thought that she was about to be importuned to
marry one for whom he might himself feel very deep and sincere
regard, on account of some high and noble qualities of the heart, but
whose wild and reckless libertinism could but make her miserable for
ever, the pain that he experienced caused him to turn very pale. The
next moment the blood rushed up again into his cheek, seeing Lord
Sherbrooke glance his eyes rapidly from the box in which she sat to
his countenance, and then to the box again.
At that very same moment, the Duke, who was the gentleman sitting on
the opposite side of the box, bent forward and whispered a few words
to his daughter: the blood suddenly rushed up into her cheek; and with
a look rather of anxiety and apprehension than anything else, she
turned her eyes instantly towards the spot where Wilton stood. Her
look was changed in a moment; for though she became quite pale, a
bright smile beamed forth from her lip; and though she put her hand
to her heart, she bowed markedly and graciously towards her young
acquaintance, directing instantly towards that spot the looks of all
the admirers who surrounded the box.
The words which the Duke spoke to her were very simple, but led to an
extraordinary mistake. He had in the morning communicated to her the
proposal which had been made for her marriage with Lord Sherbrooke,
and she, who had heard something of his character, had shrunk with
alarm from the very idea. When her father, however, now said to her,
"There is Lord Sherbrooke just opposite," and directed her attention
to the precise spot, her eyes instantly fell upon Wilton.
She recollected her father's observation in regard to the name he had
given at the inn being an assumed one: his fine commanding person,
his noble countenance, his lordly look, and the taste and fashion of
his dress, all made her for the moment believe that in him she beheld
the person proposed for her future husband. At the same time she
could not forget that he had rendered her an essential service. He
had displayed before her several of those qualities which peculiarly
draw forth the admiration of women--courage, promptitude, daring, and
skill; his conversation had delighted and surprised her; and to say
truth, he had created in her bosom during the short interview, such
prepossessions in his favour, that to her he was the person who now
solicited her hand, instead of the creature which her imagination had
portrayed as Lord Sherbrooke, was no small relief to her hear