and Lady Belvedere at such times lived much
with her husband's brother, Mr. Arthur Rochfort, and his family. It is
said that some woman with whom Lord Belvedere had long been connected
was determined to make mischief between him and his wife. Eight years
after their marriage, Lady Belvedere was accused of adultery with Mr.
Rochfort: in an action of _crim. con._ damages to the extent of twenty
thousand pounds were given, and the defendant was obliged to fly the
country. For many years he lived abroad, but at length ventured to
return, when his brother caused him to be arrested, and he died in
confinement, protesting to the last, as did Lady Belvedere, his
innocence. For Lady Belvedere a terrible punishment for her alleged
misdeeds was in store. Her husband quitted Gaulston for a cheerful
retreat in another part of the county, and henceforth that gloomy
mansion became the prison-house of the unhappy countess.

When her imprisonment commenced Lady Belvedere was twenty-five. For
eighteen years she remained a prisoner. Her husband often visited
Gaulston, but uniformly avoided all personal communication with her.
Once she succeeded in speaking to him, but her entreaties were in vain,
and thenceforward, whenever he was about the grounds at Gaulston, the
attendant accompanying Lady Belvedere in her walks was instructed to
ring a bell to give warning of her approach. At length, after twelve
years of captivity, Lady Belvedere contrived to escape, but Lord
Belvedere, who had been apprised of the fact, reached her father's house
in Dublin before her, and she found that his representations had weighed
so strongly with Lord Molesworth--who had married a second time--that
orders had been given that she was not to be admitted. She then took a
very unfortunate step by repairing to the house of her friends, the wife
and family of the brother-in-law with whom she had been accused of being
guilty of misconduct, Mr. Rochfort himself being in exile. She was
presently seized and reconveyed to Gaulston, where a much more rigorous
treatment was henceforth pursued toward her. At length her husband's
death set her free.

Lady Belvedere passed the rest of her days in peace and comfort at the
house of her daughter and son-in-law, Lord and Lady Lanesborough. She
did not long survive her husband, and on her deathbed, after partaking
of the holy communion, affirmed with a most solemn oath her perfect
innocence of the crime for which she had suffered