uncle；　each　being　of　sedentary；　procrastinating；
  and　secluded　habits；　and　their　respective
  residences　being　very　far　apart
  the　one　lying　in　the　county　of　Galway；　the
  other　in　that　of　Corkhe　was　strongly
  attached　to　his　brother；　and　evinced　his
  affection　by　an　active　correspondence；　and
  by　deeply　and　proudly　resenting　that
  neglect　which　had　marked　Sir　Arthur　as
  unfit　to　mix　in　society。
  When　I　was　about　eighteen　years　of
  age；　my　father；　whose　health　had　been
  gradually　declining；　died；　leaving　me　in
  heart　wretched　and　desolate；　and；　owing　to
  his　previous　seclusion；　with　few　acquaintances；
  and　almost　no　friends。
  The　provisions　of　his　will　were　curious；
  and　when　I　had　sufficiently　come　to　myself
  to　listen　to　or　comprehend　them；
  surprised　me　not　a　little：　all　his　vast　property
  was　left　to　me；　and　to　the　heirs　of　my
  body；　for　ever；　and；　in　default　of　such
  heirs；　it　was　to　go　after　my　death　to　my
  uncle；　Sir　Arthur；　without　any　entail。
  At　the　same　time；　the　will　appointed
  him　my　guardian；　desiring　that　I　might　be
  received　within　his　house；　and　reside　with
  his　family；　and　under　his　care；　during　the
  term　of　my　minority；　and　in　consideration
  of　the　increased　expense　consequent　upon
  such　an　arrangement；　a　handsome　annuity
  was　allotted　to　him　during　the　term　of　my
  proposed　residence。
  The　object　of　this　last　provision　I　at
  once　understood：　my　father　desired；　by
  making　it　the　direct；　apparent　interest　of
  Sir　Arthur　that　I　should　die　without
  issue；　while　at　the　same　time　he　placed　me
  wholly　in　his　power；　to　prove　to　the　world
  how　great　and　unshaken　was　his
  confidence　in　his　brother's　innocence　and
  honour；　and　also　to　afford　him　an
  opportunity　of　showing　that　this　mark　of
  confidence　was　not　unworthily　bestowed。
  It　was　a　strange；　perhaps　an　idle
  scheme；　but　as　I　had　been　always　brought
  up　in　the　habit　of　considering　my　uncle　as
  a　deeply…injured　man；　and　had　been　taught；
  almost　as　a　part　of　my　religion；　to　regard
  him　as　the　very　soul　of　honour；　I　felt　no
  further　uneasiness　respecting　the　arrangement
  than　that　likely　to　result　to　a　timid
  girl；　of　secluded　habits；　from　the　immediate
  prospect　of　taking　up　her　abode　for　the
  first　time　in　her　life　among　total　strangers。
  Previous　to　leaving　my　home；　which　I　felt
  I　should　do　with　a　heavy　heart；　I　re…
  ceived　a　most　tender　and　affectionate　letter
  from　my　uncle；　calculated；　if　anything
  could　do　so；　to　remove　the　bitterness　of
  parting　from　scenes　familiar　and　dear　from
  my　earliest　childhood；　and　in　some　degree
  to　reconcile　me　to　the　measure。
  It　was　during　a　fine　autumn　that　I
  approached　the　old　domain　of　Carrickleigh。
  I　shall　not　soon　forget　the　impression　of
  sadness　and　of　gloom　which　all　that　I　saw
  produced　upon　my　mind；　the　sunbeams
  were　falling　with　a　rich　and　melancholy
  tint　upon　the　fine　old　trees；　which　stood　in
  lordly　groups；　casting　their　long；　sweeping
  shadows　over　rock　and　sward。　There　was
  an　air　of　neglect　and　decay　about　the　spot；
  which　amounted　almost　to　desolation；　the
  symptoms　of　this　increased　in　number　as
  we　approached　the　building　itself；　near
  which　the　ground　had　been　originally　more
  artificially　and　carefully　cultivated　than
  elsewhere；　and　whose　neglect　consequently
  more　immediately　and　strikingly　betrayed
  itself。
  As　we　proceeded；　the　road　wound　near
  the　beds　of　what　had　been　formally　two
  fish…ponds；　which　were　now　nothing　more
  than　stagnant　swamps；　overgrown　with
  rank　weeds；　and　here　and　there　encroached
  upon　by　the　straggling　underwood；　the
  avenue　itself　was　much　broken；　and　in
  many　places　the　stones　were　almost
  concealed　by　grass　and　nettles；　the　loose
  stone　walls　which　had　here　and　there
  intersected　the　broad　park　were；　in　many
  places；　broken　down；　so　as　no　longer　to
  answer　their　original　purpose　as　fences；
  piers　were　now　and　then　to　be　seen；　but
  the　gates　were　gone；　and；　to　add　to　the
  general　air　of　dilapidation；　some　huge
  trunks　were　lying　scattered　through　the
  venerable　old　trees；　either　the　work　of　the
  winter　storms；　or　perhaps　the　victims　of
  some　extensive　but　desultory　scheme　of
  denudation；　which　the　projector　had　not
  capital　or　perseverance　to　carry　into　full
  effect。
  After　the　carriage　had　travelled　a　mile
  of　this　avenue；　we　reached　the　summit　of
  rather　an　abrupt　eminence；　one　of　the
  many　which　added　to　the　picturesqueness；
  if　not　to　the　convenience　of　this　rude
  passage。　From　the　top　of　this　ridge　the
  grey　walls　of　Carrickleigh　were　visible；
  rising　at　a　small　distance　in　front；　and
  darkened　by　the　hoary　wood　which
  crowded　around　them。　It　was　a　quadrangular
  building　of　considerable　extent；
  and　the　front　which　lay　towards　us；　and
  in　which　the　great　entrance　was　placed；
  bore　unequivocal　marks　of　antiquity；　the
  time…worn；　solemn　aspect　of　the　old　building；
  the　ruinous　and　deserted　appearance
  of　the　whole　place；　and　the　associations
  which　connected　it　with　a　dark　page　in　the
  history　of　my　family；　combined　to　depress
  spirits　already　predisposed　for　the　reception
  of　sombre　and　dejecting　impressions。
  When　the　carriage　drew　up　in　the　grass…
  grown　court　yard　before　the　hall…door；　two
  lazy…looking　men；　whose　appearance　well
  accorded　with　that　of　the　place　which　they
  tenanted；　alarmed　by　the　obstreperous
  barking　of　a　great　chained　dog；　ran　out
  from　some　half…ruinous　out…houses；　and
  took　charge　of　the　horses；　the　hall…door
  stood　open；　and　I　entered　a　gloomy　and
  imperfectly　lighted　apartment；　and　found
  no　one　within。　However；　I　had　not　long
  to　wait　in　this　awkward　predicament；　for
  before　my　luggage　had　been　deposited　in
  the　house；　indeed；　before　I　had　well
  removed　my　cloak　and　other　wraps；　so　as
  to　enable　me　to　look　around；　a　young　girl
  ran　lightly　into　the　hall；　and　kissing　me
  heartily；　and　somewhat　boisterously；
  exclaimed：
  'My　dear　cousin；　my　dear　Margaret
  I　am　so　delightedso　out　of　breath。　We
  did　not　expect　you　till　ten　o'clock；　my
  father　is　somewhere　about　the　place；　he
  must　be　close　at　hand。　JamesCorney
  run　out　and　tell　your　mastermy
  brother　is　seldom　at　home；　at　least　at　any
  reasonable　houryou　must　be　so　tiredso
  fatiguedlet　me　show　you　to　your　room
  see　that　Lady　Margaret's　luggage　is　all
  brought　upyou　must　lie　down　and　rest
  yourselfDeborah；　bring　some　coffeeup
  these　stairs；　we　are　so　delighted　to　see
  youyou　cannot　think　how　lonely　I　have
  beenhow　steep　these　stairs　are；　are　not
  they？　I　am　so　glad　you　are　comeI
  could　hardly　bring　myself　to　believe　that
  you　were　really　cominghow　good　of　you；
  dear　Lady　Margaret。'
  There　was　real　good…nature　and　delight
  in　my　cousin's　greeting；　and　a　kind　of
  constitutional　confidence　of　manner　which
  placed　me　at　once　at　ease；　and　made　me
  feel　immediately　upon　terms　of　intimacy
  with　her。　The　room　into　which　she
  ushered　me；　although　partaking　in　the
  general　air　of　decay　which　pervaded　the
  mansion　and　all　about　it；　had　nevertheless
  been　fitted　up　with　evident　attention　to
  comfort；　and　even　with　some　dingy　attempt
  at　luxury；　but　what　pleased　me　most　was
  that　it　opened；　by　a　second　door；　upon　a
  lobby　which　communicated　with　my　fair
  cousin's　apartment；　a　circumstance　which
  divested　the　room；　in　my　eyes；　of　the　air
  of　solitude　and　sadness　which　would　otherwise
  have　characterised　it；　to　a　degree
  almost　painful　to　one　so　dejected　in　spirits
  as　I　was。
  After　such　arrangements　as　I　found
  necessary　were　completed；　we　both　went
  down　to　the　parlour；　a　large　wainscoted
  room；　hung　round　with　grim　old　portraits；
  and；　as　I　was　not　sorry　to　see；　containing
  in　its　ample　grate　a　large　and　cheerful
  fire。　Here　my　cousin　had　leisure　to　talk
  more　at　her　ease；　and　from　her　I　learned
  something　of　the　manners　and　the　habits
  of　the　two　remaining　members　of　her
  family；　whom　I　had　not　yet　seen。
  On　my　arrival　I　had　known　nothing　of
  the　family　among　whom　I　was　come　to
  reside；　except　that　it　consisted　of　three
  individuals；　my　uncle；　and　his　son　and
  daughter；　Lady　Tn　having　been　long
  dead。　In　addition　to　this　very　scanty　stock
  of　information；　I　shortly　learned　from　my
  communicative　companion　that　my　uncle
  was；　as　I　had　suspected；　completely　retired
  in　his　habits；　and　besides　that；　having　been
  so　far　back　as　she　could　well　recollect；
  always　rather　strict；　as　reformed　rakes
  frequently　become；　he　had　latterly　been
  growing　more　gloomily　and　sternly
  religious　than　heretofore。
  Her　account　of　her　brother　was　far　less
  favourable；　though　she　did　not　say　anything
  directly　to　his　disadvantage。　From　all
  that　I　could　gather　from　her；　I　was　led　to
  suppose　that　he　was　a　specimen　of　the　idle；
  coarse…mannered；　profligate；　low…minded
  'squirearchy'a　result　which　might
  naturally　have　flowed　from　the　circum…
  stance　of　his　being；　as　it　were；　outlawed
  from　society；　and　driven　for　companionship
  to　grades　below　his　ownenjoyin