Here ended this conference. She had, by no means,
suspected the manner in which it would be conducted. All
punctilios were trampled under foot, by the impetuosity of
Ormond. Things were, at once, and without delay, placed
upon a certain footing. The point, which ordinary persons
would have employed months in attaining, was reached in a
moment. While these incidents were flesh in her memory,
they were accompanied with a sort of trepidation, the offspring
at once of pleasure and surprise.

Ormond had not deceived her expectations, but hearsay
and personal examination, however uniform their testimony
may be, produce a very different impression. In her present
reflections, Helena and her lover approached to the front
of the stage, and were viewed with equal perspicuity. One

[figure description] Page 138.[end figure description]

consequence of this was, that their characters were more
powerfully contrasted with each other, and the ilegibility of
marriage, appeared not quite so incontestible as before.

Was not equality implied in this compact? Marriage is
an instrument of pleasure or pain in proportion as this equality
is more or less. What, but the fascination of his senses
is it, that ties Ormond to Helena. Is this a basis on which
marriage may properly be built?

If things had not gone thus far, the impropriety of marriage
could not be doubted; but, at present, there is a choice
of evils, and that may now be desirable, which at a former
period, and in different circumstances, would have been
clearly otherwise.

The evils of the present connexion are know; those of
marriage are future and contingent; Helena cannot be the
object of a genuine and lasting passion; another may; this
is not merely possible; nothing is more likely to happen.
This event, therefore, ought to be included in our calculation.
There would be a material deficiency without it. What was
the amount of the misery that would, in this case, ensue.

Constantia was qualified, beyond most others, to form an
adequate conception of this misery. One of the ingredients
in her character was a mild and steadfast enthusaism.
Her sensibilities to social pleasure, and her conceptions of
the benefits to flow from the conformity and concurrence of
intentions and wishes, heightening and refining the sensual
passion, were exquisite.

There, indeed, were evils, the foresight of which tended
to prevent them, but was there wisdom in creating obstacles
in the way of a suitable alliance. Before we act, we must
consider not only the misery produced, but the happiness
precluded by our measures.

In no case, perhaps, is the decision of a human being
impartial, or totally uninfluenced by sinister and selfish motives.
If Constantia surpassed others, it was not, because,
her motives were pure, but, because they possessed more
of purity than those of others. Sinister considerations flow
in upon us through imperceptible channels, and modify our
thoughts in numberless ways, without our being truly conscious
of their presence. Constantia was young, and her
heart was open at a thousand pores, to the love of excellence.

[figure description] Page 139.[end figure description]

The image of Ormond occupied the chief place in her
fancy, and was endowed with attractive and venerable qualities.
A bias was hence created that swayed her thoughts,
though she knew not that they were swayed. To this
might justly be imputed, some part of that reluctance which
she now felt to give Ormond to Helena. But this was not
sufficient to turn the scale. That which had previously
mounted, was indeed heavier than before, but this addition
did not enable it to outweigh its opposite. Marriage was
still the best upon the whole, but her heart was tortured
to think that, best as it was, it abounded with so many evils.

On the evening of the next day, Ormond entered with
careless abruptness, Constantia's sitting apartment. He
was introduced to her father. A general and unrestrained
conversation immediately took place. Ormond addressed
Mr. Dudley with the familiarity of an old acquaintance. In
three minutes all embarrassment was discarded. The lady
and her visitant were accurate observers of each other. In
the remarks of the latter, and his vein was an abundant one,
there was a freedom and originality altogether new to his
hearers. In his easiest and sprightliest sallies were tokens
of a mind habituated to profound and extensive views. His
associations were formed on a comprehensive scale.

He pretended to nothing, and studied the concealments of
ambiguity more in reality than in appearance. Constantia,
however, discovered a sufficient resemblance between their
theories of virtue and duty. The difference between them
lay in the inferences arbitrarily deduced, and in which two
persons may vary without end, and yet never be repugnant.
Constantia delighted her companion by the facility with
which she entered into his meaning, the sagacity she displayed
in drawing out his hints, circumscribing his conjectures,
and thwarting or qualifying his maxims. The scene
was generally replete with ardor and contention, and yet the
impression left on the mind of Ormond was full of harmony.
Her discourse tended to rouse him from his lethargy, to
furnish him with powerful excitements, and the time spent in
her company, seemed like a doubling of existence.

The comparison could not but suggest itself, between this
scene and that exhibited by Helena. With the latter voluptuous
blandishments, musical prattle, and silent but

[figure description] Page 140.[end figure description]

expressive homage, composed a banquet delicious for a while, but
whose sweetness now began to pall upon his taste. It supplied
him with no new ideas, and hindered him, by the lulling
sensations it inspired, from profiting by his former acquisitions.
Helena was beautiful. Apply the scale, and not a member
was found inelegantly disposed, or negligently moulded.
Not a curve that was blemished by an angle or ruffled by
asperities. The irradiations of her eyes were able to dissolve
the knottiest fibres, and their azure was serene beyond
any that nature had elsewhere exhibited. Over the rest of
her form the glistening and rosy hues were diffused with
prodigal luxuriance, and mingled in endless and wanton
variety. Yet this image had fewer attractions even to the
senses than that of Constantia. So great is the difference
between forms animated by different degrees of intelligence.

The interviews of Ormond and Constantia grew more
frequent. The progress which they made in the knowledge
of each other was rapid. Two positions, that were favorite
ones with him, were quickly subverted. He was suddenly
changed, from being one of the calumniators of the female
sex, to one of its warmest eulogists. This was a point on
which Constantia had ever been a vigorous disputant, but
her arguments, in their direct tendency, would never have
made a convert of this man. Their force, intrinsically considered,
was nothing. He drew his conclusions from incidental
circumstances. Her reasonings might be fallacious
or valid, but they were so composed, arranged and delivered,
were drawn from such sources, and accompanied with such
illustrations, as plainly testified a manlike energy in the reasoner.
In this indirect and circuitous way, her point was
unanswerably established.

Your reasoning is bad, he would say; every one of your
conclusions is false. Not a single allegation but may be
easily confuted, and yet I allow that your position is incontrovertibly
proved by them. How bewildered is that man
who never thinks for himself! who rejects a principle merely
because the arguments brought in support of it are insufficient.
I must not reject the truth, because another has
unjustifiably adopted it. I want to reach a certain hill-top.
Another has reached it before me, but the ladder he used is
too weak to bear me. What then? Am I to stay below

[figure description] Page 141.[end figure description]

on that account? No; I have only to construct one suitable
to the purpose, and of strength sufficient.

A second maxim had never been confuted till now. It
inculcated the insignificance and hollowness of love. No
pleasure he thought was to be despised for its own sake.
Every thing was good in its place, but amorous gratifications
were to be degraded to the bottom of the catalogue. The
enjoyments of music and landscape, were of a much higher
order. Epicurism itself was entitled to more respect. Love,
in itself, was in his opinion, of little worth, and only of importance
as the source of the most terrible of intellectual
maladies. Sexual sensations associating themselves, in a
certain way, with our ideas, beget a disease, which has,
indeed, found no place in the catalogue, but is a case of
more entire subversion and confusion of mind than any
other. The victim is callous to the sentiments of honor and
shame, insensible to the most palpable distinctions of right
and wrong, a systematic opponent of testimony, and obstinate
perverter of truth.

Ormond was partly right. Madness like death can be
averted by no foresight or previous contrivance. This probably
is one of its characteristics. He that witnesses its
influence on another, with most horror, and most fervently
deprecates its ravages, is not therefore more safe. This
circumstance was realized in the history of Ormond.

This infatuation, if it may so be called, was gradual in its
progress. The sensations which Helena was now able to
excite, were of a new kind. Her power was not merely
weakened, but her endeavors counteracted their own end.
Her fondness was rejected with disdain, or borne with reluctance.
The lady was not slow in perceiving this
change. The stroke of death would have been more acceptable.
His own reflections were too tormenting, to make
him willing to discuss them in words. He was not aware of
the effects produced by this change in his demeanor, till
informed of it by herself.

One evening he displayed symptoms of uncommon dissatisfaction.
Her tenderness was unable to dispel it. He
complained of want of sleep. This afforded a hint, which
she drew forth into one of her enchanting ditties. Habit
had almost conferred upon her the power of spontaneous

[figure description] Page 142.[end figure description]

poesy, and while she pressed his forehead to her bosom, she
warbled forth a strain airy and exuberant in numbers, tender
and extatic in its imagery.

Here her voice sunk, and the line terminated in a sigh.
Her museful ardors were chilled by the looks of Ormond,
Absorbed in his own thoughts, he appeared scarcely to attend
to this strain. His sternness was proof against her
accustomed fascinations. At length she pathetically complained
of his coldness, and insinuated her suspicions, that
his affection was transferred to another object. He started
from her embrace, and after two or three turns across the
room, he stood before her. His large eyes were steadfastly
fixed upon her face.

Aye, said he, thou hast guessed right. The love, poor
as it was, that I had for thee, is gone. Henceforth thou art
desolate indeed. Would to God thou wert wise. Thy
woes are but beginning; I fear they will terminate fatally;
if so, the catastrophe cannot come too quickly.

[figure description] Page 143.[end figure description]

I disdain to appeal to thy justice, Helena, to remind thee
of conditions solemnly and explicitly assumed. Shall thy
blood be upon thy own head? No. I will bear it myself.
Though the load would crush a mountain, I will bear it.

I cannot help it; I make not myself; I am moulded by
circumstances; whether I shall love thee or not, is no longer
in my own choice. Marriage is, indeed, still in my power.
I may give thee my name, and share with thee my fortune.
Will these content thee? Thou canst not partake of my
love. Thou canst have no part in my tenderness. These
are reserved for another more worthy than thou.

But no. Thy state is, to the last degree, forlorn; even
marriage is denied thee. Thou wast contented to take me
without it; to dispense with the name of wife, but the being
who has displaced thy image in my heart, is of a different
class. She will be to me a wife, or nothing, and I must be
her husband, or perish.

Do not deceive thyself, Helena. I know what it is in
which thou hast placed thy felicity. Life is worth retaining
by thee, but on one condition. I know the incurableness of
thy infirmity; but be not deceived. Thy happiness is ravished
from thee. The condition on which thou consentedst
to live, is annulled. I love thee no longer.

No truth was ever more delicious; none was ever more
detestable. I fight against conviction, and I cling to it.
That I love thee no longer, is at once a subject of joy and of
mourning. I struggle to believe thee superior to this shock;
that thou wilt be happy though deserted by me. Whatever
be thy destiny, my reason will not allow me to be miserable
on that account. Yet I would give the world; I would
forfeit every claim but that which I hope upon the heart of
Constantia, to be sure that thy tranquillity will survive this
stroke.

But let come what will, look no longer to me for offices
of love. Henceforth, all intercouse of tenderness ceases.
Perhaps all personal intercourse whatever. But though this
good be refused, thou art sure of independence. I will
guard thy ease and thy honor with a father's scrupulousness.
Would to heaven a sister could be created by adoption. I
am willing, for thy sake, to be an impostor. I will own thee
to the world for my sister, and carry thee whither the cheat

[figure description] Page 144.[end figure description]

shall never be detected. I would devote my whole life to
prevarication and falsehood, for thy sake, if that would suffice
to make thee happy.

To this speech Helena had nothing to answer. Her sobs
and tears choked all utterance. She hid her face with her
handkerchief, and sat powerless and overwhelmed with despair.
Ormond traversed the room uneasily. Sometimes
moving to and fro with quick steps, sometimes standing and
eyeing her with looks of compassion. At length he spoke.

It is time to leave you. This is the first night that you
will spend in dreary solitude. I know it will be sleepless and
full of agony; but the sentence cannot be recalled. Henceforth
regard me as a brother. I will prove myself one. All
other claims are swallowed up in a superior affection.—In
saying this, he left the house, and almost without intending it,
found himself in a few minutes at Mr. Dudley's door.