themselves, and, at her suggestion, we moved to Dublin to sojourn for
the winter, in order that no time might be lost in disposing of me to
the best advantage. I had been too long accustomed to consider myself
as of no importance whatever, to believe for a moment that I was in
reality the cause of all the bustle and preparation which surrounded
me, and being thus relieved from the pain which a consciousness of my
real situation would have inflicted, I journeyed towards the capital
with a feeling of total indifference.

My father's wealth and connection had established him in the best
society, and, consequently, upon our arrival in the metropolis, we
commanded whatever enjoyment or advantages its gaieties afforded. The
tumult and novelty of the scenes in which I was involved did not fail
considerably to amuse me, and my mind gradually recovered its tone,
which was naturally cheerful. It was almost immediately known and
reported that I was an heiress, and of course my attractions were
pretty generally acknowledged. Among the many gentlemen whom it was my
fortune to please, one, ere long, established himself in my mother's
good graces, to the exclusion of all less important aspirants.
However, I had not understood, or even remarked his attentions, nor,
in the slightest degree, suspected his or my mother's plans respecting
me, when I was made aware of them rather abruptly by my mother
herself. We had attended a splendid ball, given by Lord M----, at his
residence in Stephen's-green, and I was, with the assistance of
my waiting-maid, employed in rapidly divesting myself of the rich
ornaments which, in profuseness and value, could scarcely have found
their equals in any private family in Ireland. I had thrown myself
into a lounging chair beside the fire, listless and exhausted, after
the fatigues of the evening, when I was aroused from the reverie into
which I had fallen, by the sound of footsteps approaching my chamber,