Mrs. Fitzgerald shook her head in a manner which bespoke both her apprehensions and her filial regard. "Julia ought not, must not, desert her father, dear aunt," said Emily, her face glowing with the ardency of her feelings. "And ought she to desert her heavenly Father, my child?" asked the aunt, mildly. "Are the duties conflicting, dearest aunt?" "The Conde makes them so. Julia is, I trust, in sincerity a Christian, and with what face can she offer up her daily petitions to her Creator, while she wears a mask to her earthly father; or how can she profess to honor doctrines that she herself believes to be false, or practise customs she thinks improper?" "Never, never," exclaimed Julia, with fervor; "the struggle is dreadful, but I submit to the greater duty." "And you decide rightly, my friend," said Mrs. Wilson, soothingly; "but you need relax no efforts to convince the Conde of your wishes: truth and nature will finally conquer." "Ah!" cried Mrs. Fitzgerald, "the sad consequences of one false step in early life!" "Rather," added Mrs. Wilson, "the sad consequences of one false step in generations gone by. Had your grandmother listened to the voice of prudence and duty, she never would have deserted her parents for a comparative stranger, and entailed upon her descendants a train of evils which yet exist in your person." "It will be a sad blow to my poor uncle too," said Mrs. Fitzgerald, "he who once loved me so much." "When do you expect to see him?" inquired Emily. Julia informed them she expected him hourly; as, fearful a written statement of her views would drive him from the country without paying her a visit before he departed, she had earnestly entreated him to see her without delay. On taking their leave, the ladies promised to obey her summons whenever called to meet the general, as Mrs. Wilson thought she might be better able to give advice to a friend, by knowing more of the character of her relatives, than she could do with her present information, One day intervened, and it was spent in the united society of Lady Moseley and her daughters, while Sir Edward and Francis rode to a neighboring town on business; and on the succeeding, Mrs. Fitzgerald apprised them of the arrival of General M'Carthy. Immediately after breakfast, Mrs. Wilson and Emily drove to the cottage, the aunt both wishing the latter as a companion in her ride, and believing the excitement would have a tendency to prevent her niece from indulging in reflections, alike dangerous to her peace of mind and at variance with her duties.