Charlotte Smith

“ Montalbert enjoyed, at a small but beautiful place on the coast of Dorsetshire, with which Ormsby had presented his wife, more happiness than usually falls to the lot of humanity. Rosalie passed her life in studying how to contribute to his felicity, and that of her father, and, by her sweetness and attention, she won them both from those little asperities and difference of temper which had once threatened to destroy their domestic comfort. ”

“ I own this magnanimity, from a man whom I have perhaps injured, has deeply affected me. He bade my friends insist on my leaving the place, and Vyvian, I hardly knew how, forced me into a post chaise as soon as he had seen Walsingham's wound probed; for, till he had brought me some intelligence of him, I would not stir.—The surgeon had not yet attempted to extract the ball; nor could they pronounce with any certainty, but they entertained great fears for his life. Sommers Walsingham went off to London express, to bring down some very eminent man of the profession ”

“ During the short absence of her husband, Ormsby talked over with his daughter their future plans of life. It was probable that Montalbert, however his pride might be hurt, would not now oppose the wishes of Ormsby, who seemed to place all his satisfaction in bestowing on his daughter a degree of affluence, which should set her even above the daughters of Vyvian, who had despised and contemned her: but Rosalie represented to her father, that, beyond a certain point, fortune contributed nothing to real happiness ”

“ Every perverse accident, to which a traveller by sea is subject, conspired to retard my passage. The ship was old, and a bad sailer; the captain had not enough men to work it, and of the few he had, two were confined to their hammocks by an infectious fever. We were continually beaten back by contrary winds, and the mortality increased in our little crew so much, that when we came into the Strait, I insisted upon being put on shore at Gibraltar, where, having taken the fever, I became extremely ill, and, after a confinement of near a month, narrowly escaped with my life. ”

“ He gave, however, a better account of her than they had dared to promise themselves; and, as he had heard from Vyvian a sketch of her story in consequence of his attendance on Walsingham, he ventured to advise that Rosalie might, as soon as possible, have her child restored to her, and be told that her husband was returned.
"Mrs. Montalbert's illness, (said he) , is so evidently occasioned by uneasiness and fear, that my art can do nothing while those causes exist; remove them, and she will soon, I believe, be restored to health." ”

“ Disqualified as Rosalie was to bear such a shock, the necessity of supporting it with calmness immediately occurred to her. Claudine, already terrified at what she had done, besought her to say nothing to Mr. Ormsby, whom she heard upon the stairs—but her countenance betrayed her too evidently what had passed: hardly, however, had she time to attempt evading her father's questions, when Montalbert appeared, and the necessity of her artificial tranquility became more pressing. Vyvian and Lessington were walking ”

“ Alozzi said, the man was remarkably intelligent; that he had entered into discourse with him, and found that about three weeks before he had served (though for a few days) an Englishman of the name of Walsingham, who came from Naples, attended by a young lady with whom this man believed he had eloped; for that his conduct while at Rome seemed calculated to baffle pursuit and enquiry, and that after a short time they departed very mysteriously, but he had good reasons to believe they went to Genoa, there to embark for England. Alozzi brought the man to me ”

“ Walsingham, for there a man of his fortune must be known. I obtained a direction to his house in Grosvenor Street, where I heard that he was just gone to Brighthelmstone. I could not longer entertain a single doubt of my being right as to the person, for on enquiry of his servants I heard, that he was, a few weeks since, returned from a tour to Italy. ”

“ You will conclude from this, that all the dangerous symptoms which have hung about me are removed; and I trust that the pain this affair has given you will no longer interrupt your present happiness.—For you must be happy, Montalbert, with so amiable a woman!
"As soon as I am quite well I shall return to the Continent.—Consider whether I can do you any service with Signora Belcastro. It is not possible, that, from misrepresentations, her general prejudice may have been raised into particular dislike?—I own to you, that from Mrs. ”