lifted up her hands to Heaven exclaiming, with
a burst of tears, "And is this the end of thee, my poor child? Is this
the end of all our hopes?--of thy own fearful hopes--and of thy mother's
supplications! Oh! Lord Elmwood! Lord Elmwood!"

At that name Matilda started, and cried, "Where is he? Is it a dream, or
have I seen him?"

"It is all a dream, my dear," said Miss Woodley.

"And yet I thought he held me in his arms," she replied--"I thought I
felt his hands press mine.--Let me sleep and dream again."

Now thinking it best to undeceive her, "It is no dream, my dear,"
returned Miss Woodley.

"Is it not?" cried she, starting up and leaning on her elbow--"Then I
suppose I must go away--go for ever away."

Sandford now entered. Having been told the news, he came to condole--but
at the sight of him Matilda was terrified, and cried, "Do not reproach
me, do not upbraid me--I know I have done wrong--I know I had but one
command from my father, and that I have disobeyed."

Sandford could not reproach her, for he could not speak; he therefore
only walked to the window and concealed his tears.

That whole day and night was passed in sympathetic grief, in alarm at
every sound, lest it should be a messenger to pronounce Matilda's
destiny.

Lord Elmwood did not stay upon this visit above three hours at Elmwood
House; he then set off again for the seat he had left; where Rushbrook
still remained, and from whence his Lordship had merely come by
accident, to look over some writings which he wanted dispatched to town.

During his short continuance here, Sandford cautiously avoided his
presence; for he thought, in a case like this, what nature would not of
herself effect, no art, no arguments of his, could accomplish: to Nature
and Providence he left the whole. What these two powerful principles
brought about, the reader will judge, when he peruses the following
letter, received early the next morning by Miss Woodley.

A

SIMPLE STORY,

IN FOUR VOLUMES,

BY

MRS. INCHBALD.

VOL. IV.

_THE FOURTH EDITION._

LONDON:

Printed for G. G. and J. ROBINSON,

PATERNOSTER ROW.

1799.

A SIMPLE STORY.

CHAPTER I.

_A letter from Giffard, Lord Elmwood's House Steward, to Miss Woodley._

"MADAM,

"My Lord, above a twelvemonth ago, acquainted me he had permitted his
daughter to reside in his house; but at the same time he informed me,
the grant was under a certain restri