any accident should happen during my absence, above all to Virginia, who
already suffers--Oh, no, no!--I cannot resolve to leave them."

So decided an answer threw me into great perplexity, for Madame de la
Tour had not concealed from me the cause of Virginia's illness and want
of spirits, and her desire of separating these young people till they
were a few years older. I took care, however, not to drop any thing
which could lead Paul to suspect the existence of these motives.

About this period a ship from France brought Madame de la Tour a letter
from her aunt. The fear of death, without which hearts as insensible as
hers would never feel, had alarmed her into compassion. When she wrote
she was recovering from a dangerous illness, which had, however, left
her incurably languid and weak. She desired her niece to return to
France: or, if her health forbade her to undertake so long a voyage,
she begged her to send Virginia, on whom she promised to bestow a good
education, to procure for her a splendid marriage, and to leave
her heiress of her whole fortune. She concluded by enjoining strict
obedience to her will, in gratitude, she said, for her great kindness.

At the perusal of this letter general consternation spread itself
through the whole assembled party. Domingo and Mary began to weep.
Paul, motionless with surprise, appeared almost ready to burst with
indignation; while Virginia, fixing her eyes anxiously upon her mother,
had not power to utter a single word. "And can you now leave us?" cried
Margaret to Madame de la Tour. "No, my dear friend, no, my beloved
children," replied Madame de la Tour; "I will never leave you. I have
lived with you, and with you I will die. I have known no happiness but
in your affection. If my health be deranged, my past misfortunes are the
cause. My heart has been deeply wounded by the cruelty of my relations,