightful mockery. 
 Sinking on their knees beside the bed, they hid 
 their faces from the sight, and too deeply moved 
 for tears, remained for a while overcome with 
 awe. Mrs. Gripskirt, respecting their feelings, 
 stood a little apart ; but after a few moments, 
 again approaching, she intreated them to rise 
 and retire to their room. They obeyed her, as 
 if mechanically ; and it was not till, having 
 reached their own apartment, they saw her close 
 the door, that the extent and certainty of their 
 loss seemed to rush with increased force upon 
 their minds, and their renewed and vehement 
 sorrow burst forth afresh in tears. Mrs. Pene- 
 lope, with all the delicacy of real kindness, in- 
 terrupted not their grief; but did not leave 
 them until she saw its violence had again 
 subsided, and she had persuaded them to 
 retire to rest. 
 
 When they met Trefarley at breakfast next 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 314 RYCRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 morning, the countenances of all three but too 
 plainly betrayed the night of sorrow they had 
 passed ; but Clarina, naturally calmer than her 
 sister, joining with Trefarley to tranquillize the 
 burst of grief in which Agatha again indulged, 
 they by degrees all engaged in sad but tolerably 
 composed conversation respecting their present 
 situation. Rybrent was to sail that very day, 
 and many thoughts of him mingled in their dis- 
 course. They knew of no mode of writing to 
 him, and derived some comfort from Trefarley 's 
 suggestion, that he was thus at least spared 
 from hearing the worst without any possibi- 
 lity of alleviation ; and he gave them the packet 
 for which they now asked. But Clarina had 
 read but the first few lines, when the hopes 
 which Rybrent apparently nourished himself, 
 or perhaps wished to excite in their hearts, con- 
 trasted so bitterly with the cold and sad reality, 
 that, utterly unable to proceed, she closed the 
 packet, and struggling with her tears, said, they 
 would peruse it at leisure, when they should 
 have belter command of their spirits. The ne-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 315 
 
 cessity of their immediate return to Warrington 
 was now discussed. " Alas !" exclaimed both the 
 afflicted girls, " no choice remains to us !" and 
 Trefarley, anxious to soothe them, represented 
 their abode there in the most favourable colours 
 his own forebodings on the subject would per- 
 mit, though the warnings he perpetually ming- 
 led with the encouragement he thus endeavoured 
 to bestow, showed his fear of peril, even while 
 he would fain have anticipated peace. 
 
 He was still speaking on the subject, when 
 Madame de Rouvier suddenly entered the 
 apartment. They had sent to apprise her of 
 the calamitous event which had taken place, and 
 she now hastened, she said, to request the Miss 
 Starinvilles to leave this abode of sorrow, and 
 return with her immediately to Warrington. 
 She addressed all this chiefly to Clarina ; and 
 while she expressed much commiseration in 
 their affliction, she herself looked pale and ha- 
 rassed, and wore, as they fancied, less kindness 
 in her manner than usual, especially towards 
 Agatha, to whom, for some time, she scarcely
 
 316 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 spoke. Much affected themselves, however, 
 they but slightly remarked a trivial alteration 
 which appeared but to proceed from the agi- 
 tation her concern for them had produced. 
 
 " Mr. Claverham was rather better," she said, 
 in reply to Trefarley's questions ; but when he 
 farther inquired how soon the surgeon supposed 
 he would be able to bear removal, she answered 
 with some asperity, '^ I do not know, not hav- 
 ing been so anxious to ask the question, as it 
 appears you are." Trefarley fancied she laid a 
 stress on these words, which embarrassed him in 
 a manner he scarcely understood, and he remain- 
 ed for some time silent. After much discussion, 
 it was at length agreed, that Agatha and Clarina 
 should leave Esterfielde immediately with Ma- 
 dame de Rouvier, and orders were accordingly 
 given to that purpose. Their reluctance, in- 
 deed, was visible ; and they endeavoured, by 
 every argument they could use, to gain, at least, 
 the respite of a few days' indulgence of their 
 sorrow in a spot they were so unwilling to quit ; 
 but Madame de Rouvier urged the useless-
 
 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 317 
 
 ness (she looked as if she would fain have said 
 the impropriety) of their remaining in the 
 house with Trefarley, to whose care the neces- 
 sary melancholy duties might well be left, and 
 to this reasoning they had nothing but their 
 wishes to oppose. 
 
 Their few packages, therefore, were hastily 
 collected together by poor Mrs. Gripskirt, 
 whose grief seemed to redouble at this sudden 
 departure, and with cold and heavy hearts they 
 descended to the carriage. Madame de Rouvier 
 supported Clarina, whose fortitude appeared on 
 the point of forsaking her ; while Agatha hung 
 on Trefarley's arm, as they moved down the 
 steps, with a countenance, pale and sad as it 
 was, scarcely so mournful as his own. 
 
 Neither of them spoke, however ; and when, 
 the door being shut, the carriage rolled rapidly 
 away, Trefarley stood absorbed in feelings so 
 profound, that it was many minutes before he 
 was thoroughly conscious of its departure ; then, 
 suddenly starting from his abstraction, and 
 catching a glimpse of the carriage as it turned
 
 318 RYBRENT DE CRUCE. 
 
 the last winding from which it could be visi- 
 ble, the pang that struck on his heart, was 
 the first intimation to him of his real senti- 
 ments ; and shocked almost to alarm, the un- 
 happy young man flew from the door, and buried 
 himself in the solitude of his chamber. 
 
 "^ END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. 
 
 LONDON; 
 PRTNTliD BV S. AND R. BKNTLEV, 
 
 Dorset Street, Fie* t Street.