CHAP. X. The wind sighs through the grass. Their memory rushes on my mind. In the tomb of the mountain they rest in peace." MRS. MILLBROOK, whose valuable qualities, and domestic usefulness, together with the gentleness of her temper and manners, and the warm benevolence of her heart, had firmly secured to her the friendship of Sir William, and endeared her to all his household and dependants, had never got the better of the effects of the fall she had on the cliffs; a lameness remained, which prevented her VOL. I. I taking taking her accustomed exercise; her health and spirits declined, medical skill failed to afford her relief, she lost her appetite, the colour fled her cheek, her eyes became sunk and languid, her form wasted, and no longer able to attend to the management of Sir William's family, she besought his permission to remove to the cottage of her daughter, in whose affectionate bosom she expired a few weeks after she quitted the Castle! Clarinda was seldom absent from the cottage in the wood, during the last illness of Mrs. Millbrook. She tenderly loved both the mother and daughter, and shared with the latter those fatigues and watchings, which attention to the sick renders necessary. For some weeks, she was scarcely ever at the Castle; but Sir William visited the cottage every day; and thus, frequently seeing him, she regretted not her absence from home. But when, after the interment of Mrs. Millbrook, Cirinda returned to the Castle, and, and, at her entreaty, Mrs. Lenarvon and her son accompanied her there, to remain till the impression of the loss they had sustained, yielded a little to the power of time, they observed that during the absence of Clarinda, Miss Evelyn had well improved her time, had ingratiated herself more than ever with Sir William, seemed to have obtained a considerable ascendency over his mind, influenced his opinions, and, in fact, assumed all the consequence and authority of Lady of the Castle. Clarinda observed all this immediately on her return home; but she confined the observations to her own breast, when, one morning, as she was sitting with Mrs. Lenarvon in her own apartment, Miss Evelyn entered, to impart to Clarinda what she assured herself would be a piece of welcome intelligence, that Sir William had consented, in consequence of her solicitation, to give a ball at the Castle in the following week. Clarinda listened to Miss Evelyn in silence, and declined her 12. eyes eyes mournfully upon the sable dress of Mrs. Lenarvon and herself. "I thought you would be delighted," said Miss Evelyn to Clarinda, in a half whisper; "but it seems I was mistaken; so, my dear Miss Warbert, we will have no ball, for its design was chiefly to amuse you, and dispel the present gloom which prevails in, and around the Castle, and the indulgence of which can do no good, but to depress your charming spirits, and in the end affect your health." 'Mrs. Lenarvon stole out of the room. "We are so rejoiced at having you again restored to us, my dear girl," resumed Miss Evelyn, that I purposed an evening's amusement on the glad occasion." Clarinda bowed coldly, and observed she was sensible of the attention, and begged she might not prevent pleasure, because not in spirits to partake of it. "Oh, claimed, "Oh, my dear, we can have no pleasure without you!" Miss Evelyn exSir William sympathizes in all your dejections; and to see the heads of the family unhappy, must affect us all, and exclude all idea of festivity." "Festivity at this time is not exactly in unison with my feelings, I confess," Clarinda observed; "nor can it, I should think, from what I know of Sir William, be with his, from our recent loss of one who served him with zeal and fidelity, and might be termed a second mother to me; beside, the circumstance of having Mrs. Lenarvon with us, who naturally is much afflicted at her worthy mother's death, should, in my simple judgment, prevent, revelling." Miss Evelyn looked abashed and dis-, pleased. "Did Sir William understand you,. Madam, when a ball was proposed?" asked Clarinda. 1 |