"Passion, my son, entails its own punishment. You see every thing with a jaundiced eye. Elvira's nature is gentle and yielding; she feared to hurt his feelings by her harshness. 'Tis but the natural consequence of that very softness you so often have admired. Why should you quarrel with it now? 'tis still the same that charmed you, save that now it is extended to another, and will be soon, no doubt, to all the world. Elvira has been educated in retirement, and, seeing only yourself and Edric, you thought her conduct was the effect of partiality for you, when it was in fact but her natural manner. She is now upon a larger theatre; and you must expect to see myriads of kneeling victims worship her beauty, and pay homage at her feet! And do you suppose she will be displeased at their attention? No; she is far too gentle; she has no firmness; and the same submission she now pays to you, she will, if you offend her, easily transfer to another. She is not formed to govern; she would obey and be happy; but the weight of government would overwhelm her if she were left alone to sustain it. Shake off, then, these selfish feelings, and be again yourself. You have often said, you only wished her happiness; and if that be the case, even if she should really love Prince Ferdinand, you ought to rejoice to see her in his arms." "Sooner would I perish, sooner would I involve all in one universal ruin! But it is impossible; she scarcely knows him." "And if it were so, still you would be wrong to blame Elvira for what, in fact, she cannot help. Her yielding softness is the defect of her character." "Fool that I was, that very softness caught me, and my fond heart fell captive to its chains. But it was folly, infatuation! I see my error; Rosabella has more character. She _can_ love." Lord Edmund crossed his arms upon his breast and was soon lost in a _reverie_, which Father Morris was careful not to interrupt, but which was broken by the approach of Trevors, his lordship's aide-de-camp and secretary. "What do you want?" asked Lord Edmund sternly. "I came to seek your Lordship. I feared you were unwell, as I missed your Lordship from the party." "You missed me!" repeated Lord Edmund bitterly. "_You_ missed me! and did no one else discover my absence? Was it so marked that my servant could observe it, and yet no one else?" "Did not the Queen inquire for Lord Edmund?" asked Father Morris. "I did not hear her Majesty," replied Trevors. "How was she engaged? what was she doing?" demanded Lord Edmund. "She was sitting, talking to Prince Ferdinand, my Lord." Lord Edmund gnashed his teeth together, grinding them with fury, and rushed back to the house without speaking, whilst Trevors followed at an humble distance. "He has it," cried Father Morris triumphantly--"he has it, and he is mine for ever."