l8-6 EDMUND, A TALE. JutllS 8, 



of my felicity, and fource of my mifery •, now, as I was 

 long fince but too well informied', hid in the (hades of death 

 for ever from my view." 



' I fee, faid Mr. Toonshend, you expeft the higheft 

 pleafure from the enjoyment of your friend.' — " I do in- 

 deed — Oh ! how fweet at this moment is the recolkclion 

 of our paft endearments — How pleafing the hope of their 

 revival" — ' How vain is fuch a hope : — Him you call your 

 friend is the blackeft villain.' — " What do you fayj faid Ed- 

 mund ? with a look of aftonifliment and indignation; you cer- 

 tainly do not know him." — ' I fliould indeed be alhamed of 

 fuch' an acquaintance ; you may however be affured of what 

 I tell you, that he is the bafeft of villains, and the vvorft: ene- 

 my you ever had.' — " My enemy, excl-aimed Edwin ; what 

 do you mean? — Sure I can read iincerity and benevolence in 

 your countenance', youwouldnotimpofeuponme,norwilIingly 

 make me Wretched — Oh ! for heaven's fake explain yourfelf." 

 ' Know then, Williams betrayed you in the affair of Maria. 

 Excited by a guilty paflion, and finding her proof againll 

 every delufive art, he found means to carry her off by force. 

 The letter he brought you was a bafe forgery. In cafe you 

 fliould be inclined to examine more fully into the matter, as 

 he apprehended you would, he hired thofe ruffians who car- 

 ried you away in the manner you have yourfelf related. 

 I need fay no more : this is the truth of the matter ; for the 

 confirmation of which, I can produce the moll undeniable 

 proof, if you $ieroand it.' — Edmund trembled and turned 

 pale ; a thoufand minute circumftances now rullied on his 

 memory, which tended to (hake in fome degree, the confi- 

 dence he had placed in his friend — Mr- Tounshend per- 

 ceived his diftrefs, and attempted to foothe the agitation of 

 his mind. " May I be allowed, faid Edmund, to afk you 

 by what means you became acquainted with thofe circum- 

 ftances." — ' You behold in me the father of the unfortunate 

 Maria.' — " The father of Maria, cried Edmund in the ui- 

 moft ailoni(hment •, and can you behold with fuch a placid 

 countenance, the wretch, who has, though unintentionally, 

 been theoccafion of her misfortunes?" — ' You was deceived j, 



you was cruelly difabled from difcovering the deception 



The lady with whom Maria refided, continued Mr. Touj*-- 



