attendant　was　actually　gone；　and　far　on
  her　way　to　the　town　of　Galway；　and　in
  her　stead　there　appeared　a　tall；　raw…boned；
  ill…looking；　elderly　Frenchwoman；　whose
  sullen　and　presuming　manners　seemed　to
  imply　that　her　vocation　had　never　before
  been　that　of　a　lady's…maid。　I　could　not
  help　regarding　her　as　a　creature　of　my
  uncle's；　and　therefore　to　be　dreaded；
  even　had　she　been　in　no　other　way　suspicious。
  Days　and　weeks　passed　away　without
  any；　even　a　momentary　doubt　upon　my
  part；　as　to　the　course　to　be　pursued　by　me。
  The　allotted　period　had　at　length　elapsed；
  the　day　arrived　on　which　I　was　to
  communicate　my　decision　to　my　uncle。
  Although　my　resolution　had　never　for　a
  moment　wavered；　I　could　not　shake　of
  the　dread　of　the　approaching　colloquy；
  and　my　heart　sunk　within　me　as　I　heard
  the　expected　summons。
  I　had　not　seen　my　cousin　Edward　since
  the　occurrence　of　the　grand　eclaircissment；
  he　must　have　studiously　avoided
  meI　suppose　from　policy；　it　could　not
  have　been　from　delicacy。　I　was　prepared
  for　a　terrific　burst　of　fury　from　my　uncle；
  as　soon　as　I　should　make　known　my
  determination；　and　I　not　unreasonably
  feared　that　some　act　of　violence　or　of
  intimidation　would　next　be　resorted　to。
  Filled　with　these　dreary　forebodings；　I
  fearfully　opened　the　study　door；　and　the
  next　minute　I　stood　in　my　uncle's
  presence。　He　received　me　with　a　politeness
  which　I　dreaded；　as　arguing　a　favourable
  anticipation　respecting　the　answer
  which　I　was　to　give；　and　after　some　slight
  delay；　he　began　by　saying：
  'It　will　be　a　relief　to　both　of　us；　I
  believe；　to　bring　this　conversation　as　soon
  as　possible　to　an　issue。　You　will　excuse
  me；　then；　my　dear　niece；　for　speaking　with
  an　abruptness　which；　under　other
  circumstances；　would　be　unpardonable。　You
  have；　I　am　certain；　given　the　subject　of
  our　last　interview　fair　and　serious　con…
  sideration；　and　I　trust　that　you　are　now
  prepared　with　candour　to　lay　your　answer
  before　me。　A　few　words　will　sufficewe
  perfectly　understand　one　another。'
  He　paused；　and　I；　though　feeling　that　I
  stood　upon　a　mine　which　might　in　an
  instant　explode；　nevertheless　answered　with
  perfect　composure：
  'I　must　now；　sir；　make　the　same　reply
  which　I　did　upon　the　last　occasion；　and　I
  reiterate　the　declaration　which　I　then
  made；　that　I　never　can　nor　will；　while　life
  and　reason　remain；　consent　to　a　union　with
  my　cousin　Edward。'
  This　announcement　wrought　no　apparent
  change　in　Sir　Arthur；　except　that　he
  became　deadly；　almost　lividly　pale。　He
  seemed　lost　in　dark　thought　for　a　minute；
  and　then　with　a　slight　effort　said：
  'You　have　answered　me　honestly　and
  directly；　and　you　say　your　resolution　is
  unchangeable。　Well；　would　it　had　been
  otherwisewould　it　had　been　otherwise
  but　be　it　as　it　isI　am　satisfied。'
  He　gave　me　his　handit　was　cold　and
  damp　as　death；　under　an　assumed　calmness；
  it　was　evident　that　he　was　fearfully
  agitated。　He　continued　to　hold　my　hand
  with　an　almost　painful　pressure；　while；　as
  if　unconsciously；　seeming　to　forget　my
  presence；　he　muttered：
  'Strange；　strange；　strange；　indeed！
  fatuity；　helpless　fatuity！'　there　was　here　a
  long　pause。　'Madness　INDEED　to　strain　a
  cable　that　is　rotten　to　the　very　heartit
  must　breakand　thenall　goes。'
  There　was　again　a　pause　of　some
  minutes；　after　which；　suddenly　changing
  his　voice　and　manner　to　one　of　wakeful
  alacrity；　he　exclaimed：
  'Margaret；　my　son　Edward　shall　plague
  you　no　more。　He　leaves　this　country　on
  to…morrow　for　Francehe　shall　speak　no
  more　upon　this　subjectnever；　never
  morewhatever　events　depended　upon
  your　answer　must　now　take　their　own
  course；　but；　as　for　this　fruitless　proposal；　it
  has　been　tried　enough；　it　can　be　repeated
  no　more。'
  At　these　words　he　coldly　suffered　my
  hand　to　drop；　as　if　to　express　his　total
  abandonment　of　all　his　projected　schemes
  of　alliance；　and　certainly　the　action；　with
  the　accompanying　words；　produced　upon
  my　mind　a　more　solemn　and　depressing
  effect　than　I　believed　possible　to　have
  been　caused　by　the　course　which　I　had
  determined　to　pursue；　it　struck　upon　my
  heart　with　an　awe　and　heaviness　which
  WILL　accompany　the　accomplishment　of　an
  important　and　irrevocable　act；　even　though
  no　doubt　or　scruple　remains　to　make　it
  possible　that　the　agent　should　wish　it　undone。
  'Well；'　said　my　uncle；　after　a　little　time；
  'we　now　cease　to　speak　upon　this　topic；
  never　to　resume　it　again。　Remember　you
  shall　have　no　farther　uneasiness　from
  Edward；　he　leaves　Ireland　for　France　on
  to…morrow；　this　will　be　a　relief　to　you。
  May　I　depend　upon　your　HONOUR　that　no
  word　touching　the　subject　of　this　interview
  shall　ever　escape　you？'
  I　gave　him　the　desired　assurance；　he
  said：
  'It　is　wellI　am　satisfiedwe　have
  nothing　more；　I　believe；　to　say　upon
  either　side；　and　my　presence　must　be　a
  restraint　upon　you；　I　shall　therefore　bid
  you　farewell。'
  I　then　left　the　apartment；　scarcely
  knowing　what　to　think　of　the　strange
  interview　which　had　just　taken　place。
  On　the　next　day　my　uncle　took　occasion
  to　tell　me　that　Edward　had　actually
  sailed；　if　his　intention　had　not　been
  interfered　with　by　adverse　circumstances；　and
  two　days　subsequently　he　actually　produced
  a　letter　from　his　son；　written；　as　it
  said；　ON　BOARD；　and　despatched　while　the
  ship　was　getting　under　weigh。　This　was
  a　great　satisfaction　to　me；　and　as　being
  likely　to　prove　so；　it　was　no　doubt
  communicated　to　me　by　Sir　Arthur。
  During　all　this　trying　period；　I　had
  found　infinite　consolation　in　the　society
  and　sympathy　of　my　dear　cousin　Emily。
  I　never　in　after…life　formed　a　friendship　so
  close；　so　fervent；　and　upon　which；　in　all　its
  progress；　I　could　look　back　with　feelings
  of　such　unalloyed　pleasure；　upon　whose
  termination　I　must　ever　dwell　with　so
  deep；　yet　so　unembittered　regret。　In
  cheerful　converse　with　her　I　soon
  recovered　my　spirits　considerably；　and
  passed　my　time　agreeably　enough；
  although　still　in　the　strictest　seclusion。
  Matters　went　on　sufficiently　smooth；
  although　I　could　not　help　sometimes
  feeling　a　momentary；　but　horrible
  uncertainty　respecting　my　uncle's　character；
  which　was　not　altogether　unwarranted　by
  the　circumstances　of　the　two　trying
  interviews　whose　particulars　I　have　just
  detailed。　The　unpleasant　impression　which
  these　conferences　were　calculated　to　leave
  upon　my　mind；　was　fast　wearing　away；
  when　there　occurred　a　circumstance；　slight
  indeed　in　itself；　but　calculated　irresistibly
  to　awaken　all　my　worst　suspicions；　and　to
  overwhelm　me　again　with　anxiety　and
  terror。
  I　had　one　day　left　the　house　with　my
  cousin　Emily；　in　order　to　take　a　ramble　of
  considerable　length；　for　the　purpose　of
  sketching　some　favourite　views；　and　we
  had　walked　about　half　a　mile　when　I
  perceived　that　we　had　forgotten　our　drawing
  materials；　the　absence　of　which　would　have
  defeated　the　object　of　our　walk。　Laughing
  at　our　own　thoughtlessness；　we　returned
  to　the　house；　and　leaving　Emily　without；　I
  ran　upstairs　to　procure　the　drawing…books
  and　pencils；　which　lay　in　my　bedroom。
  As　I　ran　up　the　stairs　I　was　met　by　the
  tall；　ill…looking　Frenchwoman；　evidently
  a　good　deal　flurried。
  'Que　veut；　madame？'　said　she；　with　a
  more　decided　effort　to　be　polite　than　I　had
  ever　known　her　make　before。
  'No；　nono　matter；'　said　I；　hastily
  running　by　her　in　the　direction　of　my
  room。
  'Madame；'　cried　she；　in　a　high　key；
  'restez　ici；　s'il　vous　plait；　votre　chambre
  n'est　pas　faiteyour　room　is　not　ready
  for　your　reception　yet。'
  I　continued　to　move　on　without　heeding
  her。　She　was　some　way　behind　me；　and
  feeling　that　she　could　not　otherwise　prevent
  my　entrance；　for　I　was　now　upon　the
  very　lobby；　she　made　a　desperate　attempt
  to　seize　hold　of　my　person：　she　succeeded
  in　grasping　the　end　of　my　shawl；　which
  she　drew　from　my　shoulders；　but　slipping　at
  the　same　time　upon　the　polished　oak　floor；
  she　fell　at　full　length　upon　the　boards。
  A　little　frightened　as　well　as　angry　at
  the　rudeness　of　this　strange　woman；　I
  hastily　pushed　open　the　door　of　my　room；
  at　which　I　now　stood；　in　order　to　escape
  from　her；　but　great　was　my　amazement
  on　entering　to　find　the　apartment　preoccupied。
  The　window　was　open；　and　beside　it
  stood　two　male　figures；　they　appeared　to
  be　examining　the　fastenings　of　the　casement；
  and　their　backs　were　turned　towards
  the　door。　One　of　them　was　my　uncle；
  they　both　turned　on　my　entrance；　as　if
  startled。　The　stranger　was　booted　and
  cloaked；　and　wore　a　heavy　broad…leafed　hat
  over　his　brows。　He　turned　but　for　a　moment；
  and　averted　his　face；　but　I　had　seen
  enough　to　convince　me　that　he　was　no
  other　than　my　cousin　Edward。　My　uncle
  had　some　iron　instrument　in　his　hand；
  which　he　hastily　concealed　behind　his　back；
  and　coming　towards　me；　said　something　as