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38 their partners through the conservatory, which being crowded by the groups passing to and fro, Rosilia, who was behind, got accidentally separated from her party, and for the space of some minutes unable to advance, she lost sight of her sister and Valpée.

Resolved to profit by so favourable a circumstance, with a ready finesse, under pretence that he had seen her party, Douglas contrived to draw Rosilia towards that side which appeared the least frequented. Fearing he had been deceived, she would have turned; but he, encouraged by the persuasion with which he had been so recently impressed, of his being a favoured lover, endeavoured to divert her attention by saying, “How delightful is the night! how pleasant are these gentle breezes! how preferable to the intense heat of the room we have left!”

Occupied solely by the wish of meeting her sister, Rosilia could only repeat, in accents denoting her inquietude, "Do you really think they have taken this direction?"

"Why, why", exclaimed he, "should you be thus uneasy and impatient? why do you wish to deprive me of these few minutes of happiness, moments so precious to me as these? Oh Rosilia! Rosilia! it is impossible for you to