hand.

She immediately snatched it from him, and withdrew into her chamber.

He followed, saying, in a low voice, "Dear Miss Woodley, hear me."

At that juncture Lady Matilda, who was in an inner apartment, came out
of it into Miss Woodley's. Perceiving a gentleman, she stopped short at
the door.

Rushbrook cast his eyes upon her, and stood motionless--his lips only
moved. "Do not depart, Madam," said he, "without hearing my apology for
being here."

Though Matilda had never seen him since her infancy, there was no
occasion to tell her who it was that addressed her--his elegant and
youthful person, joined to the incident which had just occurred,
convinced her it was Rushbrook: she looked at him with an air of
surprise, but with still more, of dignity.

"Miss Woodley is severe upon me, Madam," continued he, "she judges me
unkindly; and I am afraid she will prepossess you with the same
unfavourable sentiments."

Still Matilda did not speak, but looked at him with the same air of
dignity.

"If, Lady Matilda," resumed he, "I have offended you, and must quit you
without pardon, I am more unhappy than I should be with the loss of your
father's protection--more forlorn, than when an orphan boy, your mother
first took pity on me."

At this last sentence, Matilda turned her eyes on Miss Woodley, and
seemed in doubt what reply she was to give.

Rushbrook immediately fell upon his knees--"Oh! Lady Matilda," cried he,
"if you knew the sensations of my heart, you would not treat me with
this disdain."

"We can only judge of those sensations, Mr. Rushbrook," said Miss
Woodley, "by the effect they have upon your conduct; and while you
insult Lord and Lady Elmwood's daughter by an intrusion like this, and
then ridicule her abject state by mockeries like these----"

He rose from his knees instantly, and interrupted her, crying, "What can
I do? What am I to say, to make you change your opinion of me? While
Lord Elmwood has been at home, I have kept an awful distance; and though
every moment I breathed was a wish to cast myself at his daughter's
feet, yet as I feared, Miss Woodley, that you were incensed against me,
by what means was I to procure an interview but by stratagem or force?
This accident has given a third method, and I had not strength, I had
not courage, to let it pass. Lord Elmwood will soon return, and we may
both of us be hurried to town immediately--then how for a tedious winter
could I endure the reflexi