- I went boldly to the
castle, asked to speak with the lord M - - e, who received me with a
politeness befitting his quality:
I told him that my curiosity of seeing
foreign countries had brought me to Ireland, and being in my tour thro'
those parts, I took the liberty of calling at his seat, having formerly
had the honour of being known to his lady when at her father's house,
and whom I now heard, to my great concern, was indisposed, otherwise
have been glad to pay my respects to her. The nobleman answered, with
tears in his eyes, that she was indeed in a condition such as give no
hope of her recovery, but that she sometimes saw company, tho' obliged
to receive them in bed, having lost the use of her limbs, and would
perhaps be glad of the visit of a person she had known so long.
On this I told him my name, which he immediately sent in; and her woman
not long after came from her to let me know she would admit me. My lord
went in with me; and to countenance what I said, I accosted her with the
freedom of a person who had been acquainted when children, spoke of her
father as of a gentleman who had favoured me with his good-will, tho',
in reality, I had never seen him in my life, but remembered well enough
what she had mentioned to me concerning him, and some others of her
family, to talk as if I had been intimate among them. I could perceive
she was very well pleased with the method I had taken of introducing
myself; and, to prevent any suspicion that I had any other business with
her than to pay my compliments, made my visit very short that day, not
doubting but she would of herself contrive some means of entertaining me
without witnesses, as she easily found her lord had desired I would make
the castle my home while I stayed in that part of the country.
I was not deceived; the next morning having been told her lord was
engaged with his steward, she sent for me, and making some pretence for
getting rid of her woman, she plucked a paper from under her pillow, and
putting it into my hand, - in that, said, you will find the secret I
mentioned in my letter; - suspect not the veracity of it, I conjure you,
nor love the unfortunate Horatio and Louisa less for their being mine.
I cannot express the confusion I was in, continued Dorilaus, at her
mentioning you and your brother, but I had no opportunity of asking any
questions: - her woman that instant returned, after which I stayed but a
short time, being impatient to examine the contents, which, as near as I
can remember, were to this purpose:
"You were scarce out of France before I
discovered our amour had produced such
consequences as, had my too fond passion given
me leave to think of, I never should have hazarded:
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