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CHAPTER XVII.

Beseech you, Sir, be merry; you have cause
(So have we all) of joy; for our escape

Is much beyond our loss.

Tempest.

PREVIOUS to the foregoing interview between Lacy and Sackville, Sackville's letter had been received by Mr. Morton, and Agnes had been told that she was free. The announcement was received with deep and overpowering emotion; and after a vain struggle to controul her feelings, she burst into tears. They were tears neither of sorrow nor of joy; they were the overflowings of an oppressed and agitated spirit, which no longer sought to struggle against the weakness of its nature, when the exertion of

self-command was no longer necessary, and the time of trial was past.

But joy did succeed to these emotions when their bitterness had subsided, and allowed her to reflect on her present happier situation; and fervently did she thank Heaven for having saved her from that most sure and enduring of human evils—a marriage without affection.

Lacy, at the time of his interview with Sackville, was not informed of all that had passed between him and the Mortons. He knew not that Sackville had renounced all further communication with that family, and that his engagement with Agnes was dissolved. This interesting fact became known to him only after the lapse of many days, and through the information of a common acquaintance, who had heard it from Lord Malvern. Subsequent reports confirmed the first, and Lacy was soon relieved from all doubt upon the subject.

Believing that Agnes had never felt any affection for Sackville, and was engaged to

him against her wishes, Lacy sincerely rejoiced in her deliverance. But he could not feel that his own prospects were materially brightened. He was pledged to Miss Hartley, and though he did not love her, he had too much honour even to meditate the desertion of her for another. Still he reflected that one great barrier was removed, that there was now no insuperable obstacle, and that Agnes might possibly become his, could be resolve to be so cruel and perfidious as to break his faith with Charlotte Hartley. She had now no guarantee but the firmness and rectitude of his resolution, and he vowed that she should not find it wanting.

But Lacy did not confide presumptuously in his own strength of principle, but felt the necessity of employing every method that occupation and absence could afford, to overcome his attachment to Agnes. He knew that her presence must now be doubly dangerous to him, and he formed the painful determination of never seeing her again till he was married to

Miss Hartley. He even meditated quitting London, lest he should accidentally meet her in society but this intention was rendered

:

needless, by an arrangement which was made by the Mortons themselves.

After the quarrel with Sackville, the intended departure of the Mortons to the Continent, which was to have taken place immediately, was postponed till the middle of summer, and an offer was made them, which would enable them to pass the intervening time more pleasantly than in their humble dwelling in London. The Duke of Swansea, whose intended nuptials we announced some time ago, had lately married, and after passing the first half of his honey moon at a villa at Twickenham, had gone with his bride abroad. On this occasion, the Duke, not knowing the intentions of the Mortons to travel; good naturedly offered them the use of his villa, and they, having now changed their plan, gladly closed with the proposal. They accordingly quitted town for

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Twickenham, and signified their intention of remaining there till they went abroad.

This circumstance, with which Lacy became acquainted, was sufficient to remove his fears of meeting Agnes again in London. But this was a cruel and melancholy cause for satisfaction; and Lacy could not suppress some bitter repinings, even when he felt that he ought to rejoice. He allowed that it was better that they should be far apart; but when he considered that she was soon to go into a foreign land; that seas were to divide them, and that she might probably stay many years, nay, perhaps die abroad, and that he might never see her more; he could not bear the picture that he had formed, and his eyes filled with tears at the melancholy thought.

He resolved (it was a foolish project, as he half allowed, but he could not forego it), he resolved to discover the day of her departure, and shortly before it came, to see her for the last time. He did not mean to address her:

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