MR. TOOBAD had found his daughter, Celinda, in London; and, after the first joy of meeting was over, told her he had a husband ready for her. The young lady replied, very gravely, that she should take the liberty to choose for herself. Mr. Toobad said, he saw the devil was determined to interfere with all his projects; but he was resolved on his own part, not to have on his conscience the crime of passive obedience and non-resistance to Lucifer, and therefore she should marry the person he had chosen for her.Miss Toobad replied, très posément, she assuredly would not. “Celinda, Celinda,” said Mr. Toobad, “you most assuredly shall.”—“Have I not a fortune in my own right, sir?” said Celinda. “The more is the pity,” said Mr. Toobad: “but I can find means, miss; I can find means. There are more ways than one of breaking-in obstinate girls.” They parted for the night with the expression of opposite resolutions; and, in the morning, the young lady's chamber was found empty, and, what was become of her, Mr. Toobad had no clue to conjecture. He continued to investigate town and country in search of her, visiting and re-visiting Nightmare Abbey at intervals, to consult with his friend Mr. Glowry. Mr. Glowry agreed with Mr. Toobad that this was a very flagrant instance of filial disobedience and rebellion; and Mr. Toobad declared, that, when he discovered the fugitive, she should find that “the devil was come unto her, having great wrath.”

In the evening, the whole party met, as usual, in the library. Marionetta sat at the harp; the Honorable Mr. Listless sat by her, and turned over her music, though the exertion was almost too much for him. The Reverend Mr. Larynx relieved him occasionally in this delightful labour. Scythrop, tormented by the demon Jealousy, sat in the corner, biting his lips and fingers. Marionetta looked at him every now and then with a smile of most provoking good humour, which he pretended not to see, and which only the more exasperated his troubled spirit. He took down a volume of Dante, and pretended to be deeply interested in the Purgatorio, though he knew not a word he was reading, as Marionetta was well aware, who, tripping across the room, peeped into his book, and said to him—“I see you are in the middle of Purgatory.”