"And e'en to wakeful conscience unconfest, Her fear, her grief, her joy were his alone." COLERIDGE. {sic} {Reginald Heber (English poet, 1783-1826), "Morte d'Arthur: A Fragment" lines II.534-535} THE melancholy disaster of the Petrel happened on Monday; it was not until the Thursday following that the evil tidings reached Longbridge. Elinor, accompanied by Mary Van Alstyne, set out quite early in the morning to pay some visits at different country-houses in the neighbourhood. They had been out some little time, having driven several miles, and made three or four calls, when they reached Mrs. Van Horne's. On entering the parlour they found the mistress of the house was not there, but a much less agreeable person, the elder Mrs. Tibbs, the greatest gossip in Longbridge. "I am glad to see you this morning, young ladies," she said. "Thank you, ma'am; it is a very pleasant morning, certainly," replied Elinor, as she took a seat on the sofa. "Very pleasant, yes; but I was fearful you might have been kept at home by the bad news we Longbridge people have just heard." "It does not seem to have kept you at home either, Mrs. Tibbs, whatever it may be," replied Elinor, smiling; for she knew that any news, whether good or bad, always set this lady in motion. Little did the poor young girl suspect the nature of the intelligence that awaited her! "No; I thought my good friend, Mrs. Van Horne, might feel uneasy about her son, and came over to be with her." "Mrs. Van Horne! Has anything happened to the family?" "You haven't heard the news then?--I am surprised at that. But here is an account of the accident in the New Haven Eagle. It has made us all feel quite dreadfully at home!" "What has happened?--Pray tell us!" exclaimed Elinor, now looking alarmed. "Here is the account; but perhaps you had better let Miss Mary read it; she was not so intimate with the deceased." "What is it?--let me see the paper, Mary. An accident to one of the Van Hornes!" and she took the sheet from the table. Her eye immediately fell on the following article: "Our city was painfully excited this morning by the intelligence which reached here, of a distressing accident to a beautiful little schooner, the property of Hubert de Vaux, Esq., of New York, which was seen in our waters only a few days since, and attracted universal admiration in our port." Elinor's eyes could see no farther; she stretched out the paper to her cousin, saying in a faint voice, "Mary, read!" Mary Van Alstyne took the paper, and continued silently to look over the passage.