A SEQUEL TO SYDENHAM, OR, MEMOIRS OF A MAN OF THE WORLD. BY THE AUTHOR OF "SYDENHAM." W. Massie IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1831. UNIV. OF MINN. LIBRARY ALICE PAULET: A SEQUEL TO "SYDENHAM." CHAPTER I. To find myself in the carriage, rolling over the road to London, always afforded me, at least, for the time being, an agreeable excitement; but in my present state of mind, when my hopes of private happiness had been blighted, and retirement subjected me to painful reflection, I felt my spirits peculiarly elated as I approached that great world, where I should have ample opportunities of escaping from the persecutions of thought, and where every temptation of ambition and pleasure would court my indulgence. "Yes," said I, internally, "I will let her see how little I think about her. She shall VOL. III. B JAN 29, ALLEN 490226 understand that my thoughts are occupied by higher objects: I will cultivate ambition, and make the most of those talents with which I am endowed. The House of Commons shall hear my voice; I will turn patriot-I can afford it: I am satisfied with the degree of rank and wealth which I possess, and I shall seek power and place, that I may, when they are offered to me, nobly refuse them! How will her vanity be piqued, when she hears my praises sounded! and how gratifying will it be to me, when I meet her in society, to show by the cordiality and frankness of my manner that I considered her no more than a friend, nor suspected her of having entertained any design of inspiring me with a tenderer sentiment !” On the day of my arrival in town I dined with the Palmers. These valued friends, who were always the same, in town or country, received me with affectionate warmth, which I returned with peculiar emphasis; regarding them, at the time, as my only real and disinterested friends; for the conduct of Alice had contaminated my sentiments with respect to Paulet himself and Lady Jane, although I had no reason to believe that they were parties to the scheme of double-dealing and coquetry, which their sister had practised. "We have asked nobody to meet you," said Lady Eleanor, "as we wished to have you to ourselves the first day." "And what have you been doing all the summer and winter, Sydenham ?" said her husband; "Eleanor was in a terrible fright that you were going to marry one of the Havilands." 66 Yes, indeed I was," answered Lady Eleanor; "for they are an intriguing, frivolous family; mere people of the world, with whom I should be sorry to see any friend of mine connected. And you-I am sure, were equally alarmed, lest they should convert him to Toryism." 66 Why, I did not know but that the bright eyes of the young lady and the seductive offers of Lord Tewkesbury's agents, might be too much for your virtue; I know they were very |