were at the antipodes to the dreadless frankness of his nature. Evadne made
it her earnest request that the tale of their loves should not be revealed
to his mother; and after for a while contesting the point, he yielded it to
her. A vain concession; his demeanour quickly betrayed his secret to the
quick eyes of the ex-queen. With the same wary prudence that characterized
her whole conduct, she concealed her discovery, but hastened to remove her
son from the sphere of the attractive Greek. He was sent to Cumberland; but
the plan of correspondence between the lovers, arranged by Evadne, was
effectually hidden from her. Thus the absence of Adrian, concerted for the
purpose of separating, united them in firmer bonds than ever. To me he
discoursed ceaselessly of his beloved Ionian. Her country, its ancient
annals, its late memorable struggles, were all made to partake in her glory
and excellence. He submitted to be away from her, because she commanded
this submission; but for her influence, he would have declared his
attachment before all England, and resisted, with unshaken constancy, his
mother's opposition. Evadne's feminine prudence perceived how useless any
assertion of his resolves would be, till added years gave weight to his
power. Perhaps there was besides a lurking dislike to bind herself in the
face of the world to one whom she did not love--not love, at least, with
that passionate enthusiasm which her heart told her she might one day feel
towards another. He obeyed her injunctions, and passed a year in exile in
Cumberland.




CHAPTER III.


HAPPY, thrice happy, were the months, and weeks, and hours of that year.