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Memoirs of the life and writings of the Right Honourable Lord Byron (1822)
Memoirs of the life and writings of the Right Honourable Lord Byron - 1822 Author:John Watkins Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 40 DISCOVERY. Byron. This epistle she had the imprudence to seal with a wafer, which was still wet; so that the trusty Hermes had no trouble in reading the co... more »ntents. Finding that the billet contained an appointment, the man, instead of conveying it to the place of destination, carried it to Lord Holdernesse, whose agitation was so great on this shocking discovery, that he made it known to the Countess. Lady Holdernesse immediately repaired to her daughter, whom she taxed with her infidelity, which she as resolutely denied, till the fatal letter was produced, and then she fell into a fit. A scene followed that no language can describe; but upon promises of repentance, the matter was hushed up, the servant who made the discovery was silenced, and the Marquess for that time had no intimation of his dishonour; yet it was impossible that be could be kept altogether ignorant of a conduct which was the subject of general remark. Though, therefore, he could not believe what the world roundly asserted, he now deemed it prudent to remain in the country, and to set a watch upon the movements of the Marchioness. Two gentlemen of tried honour and friendship were employed upon this delicate service; and they were not long engaged on ELOPEMENT. 41 the post of observation, till they brought the guilt of her ladyship to the test of evidence. At this time, Byron was in the country; and having, as was usual with him, pressing occasion for a sum of money, he wrote to the Marchioness for a supply. She immediately despatched to him a packet, containing notes to the amount of one hundred pounds, which fell into the hands of the two spies, who had now an unequivocal demonstration of her ladyship's infidelity, for the letter contained the most ardent expressions of affection, and a pressing en...« less