nce, have even then released him from
his bondage to the fiend, had time been allowed them to win gradually
upon the shyness and timidity of Mr Devereux's character, so as to
induce him to overstep the little weakness of that false pride which
shrank from disclosure of worldly difficulties, and exposure--such as no
doubt he had pictured to himself--to the humiliating comments of
contemptuous pity. Mr Heneage came, and such perpetual and vexatious
obstacles were thrown in the way of the neighbouring gentlemen, in all
their attempts at a renewal of social intercourse with Mr Devereux, that
one by one all relinquished their kindly hopes of serving him
effectually, though a few, like myself, persevered in seeing him as
often as we could obtain admission into that altered abode, where in
past days such a gracious and smiling welcome had ever greeted us. But I
fear our venerable friend derived little pleasure or comfort from these
almost intrusive visits. Courteously and kindly indeed he ever received
all who approached him; and to the few who had been particularly
distinguished by his friendship and that of Mrs Eleanor, there was even
a more touching expression--one of grateful tenderness in his accustomed
affectionateness of manner. But the exertion of conversation, absorbed
as he was by corroding cares and fatal concealments, was evidently a
painful effort to him, and he often sunk, even while his friends were
endeavouring to engage his attention, into fits of sad abstraction,
broken unconsciously by such deep-fetched sighs as went to the heart of
those who were powerless to comfort. Little was even yet known of the
real nature of those transactions between our venerable friend and his
kinsman, which had wrought such lamentable change in him, and all
connected with him; but whispers got abroad that Mr Devereux's
circumstances were in a very dilapidated state, and that there was even
a possibility, if his life were spared beyond a certain period, that the
old man might be driven forth from the home of his ancestors, to seek
some meaner shelter for his grey head, before it was laid to rest in the
vault of the Devereuxs.

Mr Heneage began to assume more arbitrary authority over the
establishment at the Hall--conducting himself with an insolence of
manner so disgusting to the old respectable servants, that, by degrees,
all dropped off except Hallings and his wife, and a white-headed
coachman, whose devoted fidelity strengthene