 the whole of this wild scheme, my dear Ellinor, said she, and I think you will unite with me in calling it so. The Queen (beyond your revenge in this world) can amply retaliate on every one dear to you, for the temporary alarms and vexations you cause

her. From the eyes of the noble Essex you have snatched away a bandage, which saved both him and yourself from danger. I have hitherto suffered you to imagine him unfaithful and guilty, because anger in your situation, must be a much less dangerous emotion than love. His whole soul is once more awakened, and I would in vain now affect to deceive either—he will be heard—he will even be seen, if to the rash ardor of his temper you do not oppose the most inflexible prudence—Alas, my sweet friend, what direful con∣flicts do I see before you!—conflicts, the strong and untried soul would wish to shrink from—how then shall your wound∣ed spirit"—"Fear not, answered I nerved by the occasion, my dear, my watchful monitress; born for conflict, I seem only to exist by that mental action, and though I lament, with you, the invin∣cible obstinacy which has once more thus involved me, yet believe me I seem bet∣ter able to bear every evil which may re∣sult from the vindication of Essex, than the dreadful weight of his supposed in∣gratitude.

For every other evil I had been accustomed to prepare my heart.—That heart, cherished by tears and soft∣ness, started not into excess and insanity, till those sources were dried up. Ah, open again every sluice of pleasure!—Tell me Essex is indeed innocent, unaltered!—Tell me he is still the incomparable being my youthful fancy first worshipped!—Tell me, in short, the whole truth, and see if my soothed senses are not equal to the confidence."—"How little reason do these eager exclamations, these impassioned tears, and glowing cheeks, give me to think so, wistfully replied the sweet Lady Pembroke; perhaps were it yet in my choice, I should still resolve to deceive you, but in now revealing all, I am only before-hand with him, who in tenderly urging a just vindication of his conduct, would effectually re-establish himself in your affections, to the utter ruin of the little peace Heaven has allowed you.
The desperate state of my health at the time yourself and sister so unaccountably vanished, made my Lord guard against

my obtaining that information with the utmost caution; and the first alarm I re∣ceived, was from the sudden return, and perpetual visits of the Earl
