No sooner was he gone, than that energy of feeling, which had till then supported Rosilia, yielded to the oppression which overburdened her heart. Tears that she strove in vain to repress fast chased each other down her cheeks—wounded delicacy and virtuous pride depriving her of the power of checking them. She continued weeping while reflecting that, did she make known to her father the insulting conduct she had met with from Sir Howard, he would pursue him with his vengeance even to an extremity she trembled to think of. If in being repulsed from the house, as he doubtless would be, the first time he entered it after the return of her father from Wales, the result might terminate in much affliction both to her mother and herself. She resolved, therefore, to conceal the matter from her parents, in future to shun Sir Howard, to be guarded in her conduct towards him, and never again to allow him a private inteview, were it possible to prevent it.
Reflecting upon what Mrs. Philimore had said, Melliphant, whom she had ever felt disposed to esteem as the associate of Sir Howard, became insensibly lessened in her good opinion, particularly on her calling to mind the urgency with which he had recommended for her perusal such works as, in their tendency to excite the imagination, are usually deemed pernicious.
Having for some time sat musing over a succession of afflicting thoughts which presented themselves, and again resolving to shun the authors of
