character a fair one, I shall suppose, that he concealed from her the kind of addresses with which he meant to approach her young friend. It is certain there was but one kind, which the principles of ••r Thomas allowed him to make.
One obstacle however he foresaw in the attachment which he had early discovered her to have towards Bolton. This, on the most favourable supposition of the case, he might easily represent to Mrs. Boothby, equally hurtful to Lucy's interest, and destructive of his own wishes; and if she was prevailed on to espouse his cause, it may account for those lessons of prudence which she bestowed upon Miss Sindall.
Besides this, the baronet did not scruple to use some other methods, still more dishonourable of shaking her confidence in his cousin. He fell upon means of secretly intercepting that young gentleman's letters to Lucy; from this he drew a double advantage; both of fastening a suspicion on Harry's fidelity, and acquiring such intelligence as might point his own machinations to defeat the purposes which that correspondence contained.


UNDER those circumstances of advantage in which sir Thomas Sindall stood, it did not seem a matter of extreme difficulty to accomplish that design which I have hinted to my readers in the preceding chapter. Let him, whose indignation is roused at the mention of it, carry his feelings abroad into life; he will find other Sindalls whom the world has not marked with its displeasure: in the simplicity of my narrative, what is there that should set up this one to his hatred or his scorn? let but the heart pronounce its judgment, and the decision will be the same.
Hitherto sir Thomas had appeared as the parent and guardian of Lucy; and though, at times, certain expressions escaped him, which the quickness of more experienced, that is, less innocent minds would have discovered to belong to another character, yet she, to whom they were addressed, had heard them without suspicion.
But she was now alarmed by the suggestions of Mrs. Boothby: these suggestions it is possible the baronet himself had prompted. He knew the force of that poison which is conveyed in those indirect approaches, when a woman's vanity is set on the watch by the assistance of a third person. She who imagines she hears them with indifference, is in danger; but she who listens to them with pleasure, is undone.
With Lucy, however, they failed of that effect which the baronet's experience had promised him: she heard them with a so• of disgust at Mrs. Boothby, and something like fear of