On his return home, he exhausted conjecture upon the secrets of Corinne.  It appeared evident that she had passed a considerable time in England, and that her name and family must be known there.  But what could be her motive for concealing them; and if she had been settled in England, why had she left it?  These questions greatly disturbed the heart of Oswald.  He was convinced that no stain would be found in her life; but he feared a combination of circumstances might have rendered her guilty in the eyes of others.  What he most dreaded, was her being an object of English disapprobation.  He felt sufficiently fortified against that of every other country; but the memory of his father was so intimately connected with the love of his native country, that these two sentiments strengthened each other.

Oswald, having learnt of Mr Edgermond that he had been in Northumberland for the first time the preceding year, promised to introduce him to Corinne that evening.  Oswald arrived at her house before him, and made her acquainted with the ideas that Mr Edgermond had conceived respecting her, suggesting the propriety of convincing him how much he was in error, by assuming the most cold and reserved manners.

“If you permit me,” replied Corinne, “I will be the same to him as to everybody else; if he desire to hear me, I will improvise before him; in fact, I will appear to him as I am, not doubting that he will perceive as much dignity of soul in this simple and natural behaviour, as if I were to put on an air of restraint which would only be affected.”  “Yes, Corinne,” replied Oswald, “you are right.  Ah! how much in the wrong is he, who would in the least alter your admirable disposition.”

At this moment Mr Edgermond arrived with the rest of the company.  At the commencement of the evening, Lord Nelville placed himself by the side of Corinne, and with an interest which at once became the lover and the protector, he said every thing that could enhance her worth.  The respect he testified for her seemed to have for its object rather to win the attention of others, than to satisfy himself; but it was with the most lively joy that he soon felt the folly of all his anxiety.  Corinne entirely captivated Mr Edgermond—­she not only captivated him by her genius and her charms, but by inspiring him with that sentiment of esteem which true characters always obtain of honest ones; and when he presumed to express a wish to hear her upon a subject of his choice, he aspired to this favour with as much respect as eagerness.  She consented without for a moment waiting to be pressed, and thus manifested that this favour had a value independent of the difficulty of obtaining it.  But she felt so lively a desire to please a countryman of Oswald’s, a man who by the consideration which he merited might influence his opinion in speaking of her, that this sentiment suddenly filled her with a timidity which was quite new to her:  she wished to begin, but her tongue