Bristol Hotwells.--Lord Orville is coming to Bristol with his sister,
Lady Louisa Larpent. They are to be at the Honourable Mrs. Beaumont's,
and it will be impossible to avoid seeing him, as Mrs. Selwyn is very
well acquainted with Mrs. Beaumont.
This morning I accompanied Mrs. Selwyn to Clifton Hill, where,
beautifully situated, is the house of Mrs. Beaumont. As we entered the
house I summoned all my resolution to my aid, determined rather to die
than to give Lord Orville reason to attribute my weakness to a wrong
cause. On his seeing me, he suddenly exclaimed, "Miss Anville!" and then
he advanced and made his compliments to me with a countenance open,
manly, and charming, a smile that indicated pleasure, and eyes that
sparkled with delight. The very tone of his voice seemed flattering as
he congratulated himself upon his good fortune in meeting with me.
During our ride home Mrs. Selwyn asked me if my health would now permit
me to give up my morning walks to the pump-room for the purpose of
spending a week at Clifton; and as my health is now very well
established, to-morrow, my dear sir, we are to be actually the guests of
Mrs. Beaumont. I am not much delighted at this scheme, for greatly as I
am flattered by the attention of Lord Orville, I cannot expect him to
support it as long as a week.
* * * * *
We were received by Mrs. Beaumont with great civility, and by Lord
Orville with something more.
The attention with which he honours me seems to result from a
benevolence of heart that proves him as much a stranger to caprice as to
pride. I am now not merely easy, but even gay in his presence; such is
the effect of true politeness that it banishes all restraint and
embarrassment.
_VI.--A Happy Ending_