Page:Lady Anne Granard 2.pdf/274

272 make them the subject of conversation, except when Arthur and his letters were the theme. Georgiana had blushed so terribly when his brother was named, that Meersbrook had in pure pity forborne to speak of him in the house, but he found he could do it when on horseback, and that she obtained the power of reply, which was, probably, a consequence of her belief that he was not looking at her; at all events, she drank in with eager ear, and admiring mind, anecdote and history of all those excellent traits of disposition, and nobleness of conduct, which made him the idol of his describer, and gave her a knowledge of his temper and character, and the manner in which his boyhood and youth had passed, which she could never have gained by any other medium, and which it was unquestionably right she should know. Previously, she had felt as if she had tied herself irrevocably to one she could love, but of whom, in point of fact, she knew much too little, and often contrasted herself with Isabella, who loved Mr. Glentworth for his goodness; but now, her esteem justified her to herself, and permitted her to revel unreproved, in the entire devotedness of her innocent affections. Sir Edward could not help feeling extremely gratified by the considerate courteousness of Lord and Lady Rotheles, who assembled round him the small party that amused without fatiguing him, and whose regard for his person, or respect for his high character, was grateful to his feelings; for age, conscious of