 to regain it's native seat, and the Countess was restored to some composure. Elinor (so was her attendant called) watched the happy moment, when she began to survey the objects round her without distraction, to offer comfort and consolation. She presented her son, who stood weeping by her side, to assure her of his security; and every office which duty and charity could dictate, she busily performed to allay the violence of her malady, and to restore her languid spirit. The Countess, touched with her goodness, repaid her with the warmest expressions of regard and gratitude. Their affection was now mutual, and was succeeded by mutual considence. Thus, even amongst it's enemies, did oppressed virtue so far prevail, as to reconcile one mind, and to attach one relenting heart, to it's injured cause. Ela every hour experienced the happy effects of tender care. She had recovered some degree of ease and strength: she had leisure to reflect upon her danger and difficulties: misfortune and solitude had effaced the proud thoughts of rank and greatness: and without reserve she opened her soul to this attendant; bitterly lamenting the severity of her fate; who, tho' she numbered many and powerful friends, tho' her fortune and condition gave her the command of a formidable band of vassals, yet by foul treachery was cut off from all relief, from all possibility of complaining, or petitioning for deliverance, subjected to the will

of insolent and cruel enemies, and exposed to all the distresses of captivity, in that very place, where she was rightful mistress: strange reward for the services of her great father, and her noble husband! The attendant with ardent prayers, and lively effusions of pity and tenderness, gave her some slight consolation; but tho' she felt for her distress, she seemed incapable of devising any reasonable means of relief. Hope, patience, and such like terms, which found but harshly in the ear of affliction, she repeated with a warm but impotent zeal; she even ventured to hint at the expediency of assuming an appearance of less severity to Lord Raymond; of flattering his fond expectations for a while: thus, to amuse the busy and contriving malice of his creature, to gain some interval of ease, some happy respite from persecution. Time and the interposition of heaven might then work wonderfully for her deliverance. But the soul of Ela still retained a dignity superior to the arts of dissimulation. She started with abhorrence, at the thought of sullying her bright same by any suspicious conduct, any semblance of unworthy condescension. Her high
