-whisper during the repast.
Sensible of her imprudence, I was seized with apprehension lest we and our situation were the topics on which she had chosen to expatiate; which, from her extreme neglect of delicacy and entire disregard to propriety, was not improbable, and must have involved us in the severest mortification. I was seriously miserable from the instant this suspicion occurred; and began even to dread that she had been soliciting his aid or pleading our cause;—an idea that tormented me in the cruellest manner; for she often glanced her eye on Fanny and on me, and led Mr. Roatsley to regard us in a similar manner. I am now happily relieved however from these fears; for when I afterwards sounded her on the subject, she did not betray by the slightest hint having acted so imprudently, nor

could I gather from her discourse any circumstances to alarm me.
After supper I was asked to sing. Mr. Roatsley is passionately fond of music, and confessed himself a performer on several instruments. This you may believe did not diminish my natural timidity; but the intreaties of the company were so pressing, and those of Mr. and Mrs. Hindon so importunate, that I was constrained to comply, and acquitted myself indeed very ill.
My spirits, low and oppressed, made the little song of "Ah! my charmante Louise" affect me almost to tears while I sung. How many painful recollections did it bring to my mind, when my Sophia and myself received our instructions together in that delightful accomplishment.
I slept very ill last night. Confounded by a variety of conjectures, I knew not which implicitly to credit. From one

source of anxiety however I considered it was in my power to be relieved, and any certainty was preferable to my present suspense: besides, to matrimonial intelligence entire belief is not always to be given; and as Roatsley observes, to what we dread we are most liable to give our confidence; I therefore resolved to pay a morning visit to Miss Pierson, to whom I have owed one a considerable time, but whose acquaintance indeed, till this accident, I had not much inclination to cultivate. At present however she is the only channel from whence I can draw information, and her society is become interesting. I intended, with all the apparent indifference I could assume, to renew the subject of her recent intelligence, and endeavour to discover on what grounds she had advanced the fact with such apparent certainty. She was from home however when I called, and I am just returned not a little disappointed.

How unlucky it is that I
