Ah Mrs. Richards, it would be a delightful task indeed, if I had only to provide the means of making my Amelia happy; for her wishes are so pure and so prudent, that she deserves to be gratified in them; but circumstanced as she is, and limited as I am, there are many things, innocent in themselves, that she must not risk, and many mere appearances that she must avoid. I dare say her own good understanding convinces her how necessary it often is to sacrifice what is pleasant for the sake of what is prudent. Oh yes; I’m perfectly convinced of that, Amelia said and drew a sigh--Aye, cried the unconverted dame who pleaded on the side that pleases best, just so would the poor lady, that we buried yesterday, have said, and just so she did say; she was a slave to appearances; she sacrificed every thing to what is called prudence, and only lived to be a melancholy example how much happier and better she would have been had she taken counsel of her own heart, and not of other people’s heads--And thus having wound up her climax and her opinion in the same moment the good dame with that significant jerk and toss of the head, which is the veriest unequivocal and not to be mistaken stamp of self-content, faced about and trotted off in quick time to a kind of march, that to a musical ear would have marked a measure considerably above _moderato_, and a firmness in the tread characteristic of one, who walked by authority, and kept right onwards without check or turning. I perceive, my dear Amelia, said Mrs. Jennings, that if I persist to do what I consider to be my duty with respect to you, I shall have every body’s voice against me; but, thank Heaven, you will soon be under the protection of the lady of Kray Castle, and then my responsibility will cease. I trust, replied Amelia, you have not found me impatient to throw off your government, and till that happens, I hope you will not dismiss me from your care. Here the dialogue was interrupted by the coming in of John De Lancaster and the Reverend Mr. Wilson. Mrs. Jennings immediately availed herself of the opportunity for requesting a few minutes private conversation with our hero, and, this being granted, she delivered herself as follows-- I am sensible, Mr. De Lancaster, that I incurred your displeasure by the manner, in which I received the honour of your visit, when you last called upon me in Denbigh. Undoubtedly I ought to have presented Amelia Jones to you without a moment’s hesitation, that you might have given into her hands the invaluable relick, you had in charge for her. For this omission I most heartily ask your pardon, and assure you that I had no intention to offend, but erred in judgment, when in my over-care to guard Amelia from the effect of any sudden agitation upon the opening of that pacquet, I very unadvisedly took the delivery of it upon myself.