publicly known at the present period, she felt would half distract
her.--Privately married, parted from her husband at the very moment of
their union, a husband by whose hand the apparent friend of her
earliest youth was all but killed, whose father had execrated the
match, whose mother was now falling a sacrifice to the vehemence with
which she had opposed it, and who himself, little short of an exile,
knew not yet if, with personal safety, he might return to his native
land! To circumstances so dreadful, she had now the additional shock of
being uncertain whether her own house might not be seized, before any
other could be prepared for her reception!

Yet still whither to go, what to do, or what to resolve, she was wholly
unable to determine; and after meditating almost to madness in the
search of some plan or expedient, she was obliged to give over the
attempt, and be satisfied with remaining quietly where she was, till
she had better news from Delvile of his mother, or better news to send
him of Mr Monckton; carefully, mean time, in all her letters avoiding
to alarm him by any hint of her distress.

Yet was she not idle, either from despair or helplessness: she found
her difficulties encreased, and she called forth more resolution to
combat them: she animated herself by the promise she had made Delvile,
and recovering from the sadness to which she had at first given way,
she now exerted herself with vigour to perform it as she ought.

She began by making an immediate inspection into her affairs, and
endeavouring, where expence seemed unnecessary, to lessen it. She gave
Henrietta to understand she feared they must soon part; and so
afflicted was the unhappy girl at the news, that she found it the most
cruel office she had to execute. The same intimation she gave to Mrs