tal or to some other
institution. How have I been deceived! But I shall take care in future
not to bestow my affection on those that have any expectations from me."

Rosamond, now very much frightened, declared that she could not take
such a message to her parents; and begged her aunt to screen her from
their displeasure, by not informing them of the communication she had so
indiscreetly made.

Her alarm and agitation were so great, that Mrs. Marbury consented, out
of pity, not to betray her to her father and mother; and to excuse
herself from going to church with them (which she declared she could
never do again) by alleging the heat of the weather, and the probable
crowd.

"And now, Rosamond," said her aunt Marbury, "do not think that I feel at
all obliged to you for having opened my eyes as to the manner in which
your parents really regard me. Their behaviour to me, as far as I could
judge for myself, has always been exactly what I wished it; and if
their kindness was not sincere, I still thought it so, and was happy in
being deceived. And now, after what you have told me, how can I again
think of them as I have hitherto done? You have acted basely towards
them in repeating their private conversation, and cruelly to your kind
aunt, in giving her unnecessary pain and mortification. You have caused
much mischief; and who has been the gainer? Not yourself certainly. You
have lost my good opinion, for I can never like a tell-tale. I had heard
something of your being addicted to this vice; but till now I could not
believe it. I shall not betray you to your parents, though you have so
shamefully betrayed _them_ to _me_. But you may rely on it, that sooner
or later the discovery will be made, to your utter shame and confusion.
Now you may go home, with the assurance that you can no longer be a
welcome visitor at my house."

Rosamond departed, overwhelmed with compunction; and in the resolution
(which she had so often made and so often broken) never again to be
guilty of a similar fault. She gave her aunt's message to her parents,
and Miss Leeson was invited to accompany them next day to church.

Two days after, Mrs. Evering went to visit Mrs. Marbury, and to her
great surprise heard from the servants that she had left town with some
western friends who were returning home; and that she purposed being
absent from Philadelphia five or six months; dividing her time among
various places on the other side of the Alleghanies