"
When the hour of dinner approached, the Lady Matilda and her cousin
visited the chamber of the fair Darcy. They found her in a composed but
melancholy posture. She turned the discourse upon the misfortunes of her
life, and hinted that having recovered her brother, and seeing him look
forward to the society of one who would amply repay to him the loss of
hers, she had thoughts of dedicating her remaining life to Heaven, by
whose providential interference it had been so often preserved.
Matilda coloured deeply at something in this speech, and her cousin
inveighed loudly against Emma's resolution. "Ah, my dear Lady Eleanor,"
replied she, "I have to-day witnessed what I cannot but judge a
supernatural visitation, and to what end can it call me but to give
myself to the altar? That peasant who guided me, to Baddow through the
Park of Danbury, the same who appeared before me at different times and
in different forms during that eventful journey,--that youth, whose
features are imprinted on my memory, is the very individual forester who
this day rescued us in the forest. I cannot be mistaken; and connecting
these marvellous appearances with the spectre which I saw while at Gay
Bowers, I cannot resist the conviction that Heaven has permitted my
guardian angel to assume mortal shape for my relief and protection.
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