"After the discovery of last night, honour, religion, virtue, forbid my continuance here. I am the child of misfortune; to stay, would make me the child of guilt! Justice likewise demands, that whilst your wife exists, you should think of Ellenor no otherwise than as a friend; I cannot say--forget me; that would be injustice to myself. No, Edward--pure has ever been my affection; and if Heaven should release you from your vows, remember the hand, the heart of Ellenor, may be demanded. Till then attempt not to discover me; the search would be fruitless. Justice demands the sacrifice, and it must be made! Yet how can I say--farewell! How tear myself from him on whose existence that of Ellenor depends; be merciful, Heaven--nor inflict a punishment past my power to support! Still let me stay--let me at least see my Edward, and hear him speak!--But it must not be. Oh, Edward, the punishment is just! You had your secrets, and I had mine! "My hand is incapable of performing its office; I would, but cannot proceed. Oh, Edward! think of your Ellenor; doubt not my love--my constancy: and Heaven yet may make us happy!" "You had your secrets, and I had mine! O God! what years of anxiety and painful conjecture, have those words occasioned! "A stupefying horror at first pervaded my faculties: I sunk into a chair, and, but for the officious attentions of Mary, should have experienced a total--happy had it been a lasting insensibility! "'Where can she be gone?' I faintly exclaimed, when recollection had regained sufficient power. "'She cannot be gone far,' sobbed Mary. 'Perhaps, sir, you yet may overtake her.' "The idea served effectually to rouse me: I commenced my search, and soon gained intelligence: a carriage, answerable to that I described, with a lady and her attendant in it, had been seen on the London road. To London I immediately directed my course; and at last descried a carriage, my sanguine hopes led me to think was that containing the sum of my earthly happiness: I instantly spurred my horse, when, owing to the badness of the road, or some other cause, he stumbled--fell, and threw me with violence over his head. I was stunned by the fall, found by some travellers, and, in a state of insensibility, conveyed to the nearest inn. "The hurts I received were not very material; but the agitation of my mind at being thus prevented from pursuing Ellenor, brought on a fever which confined me to my apartment for nearly a fortnight. As soon as I was in a state to travel, I again pursued my way toward London, though with very little hope, after the time which had elapsed, of discovering her.