Marquis and Marchioness; you shall make your own terms for Albert, whom I shall value for his fidelity to you. If I have mentioned you in Paris as my niece, it was to avoid disagreeable questions, and keep your secret. The marriage may be private or public, as you like, no one will dare interfere with my wife, think of every thing; I will return to-morrow for your determination. He arose, he kissed her hands, and left her motionless in the chair.
The moment he quitted the room the Marchioness entered, and embracing the warm statue, as she called her, "I have heard all, my dear Matilda, and am equally astonished with yourself: his tale is plausible, perhaps true. Whoever were your parents, I should suppose them dead, from their not making enquiries during so many years after their child. Some praise is doubtless due to Mr. Weimar, for his care of you; his first motives were certainly benevolent ones; whether he latterly intended you honourable or not, cannot be known: he offers to marry you now, in the face of your friends; 'tis possible you might mistake the tenor of the conversation you overheard—at any rate he seems now ready to act with honor. All this I say for Mr. Weimar,—justice demands I should be impartial; now, on the other hand, if your heart is repugnant to his offers; if you cannot be reconciled in your own mind to the account he has given you; if the gratitude due to his care of you in early life is effaced from your heart by his subsequent conduct, and you cannot overcome the disgust it inspired, never think of accepting his hand, to render both wretched. I have adopted you, I love you as a child, and will protect you; in me you shall find the mother you have lost: fear not therefore, my dearest Matilda, to decide as your heart and judgment shall direct; do nothing hastily, take this day and night to reflect and determine with your whole heart to-morrow. I shall, with your permission, inform the Marquis of this extraordinary story, and I am sure his affection for you will coincide with mine."
