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of it, it was at length happily settled; and on the night that Lord and Lady Longlands arrived at the castle, after their marriage, I entered on my place. I found my young mistress so amiable, so reasonable, and sweet tempered, that pleasing her would have been an easy task, even to one less disposed to please her than I was. I was congratulated by all the servants on my promotion, and indeed thought myself the happiest creature in the world. But my happiness was soon overcast; for in the midst of all the bustle of this first and only gay season at the castle, your dear mother, my kind benefactress, was seized with a fever of a very malignant and dangerous nature. She was three days ill before the dowager-lady could be persuaded that any thing ailed her but a cold; but when the doctor was at last sent for, and explained the nature of her complaint, all communication was cut off between the tower and the other part of the house, and, as I had already expo-
