134 THE LEGEND OF THE ABBEY TOWER. 



favour?" In a different kind, but in an equal degree, she had 

 shewn it to pretty Mary ; and the sense of Mary's gratitude during 

 her life, and poignant distress on the death of that fond parent, came 

 over his heart with a most balmy influence, and yet retained to him 

 a still existent symbol of his mother's presence. Not that he cher- 

 ished any feeling beyond that of unmitigated sorrow, until his 

 mother had been some time in her grave. He was till then too 

 much absorbed in his individual woe to derive comfort from the 

 sympathy of others; nor observed, during the performance of the 

 burial rites, that the disconsolate Mary was even in the train of 

 mourners. 



The bitterness of grief having passed, he accompanied his father 

 to church, agreeably to our custom of shewing that we desire no 

 longer privacy from the world. 



As the baronet's family and select friends advanced up the aisle, 

 the attendant Mary was observed as usual holding open the pew 

 door, plainly, but most becomingly, attired in her bequeathed suit 

 of mourning, and with a seraphic expression of subdued sorrow in 

 her sweet countenance. The bereft baronet walked stiffly to his 

 seat, preceded by several lady mourners, and then came the son, 

 who, having with difficulty restrained his feelings so far, could not 

 withstand the emotions excited by Mary's appearance. He gazed 

 upon her with a commingled look of melancholy and surprise ; nor 

 did she evade his eye as heretofore. The expression on either part 

 was purely mutual, as though each had simultaneously spoken, 

 "Thou favoured of a soul in heaven — of a most beloved mother for 

 ever lost to earth I " As she curtseyed to him in passing, he heard 

 her sigh heavily, and, on reaching his seat, gave way to tears ! 



Our young hero, perhaps, did not wait for accidental opportuni- 

 ties of exchanging a few words of condolence with Mary, though he 

 acted with sufficient tact to avoid all suspicious appearances. His 

 increased acquaintance with her increased his good opinion ; and, 

 as he was predisposed to love her, if she proved on a closer acquaint- 

 ance estimable and companionable ; he, of course, soon discovered 

 the proofs required. Perhaps, I should rather say, he would have 

 fancied their discovery though they had had no existence ; but the girl 

 was in truth a delectable creature ; and, under the peculiar circum- 

 stances of the case, I cannot wonder that the poor fellow rather 

 obeyed the impulse of passion than the dictates of prudence. And 

 here it may be as well to say a few words in preservation of my 

 heroine's character, lest you exclaim upon her as a kind of seducer, 

 who availed herself of her deceased mistress' favour, and worked 



