On the arrival of I&longs;abelle and her daughter in
London, they were committed to clo&longs;e consinement;
though by the care of Howard, who&longs;e power
kept the eccle&longs;ia&longs;tics at a di&longs;tance, they were treated
with re&longs;pect.

The en&longs;uing morning I&longs;abelle was ordered to attend
the queen. With a mo&longs;t threatening a&longs;pect did Mary
interrogate her on the &longs;ubject of Henry Dudley's escape,
and demanded to know where &longs;he had &longs;ent him.
The widow of Arundel was inflexible. She only

[figure description] Page 098.[end figure description]

replied, that &longs;he had &longs;ent him to a place of &longs;afety; that
in &longs;o doing &longs;he only conceived &longs;he had performed her
duty, &longs;ince, being her&longs;elf convinced of the errors of
the Catholic per&longs;ua&longs;ion, &longs;he had given by letter a solemn
promi&longs;e to his dying mother, that whil&longs;t &longs;he lived,
Henry &longs;hould be carefully in&longs;tructed in the tenets of
the reformed religion.

Irritated beyond expre&longs;&longs;ion by the noble firmne&longs;s,
which the termed ob&longs;tinacy, of the lady I&longs;abelle, Mary
commanded her from her pre&longs;ence; at the &longs;ame time
giving orders for her to be put to the torture, to force
a confe&longs;&longs;ion from her. But Gardiner, who was present,
and conceived this would be an impolitic mea&longs;ure
of the queen's, humbly entreated a few days might be
allowed for reflection. “Perhaps, mo&longs;t gracious sovereign,”
&longs;aid the de&longs;igning prelate, “your royal clemency
may have a more powerful effect on the generous
mind of lady Arundel, than rigour; and the
power of gratitude may draw from her a &longs;ecret,
which the mo&longs;t cruel tortures might not effect.

I&longs;abelle was preparing to &longs;peak again, but Howard,
who feared &longs;he might too far irritate the queen,
and trembling for the fate of Columbia, hurried her
out of the pre&longs;ence. Having committed her to the
guards, who waited to re-conduct her to pri&longs;on,
he returned to the queen, and informed her of his
pa&longs;&longs;ion for the daughter of the haughty I&longs;abelle.
“She is young, royal madam,” &longs;aid he, “and if I can
judge of her di&longs;po&longs;ition by her countenance, might be
ea&longs;ily converted to the true religion; for &longs;he appears
all compliance, affability and gentlene&longs;s. Permit
me to try to bring her over to our party. When
once convinced of the errors of the faith &longs;he now professes,
it will become a point of con&longs;cience with her
to retrieve young Dudley from his pre&longs;ent lo&longs;t &longs;tate.”

“I &longs;uppo&longs;e this girl is hand&longs;ome?” &longs;aid Mary.
“I &longs;hould call her &longs;uperlatively &longs;o, had I never &longs;een
your maje&longs;ty,” replied Howard, bowing profoundly.

Mary, though at this period pa&longs;t her forticth year,
naturally plain in her per&longs;on, and now more than ever
&longs;o from the ravages of a de&longs;ea&longs;e which daily gained

[figure description] Page 099.[end figure description]

ground and began to give &longs;ome very alarming symptoms,
was &longs;till open to the voice of &longs;tattery. The
compliment of Howard had an in&longs;tantaneous effect on
her temper. She &longs;miled, and told him &longs;he would &longs;ee
this paragon. “I will conver&longs;e with her my&longs;elf,”
&longs;aid &longs;he, “and endeavour to draw her by per&longs;ua&longs;ive
arguments to the true faith. But if I fail, let her and
her proud mother beware. Her beauty &longs;hall not &longs;ave
them; they &longs;hall &longs;ubmit to the puni&longs;hment appointed
for ob&longs;tinate heretics.”

Columbia had &longs;uffered almo&longs;t a martyrdom in the
ab&longs;ence of her mother; a thou&longs;and fears had distracted
her. Sometimes &longs;he imagined &longs;he &longs;hould never &longs;ee
her again; that the furious queen, provoked by her
refu&longs;al to di&longs;cover the retreat of Henry Dudley,
would doom her immediately to the &longs;take; then
would &longs;he wring her hands, and utter the mo&longs;t piercing
lamentation, in which &longs;he was joined by Mina, who&longs;e
di&longs;tre&longs;s was the more poignant, as it was mingled with
&longs;elf-accu&longs;ation. At length &longs;he beheld her return, and
her joy was for a few moments as wild as had been
her &longs;orrow.

I&longs;abelle was convinced within her own mind, that
the hour drew near in which &longs;he would be called upon
to &longs;eal her faith with her blood, and endeavoured to
arm her&longs;elf with patience and fortitude for the expected
trial. Every ha&longs;ty &longs;tep &longs;he heard, every unusual
noi&longs;e that i&longs;&longs;ued from the &longs;treet, &longs;he imagined was
the me&longs;&longs;enger of her fate. But &longs;he carefully concealed
the&longs;e thoughts from her daughter, thinking to &longs;ave
her the mi&longs;ery of hourly expecting an event that
would leave her an unprotected orphan, and which,
however &longs;he might lament, &longs;he had no power either
to prevent or retard.

They partook but &longs;paringly of a repa&longs;t that was
brought them, when I&longs;abelle endeavoured to divert
her own and Columbia's melancholy by conver&longs;ation;
at the &longs;ame time &longs;electing tho&longs;e &longs;ubjects which might
tend to &longs;trengthen and fortify their minds again&longs;t impending
misfortune.

[figure description] Page 100.[end figure description]

The afternoon was not more than half worn, when
Howard arrived with the queen's mandate for Columbia
to repair forthwith to the palace. It was then the
tender mother had need of all her fortitude. In vain
&longs;he pleaded to be permitted to go with her child; it
was contrary to the commands of Mary.

Finding entreaty fruitle&longs;s, &longs;he embraced her with
tenderne&longs;s, and &longs;aid, “Remember, my child, thy mother's
happine&longs;s depends on thee. Oh beware! Suffer no
temptation, however great, to draw thee from thy duty
to thy Creator. No, Columbia, not even to &longs;ave
the life of thy mother, let thy faith be &longs;haken. If I
mu&longs;t &longs;uffer, let me at lea&longs;t have the con&longs;olation of reflecting,
in my la&longs;t hours, that my child preferred misery
to apo&longs;tacy.”

“Fear me not, beloved parent,” replied Columbia, returning
her embrace, “I can never forget the noble
examples of firmne&longs;s and re&longs;olution &longs;et me by my ancestors;
and if the remembrance of tho&longs;e &longs;hould fail to
animate me, I will think that my failure in &longs;o important
a point would call a blu&longs;h into the face of my
mother; and that would give me &longs;trength to withstand
all temptation, however alluring, and de&longs;y all
threats, all tortures, however terrible to human nature.
Pray for me, my mother, pray for your poor child.” She
&longs;ell on her mother's neck, and &longs;obbed aloud. Howard
re-a&longs;&longs;ured them, by pledging his &longs;olemn word, that
no evil was intended; and taking her reluctant hand,
led her from her mother into the pre&longs;ence of the
queen.

Columbia, though endowed with all the rigid virtues
that &longs;o eminently adorned her mother, yet had
an appearance of more &longs;oftne&longs;s; and the awe a young
per&longs;on, totally unacquainted with the forms of courts,
as well as of the world in general, might be &longs;uppo&longs;ed
to feel on finding her&longs;elf in the pre&longs;ence of her sovereign,
and that &longs;overeign incen&longs;ed again&longs;t her, gave
her an air of timidity and humility highly gratifying
to the pride of Mary.

The queen que&longs;tioned her concerning the departure
of young Dudley. “He went away with a &longs;ervant

[figure description] Page 101.[end figure description]

belonging to a particular friend of my mother's,” &longs;aid
&longs;he, “who wi&longs;hed me to have gone too, but my love
for the be&longs;t of parents, and my con&longs;cience, which told
me I &longs;hould be wanting in filial duty, prevented my
embracing the propo&longs;al.”

“Con&longs;cience?” &longs;aid Mary, fiercely, “the con&longs;cience
of a heretic cannot be &longs;uppo&longs;ed very tender; tell me,
are you not a heretic?”

“I do not under&longs;tand the meaning of the appellation,”
replied Columbia mildly.

“I will endeavour to explain it to you,” &longs;aid the
queen; “come, child, be not alarmed. I will talk
with you a little on religious matters. Your ignorance
is really pitiable, but it is more your misfortune
than your fault.”

“I humbly pray your maje&longs;ty to pardon me,” replied
Columbia; “I am a weak girl, and totally inadequate
to the ta&longs;k of &longs;peaking on &longs;o reverend a subject,
e&longs;pecially before a per&longs;on of your maje&longs;ty's superior
under&longs;tanding and exten&longs;ive erudition I have
hitherto lived a peaceful, happy life, unknowing and
unknown; where, to the extent of my abilities, I have
endeavoured, &longs;trengthened as I was by the example
of a re&longs;pectable mother, to di&longs;charge my duty both to
my Creator and my fellow creatures. I be&longs;eech your
maje&longs;ty, &longs;uffer me to return to that calm retirement,
where the remainder of my days may glide on in obscurity,
and my name pa&longs;s quietly into oblivion.”

“I fear,” &longs;aid Mary, “you entertain erroneous ideas
of your duties, both moral and religious. Your faith
and mine are different.” Columbia was &longs;ilent. “I
will appoint &longs;ome holy men to vi&longs;it your mother in
her retirement,” continued the queen, “and they &longs;hall
al&longs;o in&longs;truct you in the tenets of our holy church.
Are you willing to be in&longs;tructed and converted?”

“I am willing to be in&longs;tructed by wife and good
per&longs;ons,” replied Columbia; “I will li&longs;ten to them
with patience; and if my rea&longs;on is convinced—”

“It mu&longs;t, it will be convinced,” &longs;aid the queen,
eagerly, “unle&longs;s you wilfully &longs;hut your eyes and ears.”

[figure description] Page 102.[end figure description]

“And that I hope I never &longs;hall do,” &longs;aid Columbia,
fervently, “again&longs;t the light of truth.”

Mary was &longs;atisfied, and di&longs;mi&longs;&longs;ed her, and &longs;he was
conveyed by the guards to the arms of her impatient
and anxious mother.

Both Howard and the queen from this interview entertained
&longs;anguine hopes of converting Columbia.
They did not perceive that all her an&longs;wers were ambiguous,
and might have been explained in a very different
&longs;en&longs;e than the one they took them in.

Howard &longs;eized the favourable moment of the
queen's good humour, to reque&longs;t the charge of the
pri&longs;oners might devolve on him. “I have a hou&longs;e,
mo&longs;t gracious &longs;overeign,” &longs;aid he, “not far from London;
&longs;ome of the apartments have heretofore been
u&longs;ed as a &longs;tate pri&longs;on. Suffer me to convey the widow
of Arundel and her daughter thither; I will an&longs;wer
for their being kept in &longs;afe cu&longs;tody, with my life. In
the mean time, my confe&longs;&longs;or, with whatever other ecclesiastic
your maje&longs;ty may plea&longs;e to appoint, can vi&longs;it
them every day.”

“I &longs;ee,” &longs;aid the queen with a half &longs;mile, “you wi&longs;h
to have an opportunity of pro&longs;ecuting your &longs;uit to the
fair daughter of Arundel without interruption. Well,
be it as you de&longs;ire; into your charge I commit them,
and at the hazard of your head,” continued &longs;he, sternly,
“be they forth coming whenever I demand them.
For by the crown of my ance&longs;tors I &longs;wear, they &longs;hall
not e&longs;cape my vengeance, unle&longs;s they renounce their
heretical opinions, and give up young Dudley to my
power.”

Howard, plea&longs;ed that by this manœuvre he had got
the per&longs;on of Columbia entirely in his power, thanked
the queen for her conde&longs;cen&longs;ion, reiterated promi&longs;es of
not permitting them to e&longs;cape, and ha&longs;tened to the
place of their con&longs;inement, where he informed the lady
I&longs;abelle and her daughter, that he had prevailed on
the queen to let him remove them to a man&longs;ion of his
own, not far from London. “You will there,” &longs;aid
he, “have the benefit of the air, and the indulgence of
&longs;ometimes exerci&longs;ing your&longs;elf in the garden. But I

[figure description] Page 103.[end figure description]

have obtained this favour at the hazard of your displeasure;
for I have promi&longs;ed the queen that you will
daily conver&longs;e with eccle&longs;ia&longs;tics of the Catholic persuasion.
Your patience one moment, dear lady,” &longs;eeing
I&longs;abelle was about to reply, “it is what you mu&longs;t
&longs;ubmit to if you remain here. Let me on my knees
entreat you, then, to &longs;uffer me to convey you, and
this angel your daughter, out of the reach of the tyranny
of Mary. Whil&longs;t you remain &longs;ecluded in her
palace, the in&longs;truments of her power may, in the dead
of night, ru&longs;h in and &longs;acrifice you to her vengeance;
put under my roof you will at lea&longs;t be &longs;ecure from
&longs;udden in&longs;ult and &longs;urpri&longs;e, and &longs;hould &longs;he menace your
precious lives, I will pre&longs;erve them at the hazard of
my own.”

“Howard,” &longs;aid I&longs;abelle, “I would &longs;ain believe
your profe&longs;&longs;ions are &longs;incere; but when I remember who
betrayed us into the power of the queen, how can I?”

This was the fir&longs;t moment Howard had &longs;u&longs;pected
that Mina had di&longs;covered his frequent vi&longs;its at Au&longs;
tenbury Ca&longs;tle. He had &longs;trove &longs;everal times, during
their journey, to draw her apart from her ladies, but
in vain. She had always carefully avoided him. But
this he thought proceeded from her fears of awakening
&longs;u&longs;picion; nor did he once imagine &longs;he would confide
an intercour&longs;e, that would appear &longs;o much to her disadvantage,
to the ear of a woman &longs;o rigidly virtuous
as I&longs;abelle. It is true, I&longs;abelle was rigid in her own
practice; but &longs;he always made a ju&longs;t di&longs;tinction between
the errors incident to human nature, and premeditated
guilt. For the folly of Mina, &longs;he found an
excu&longs;e in her &longs;implicity, and ignorance of the world;
but for the art and &longs;eduction practi&longs;ed by Howard,
&longs;he felt only contempt and horror.

“What reliance,” continued &longs;he, &longs;ted&longs;a&longs;tly fixing
her eyes on his face, “what reliance can I place on
the word of a man, who by flattering promi&longs;es drew
an artle&longs;s, innocent girl to her ruin, whil&longs;t from the openness
of her un&longs;u&longs;pecting nature, he learnt &longs;ecrets, the
divulging of which has plunged her only friends and
benefactors in unavoidable de&longs;truction?”

[figure description] Page 104.[end figure description]

The cheel of Howard glowed with the crim&longs;on tint
of &longs;hame. The penetrating eye, the forcible voice of
I&longs;abelle, &longs;unk to his heart.

“I have been to blame,” &longs;aid he, in accents scarcely
audible, “but do not too ha&longs;tily condemn me.
Allow &longs;omething to the impetuo&longs;ity of youthful passion;
and if, betrayed by an enthu&longs;ia&longs;tic partiality to
the religion in which I was educated, I ha&longs;tened to inform
my &longs;overeign where &longs;he might find the offspring
of Dudley and lady Jane, let it be &longs;ome expiation of
my error, that I am &longs;everely puni&longs;hed in having unintentionally
involved two ladies in misfortune, who, to
every grace that can excite admiration, unite every
virtue that &longs;hould command e&longs;teem. Let not, I beseech
you, the di&longs;covery of my errors blind you to
what is ab&longs;olutely nece&longs;&longs;ary to your own intere&longs;t and
&longs;afety, nor, by ob&longs;tinately refu&longs;ing the a&longs;ylum I offer,
heap fre&longs;h guilt upon me, by making me in a manner
acce&longs;&longs;ory to your death, and that of your lovely
daughter. The beauty and innocence of the fair Columbia
have already awakened in the brea&longs;t of Mary
a malignant &longs;pirit, which &longs;he will be glad to gratify
by &longs;acrificing her to her pretended zeal; for your
daughter has already expre&longs;&longs;ed her attachment to the
reformed religion, in terms too pointed to be overlooked.
Another interview with the queen, and &longs;he
will be lo&longs;t beyond recovery.”

Howard pau&longs;ed for an an&longs;wer. The mind of Isabelle
was in a &longs;tate of agony. Her own life would
have been nothing; &longs;he would have de&longs;pi&longs;ed the protection
of Howard, and undauntedly braved the power
of the queen; but her child, her darling Columbia,
her fate, perhaps, hung on her an&longs;wer. She was within
the reach of the bigotted queen, Howard might protect,
might &longs;ave her. What mother, in &longs;uch a ca&longs;e,
could he&longs;itate?

I&longs;abelle bowed her head, and, in a voice tremulous
through fear and &longs;tifled indignation, a&longs;&longs;ented to his
propo&longs;al. A &longs;hort time &longs;ufficed for preparation, and
that very night they &longs;lept in the hou&longs;e of Howard,
at Ham&longs;tead, if &longs;leep it could be called, when to their

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anxiety was added the di&longs;appearance of Mina.
came with them to the hou&longs;e, retired after they
taken &longs;ome refre&longs;hment, and when the hour of re&longs;t
, was not to be found. Howard was &longs;u&longs;pected
I&longs;abelle, but Howard had departed with the &longs;etting
, and could not be que&longs;tioned.

At the fir&longs;t appearance of day, Columbia aro&longs;e;
for the fir&longs;t time, eagerly counted the hours that
mo&longs;t probably intervene before &longs;he could hope to
Howard. The morning wore heavily away; I&longs;abelle
dejected and unea&longs;y; her daughter endeavoured
her own painful &longs;en&longs;ations, that &longs;he might di
the anxiety of her mother.

About noon, their attention was arou&longs;ed by the en
of two eccle&longs;ia&longs;tics, who were appointed by
queen to vi&longs;it, exhort, and endeavour to convert
two pri&longs;eners. I&longs;abelle heard them in &longs;ilence.
was &longs;everal times on the point of replying;
a reproving look from her mother repre&longs;&longs;ed her
before her lips could give them utterance.

At the conclu&longs;ion of the conference, the widow of
ventured to inquire of the&longs;e religious men
they had any knowledge of the fate of Mina; but
received from them a &longs;tern reproof, and was bid
more of eternal and le&longs;s of temporal things,
de&longs;tiny was as yet undetermined, and it remain
with her&longs;elf whether a few days would rein
her in her late hu&longs;band's forfeited e&longs;tates and
, or &longs;ign the mandate for her death.

When the prie&longs;ts left her, the fortitude of I&longs;abelle
entirely to for&longs;ake her. She threw her arms
and the neck of her daughter, and gave way to an
gu&longs;h of tears. Columbia, unprotected,
on the bounty, and liable to be en&longs;nared by
artifice of Howard, was pictured to her imagina
in colours &longs;o &longs;trong, that &longs;he could not &longs;upport
idea.

Thus mi&longs;erably did day after day wear on, diver&longs;i
only by the tedious exhortations of the monks,
the agonizing feelings of &longs;u&longs;pen&longs;e and apprehen
. A fortnight was now pa&longs;t, and they had not

[figure description] Page 106.[end figure description]

once &longs;een Howard. They were attended with respectful
a&longs;&longs;iduity; they had but to name a wi&longs;h, and it
was in&longs;tantly complied with. And only that they
were not permitted to pa&longs;s the boundaries of the garden
wall, their &longs;ituation might have been thought enviable.

The charms of autumn were now beginning to fade,
and winter was rapidly approaching, when one evening,
after a chilly walk to the extremity of the avenue
of ancient elms that fronted the hou&longs;e, as I&longs;abelle
and her daughter were &longs;itting down to their repa&longs;t,
experiencing &longs;ome &longs;mall degree of comfort, in the
neatne&longs;s of their apartment, and the cheerful blaze of
a wood fire that glowed on the hearth, they were
&longs;tartled by a loud knocking at the gate, and in le&longs;s
than two minutes Howard &longs;tood before them. Spite
of the rea&longs;ons they had for di&longs;liking him, yet their
long &longs;eclu&longs;ion from all &longs;ociety, (except the persecuting
zealots who daily vi&longs;ited and tormented them) the
many comforts they had through his means enjoyed,
and the earne&longs;t wi&longs;h they had to inquire after the fate
of Mina, gave to their countenances an air of plea&longs;ure
that was not altogether foreign to their hearts. Isabelle
aro&longs;e from her &longs;eat as he entered; Columbia advanced
two or three &longs;teps towards him, and half extended
her hand to welcome him. The&longs;e tokens of
joy at his appearance, thrilled to the enraptured heart
of Howard. He eagerly &longs;prang forward, caught the
half-reluctant hand, and, dropping on one knee, imprinted
on it a fervent ki&longs;s. The action recalled their
momentarily forgotten dignity; the features of I&longs;abelle
a&longs;&longs;umed their u&longs;ual &longs;rigidity. Columbia blu&longs;hed scarlet
deep, and putting him from her with a rejecting
motion, “Ri&longs;e, Sir,” &longs;aid &longs;he, “nor, by affected humility,
in&longs;ult your pri&longs;oners.”

Howard now ha&longs;tened to inform them, that, anxious
only for their &longs;afety, he had been a&longs;&longs;iduous in his
court to the queen, and, bribing the prie&longs;ts to conceal
the ill &longs;ucce&longs;s of their endeavours, he had per&longs;uaded
Mary that there was more than probable hopes of
their conver&longs;ion. “But I fear,” continued he, “I

[figure description] Page 107.[end figure description]

&longs;hall not long be able to elude her &longs;u&longs;picious vigilance.
She this afternoon hinted &longs;omething of recalling you
to London, examining you her&longs;elf, and accordingly
as &longs;he found you inclined, either receive you into the
bo&longs;om of the church, or give orders for your immediate
execution.”

“Then our fate is inevitable,” &longs;aid I&longs;abelle, with as
much firmne&longs;s as &longs;he could a&longs;&longs;ume. Columbia ca&longs;t a
look of unutterable tenderne&longs;s at her mother, and,
ga&longs;ping to &longs;uppre&longs;s the angui&longs;h of her heart, cried,
“Yes, my mother, we will die together.”

“Not &longs;o,” &longs;aid Howard, &longs;truck with the magnanimity
of the two charming women; “not &longs;o. My
employment at court, which places me almo&longs;t immediately
about the per&longs;on of the queen, gives me an
opportunity of knowing her de&longs;igns almo&longs;t as &longs;oon as
&longs;he conceives them. I will attentively watch her;
not a command &longs;hall be i&longs;&longs;ued forth of which I will
not learn the motive and intent; and &longs;hould I find
her aim at the lives of my lovely, my e&longs;teemed prisoners,
I will deliver them from her power, or die in their
defence.”

I&longs;abelle ejaculated an expre&longs;&longs;ion of gratitude, and
Columbia, in tremulous accents, ventured to inquire
after Mina. But Howard, with a look of &longs;urpri&longs;e,
prote&longs;ted his entire ignorance of her ab&longs;ence in terms
&longs;o po&longs;itive, that it appeared impo&longs;&longs;ible any longer to
doubt his veracity.

The remainder of the evening was &longs;pent in &longs;ocial
conver&longs;e. He inquired if they had all the accommodations
they wi&longs;hed, and if their commands had been
readily obeyed by their attendants? On taking leave,
he reque&longs;ted them to be con&longs;tantly ready for a removal,
as he &longs;hould take care to give them early notice of
impending danger, and provide them with hor&longs;es and
attendants to facilitate their e&longs;cape.

After this vi&longs;it, their time was pa&longs;&longs;ed in the u&longs;ual
way, till the morning of the &longs;eventh of November;
when, ju&longs;t before day, Howard arrived, attended by a
numerous retinue, and, hurrying I&longs;abelle and Columbia
from their beds, told them the moment &longs;o long

[figure description] Page 108.[end figure description]

dreaded was at hand, and nothing but immediate
flight could &longs;ave them. They aro&longs;e with precipitation,
and mounting the hor&longs;es that &longs;tood ready for
them, proceeded, with all the expedition their &longs;trength
would permit, to the borders of the kingdom next the
&longs;ea on the coa&longs;t of Suffolk, where, in a mutilated fortress,
(a very &longs;mall part of which was habitable) Howard
reque&longs;ted them to repo&longs;e, till, as he &longs;aid, a ve&longs;&longs;el
&longs;hould arrive, the ma&longs;ter of which had orders to meet
them there, to convey them in &longs;afety to Holland, Germany,
or &longs;ome place of &longs;ecurity.

Fatigued, di&longs;pirited, and ill, I&longs;abelle attended but
little to the de&longs;olate appearance of their habitation, or
the few accommodations they were likely to meet with
in this &longs;olitary place. A numerous a&longs;&longs;emblage of
male dome&longs;tics had attended them on their journey;
but they &longs;aw only one female throughout the whole
dreary man&longs;ion, and &longs;he was almo&longs;t in&longs;en&longs;ible through
age and infirmity, being quite deaf and nearly blind.
However, &longs;he performed the mo&longs;t menial offices, and
I&longs;abelle was too intent on the mi&longs;eries of her &longs;ituation,
and the danger to which Columbia would be expo&longs;ed,
&longs;hould they be di&longs;covered and forced back to the court
of Mary, to feel any of tho&longs;e inconveniencies, which
in her more pro&longs;perous days would have appeared intolerable.

All hope of a departure from England during the
winter &longs;ea&longs;on &longs;oon vani&longs;hed; the weather became uncommonly
tempe&longs;tuous, the &longs;now fell in great quantities,
and the fro&longs;t was inten&longs;e. Howard was the
con&longs;tant inmate of their gloomy man&longs;ion; for, under
pretence that his life was in danger on account of his
having aided their e&longs;cape, he &longs;ecluded him&longs;elf with
them, and declared his intention to accompany them,
whenever the weather would permit them to depart.

During the dreary months of December and January,
he endeavoured, by amu&longs;ing conver&longs;ation, and a
di&longs;play of the various accompli&longs;hments of which he
was ma&longs;ter, at once to divert the melancholy of the
lady I&longs;abelle, and awaken the attention of Columbia.
But he pre&longs;ently perceived his endeavours were

[figure description] Page 109.[end figure description]

inefeffectual; the de&longs;pondency of the mother daily increased,
till it almo&longs;t bordered on de&longs;pair, and every
tender emotion of the daughter's heart was excited by
hope, fear, and con&longs;tant anxiety for the fate of the absent
Sir Egbert Gorges.

This di&longs;covery once made, it became the bu&longs;ine&longs;s of
Howard to undermine a pa&longs;&longs;ion which militated &longs;o
powerfully again&longs;t his &longs;ucce&longs;s. To this end, he frequently
pretended to receive private news from London,
and among&longs;t other incidents, related one day, in
a &longs;eemingly carele&longs;s manner, that a number of heretics
had been executed, naming &longs;everal, and at la&longs;t Sir
Egbert.

Columbia was pre&longs;ent; he eyed her attentively.
She did not &longs;hriek, &longs;he did not faint; but the blood
for&longs;ook her lips and cheeks, her heart beat violently,
&longs;he rai&longs;ed her &longs;weet eyes mournfully to his face, and
attempted to a&longs;k a confirmation of the fatal tidings.
But the words died upon her tongue; &longs;he &longs;truggled in
vain to give them utterance; her voice was inarticulate.
She cla&longs;ped her hands, leaned her head on her
mother's &longs;houlder, and large tears rolled in &longs;low and
&longs;ilent &longs;ucce&longs;&longs;ion down her cold cheeks. Such mute
grief, &longs;uch &longs;igns of real angui&longs;h, moved the heart of
Howard. He attempted to comfort her; but I&longs;abelle
waved him from the apartment; when taking her
daughter tenderly in her arms, &longs;he &longs;oothed, con&longs;oled,
and &longs;ympathized with her, till her tears flowed more
freely, and by degrees &longs;he became compo&longs;ed.

Howard had always been open in his declaration of
love for Columbia; it was therefore not &longs;urpri&longs;ing that
he continued his &longs;uit, or that, being thus con&longs;tantly in
her &longs;ociety, he &longs;hould plead his pa&longs;&longs;ion with more than
common fervour. She in general heard him in silence;
but if pre&longs;&longs;ed to an&longs;wer, her reply was always
that her heart was dead to affection.

He applied to I&longs;abelle; &longs;he urged the difference of
their religions, even was Columbia inclined to favour
him. He promi&longs;ed &longs;he &longs;hould never be di&longs;turbed in
the free exerci&longs;e of her religious duties, according to
what &longs;he thought right; and I&longs;abelle, worn out by

[figure description] Page 110.[end figure description]

con&longs;tant anxiety, feeling her health daily decline,
firmly believing Sir Egbert Gorges dead, and wi&longs;hing
to &longs;ecure for her child a noble and powerful protector,
at length &longs;eemed inclined to li&longs;ten to him, and to plead
his cau&longs;e with Columbia.

The advice and rea&longs;onings of her mother ever had
due weight with this amiable girl; and though whenever
her parent mentioned, that in all human probability,
a few months would put a period to her existence,
&longs;he would mentally offer up a prayer, that her
own life might terminate in the very &longs;ame moment
with that of her maternal friend. Yet as &longs;he &longs;aw her
mother &longs;ecretly wi&longs;hed to &longs;ee her united to Howard,
&longs;he endeavoured to di&longs;po&longs;e her mind for &longs;uch a union,
tacitly con&longs;ented to li&longs;ten to his &longs;uit, and at the commencement
of the en&longs;uing &longs;ummer, to give him her
hand.

With &longs;low and tardy &longs;teps winter receded; and
&longs;pring began to &longs;how her &longs;miling face, and wreath her
mode&longs;t brows with &longs;now-drops, crocu&longs;es, and primroses.
All nature &longs;eemed to wear a cheerful a&longs;pect;
but the heart of Columbia partook not of the hilarity
the vernal &longs;ea&longs;on was ever wont to in&longs;pire. If at any
time &longs;he &longs;eemed to enjoy a gleam of &longs;atisfaction, it
was when &longs;he was wandering through the woods, remarking
the daily increa&longs;e of the foliage, or &longs;eated on
a rock by the &longs;ea-&longs;hore, li&longs;tening to the &longs;ullen murmur
of the waves, or watching them as they con&longs;tantly
&longs;ucceeded each other, da&longs;hing again&longs;t the rude crags
that hung frowning over their &longs;ource.

It was about the middle of May; the lady I&longs;abelle
had declined walking, though the evening was remarkably
fine. Howard had been ab&longs;ent from the
Ca&longs;tle two days; his ab&longs;ence was a relief to the dejected
&longs;pirits of Columbia. She took her &longs;olitary
ramble through the wood. The fragrance of the
evening air, the &longs;erenity of the &longs;ky, the melody of the
feathered race who were chanting their ve&longs;per &longs;ong of
thankfulne&longs;s, awakened in her bo&longs;om &longs;omething like
cheerfulne&longs;s. She &longs;trayed to her u&longs;ual &longs;eat by the &longs;ea
&longs;ide, and indulged in the plea&longs;urable &longs;en&longs;ations the

[figure description] Page 111.[end figure description]

surrounding pro&longs;pect in&longs;pired. Plea&longs;ure had long been a
&longs;tranger to her heart, and &longs;he welcomed her return,
though in &longs;o &longs;light a degree, with an emanation of
gratitude to the benignant Power, who had ordained
that time &longs;hould weaken and meliorate the &longs;evere&longs;t
affliction.

Entirely occupied by her own reflections, &longs;he did
not ob&longs;erve any per&longs;on near her till a young woman
addre&longs;&longs;ed her, and inquired the way to the Ca&longs;tle. “I
want to &longs;ee our ma&longs;ter,” &longs;aid &longs;he, “for the young lady
he put to live with mother be very &longs;ick, and mother
&longs;ays &longs;he do think &longs;he will die.”

“I am going to the Ca&longs;tle,” &longs;aid Columbia, ri&longs;ing,
“and will &longs;hew you the way.”

“Where does your mother live?” continued &longs;he;
“and how does it happen, that as you call Sir James
Howard your ma&longs;ter, you do not know the way to his
dwelling?”

“Why dai&longs;y me,” replied the young woman, “nobody
never lived in that there old place &longs;ince I can
remember, till ma&longs;ter cum'd here la&longs;t winter; and to
be &longs;ure, mother &longs;aid, &longs;eeing as how Sir James was a
&longs;ingle man, and wildi&longs;h or &longs;o, it was be&longs;t for brother to
go when the lady wanted to &longs;end for him; but brother
never went only into the kitching, and &longs;o never knowed
whether there was any ladies there; but mayhap
you be cum'd here lately.”

“How far from the Ca&longs;tle do you live, my dear?”
&longs;aid Columbia, planning in her mind a vi&longs;it to the &longs;ick
lady.

“About two miles,” replied her companion, “down
in a valley near the &longs;ea; it be but a poor place, full of
rocks, and nobody lives there but fi&longs;hermen. But
father was afear'd to &longs;tay in town, cau&longs;e as how queen
Mary had ordered all the heretics to be burnt; and
father and mother be both heretics, and &longs;o we cum'd
and lived here; and we had like to a gotten into trouble
there. For Sir James be one of Mary's folks; but
that's no matter now, &longs;eeing that &longs;he be dead, and I
hope &longs;he repented of all her cruelty before &longs;he died.”

[figure description] Page 112.[end figure description]

“Before who died?” &longs;aid Columbia; “who are
you talking about, my good girl?”

“Why about queen Mary, madam.”

“Is queen Mary dead?”

“Laws dai&longs;y, yes; &longs;he died la&longs;t November; and
then we &longs;hould have gone home, only father was took
&longs;ick and died, an &longs;o mother—”

The girl might have run on for an hour. Columbia
would not have interrupted her. Mary dead—
dead &longs;o long, and Howard &longs;till detaining her mother
and &longs;elf in that &longs;olitary place, gave her an idea that
his de&longs;igns were not laudable or honourable; and then
a ray of hope darted into her mind, that he had deceived
her in reporting the death of Gorges. She
quickened her &longs;teps; &longs;he longed to cheer her mother
with this new-born hope. Be&longs;ides, if Mary was dead,
no doubt her &longs;i&longs;ter Elizabeth filled the throne. She
a&longs;ked the que&longs;tion, and was an&longs;wered in the affirmative.
Her heart bounded at the tidings; &longs;he &longs;carcely
touched the ground, &longs;o light and &longs;wiftly did &longs;he pa&longs;s
over it. She left her young companion below with
the old &longs;ervant, and flying to her mother, imparted to
her all &longs;he had heard, all &longs;he &longs;u&longs;pected, and all &longs;he
fondly hoped.