- My real father! - How can it be! - Is
there a possibility that Louisa owes her being to Dorilaus!
Yes, my Louisa, answered he, and flatter myself, by what I have observed
of your disposition, you have done nothing, since our parting, that
might prevent my glorying in being the parent of such a child.
The hurry of spirit she was in, prevented her from taking notice of
these last words, or at least from making any answer to them, and she
still continued crying out, - Dorilaus, my father! - Good heaven! may I
believe I am so blessed? - Who then is my mother! - Wherefore have I been
so long ignorant of what I was! - And how is the joyful secret at
last revealed!
All these things you shall be fully informed of, answered he; in the
mean time be satisfied I do not deceive you, and am indeed your father:
transported to find my long lost child, whom I myself knew not was so
till I believed her gone for ever; - a thousand times I have wished both
you and Horatio were my children, but little suspected you were so, till
after his too eager ambition deprived me of him, and my mistaken love
drove you to seek a refuge among strangers.
Tears of joy and tenderness now bedewed the faces of both father and
daughter: - silence for some moments succeeded the late acclamations; but
Dorilaus at length finding her fully convinced she was as happy as he
said she was, and entirely freed from all those apprehensions which had
occasioned her flying from him, told her he was settled in Paris; that
he lived just opposite to the house where she had stood up on account of
the shower, and happening to be at one of his windows immediately knew
her; that he sent a servant after her, who had enquired how long she had
been arrived, and in what manner she came; that he had sent for her with
no other intent then to make trial how she would resent it, and was
transported to find her answer such as he hoped and had expected from
her: - he added, that he had all the anxiety of a father to hear by what
means she had been supported, and the motive which induced her to travel
in the habit of a pilgrim, as the matter of the hotel had informed his
servant; but that he would defer his satisfaction till she should be in
a place more becoming his daughter.
On concluding these words he called for the master of the hotel, and
having defrayed what little expences she had been at since her coming
there, took her by the hand and led her to his chariot, which soon
brought them to a magnificent, house, and furnished in a manner
answerable to the birth and fortune of the owner.
Louisa had all this time seemed like one in a dream:
