CHAPTER XXXVI.

For my part, I think there is nothing so secret that shall not be brought to light within the world.

BURNET.

MRS ST CLAIR's nerves almost failed her when she found herself alone with Lyndsay, for the first time since their meeting in the wood; but then the reflection, that the secret connected with that scene was for ever buried in the deep, (or what was still deeper, her own heart,) recalled her selfpossession, and, without betraying any fear or hesitation, she began

"It must doubtless appear extraordinary to

you,

that I should have allowed so much time to elapse without giving you the eclaircissement, which you must naturally have expected."

"Which I was promised," said Lyndsay, emphatically.

"True, you were so; but my own illness, the

subsequent events which have taken place in the family, rendered the performance of such a promise, for a time, impracticable; since then it has become unnecessary. The person who was the cause of so much needless alarm to my daughter and myself is no more, he has perished at seayou must have observed in a late newspaper, the detail of the shipwreck, and probably drew from it the same conclusion, that the wrong-headed, infatuated man, who had caused us so much annoyance, had met his fate."

66 'Yes, so far I did conjecture; but the circumstances which seemed to have placed Lady Rossville and you so completely in the power of such a man-you surely do not mean to leave these to conjecture ?"

"It is certainly not every one on whose candour, and liberality, and charity, I could place such reliance, as to leave a shadow of doubt on their minds, which it was in my power to clear away; but when I balance, on the one hand, the painful task I should have to perform in recurring to past events-in disturbing the ashes of the departed-in harrowing up my own feelings, by recalling the unmerited obloquy, the poverty, and

privations, my unfortunate husband was doomed to endure, in consequence of his ill-fated attachment to me-can I-ought mine to be the hand to tear aside the veil in which his errors are now for ever shrouded? On the other, what have I to dread from a nature so honourable and candid as yours-one which I believe to be as incapable of suspecting evil as of committing it ?"

"I fear you give me credit for an extent of virtue I do not possess," said Lyndsay, gravely; "for I must freely confess that I have received impressions of so unfavourable a nature, that I find all my charity quite insufficient to dispel them. Surely, then, justice is due to the living, as well as tenderness to the dead."

"You say true, and rather than that my daughter should suffer in your estimation". -Mrs St Clair stopped and sighed." Yet I flattered myself, that, with the thousand opportunities I have lately afforded you of gaining a thorough insight into her character, and of witnessing the almost childish openness of her disposition, you would ere now have been enabled, from your own knowledge of her, (an infinitely surer criterion than a mother's commendation,) to have acquitted her

of all culpability in this unfortunate occurrence, ambiguous as it may appear."

"My suspicions do not, in the least degree, attach to Lady Rossville," cried Lyndsay, warmly; "I could stake my life on the purity of her mind and conduct-but-_""

66 But you distrust me.-Well, be it so; since my daughter does not suffer, I am satisfied. Let mine be the obloquy-only let me screen from reproach the memory of my husband."

"I am little used to disguise my sentiments," said Lyndsay ;" and the present occasion, I think, warrants my expressing them very plainly. You must excuse me, then, when I say, that I can scarcely conceive any motive so powerful as to induce a mother to endanger her own and her daughter's reputation. I have twice seen Lady Rossville insulted-had I possessed the power, she should certainly have been under other protection before now."

Mrs St Clair coloured deeply, and struggled for some moments to retain her composure—but she succeeded, and resumed

"I was aware that such must be your opinion

-and, mortifying as it is, I shall make no attempt to change it at present. Hereafter, perhaps, you may do me justice; in the meantime, it is my determination to resign the guardianship of my daughter into other hands. It is my wish, and that of Lady Rossville, that Mr Lyndsay should accept this trust-the strongest proof we can either of us give of our own self-respect, as well as our confidence and esteem for him.”

Mr Lyndsay's emotion at this proposal did not escape Mrs St Clair's piercing observation, and she secretly hoped he might decline, the proposalbut, after a few minutes consideration, he said

"I accept of the trust, and hope I may be enabled to discharge it faithfully—but I cannot take the whole responsibility of such an office; there must be other guardians appointed."

My daughter insists upon my acting also in that capacity, although it was my wish to have delegated the office entirely to others--to my brother, for instance, or my nephew, Major Waddell, or any other of the county gentlemen she would name-but she is immovable on that point-so we have only to consider hereafter who it will be proper to make choice of. Meanwhile, allow me