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.

102 ORMOND; OR,
no more than what was justly due to her, but she claimed
no less. She did not soothe our vanity nor fascinate our
pity by diffident reserves and flutterings. Neither did
she disgust by arrogant negligence and uncircumspect
loquacity.
At parting, she received commissions in the way of
her profession, which supplied her with abundant and
profitable employment. She abridged her visit on her
father's account, and parted from her new friend just
early enough to avoid meeting with Ormond, who entered
the house a few minutes after she had left it.
"What pity," said Melbourne to him, "you did not
come a little sooner! You pretend to be a judge of
beauty. I should like to have heard your opinion of a
face that has just left us."
"Describe it," said the other.
"That is beyond my capacity. Complexion and hair
and eyebrows may be painted, but these are of no great
value in the present case. It is in the putting them together that nature has here shown her skill, and not in
the structure of each of the parts individually considered.
Perhaps you may at some time meet each other here. If
a lofty fellow like you, now, would mix a little common
sense with his science, this girl might hope for a husband,
and her father for a natural protector."
"Are they in search of one or the other?"
"I cannot say they are. Nay, I imagine they would
bear any imputation with more patience than that; but
certain I am they stand in need of them. How much
would it be to the honour of a man like you, rioting in
wealth, to divide it with one lovely and accomplished as
this girl is, and struggling with indigence!"
Melbourne then related the adventure of the morning.
It was easy for Ormond to perceive that this was the
same person of whom he already had some knowledge;
but there were some particulars in the narrative that
excited surprise. A note had been received from Craig,
at the first visit in the evening, and this note was for no
more than fifty dollars. This did not exactly tally with
the information received from Craig. But this note was
forged., Might not this girl mix a little imposture with