gh baffled in this quarter, the young gentleman would not despair;
but forthwith employed Mr. Ferret in an application to another of the
society; who, after having heard the terms of his commission, desired him
to tell his principal, that he could do nothing without the concurrence
of his partner, who happened to be at that time in one of our American
plantations. A third being solicited, excused himself on account of an
oath which he had lately taken on the back of a considerable loss. A
fourth being tried, made answer, that it was not in his way. And a fifth
candidly owned, that he never lent money without proper security.

Thus the forlorn Renaldo tried every experiment without success, and now
saw the last ray of hope extinguished. Well-nigh destitute of present
support, and encompassed with unrelenting duns, he was obliged to keep
within doors, and seek some comfort in the conversation of his charming
mistress, and his faithful friend; yet, even there, he experienced the
extremest rigour of adverse fate. Every rap at the door alarmed him with
the expectation of some noisy tradesman demanding payment. When he
endeavoured to amuse himself with drawing, some unlucky feature of the
occasional portrait recalled the image of an obdurate creditor, and made
him tremble at the work of his own hands. When he fled for shelter to
the flattering creation of fancy, some abhorred idea always started up
amidst the gay vision, and dissolved the pleasing enchantment.--Even the
seraphic voice of Monimia had no longer power to compose the anxious
tumults of his mind. Every song she warbled, every tune she played,
recalled to his remembrance some scene of love and happiness elapsed; and
overwhelmed his soul with the woful comparison of past and present fate.
He saw all that was amiable and perfect in woman, all that he held most
dear and sacred upon earth, tottering on the brink of misery, without
knowing the danger of her situation, and found himself unable to prevent
her fall, or even to forewarn her of the peril; for as we have already
observed, his soul could not brook the thought of communicating the
tidings of distress to the tender-hearted Monimia.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

RENALDO'S DISTRESS DEEPENS, AND FATHOM'S PLOT THICKENS.

Such aggravated misfortune could not fail to affect his temper and
deportment. The continual efforts he made to conceal his vexation
produced a manifest distraction in his behaviour and di