lost to her
sight, still her feelings towards the generous Hazeldean were not so
hard and blunted but what her own ingratitude added to her torment; and
it seemed as if the sole atonement she could make to him was to find
an excuse to withdraw her promise, and save him from herself. She had
caused Leonard's steps to be watched; she had found that he visited at
Lord Lansmere's; that he had gone there often, and stayed there long.
She had learned in the neighbourhood that Lady Lansmere had one or
two young female guests staying with her. Surely this was the
attraction--here was the rival!

Randal found Beatrice in a state of mind that answered his purpose;
and first turning his conversation on Harley, and noting that her
countenance did not change, by little and little he drew forth her
secret.

Then said Randal, gravely, "If one whom you honour with a tender thought
visits at Lord Lansmere's house, you have, indeed, cause to fear for
yourself, to hope for your brother's success in the object which has
brought him to England; for a girl of surpassing beauty is a guest in
Lord Lansmere's house, and I will now tell you that that girl is she
whom Count Peschiera would make his bride."

As Randal thus spoke, and saw how his listener's brow darkened and her
eye flashed, he felt that his accomplice was secured. Violante! Had not
Leonard spoken of Violante, and with such praise? Had not his boyhood
been passed under her eyes? Who but Violante could be the rival?
Beatrice's abrupt exclamations, after a moment's pause, revealed to
Randal the advantage he had gained. And partly by rousing her jealousy
into revenge, partly by flattering her love with assurances that,
if Violante were fairly removed from England, were the wife of Count
Peschiera, it would be impossible that Leonard could remain insensible
to her own attractions; that he, Randal, would undertake to free her
honourably from her engagement to Frank Hazeldean, and obtain from her
brother the acquittal of the debt which had first fettered her hand to
that confiding suitor,--he did not quit the marchesa until she had not
only promised to do all that Randal might suggest, but impetuously urged
him to mature his plans, and hasten the hour to accomplish them. Randal
then walked some minutes musing and slow along the streets, revolving
the next meshes in his elaborate and most subtle web. And here his craft
luminously devised its masterpiece.

It was necessary, during an