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she considered the place of her nativity....an attachment which can never be obliterated from hearts of sensibility.

With feelings totally dissimilar from those of Mrs. Greville and Gertrude, she commenced her journey; there was, indeed, nothing of melancholy or mourning about them, but their habits.

The second d y they reached St. Albans, and found Mr. Decourcy's carriage waiting their ar rival. As soon as Mrs. Greville and Gertrude had adjusted their dress (at all times a matter of importance to them) they stepped into it, and proceeded to his house. He received them in the hall with kindness and sensibility, and conducted them to Mrs. Decourcy, who, though able to leave her chamber, was still in a very languid state her recovery having been greatly retarded by the shock she received from her brother's death. She was deeply affected at beholding Mrs. Greville and the girls. Grief, however, did not prevent her from welcoming them to her house; but, though she displayed much tenderness in her manner to Mrs. Greville and Gertrude, it required no great discernment to perceive, that her heart was not so much interested about them as Jacintha.

As soon as the painful emotions, occasioned by this meeting, had subsided, Jacintha felt a sensation of happiness she had for some time been a stranger to, at finding herself again in a house where she was certain of meeting kindness, sympathy, and affection; but the tranquillity this idea was calculated to diffuse over her mind, was soon interrupted.

CHAP. IX.

"Not the last sounding could surprise me more,
That summons drowsy mortals to their doom."

DRYDEN.

GERTRUDE having been previously instructed by her mother, contrived a pretext for drawing Jacintha from the parlour soon after dinner. The moment they retired, Mrs. Greville hastened to make the discovery which, she trusted, would sink Jacintha in the estimation of Mr. and Mrs. Decourcy. She began by repeating her acknowledgments to them for their kindness and attention on the late melancholy occasion, and proceeded to say, she had been impatient for the present interview, in order to disclose to them a secret which Mr. Greville, upon his death-bed, commanded her to reveal.

At these words Mrs. Decourcy, who had hitherto sat with her head resting pensively upon her arm, started, and fastened her eyes with the most anxious expression upon Mrs. Greville. Abashed by her looks, which Mrs. Greville thought expressive of something like a doubt of her veracity, she involuntarily paused. Her confusion, however, was but transitory, and she briefly and unhesitatingly informed them of all she desired them to know, or indeed had to disclose, concerning Jacintha.

Surprise seemed to seal the lips of Mr. Decourcy for some minutes. Mrs. Decourcy appeared ́infinitely more shocked than surprised, nor did she attempt to break the silence which prevailed when Mrs. Greville ceased speaking.

"'Tis a strange affair," at length cried Mr. Decourcy, raising his eyes from the table on which they had hitherto been bent, as if in profound meditation. "Did Mr. Greville never disclose to you whose child she was?"

"Never," replied Mrs. Greville, "though I frequently importuned him to do so."

"And what motive could actuate you to receive a child, of whose connections you were ignorant," cried Mr. Decourcy," and pass her for your own?”

"Good nature, and a wish to oblige Mr. Greville," replied she.

"Oh, heaven!" exclaimed Mrs. Decourcy, at these words.

The suddenness of this exclamation startled Mrs. Greville, and, for a few minutes, silenced Mr. Decourcy.

"Did you never," he then interrogated with renewed earnestness, 66 even conjecture who her

parents were?"

"Never," said Mrs. Greville. "It was utterly impossible for me to do so. I own I should have been tempted to imagine she was, in some way or other, connected to Mr. Greville, from the extreme fondness he always manifested for her, but that he assured me to the contrary."

"Has Jacintha been told that she is not your child?"

"No, I thought it better to inform you and Mrs. Decourcy."

"Why should she be told?" asked Mrs. Decourcy.

Mrs. Greville hesitated for a moment, at a loss to form any excuse for making a communication, which it was natural to suppose, must be so painful; then suddenly recollecting herself....

"Your brother commanded me to tell her; and I cannot bring myself to disobey any of his commands."

"Undoubtedly not," said Mr. Decourcy.

He then, with the utmost earnestness of voice and manner, inquired particularly the age of Jacintha when received by Mrs. Greville; and how, where, and at what period, she had been brought to her.

Mrs. Greville fully answered all these inquiries, and he again expressed his surprise at Mr. Greville's never having entrusted her with the secret of Jacintha's birth; then resting his head upon his hand, he continued for some minutes in deep and gloomy meditation. At length raising his eyes, and looking earnestly at Mrs. Decourcy....

"Did your brother," said he, "never give you a hint on the subject? You have frequently told me he was very unreserved in his communications to you."

"Is it natural to suppose," replied Mrs. De-courcy, "that the confidence he denied to his wife, he would repose in me?"

"And to this hour you believed Jacintha to be his daughter?"

"Till this hour, I knew not that he meant to deny her," said Mrs. Decourcy.

The dark brows of Mr. Decourcy, at these words, became contracted, his cheeks flushed, his eyes lightened with indignation, and starting from

his chair, he traversed the room with a disordered step. Not more surprised than confounded by his manner, Mrs. Greville sat wildly staring at him, till her attention was attracted by Mrs. Decourcy; who, on attempting to leave her chair, sunk back, almost fainting.

"Bless me, what can be the matter?" exclaimed Mrs. Greville, as she tried to raise the languid head of her sister-in-law. "Do pray, dear sir,” addressing herself to Mr. Decourcy, "call for assistance?"

Mr. Decourcy flew to the bell, and having rung it with a violence sufficient to alarm the whole house, darted from the room.

Among those who obeyed his hasty summons to the parlour, were Gertrude and Jacintha.... Trembling and alarmed, they assisted in recovering Mrs. Decourcy; who, the moment she was able to move, quitted the room, leaning upon the arm of Jacintha, to the extreme mortification of Mrs. Greville, who had offered her services, but which were rejected with the most repulsive coldness.

On reaching her chamber, Mrs. Decourcy threw herself into a chair without speaking, and appeared violently agitated.

"Dear madam," said Jacintha, "something, I fear, has happened to disturb you."

"That invidious woman!" exclaimed Mrs. Decourcy, and paused.

Inexpressibly shocked by these words, which she could not doubt alluded to her mother, Jacintha was unable to repeat her inquiry concerning the cause of Mrs. Decourcy's agitation. She was also equally unable to repress her tears, at the idea of her mother having given uneasiness to their kind, their mutual benefactress.

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