'Suffer me first to ask, does Lavinia go with my mother?'
'No, she can only take old Ambrose. Lavinia must supply her place at home.'
'Ah! my dearest father, and may not I, too, stay with you and assist her?'
'If my brother will spare you, my dear child, there is nothing can so much contribute to wile away to me your mother's absence.'
Enchanted thus, without any explanation, to have gained her point, she completely revived; though when Mrs. Tyrold, whom she almost worshipped, entered the room, in all the hurry of preparing for her long journey, she shed a torrent of tears in her arms.
'This good girl,' said Mr. Tyrold, 'is herself desirous to quit the present gaieties of Cleves, to try to enliven my solitude till we all may meet again.'
The conscious and artless Camilla could not bear this undeserved praise. She quitted her mother, and returning to Mr. Tyrold, 'O my father!' she cried, 'if you will take me again under your beloved roof, it is for my sake—not your's—I beg to return!'
'She is right,' said Mrs. Tyrold; 'there is no merit in having an heart; she could have none, if to be with you were not her first gratification.'
'Yes, indeed, my dear mother, it would always be so, even if no other inducement—.' She stopt short, confused.
Mr. Tyrold, who continued writing, did not heed this little blunder; but his wife, whose quickness of apprehension and depth of observation, were always alive, even in the midst of business, cares, and other attentions, turned hastily to her daughter, and asked to what 'other inducement' she alluded.