even in the event of Percy's return, her engagement with him must
long remain unfulfilled, the unhappy girl naturally looked upon her
union with me as the only deliverance from the assailing misfortunes;
and in an hour of desperation she gave me her hand. That her
strongest efforts of mind had been exerted, from the moment of her
marriage, to banish all remembrance of her former lover I firmly
believe. The letter acquainting him with the breach of faith which
her miserable destiny seemed to render inevitable, had never reached
him, and happily, alas! how happily for him, his last earthly
thoughts were permitted to rest on Theresa, as his beloved and
affianced wife. I am persuaded that had he returned in safety to his
native country, she would have avoided his society as studiously as
she did that of the king; and that had she been spared the blow which
deprived her of reason, her dutiful regard, and in time her devoted
affection, would have been mine as firmly, as through the vows which
gave them to my hopes and been untainted by any former passion.
As it was, we were both victims. I, to her misfortunes--she through
the brutality of the king.

"It appeared to me that on our return to court after our ill-fated
union, the king had for some time refrained from his former insulting
importunities; and had merely distressed Lady Greville by indulging
in a mockery of respectful deference, which exposed her to the
ridicule of those around her who could not fail to observe his change
of manner. Perceiving by my unconstrained expressions of grateful
acknowledgment for his furtherance of my marriage with Theresa that
she had kept his secret, and incapable of appreciating that purity of
mind, which rendered such an avowal difficult, even to her husband;
and that prudence which foresaw the evils resulting to both from such
a disclosure, he drew false inferences from her discretion, and