
again in London.

Week after week, however, passed away. He still heard, that tho'
expected hourly, Fitz-Edward arrived not. Time, far from softening the
asperity with which his thoughts dwelt on this supposed rival, seemed
only to irritate and inflame his resentment; and ingenious in tormenting
himself, he now added new anguish to that which corroded his heart, by
supposing that Emmeline, aware of the danger which threatened her lover
from the vengeance of his injured friend, had written to him to prevent
his return. This idea was confirmed, when the agent whom he employed to
watch the return of Fitz-Edward at length informed him that he had
obtained leave of absence from his regiment, now in England, and was to
pass the remainder of the winter with Lord and Lady Clancarryl.

The fury of his passions seemed to be suspended, while with gloomy
satisfaction he looked forward to a speedy retribution: but now, when no
immediate prospect offered of meeting the author of his calamities, they
tormented him with new violence. Emmeline and Fitz-Edward haunted his
dreams; Emmeline and Fitz-Edward were ever present to his imagination;
he figured to himself his happy rival possessed of the tenderness and
attachment of that gentle and sensible heart. The anguish these images
inflicted affected his health; and while every day, as it passed,
brought nothing to alleviate his despair, he became more and more
convinced that the happiness of his life was blasted for ever; and
growing impatient of life itself, determined to go to Ireland and insist
on an opportunity of losing it, or of taking that of the man who had
made it an insupportable burthen.

He set out therefore, attended only by Millefleur, and gave Lord
Montreville no notice of his intention 'till he reached Holyhead; from
thence he wrote to his Lordship to say that he had received an
invitation to visit some friends at Dublin, and that he should continue
about a month in Ireland. His pride prompted him to do this; least his
father, on hearing of his absence, should suppose that he was weak
enough to seek a reconciliation with Emmeline, whose name he now never
mentioned, being persuaded that his Lordship knew how ill she had repaid
an affection, which, tho' he could not divest himself of, he was now
ashamed to acknowledge.

Lord Montreville, happy to find he had really quitted her, was extremely
glad of this seasonable journey; which, as the Crofts' assured him
Emmeline was on the point of leaving England, would, he thought, prevent
his enquiring whither she was gone, and
