Chapter 24 - Page 2

Wilson.

"I thank you, dear madam, for your indulgent opinion of me, but although I
have suffered much, I am willing to confess it is a merited punishment;
you are, however, mistaken as to the source of my present sorrow. Lord
Pendennyss is the cause of grief, I believe, to no one, much less to me."

"Lord Pendennyss!" exclaimed Emily, in surprise, unconsciously looking at
her aunt.

"Pendennyss!" reiterated Mrs. Wilson, with animation "and is he your
friend, too?"

"Yes, madam; to his lordship I owe
everything--honor--comfort--religion--and even life itself."

Mrs. Wilson's cheek glowed with an unusual color, at this discovery of
another act of benevolence and virtue, in a young nobleman whose character
she had so long admired, and whose person she had in vain wished to meet.

"You know the earl, then?" inquired Mrs. Fitzgerald.

"By reputation, only, my dear," said Mrs. Wilson; "but that is enough to
convince me a friend of his must be a worthy character, if anything were
wanting to make us your friends."

The conversation was continued for some time, and Mrs. Fitzgerald saying
she did not feel equal just then to the undertaking, but the next day, if
they would honor her with another call, she would make them acquainted
with the incidents of her life, and the reasons she had for speaking in
such terms of Lord Pendennyss. The promise to see her was cheerfully made
by Mrs. Wilson, and her confidence accepted; not from a desire to gratify
an idle curiosity, but a belief that it was necessary to probe a wound to
cure it; and a correct opinion, that she would be a better adviser for a
young and lovely woman, than even Pendennyss; for the Donna Lorenza she
could hardly consider in a capacity to offer advice, much less dictation.
They then took their leave, and Emily, during their ride, broke the
silence with exclaiming,--

"Wherever we hear of Lord Pendennyss, aunt, we hear of him favorably."

"A certain sign, my dear, he is deserving of it. There is hardly any man
who has not his enemies, and those are seldom just; but we have met with
none of the earl's yet."

"Fifty thousand a year will make many friends," observed Emily, shaking
her head.

"Doubtless, my love, or as many enemies; but honor, life, and religion, my
child, are debts not owing to money--in this country at least."

To this remark Emily assented; and after expressing her own admiration of
the character of the young nobleman, she dropped into a reverie. How many
of his virtues she identified with the person of Mr. Denbigh, it is not,
just now, our task to enumerate; but judges