CHAP. IV. "Fancy pours Afresh his beauties on his busy thought; OSWALD's efforts to conquer his attachment for Jacintha, were not more successful than those she had made to subdue her affection for him. Like her, however, his pride stimulated him to hide his feelings, and carefully conceal from his friends the severe pain inflicted by his disappointment. In the neighbourhood of Mr. Frankland, there were no houses suited to the taste of lady Henry; but within two miles of Wyefield she heard of one, which, as far as she could judge from description, was exactly the kind of residence she wished for. She had strong objections to it, however, on account of her son, as she feared its vicinity to Wyefield might strengthen unpleasant remembrances, and, perhaps, counteract all the efforts of reason and resolution. Oswald, guessing the motives which made her hesitate about it, exerted himself to remove her apprehensions; and, finally, prevailed upon her to take it, as they found, upon a visit to it, that description had but done it justice. It was an old mansion, perfectly commodious notwithstanding its antiquity; and had it even been less pleasant within, the almost boundless prospect it commanded of an enchanting country, would have rendered it a desirable habitation. The court in which it stood, was planted with oaks, which appeared as ancient as itself, and which, when in full foliage, completely shaded it from the road; a fine wood bordered it on one side, and on the other stretched luxuriant meads, diversified with little groves and cottages, beautifully watered by winding rivulets, and terminated by the picturesque village of Wyefield, towards which the eyes of Egbert were not directed without emotions he could not always conceal. In this quiet and delightful retreat lady Henry might again have been happy, could she have obliterated the bitter remembrance of past events from her mind; but the idea of a beloved husband, sunk to an untimely grave by the weight of accumulated misfortunes, was a never-failing source of affliction, which time could not diminish or assuage. Her sorrows, however, like her charities, were silent and unobtrusive; and her forced composure often led her friends to believe she was in some degree happy, at the very moment her bosom was heaving with the pang of anguish. Conquering her love for solitude on her son's account, she resolved to cultivate an intimacy with all the respectable and agreeable families in the neighbourhood. She knew the youthful mind must be amused, and considered an agreeable home as often a better preservative for virtue, than any moral doctrine whatsoever. Her intention of residing near Wyefield, was known throughout the village, previous to her arrival at her new habitation; and Mrs. Greville, delighted to think she should at length have an opportunity of being acquainted with a lady of quality, determined to be among the first who should pay their compliments to her. Her pleasure, indeed, at this idea would have been superlative, but that she feared an explanation might now take place between Egbert and Jacintha, which would defeat all her schemes, and expose her treachery. In consequence of this apprehension, she resolved to keep a more vigilant watch than ever over Jacintha, prevent her, if possible, from having a private conference with Egbert, and do all in her power to increase the resentment her arts had already inspired them with against each other. By this management, she hoped not only to remove every cause for fear, but forward her schemes in favour of Gertrude. She had already found means of learning that no attachment existed between Egbert and Miss Meredith, and consequently flattered herself there was no further obstacle in the way of her wishes, than what proceeded from (as she trusted) the trifling remains of his passions for Jacintha. In order to try and terminate the incertitude which she could not help feeling on this head, she resolved on letting Jacintha accompany her in the first visit she paid to lady Oswald, flattering herself she should be able to ascertain the sentiments of Egbert respecting her, by the manner in which he acted upon this visit. Jacintha received permission to accompany her in it with a palpitating heart; a thousand agreea ble hopes and expectations had been revived on hearing of Egbert's coming to reside in their neighbourhood, and she looked forward to this expected interview with trembling emotion, as to an event which was finally to confirm or crush those hopes. Lady Henry was scarce settled in her new abode, ere Mrs. Greville and Gertrude, dressed out to the best advantage, and accompanied by Mr. Gręville and Jacintha, set out to pay their respects to her. Her ladyship and her father were sitting together when they were announced. The major instantly rose to quit the room, nor without the utmost difficulty was prevailed upon to remain in it; as he declared the sight of the little crocodile, who had acted so perfidiously to his dear boy, would be quite intolerable to him. Lady Henry received her visiters in the most gracious manner; and the major, notwithstanding his resolution to dislike the whole family, gradually recovered his good humour, and began to enter into conversation, but studiously avoided paying any attention to Jacintha; and in order to render his neglect of her more striking, and he hoped more mortifying, he singled out her sister by a number of little gallantries, not unbecoming his time of life, and paid her the most flattering compliments upon her beauty. The pleasure which lady Henry's reception gave Mrs. Greville and the girls, was somewhat damped by the absence of Egbert; they had not sat long, however, before she sent a servant to search about the grounds for him, and in a few minutes he entered the room animated, unembarrassed, and apparently unagitated. He had indeed, on receiv .ing his mother's summons, called all his pride to his aid, to suppress every emotion which could give either her or Jacintha an idea of the continuance of his attachment; and so well did he act his part, so completely did he counterfeit composure and indifference, that the latter, at least, was perfectly deceived, and Mrs. Greville almost convinced that she had succeeded in making an eter"nal breach between them. The joy, the delight which this supposition afforded her, could scarcely be concealed; site triumphed at beholding the too visible distress of Jacintha, and nothing but the presence of her husband prevented her from turning it into ridicule on their way home. Her thorough conviction of Egbert's indifference...a conviction attended by floods of tears, and the most bitter anguish, strengthened Jacintha's determination of endeavouring to expel him from her heart. She reproached herself for weakness, in having, for a moment, indulged any flattering hopes concerning him; and accused herself for want of proper pride, in having desired the realization of such hopes, after his unworthy conduct towards her. Henceforth, she resolved to avoid his company; too well assured, notwithstanding all her indignation and resentment against him, that it was only by shunning his society, by sedulously flying from his idea, that she could ever hope to conquer her attachment. Her efforts to avoid him, it may readily be believed, were not counteracted by Mrs. Greville; and were so very obvious to Egbert, by her being frequently out of the way when he came to her father's, and almost continually declining to accompany her mother to lady Henry's, which Mrs. Greville always took care to mention, that not a |