 passions,
unsubdued by sickness and disappointment; and her immeasurable pride,
which even the approach of death could not conquer, kept her nerves
continually on the stretch; and allowed her no repose of mind, even when
her bodily sufferings were suspended. That her favourite project of
uniting the only surviving branches of her own family, by the marriage
of Lord Delamere and Miss Otley, was now for ever at an end, was a
perpetual source of murmuring and discontent. And tho' Emmeline had as
splendid a fortune, with a person and a mind infinitely more lovely, her
Ladyship could not yet prevail upon herself to desire, that the name for
which she felt such proud veneration, and the fortune of her own
illustrious ancestors, should be enjoyed, or carried down to posterity
by her, who had become the object of her capricious but inveterate
dislike.

Emmeline was very glad that the Marchioness thro' prejudice, and her
uncle thro' shame, forbore to persecute her in favour of their son: but
tho' perfectly aware of the antipathy Lady Montreville entertained
towards her, she yet shewed her all the attention she would receive; and
would even constantly have waited on her, had she not expressed more
pain than pleasure in her presence.

Lady Frances Crofts, by this time fixed in Burlington street for the
winter, called now and then on her mother; but her visits were short and
cold. It unfortunately happened, that the Marchioness, whose amusement
was now almost solely confined to reading the daily prints, had found in
one of them a paragraph evidently pointed at the intimacy subsisting
between Lady Frances and the Chevalier de Bellozane, which had long been
the topic of public scandal.

Lady Frances called upon her while her mind was under the first
impression of this disgraceful circumstance; and she spoke to her
daughter of her improper attachment to that young foreigner with more
than her usual severity. Lady Frances, far from hearing her remonstrance
with calmness, retorted, with rudeness and asperity, what she termed
unjust reproaches; and asserted her own right to associate with whom she
pleased. The Marchioness grew more enraged, and they parted in great
wrath: in consequence of which, Lady Montreville, in the inconsiderate
excess of her anger, sent for her husband and her son; and exclaiming
with all her natural acrimony against the shameful conduct of Lady
Frances, insisted upon their obliging Crofts to separate his wife from
her dangerous and improper acquaintance, and forcing her immediately
into the country.

Lord Montreville, who had already heard too much of his daughter's
general light conduct, and her particular partiality to Bellozane, now
