The novels of Charles Brockden Brown, consisting of Wieland;or, The transformation. Arthur Mervyn; or, Memoirs of the year 1793. Edgar Huntly; or, Memoirs of a sleep-walker. Jane Talbot. Ormond; or, The secret witness. Clara Howard; or, The enthusiasm of love. With a memoir of the author.

28 JANE TALBOT.
At last, with many pauses and much hesitation, he said,
"Jane, I suppose your legacy is untouched. Was it two
or three thousand Mrs. Matthews put you down for in
her will?"
" The sum was three thousand dollars. You knowthat,
though it was left entirely at my own disposal, yet the bequest was accompanied with advice to keep it unimpaired
till I should want it for my own proper subsistence. On
that condition I received, and on that condition shall
keep it."
"II am glad of it with all my heart," replied he, with
affected vivacity. " I was afraid you had spent it by this
time on dolls, trinkets, and baby-things. The sum is
entire, you say? In your drawer? I am surprised you
could resist the temptation to spend it. I wonder nobody
thought of robbing you."
"You cannot suppose, brother, I would keep that sumu
in my possession? You know it was in bank at my aunt's
death, and there it has remained."
"At what bank, pr'ythee?"
I told him.
" Well, I am extremely glad thou hadst wit enough to
keep it snug, for now the time has come to put it to some
use. My father and I have a scheme on foot by which
we shall realize immense profit. The more engines we set
to work, the greater and more speedy will be the ultimate
advantage. It occurred to me that you had some money,
and that, unless it were better employed, it would be but
justice to allow you to throw it into stock. If, therefore,
you are willing, it shall be done. What say you, Jane?"
This proposal was totally unexpected. I harboured not
a moment's doubt as to the conduct it became me to pursue;
but how to declare my resolutions, or state my reasons for
declining his offer, I knew not.
At last I stammered out that my aunt had bequeathed
me this money with views as to the future disposition of
it from which I did not think myself at liberty to swerve.
"And pray," said he, with some heat, I" what were these
profound views?"
"They were simple and obvious views. She knew my
sex and education laid me under peculiar difficulties as to