But it was now too late to recede; yet so uncertain was he what he ought to do, or indeed could do, that after a converfation of near two hours they parted; without having come to any determina→ tion, except that Althea fhould that evening let Wansford know she was acquainted with Marchmont's concealment, concert with him the means of fupplying him with neceffary food, and confult with him by what means Fenchurch could be traced-for no circumftance was fo alarming as his absence, Althea, after fome debate, at length be÷ lieved he had convinced Marchmont that he ought yet to delay any final determination for a few days. They then, with visible reluctance on the fide of Marchmont, and with almost equal, though ftifled concern on that of Althea, parted for the day-but not till fhe had engaged to leave for him in the ftoreroom of their hoft fome books, with which he might beguile the long, long hours of his imprisonment; for every horror that prefent anguifh, or recollection of the paft, could accumulate, returned upon him the moment he had clofed the door of the hall after Althea. CHAP. VIII. Why, Courage then!-What cannot be avoided, IT required fome contrivance on the part of Althea to obtain a long conference with Wansford without the knowledge of his wife. She effected it, however, and with hefitation and reluctance difclofed to him the knowledge fhe had gained of Marchmont's conceal ment. Althea was, unfortunately perhaps for her, a great reader of countenances— decidedly a difciple of Lavater's; the fancied that, as far as her fmall knowledge of the world allowed her to judge, his fcience was by no means fo chimerical or illufive as Sir Audley and many other men of the world held it to be; and fhe believed fhe had often difcovered the thoughts of those with whom fhe converfed, when they leaft intended she should have any idea of them. Attentive therefore to the expreffion of the man's face to whom fhe was now talking, fhe imagined, amidst all the refpect he expreffed for her, that there was a lurking fneer, when he found how well fhe was acquainted with Marchmont's hiftory, and how much interest fhe evidently took in it. This might be, and probably was, fancy; but Althea felt mortified and uneasy. She: failed not to recollect how grofs are the apprehenfions of the lower ranks of people, and that, even with greater precipitance than influences thofe but a little above them in ftation (and often not at all more refined in understanding), they decide, that it is impoffible two young people of different fexes can converfe together otherwise than as lovers. To obviate this impreffion, which fhe faw, or believed fhe faw, that Wansford entertained, Althea fpoke with peculiar earnestnefs on the neceffity of Marchmont's going; to which Wansford heartily affented.-" Aye, my dear young lady!" said he, " you don't know half the danger. I heard laft night that Vampyre was at T********, which is, you know, but feven miles off, or soand what can a want there? I don't know, for my part, what's to be done! The poor young man cannot be hid much longer, that's for certain; but if he offers for to go-ah! he'll be taken. by fome of that old villain's followers, as fure as I am I." As all this was not more than the fears of Althea had already fuggefted to her, fhe did not fuffer any new alarm to mislead her from every enquiry that fhe |