I would instantly have followed her; but Lord Orville, who could not help laughing, begged me to stay a minute, as he had many important matters to discuss.
"No, indeed, my Lord, I cannot,-perhaps I have already stayed too long."
"Does Miss Anville so soon repent her goodness?"
"I scarce know what I do, my Lord,-I am quite bewildered!"
"One hour's conversation," cried he, "will, I hope, compose your spirits, and confirm my happiness. When, then, may I hope to see you alone?-shall you walk in the garden to-morrow before breakfast?"
"No, no, my Lord; you must not, a second time, reproach me with making an appointment."
"Do you then," said he, laughing, "reserve that honour only for Mr. Macartney?"
"Mr. Mccartney," said I, "is poor, and thinks himself obliged to me; otherwise-"
"Poverty," cried he, "I will not plead; but, if being obliged to you has any weight, who shall dispute my title to an appointment?"
"My Lord, I can stay no longer,-Mrs. Selwyn will lose all patience."
"Deprive her not of the pleasure of her conjectures,-but tell me, are you under Mrs. Selwyn's care?"
"Only for the present, my Lord."
"Not a few are the questions I have to ask Miss Anville: among them, the most important is, whether she depends wholly on herself, or whether there is any other person for whose interest I must solicit?"
"I hardly know, my Lord, I hardly know myself to whom I most belong."
"Suffer, suffer me, then," cried he, with warmth, "to hasten the time when that shall no longer admit a doubt!-when your grateful Orville may call you all his own!"
At length, but with difficulty, I broke from him. I went, however, to my own room, for I was too much agitated to follow Mrs. Selwyn. Good God, my dear Sir, what a scene! surely the meeting for which I shall prepare to-morrow cannot so greatly affect me! To be loved by Lord Orville,-to be the honoured choice of his noble heart,-my happiness seemed too infinite to be borne, and I wept, even bitterly I wept, from the excess of joy which overpowered me.
In this state of almost painful felicity I continued till I was summoned to tea. When I re-entered the drawing room, I rejoiced much to find it full of company, as the confusion with which I met Lord Orville was rendered the less observable.