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The tumult of this night had been so loud, and the disappearance

of three persons from the village so mysterious, that strict and

indefatigable search would naturally be made for them; and on the

other hand, those who were possessed of partial information on

the subject were too numerous to preserve an entire silence.

Perpetua was assailed every where to tell what had caused her

master such a fright, and she, perceiving how she had been

deceived by Agnes, and feeling exasperated at her perfidy, had

need of a little self-restraint; not that she complained of the

deception practised on herself, of that she did not breathe a

syllable; but the injury done to her poor master could not pass

in silence, and that such an injury should have been attempted by

such worthy people!