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No answer was returned, but her mother sighed deeply, and her father appeared restless and alarmed; she recollected lately seeing the former in tears one morning on entering her dressing room, and that in reply to her enquiries, she had uttered some very extraordinary words, indicating a sense of unworthy conduct on her own mind. Maria thought something must be wrong, but hoped she should soon see it relieved, she was at least certain that "weak nerves," a disorder then as much in every one's mouth as "bilious complaints" are now, must be the sole cause of her mother's self accusation.

From this time, however, Mrs. Falconer's spirits and health were much affected, and were so much worse apparently when Maria more particularly attended to her, that she was earnestly requested to forbear every mark of peculiar tenderness, and endeavour by every possible means to divert her from all subjects of thought. As however nothing could induce the patient either to seek the common relief offered by a watering place, or to plunge into promiscuous society, Mr. Falconer invited young Ingalton to spend every moment he could spare from his new, and to him, disgusting duties, with them; as he found that quiet society afforded more regular relief to his wife's spirits, than any more violent stimulus, and next to Mrs. Ingalton she prized the society of her son Francis.