"O, then," said she, "I am the less surprised at his ill-nature,
since he has already injured you."
I begged her to explain herself; and then she told me, that while
Lord Orville was speaking to me, Lady Louisa said to Mr. Lovel,
"Do you know who that is?"
"Why, Ma'am, no, 'pon honour," answered he, "I can't absolutely say
I do; I only know she is a kind of a toad-eater. She made her first
appearance in that capacity last spring, when she attended Miss Mirvan,
a young lady of Kent."
How cruel is it, my dear Sir, to be thus exposed to the impertinent
suggestions of a man who is determined to do me ill offices! Lady
Louisa may well despise a toad-eater; but, thank Heaven,
her brother has not heard, or does not credit, the mortifying
appellation. Mrs. Selwyn said, she would advise me to pay my court
to this Mr. Lovel; "for," said she, "though he is malicious, he is
fashionable, and may do you some harm in the great world." But I
should disdain myself as much as I do him, were I capable of such
duplicity as to flatter a man whom I scorn and despise.
We were received by Mrs. Beaumont with great civility, and by Lord
Orville with something more. As to Lady Louisa, she scarcely perceived
that we were in the room.
There has been company here all day, part of which I have spent most
happily: for after tea, when the ladies played at cards, Lord Orville,
who does not, and I, who cannot play, were consequently at our own
disposal; and then his Lordship entered into a conversation with me,
which lasted till supper-time.
Almost insensibly, I find the constraint, the reserve, I have been wont
to feel in his presence, wear away; the politeness, the sweetness,
with which he speaks to me, restore all my natural cheerfulness,
and make me almost as easy as he is himself;-and the more so, as,
if I may judge by his looks, I am rather raised, than sunk of late
in his opinion.
I asked him how the bet was, at last, to be decided? He told me that,
to his great satisfaction, the parties had been prevailed upon to
lower the sum from one thousand to one hundred pounds; and that they
had agreed it should be determined by a race between two old women,
one of whom was to be chosen by each side, and both were to be proved
more than eighty years of age, though, in other respects strong and
healthy as possible.
When I expressed my surprise at this extraordinary method of spending
so much money, "I am charmed," said he, "at the novelty of meeting
with one so unhackneyed in the world, as not to be yet influenced
by custom to forget the use of reason: for certain it is, that the
prevalence of fashion makes the greatest absurdities pass uncensured,
and the mind naturally accommodates itself even to the most ridiculous
improprieties, if they occur frequently."
"I should have hoped," said I, "that the humane proposal made yesterday
by your Lordship, would have had more effect."
"O," cried he, laughing, "I was so far from expecting any success,
that I shall think myself very fortunate if I escape the wit of
Mr. Coverley in a lampoon! yet I spoke openly, because I do not wish
to conceal that I am no friend to gaming."
After this, he took up the New Bath Guide, and read it with me till
supper-time. In our way down stairs, Lady Louisa said, "I thought,
brother, you were engaged this evening?"
"Yes, sister," answered he, "and I have been engaged." And he bowed
to me with an air of gallantry that rather confused me. Sept. 23rd.
Almost insensibly have three days glided on since I wrote last, and so
serenely, that, but for your absence, I could not have formed a wish.
My residence here is much happier than I had dared expect. The
attention with which Lord Orville honours me, is as uniform as it
is flattering, and seems to result from a benevolence of heart that
proves him as much a stranger to caprice as to pride; for, as his
particular civilities arose from a generous resentment at seeing me
neglected, so will they, I trust, continue, as long as I shall, in
any degree, deserve them. I am now not merely easy, but even gay in
his presence: such is the effect of true politeness, that it banishes
all restraint and embarrassment. When we walk out, he condescends
to be my companion, and keeps by my side all the way we go. When we
read, he marks the passages most worthy to be noticed, draws out my
sentiments, and favours me with his own. At table, where he always
sits next to me, he obliges me by a thousand nameless attentions;
while the distinguishing good-breeding with which he treats me,
prevents my repining at the visibly-felt superiority of the rest of
the company. A thousand occasional meetings could not have brought
us to that degree of social freedom, which four days spent under
the same roof have, insensibly, been productive of: and, as my only
friend in this house, Mrs. Selwyn, is too much engrossed in perpetual
conversation to attend much to me, Lord Orville seems to regard me
as a helpless stranger, and, as such, to think me entitled to his
good offices and protection. Indeed, my dear Sir, I have reason to
hope, that the depreciating opinion he formerly entertained of me is
succeeded by one infinitely more partial.-It may be that I flatter
myself; but yet his looks, his attentions, his desire of drawing
me into conversation, and his solicitude to oblige me, all conspire
to make me hope I do not. In short, my dearest Sir, these last four
happy days would repay me for months of sorrow and pain!