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42 nor did he think proper, under existing circumstances, to renew his visit, until Mr. Arden had in his turn made his call upon him.

Frequently the General met him in public, when he never failed to join his promenade, and to enter with him on topics of conversation. Happening on one of these occasions to approach near the house of De Brooke, he was induced to enter, and the General conducted him into the room where his daughters were engaged in pursuing their morning's avocations. Oriana was practising at her harp, on which her powerful and brilliant execution struck forcibly on his ear, and he could not refrain from expressing his admiration. Rosilia's beautiful assemblage of drawings, as displayed before him, again called forth his praise, notwithstanding it was a part of his character to be usually slow in making obliging commendations. The intercourse between the two families extended no further; though both frequenting the same public circles of amusement, Mrs. Arden and Mrs. De Brooke were never seen in each other's company, nor were they ever seen to meet at private parties; giving rise to the animadversions of a vain and invidious world, rarely sympathising with neglected virtue, but ever flowing on with the stream of prosperity and grandeur.