'Nor do I wonder,' continued Adeline, 'that you make this objection, when I consider the present prejudices of society.' 'Prejudices!' softly exclaimed the benevolent Quaker. Adeline faintly smiled, and went on--'But surely you will allow, that in a family quiet and secluded as ours, and in daily contemplation of an union uninterrupted, faithful, and virtuous, and possessing all the sacredness of marriage, though without the name, it is not likely that the young woman in question should have imbibed any vicious habits or principles?' 'But in contemplating thy union itself, she has lived in the contemplation of vice; and thou wilt own, that, by having given it an air of respectability, thou hast only made it more dangerous.' 'On this point,' cried Adeline, 'I see we must disagree--I shall therefore, without further preamble, inform you, madam, that Mary, aware of the difficulty of procuring a service, if it were known that she had lived with a kept mistress, as the phrase is,' (here an indignant blush overspread the face of Adeline,) 'desired me to call myself the wife of Glenmurray: but this, from my abhorrence of all falsehood, I peremptorily refused.' 'And thou didst well,' exclaimed Mrs Pemberton, 'and I respect thy resolution.' 'But my sincerity will, I fear, prevent the poor girl's obtaining other reputable places; and I, alas! am not rich enough to make her amends for the injury which my conscience forces me to do her. But if you, madam, could be prevailed upon to take her into your family, even for a short time only, to wipe away the disgrace which her living with me has brought upon her--' 'Why can she not remain with thee?' asked Mrs Pemberton hastily. 'Because she neglected her duty, and, when reproved for it, replied in very injurious language.' 'Presuming probably on thy way of life?' 'I must confess that she has reproached me with it.' 'And this was all her fault?' 'It was:--she can be an excellent servant.' 'Thou hast said enough; thy conscience shall not have the additional burthen to bear, of having deprived a poor girl of her maintenance--I will take her.' 'A thousand thanks to you,' replied Adeline: 'you have removed a weight off my mind; but my conscience, has none to bear.' 'No?' returned Mrs Pemberton: 'dost thou deem thy conduct blameless in the eyes of that Being whom thou hast just blessed?' 'As far as my connexion with Mr Glenmurray is concerned, I do.' 'Indeed?' 'Nay, doubt me not--believe me that I never wantonly violate the truth; and that even an evasion, which I, for the first time in my life, was guilty of to-day, has given me a pang to which I will not again expose myself.'