'Ah! William!—and are you grown cruel? You, on whom I depended for pity and protection?'
'Surely,' said he, 'surely she knows I am here?'
'No,' answered Mrs. Stafford, 'she knows nothing. But this fear has incessantly pursued her; and since she saw you she dwells more frequently on it, tho' her erring memory sometimes wanders to other objects.'
'It is very true, my Lord!' cried Lady Adelina, with affected calmness, her thoughts wavering again towards Lord Westhaven—'It is all very true! I have deserved all your reproaches! I am ready to make all the atonement I can! Then you will both of you, my brothers, be satisfied—for William has told me that if I died he should be content, for then all might be forgotten.' She ended with a deep sigh; and Godolphin, wildly starting from his seat, said—
'This is too much! you cannot expect me to bear this!—let me go to her!'
'Would you go then,' answered Mrs. Stafford, 'to confirm her fears and to drive her to deeper desperation? If you see her, it must be to soothe and comfort her; to assure her of your forgiveness, and that you will bury your resentment against——'
'Accursed! doubly accursed be the infamous villain who has driven her to this! And must I bear it tamely! Oh! injured memory of my father!—oh! my poor, undone sister!' He walked about the room; the tears ran from his eyes; and Mrs. Stafford, fearing that his hurried step and deep sobs would be heard by Lady Adelina, determined to bring the scene to a crisis and not to lose the influence she hoped she had gained on his mind. She therefore went into the other room, and shutting the door, advanced with a smile towards the lovely lunatic.
'What will you say, my dear Adelina, if I bring you the best news you can possibly hear?'
'News!' repeated Lady Adelina, looking at her with eyes which too plainly denoted her unsettled mind—'News!—Ah! dear Madam! I know very well that all the world is happy but me; and if you are happy, I am very glad; but as to me—Do you indeed think it is reasonable I should part with him?'