 Cavanaugh seemed to affect being happy—and to disdain all she had relinquished to obtain that happiness her own way. But, from some strange caprice, she now appeared so fond of Willoughby, that had Celestina been liable to jealousy—or had Cavanaugh really cared for his wife, they might both, in her manner, have found sufficient cause of discontent. Mrs. Cavanaugh related to Willoughby all the artifices her mother had used to break off his marriage with Celestina; and when he expressed his wonder that Lady Castlenorth should go such lengths in an affair in which her interest did not appear to be immediately

or particularly concerned, she answered, in her usual sneering way—"If you could know my mother so well as I do—but it is impossible by words to do her justice—you would no longer wonder. Her scheme lay much deeper than you were aware of."
Lady Castlenorth, to console herself for the defection of Captain Cavanaugh, had taken, as her travelling companion, a young Abbé, who, discontented with the prevailing politics of his country, found in her at once an admirer of his person and character, and a strenuous supporter of his aristocratic principles—and, what was yet better than either, he found himself sharing a fortune beyond what he had ever dreamed of possessing. This well assorted pair were at Brusseis—and Mrs. Cavanaugh diverted herself with some sarcastic remarks on the Director chosen by her mother—of whom she always spoke with a degree of rancour which made Celestina tremble, while Willoughby shuddered to recollect how near he once was becoming the husband of one who could thus express herself towards her mother.
Captain and Mrs. Cavanaugh were going

to Italy.—The happy party, who took leave of them, hastened to England, where, on their arrival in London, Lady Horatia joined them, and they were soon fixed at Alvestone, in such perfect felicity as is seldom enjoyed, and still more rarely deserved.—The first enquiry of Celestina was for Mr. Thorold and his family. She learned that Captain Thorold was the great friend and favourite of Lady Molyneux, with whom he was gone to Ireland to the displeasure of his father, who had however no influence over him, and whose disappointment in his eldest son was embittered by the condition into which a hopeless and incurable passion had thrown the youngest.
Celestina, who could not reflect, without great pain, on the unhappiness with which the days of her excellent friend were thus over-clouded, took an early opportunity, after her being settled at Alvestone, to desire an interview with the elder Mr. Thorold. He came—and she saw with redoubled concern, the ravage which
