Page:Clermont - Roche (1798, volume 4).djvu/104

 'About ten days ago, almost immediately after your departure, Elenora lay in of a lovely boy. She continued as well as could be expected for a few days; a violent fever then seized her, and in a short time her life was despaired of. She retained her senses, and, sensible of her danger, begged her husband might be sent for, that she might have the pleasure of presenting her child to him, and breathing her last sigh in his arms.

'An express was accordingly dispatched; Geraldine and I met him upon his arrival: on not seeing you, as she expected, with him, she wildly demanded where you were. He replied, that the moment he had finished perusing the Earl's letter, he had sent it to you with a few lines, imploring your pardon for having had any concealment from you, and requesting your immediate attendance; but, to his great mortification, you were absent from the cottage; nor did the owner of it expect you back for a considerable time, as you had told him, he said, that you were going