It is a cold evening, madam," said fhe, "ftorms are coming on, and I thought you would like a fire. Do take this chair by the hearth."

Emily, thanking her for this confideration, fat down, and then, looking in her face, on which the wood fire threw a gleam, fhe was ftruck with its expreffion, and, unable to speak, funk back in her chair with a countenance fo full of woe, that Theresa inftantly comprehended the occafion of it, but fhe remained filent. "Ah!" faid Emily, at length, "it is unneceffary for me to ask the result of your enquiry-your filence, and that look, fufficiently explain it ;-he is dead!"

"Alas! my dear young lady," replied Therefa, while tears filled her eyes, "this world is made up of trouble! the rich have their share as well as the poor! But we must endeavour to bear what Heaven pleases."

"He is dead then!"-interrupted Emily "Valancourt is dead!"

" A-well

A-well-a-day! I fear he is," replied

Therefa.

«You fear!” said Emily, " do you only Fear?"

"Alas! yes, Madam, I fear he is! neither the steward, or any of the Epourville family, have heard of him fince he left Languedoc, and the Count is in great affliction about him, for he says he was always punctual in writing, but that now he has not received a line from him, fince he left Languedoc; he appointed to be at home, three weeks ago, but he has neither come, or written, and they fear fome accident has befallen him. Alas! that ever I fhould live to cry for his death! I am old, and might have died without being miffed, but he" Emily was faint, and afked for fome water, and Therefa, alarmed by the voice, in which she spoke, haftened to her affiftance, and, while fhe held the water to Emily's lips, continued, "My dear young mistress, do not take it fo to heart; the Chevalier

Chevalier, may be alive and well, for all this; let us hope the best!"

"O no! I cannot hope," faid Emily, "I am acquainted with circumftances, that will not fuffer me to hope. I am fomewhat better now, and can hear what you have to fay. Tell me, I entreat, the particulars of what you know."

Stay till you are a little better, mademoifelle, you look fadly!"

"O no, Therefa, tell me all, while I have the power to hear it," faid Emily; "tell me all, I conjure you!"

Well, madam, I will then; but the eward did not fay much, for Richard says he feemed fhy of talking about Monf. Valancourt, and what he gathered was from Gabriel, one of the fervants, who faid he had heard it from my lord's gentleman."

દર

"What did he hear?" faid Emily.

Why, madam, Richard has but a bad memory, and could not remember half of it, and, if I had not asked him a great many questions, I fhould have heard little

VOL. IV.

Q

indeed,

indeed. But he fays that Gabriel faid, that he and all the other fervants were in -great trouble about M. Valancourt, for that he was fuch a kind young gentleman, they all loved him, as well as if he had been their own brother-and now, to think what was become of him! For he used to be fo courteous to them all, and, if any of them had been in fault, M. Valancourt was the first to perfuade my lord to forgive them. And then, if any poor family was in diftrefs, M. Valancourt was the firft, too, to relieve them, though fome folks, not a great way off, could have afforded that much better than he. And then, faid Gabriel, he was fo gentle to every body, and, for all he had fuch a noble look with him, he never would command, and call about him, as fome of your quality people do, and we never minded him the lefs for that. Nay, fays Gabriel, for that matter, we minded him the more, and would all have run to obey him at a word, fooner than if fome folks had told us what to do at full

length; aye, and were more afraid of difpleafing him, too, than of them, that used rough words to us."

Emily, who no longer confidered it to be dangerous to listen to praise, bestowed on Valancourt, did not attempt to interrupt Therefa, but fat, attentive to her words, though almost overwhelmed with grief. "My Lord," continued Therefa, "frets about M. Valancourt fadly, and the more, because, they say, he had been rather harsh against him lately. Gabriel fays he had it from my Lord's valet, that M. Valancourt had comported himself wildly at Paris, and had spent a great deal of money, more a great deal than my lord liked, for he loves money better than M. Valancourt, who had been led aftray fadly. Nay, for that matter, M. Valancourt had been put into prifon at Paris, and my Lord, fays Gabriel, refused to take him out, and faid he deferved to fuffer; and, when old Gregoire, the butler, heard of this, he actually bought a walking-stick to take with him to Paris,