uld she condemn it to misery, and herself to
everlasting reproach, if not to equal woe?

"You are mistaken, my lord," she said, proudly, after a severe struggle
with herself. "Lay not to my charge the loss of your happiness. I was
not aware till this instant that it depended--" She stopped abruptly,
for the natural modesty of her disposition prevented more, indignant as
she was at the confirmation of Annie's suspicions.

Lord Alphingham saw his advantage, and pursued it.

"How!" he exclaimed, in an accent of astonishment and ecstasy well
combined. "Have you too been deceived, and my proposals rejected without
having been laid before you? Can it be possible? Oh, speak again, my
beloved Caroline! tell me I have not been too presuming--that I may hope
that my long-cherished visions are not false. You will not, oh, you will
not condemn me to misery--you will not reject my heart, and send me
despairing from your feet. Caroline, my beloved, my beautiful! say that
you will be merciful--say that you love me--that I love not alone; oh,
say, promise me you will be mine, and come what will we shall be happy."

She heard, and her heart throbbed and her brain reeled; in the
infatuation of that moment, all, all was forgotten, save the persuasions
of Annie, his pleading eloquence, the wild impulse of her own blinded
fancy; the fatal promise passed her lips--she was pledged to be his own.
A few minutes she listened to his impassioned thanks, his words of
devoted love, then suddenly starting back--

"My father!" she exclaimed, and burst into a passionate flood of tears.

"Nay, weep not, my beloved, my own! let not a mere shadow, for such in
this instance is duty, alloy the felicity that will be ours. His consent
will in time be given; fear not, when he sees you happy, when he sees my
only care, my every thought is for your welfare, that his forgiveness
for involuntary disobedience will be granted, and his unjust and cruel
prejudices against me will pass away, for he will find they were indeed
but fancy; and if he continues obdurate, oh, how rejoiced I shall be to
have withdrawn my Caroline from his stern guardianship. Already has he
deceived you; and can he then expect implicit obedience to unjust and
unfounded commands on your part? Cheer up, my best love, fear not; trust
to my affection, and all will be well."

But still she wept, even though Lord Alphingham continued this strain of
consolation for some little time longer. Feari