PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 12 



^ 



even refufed to fecure to her the means of fubfift- \ 

 ence for the child, with which he had left her preg- 

 nant. She immediately refolved, for ever to quit 

 the village where fhe was born, and to conceal her 

 fault in the Colonies, far from her country, where 

 flie had loft the only dowry of a poor and honeft I 

 young woman, reputation. An old black fellow, j 

 whom (lie had purchafed with a poor borrowed j 

 purfe, cultivated, with her, a fmall corner of this I 

 diftrid. ^ 



Madame de la Tour., attended by her black wo- 

 man, found Margaret in this place, who was fuck- 

 ling her child. She was delighted to meet with a ( 

 female, in a fituation which (he accounted fimilar | 

 to her own. She unfolded, in a fevv words, her \ 

 former condition, and her prefent wants. Marga- \ 

 ret, on hearing Madame de la Tonr^s ftory, was i 

 moved with compafTion, and, wiQiing to merit her :. 

 confidence rather than her efteem, (lie confefifed to | 

 her, without referve, the imprudence of which (lie 

 had been guilty : " For my part," faid fhe, '^ I ; 

 *' have merited my deftiny, but you, Madam ; 



*^ , Virtuous and unfortunate !'* Here, with ' 



tears in her eyes, (lie tendered to the ftranger the ; 

 accommodations of her cottage, and her friend- ]. 

 fliip. Madame de la Tour, deeply affefted with a ! 

 reception fo tender, folded her in her arms, ex- \ 

 claiming, " I fee that God is going to put an \ 



" end ; 



