she had no inclination to revisit it, without a powerful inducement, such as she had no chance of.
The Count's motives for refusing were of a similar nature.
The Marchioness had heard from Matilda. She declined being of their party, and entreated to remain in the Convent till that lady returned to France. She wrote a letter of congratulation to her dear Countess, on the great change in her situation, but gave, what she thought, very satisfactory reasons for not going into Germany. Lord Delby, however, could not resist his desire of attending the Countess, though so recently returned from thence. He entreated the Count to accept his house, but he had previously accepted a similar offer from the Marquis.
In a few days the party separated; the Marquis, his lady, the Countess, and Lord Delby, for Germany: the Count, to avoid attendance on Mrs. Courtney, went to Bath, and that lady soon after accompanied a party of friends to Tunbridge.
From the time that Mr. Weimar had agreed, before the ambassador, to permit Matilda's residence twelve months with the Marquis, her friends had sent advertisements to all the different courts in Europe, describing the particular circumstances attending her birth, without mentioning names. No intelligence arrived, nor enquiries had yet been made on the subject, though they still entertained hopes of one day meeting with success. As to the young lady herself, she had none; resigned to her misfortunes, her only wish was to remain in the convent, free from the persecutions, and exempt from the temptations, of the world. She heard of her friend's unexpected restoration to her family and fortune, with real delight; and no mention being made of the Count or Mrs. Courtney, in the letter she received from the Marchioness, she concluded they were either married, or soon to be; and though a few sighs would
