_Louisa is in danger of being ravished by the count de Bellfleur; is
providentially rescued by monsieur du Plessis, with several other
particulars_.
Louisa packed up her things, as she had been commanded, tho' with what
confusion of mind is not easy to be expressed; and, when she was ready
to go, wrote a letter to Melanthe, thanking her for all the favours she
had received from her, acknowledging them to be as unmerited as her late
displeasure, which she conjured her to believe she had never, even in
thought, done any thing justly to incur;--wished her prosperity, and
that she might never find a person less faithful to her interests than
she had been. Having desired her woman to deliver this to her, she took
leave of the servants, who all loved her extremely, and saw her go with
tears in their eyes.
The rout she intended to take was to Padua by water, thence in a post
chaise to Leghorn, where she was informed, it would be easy to find a
ship bound for England; to what port was indifferent to her, being now
once more to seek her fortune, tho' in her native country, and must
trust wholly to that providence for her future support, which had
hitherto protected her.
Accordingly she took her passage to Padua in one of those boats, which
are continually going between Venice and that city; and it being near
the close of day when she landed, was obliged to go into an inn,
designing to lye there that night, and early in the morning set out
for Leghorn.
She was no sooner in bed than, having never been alone in one of those
places before, a thousand dreadful apprehensions came into her head: all
the stories she had been told, when a child, of robberies and murders
committed on travellers in inns, were now revived in her memory:--every
little noise she heard made her fall into tremblings; and the very
whistling of the wind, which at another time would have lulled her to
sleep, now kept her waking: but these ideal terrors had not long
possessed her, before she had an occasion of real ones, more shocking
than her most timid fancy could have suggested.
The wicked count de Bellfleur, who had taken care to prevent the passion
he had excited in Melanthe against her from growing cool, learned, from
that deceived lady, in what manner she intended to dispose of her; and
no sooner heard which way she went than, attended by one servant, who
was the confidant and tool of all his vices, he took boat for Padua, and
presently finding out, by describing her, at what inn she was lodged,
came directly thither; and, having called the man of the house, asked
him if such a young woman were not lodged there, to which being answered
in the affirmative, he told him that she was his wife;--that being but
lately married to her, in compliance with her request, he had brought
her to see the diversions of the carnival, and that she was eloped, he
doubted not, but for the sake of a gallant, since he loved her too well
to have given her any cause to take so imprudent a step.
The concern he seemed to be under gained immediate credit to all he
said; which he easily perceiving, I know, said he, that if I have
recourse to a magistrate I shall have a grant, and proper officers to
force her to return to her duty; but I would feign reclaim her by fair
means:--it is death to me to expose her; and if my perswasions will be
effectual, the world shall never know her fault.
The innkeeper then told him she was gone to bed, but he would wait on
him to her chamber, and he might call to her to bid her open the door.
No, answered the count, if she hears my voice she may, perhaps, be
frighted enough to commit some desperate action:--you shall therefore
speak to her, and make some pretence for obliging her to rise.
On this they both went up, and the man knocked softly at first, but on
her not answering immediately, more loud.--She, who heard him before,
but imagining something of what she had heard of others was now going to
happen to herself, was endeavouring to assume all the courage she could
for supporting her in whatever exigence heaven should reduce her to:--at
last she asked who was there, and for what reason she was disturbed. The
innkeeper then said he wanted something out of the room, and she must
needs open the door. This she refused to do, but got out of bed and
began to put on her cloaths, resolving to dye as decently as she could,
verily believing they were come to rob and murder her.
The man, who spoke all by the count's direction, then told her, that if
she would not open the door, he must be obliged to break it, and
presently beat so violently against it, that the poor terrified Louisa
expected it to burst, so thought it would be better to unbolt it of her
own accord, than, by a vain resistance, provoke worse usage than she
might otherwise receive: but what was her astonishment when she beheld
the count de Bellfleur! On the first moment the words monsieur du
Plessis repeated to her, that _he would have her one way or another,_
came into her mind, and made her give a great shriek; but then almost at
the same time the thought that he might possibly be sent by Melanthe to
bring her back, somewhat mitigated her fears.--Unable was she to speak,
however; and the consternation she appeared to be in at his presence,
joined with his taking her by the hand and bidding her be under no
apprehensions, confirmed the truth of what he had told the innkeeper,
who thinking he had no other business there, and they would be soonest
reconciled when alone, left them, together and went down stairs.
When the count saw he was gone,--I could not support the thoughts of
seeing you no more, my dear Louisa, said he; I have heard Melanthe's
cruel usage of you, and also that your condition is such, that you have
no friends in England to receive you if you should prosecute your
journey:--I come therefore to make you an offer, which, in your present
circumstances, you will find it imprudent, I believe, to reject:--I long
have loved you, and if you will be mine, will keep you concealed at a
house where I can confide, till my return to the army; then will take
the fame care of you, and place you somewhere near my own quarters; and,
as I shall go to Paris as soon as the next campaign is over, will there
provide for you in as handsome a manner as you can wish;--for be
assured, dear lovely girl, that no woman upon earth will ever be capable
of making me forsake you.
That she had patience to hear him talk so long in this manner, was
wholly owing to the fear and surprize she had been in, and perhaps had
not yet recovered enough from, to make any reply to what he said, if he
had contented himself only with words; but his actions rouzing a
different passion in her soul, she broke from his arms, into which, he
had snatched her at the conclusion of his speech, and looking on him
with eyes sparkling with disdain and rage,--perfidious man! cried she,
is this,--this the consequence of the vows you made Melanthe; and do you
think, after this knowledge of your baseness, I can harbour any idea of
you, but what is shocking and detestable!
I never loved Melanthe, by heaven, resumed he; she made me advance, and
not to have returned, them, would have called even my common civility in
question;--but from the first moment I saw your beauties, I was
determined to neglect nothing that might give me the enjoyment of
them:--fortune has crowned my wishes, you are in my power, and it would
be madness in you to lose the merit of yielding, and I compel me to be
obliged to my own strength for a pleasure I would rather owe to your
softness:--come, come, continued he, after having fastened the door, let
us go to bed;--I will save your modesty, by pulling your cloaths off
myself. In speaking this he catched hold of her again, and attempted to
untye a knot which fastened her robe de chambre at the breast. On this
she gave such shrieks, and stamped with her feet so forcibly on the
ground, that the innkeeper fearing the incensed husband, as he supposed
him to be, was going to kill her, ran hastily up stairs, and called to
have the door opened, saying, he would have no murder in his house.
The artful count immediately let him in, and told him, he need be under
no apprehensions, his wife was too dear to him to suffer any thing from
his resentment; and all the noise you heard, said he, was only because I
insisted on her going to bed! By these words Louisa discovered how he
had imposed upon the man, and cried out she was not his wife; but as she
spoke very bad Italian, and the man understood no French, the count
being very fluent in that language, had much the advantage, the
innkeeper was fully satisfied, and they were again left alone, having a
second opportunity to prosecute his villanous attempt.
You see, said he, how much in vain it is for you to resist:--would it
not be wiser in you, therefore, to meet my flames with equal warmth;--to
feign a kindness even if you have none, and thereby oblige me to use you
with a future tenderness:--believe I love you now with an extravagance
of fondness:--it is in your power to preserve that affection for
ever:--give me then willingly that charming mouth.
He had all this time been kissing her with the utmost eagerness, so that
with all her struggling she had not been able either to disengage
herself from his embrace, or to utter one word; and he was very near
forcing from her yet greater liberties, when all at once heaven gave her
strength to spring suddenly from him, and running to a table where he
had laid his sword, she drew it out of the scabbard with so much speed,
that he could not prevent her, and making a push at him with one hand,
kept him from closing with, or disarming her, till with the other she
had plucked back the bolt of the door.
In this posture she flew down stairs, and reached the hall before he
overtook her, quite breathless and ready to faint. He was going to lay
hold of her, when he found himself seized behind by two persons, whom,
on turning to examine the reason, he found was monsieur du Plessis and
the innkeeper. He started at the sight of that gentleman, and was going
to say somewhat to him in French, when the innkeeper told him, the young
woman should be molested no farther till he knew the truth of the
affair; for, said he, there is a person, meaning monsieur du Plessis,
who is just come in, and says she has no husband, and belongs to an
English lady of quality now at Venice:--I will therefore take care of
her this night, and if you have any real claim to her, you may make it
out before the magistrate to-morrow.
The count was so enraged to find it had been by monsieur du Plessis he
had been disappointed, that he snatched his sword from Louisa, who had
all this time held it in her hand, and made so furious a thrust at him,
that, had he not been more than ordinary nimble in avoiding it, by
stepping aside, it must have infallibly gone thro' his body.--He
immediately drew and stood on his defence, but the innkeeper and several
other people, whom Louisa's cries had by this time brought into the
hall, prevented any mischief.
The confusion of voices and uproar which this accident occasioned, would
suffer nothing to be heard distinctly; but the guilt of count Bellfleur
might easily be read in his looks, and not able to stand the test of any
enquiry, he departed with his servant, casting the most malicious
reflections as he went out, both on Louisa and her deliverer.
Du Plessis less affected, because innocent, gave every one the
satisfaction they desired: he said that the young lady being of English
birth, came along with a lady of her own country, to visit several parts
of Europe merely for pleasure; that the lady was still at Venice, and
that on some little disgust between them, she who was there, meaning
Louisa, had quitted her, and was now returning home by the way of
Leghorn; of the truth of what he told them, he added, they might be
informed, by sending to Venice the next day.
He also said, that having a business to be negotiated in England, he had
followed this young lady, in order to beg the favour of her to deliver
letters to some friends he had there, not having the opportunity of
making this request before, by reason of her departure having been so
sudden, that he knew nothing of it before she was gone.
The truth of all this Louisa confirmed, and on farther talk of the
affair, acquainted them, that the gentleman who had occasioned this
disturbance, for she forbore mentioning his name, had often sollicited
her love on unlawful terms, and being rejected by her, had taken this
dishonourable way of compassing his desires, at a place where he knew
she was alone, and wholly a stranger.
The fright and confusion she had been in, had rendered her so faint,
that it was with infinite difficulty she brought out these words; but
having something given her to refresh her spirits, and being conducted
into another room out of the crowd, she began, by degrees, to
recover herself.
Monsieur du Plessis then informed her, that on coming to Melanthe's, and
hearing she was gone, he immediately took boat, resolving to prevail on
her to alter her resolution of going to England, or dye at her feet:
that he easily found the inn she was at, and that the man of the house
presently told him, such a person as he described was there; but that he
understood she had eloped from her husband, who had pursued, and was now
above with her.
Never, said this faithful lover, did any horror equal what I felt at
this intelligence!--The base count de Bellfleur came presently into my
mind:--I thought it could be no other who had taken this abhored method
of accomplishing the menaces you may remember I repeated to you:--I was
going to fly up stairs that instant, but was withheld, and found it best
to argue the man into reason, who, I found, was fully prepossessed you
were his wife: as I was giving some part of your history, I saw the
count's man passing thro' the hall; he saw me too, and would have
avoided me, but I ran to him, seized him by the throat, and asked him
what business had brought either him or his master to this place: the
disorder he was in, and the hesitation with which he spoke, together
with refusing to give any direct answer, very much staggered the
innkeeper, who was just consenting to go up with me to your chamber, and
examine into the truth of this affair, when we saw you come down, armed
as your virtue prompted, and at the same time flying from the
villain's pursuit.
Louisa could not help confessing that she owed the preservation of her
honour wholly to him; for, said she, the people were so fully persuaded
not only that I was his wife, but also that I had fled from him on some
unwarrantable intent, that all I did, or could have done, would only
have served to render me more guilty in their opinion; and it must have
been by death alone I could have escaped the monster's more
detested lust.
Monsieur du Plessis now made use of every argument that love and wit
could inspire, to prevail with her to accept of the offer contained in
the letter he had wrote to her; and concluded with reminding her, that
if the charming confession her answer had made him was to be depended
on, and that she had indeed a heart not wholly uninfluenced by his
passion, she would not refuse agreeing to a proposal, which not the most
rigid virtue and honour could disapprove.
Louisa on this replied with blushes, that since, by the belief she
should never see him more, she had been unwarily drawn in to declare
herself so far, she neither could, nor would attempt to deny what she
had said; but, added she, it is perhaps, by being too much influenced by
your merits, that I find myself obliged to refuse what you require of
me:--I cannot think, cried she, of rendering unhappy a person who so
much deserves to be blessed:--and what but misery would attend a match
so unequal as yours would be with me!--How would your kindred brook
it!--How would the world confuse and ridicule the fondness of an
affection so ill placed!--What would they say when they should hear the
nobly born, the rich, and the accomplished monsieur du Plessis, had
taken for his wife a maid obscurely defended, and with no other dowry
than her virtue!--My very affection for you would, in the general
opinion, lose all its merit, and pass for sordid interest:--I should be
looked upon as the bane of your glory;--as one whose artifices had
ensnared you into a forgetfulness of what you owed to yourself and
family, and be despised and hated by all who have a regard for
you.--This, monsieur, continued she, is what I cannot bear, neither for
your sake nor my own, and entreat you will no farther urge a suit, which
all manner of considerations forbid me to comply with.
The firmness and resolution with which she uttered these words, threw
him into the most violent despair; and here might be seen the difference
between a sincere and counterfeited passion: the one is timid, fearful
of offending, and modest even to its own loss;--the other presuming,
bold, and regardless of the consequences, presses, in spight of
opposition, to its desired point.
Louisa had too much penetration not to make this distinction: she saw
the truth of his affection in his grief, and that awe which deterred him
from expressing what he felt:--she sympathized in all his pains, and for
every sigh his oppressed heart sent forth, her own wept tears of blood;
yet not receding from the resolution she had formed, nothing could be
more truly moving than the scene between them.
At length he ceased to mention marriage, but conjured her to consider
the snares which would be continually laid, by wicked and designing men,
for one so young and beautiful:--that she could go no where without
finding other Bellfleurs; and she might judge, by the danger she had
just now so narrowly escaped, of the probability of being involved again
in the same:--he represented to her, in the most pathetic terms, that
her innocence could have no sure protection but in the arms of a
husband, or the walls of a convent; and on his knees beseeched her, for
the sake of that virtue which she so justly prized, since she would not
accept of him for the one, to permit him to place her in that other only
asylum for a person in her circumstances.
Difficult was it for her to resist an argument, the reason of which she
was so well convinced of, and could offer nothing in contradiction to,
but that she had a certain aversion in her nature to receive any
obligations from a man who had declared himself her lover, and who might
possibly hereafter presume upon the favours he had done her.
It was in vain he complained of her unjust suspicion in this point,
which, to remove, he protested to her that he would leave the choice of
the monastry wholly to herself: that in whatever part she thought would
be most agreeable, he would conduct her; and that, after she was
entered, he would not even attempt to see her thro' the grate, without
having first received her permission for his visit. Not all this was
sufficient to assure her scrupulous delicacy: she remained constant in
her determination; and all he could prevail on her, was leave to attend
her as far as Leghorn, to secure her from any second attempt the
injurious count might possibly make.
After this they entered into some discourse of Melanthe, and whether it
would be proper for Louisa to write her an account of this affair, and
the count's perfidiousness. Monsieur du Plessis said, he thought that
the late usage she had received from that lady, deserved not she should
take any interest in her affairs; but it was not this that hindered
Louisa from doing it:--the remembrance of the kindness she had once been
treated with by her, more than balanced, in her way of thinking, all the
insults that succeeded it; and when she reflected how much Melanthe
loved the count, and that she had already granted him all the favours in
her power, it seemed to her rather an act of cruelty than friendship, to
acquaint her with this ingratitude, and thereby anticipate a misfortune,
which, perhaps, by his artifices and continued dissimulation, might be
for a long time concealed: therefore, for this reason, she exacted a
promise from monsieur du Plessis not to make any noise of this affair
at his return to Venice, unless the count, by some rash and precipitate
behaviour, should enforce him to it.
This injunction discovered so forgiving a sweetness of disposition in
the person who made it, that monsieur du Plessis could not refrain
testifying his admiration by the most passionate exclamations; in which
perhaps he had continued longer, had not the eyes of the fair object
discovered a certain languishment, which reminded him, he should be
wanting in the respect he professed, to detain her any longer from that
repose, which, seemed necessary, after the extraordinary hurry of
spirits she had sustained; therefore having taken his leave of her for
that night, retired to a chamber he had ordered to be got ready for him,
as did she to that where she had been so lately disturbed: but all those
who are in the least capable of any idea of those emotions, which
agitated the minds of both these amiable persons, will believe neither
of them slept much that night.