The Greatest Regency Romance Novels. Maria Edgeworth

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ in a Business of the like Nature, perform’d his Office with more Artifice; and the impatient Enquirer was convinc’d, that nothing but doing as he was desir’d, could give him any Light into the Character of the Woman who declar’d so violent a Passion for him; and little fearing any Consequence which could ensue from such an Encounter, resolv’d to rest satisfy’d till he was inform’d of every Thing from herself, not imagining this Incognita varied so much from the Generality of her Sex, as to be able to refuse the Knowledge of any Thing to the Man she lov’d with that Transcendency of Passion she profess’d, and which his many Successes with the Ladies gave him Encouragement enough to believe. He therefore took Pen and Paper, and answer’d her Letter in Terms tender enough for a Man who had never seen the Person to whom he wrote.The Words were as follows:

To the Obliging and Witty Incognita.

       Table of Contents

      THOUGH to tell me I am happy enough to be lik’d by a Woman, such, as by your Manner of Writing, I imagine you to be, is an Honour which I can never sufficiently acknowledge, yet I know not how I am able to content myself with admiring the Wonders of your Wit alone: I am certain, a Soul like yours must shine in your Eyes with a Vivacity, which must bless all they look on.—I shall, however, endeavour to restrain myself in those Bounds you are pleas’d to set me, till by the Knowledge of my inviolable Fidelity, I may be thought worthy of gazing on that Heaven I am now but to enjoy in Contemplation.—You need not doubt my glad Compliance with your obliging Summons:There is a Charm in your Lines, which gives too sweet an Idea of their lovely Author to be resisted.—I am all impatient for the blissful Moment, which is to throw me at your Feet, and give me an Opportunity of convincing you that I am,

      Your everlasting Slave,

       Beauplaisir.

      NOTHING could be more pleas’d than she, to whom it was directed, at the Receipt of this Letter; but when she was told how inquisitive he had been concerning her Character and Circumstances, she could not forbear laughing heartily to think of the Tricks she had play’d him, and applauding her own Strength of Genius, and Force of Resolution, which by such unthought-of Ways could triumph over her Lover’s Inconstancy, and render that very Temper, which to other Women is the greatest Curse, a Means to make herself more bless’d.—Had he been faithful to me, (said she, to herself,) either as Fantomina, or Celia, or the Widow Bloomer, the most violent Passion, if it does not change its Object, in Time will wither: Possession naturally abates the Vigour of Desire, and I should have had, at best, but a cold, insipid, husband-like Lover in my Arms; but by these Arts of passing on him as a new Mistress whenever the Ardour, which alone makes Love a Blessing, begins to diminish, for the former one, I have him always raving, wild, impatient, longing, dying.—O that all neglected Wives, and fond abandon’d Nymphs would take this Method!—Men would be caught in their own Snare, and have no Cause to scorn our easy, weeping, wailing Sex! Thus did she pride herself as if secure she never should have any Reason to repent the present Gaiety of her Humour. The Hour drawing near in which he was to come, she dress’d herself in as magnificent a Manner, as if she were to be that Night at a Ball at Court, endeavouring to repair the want of those Beauties which the Vizard should conceal, by setting forth the others with the greatest Care and Exactness. Her fine Shape, and Air, and Neck, appear’d to great Advantage; and by that which was to be seen of her, one might believe the rest to be perfectly agreeable. Beauplaisir was prodigiously charm’d, as well with her Appearance, as with the Manner she entertain’d him: But though he was wild with Impatience for the Sight of a Face which belong’d to so exquisite a Body, yet he would not immediately press for it, believing before he left her he should easily obtain that Satisfaction.—A noble Collation being over, he began to sue for the Performance of her Promise of granting every Thing he could ask, excepting the Sight of her Face, and Knowledge of her Name. It would have been a ridiculous Piece of Affectation in her to have seem’d coy in complying with what she herself had been the first in desiring: She yeilded without even a Shew of Reluctance:And if there be any true Felicity in an Amour such as theirs, both here enjoy’d it to the full. But not in the Height of all their mutual Raptures, could he prevail on her to satisfy his Curiosity with the

      Sight of her Face: She told him that she hop’d he knew so much of her, as might serve to convince him, she was not unworthy of his tenderest Regard; and if he cou’d not content himself with that which she was willing to reveal, and which was the Conditions of their meeting, dear as he was to her, she would rather part with him for ever, than consent to gratify an Inquisitiveness, which, in her Opinion, had no Business with his Love. It was in vain that he endeavour’d to make her sensible of her Mistake; and that this Restraint was the greatest Enemy imaginable to the Happiness of them both: She was not to be perswaded, and he was oblig’d to desist his Solicitations, though determin’d in his Mind to compass what he so ardently desir’d, before he left the House. He then turned the Discourse wholly on the Violence of the Passion he had for her; and express’d the greatest Discontent in the World at the Apprehensions of being separated;—swore he could dwell for ever in her Arms, and with such an undeniable Earnestness pressed to be permitted to tarry with her the whole Night, that had she been less charm’d with his renew’d Eagerness of Desire, she scarce would have had the Power of refusing him; but in granting this Request, she was not without a Thought that he had another Reason for making it besides the Extremity of his Passion, and had it immediately in her Head how to disappoint him.

      THE Hours of Repose being arriv’d, he begg’d she would retire to her Chamber; to which she consented, but oblig’d him to go to Bed first; which he did not much oppose, because he suppos’d she would not lie in her Mask, and doubted not but the Morning’s Dawn would bring the wish’d Discovery.—The two imagin’d Servants usher’d him to his new Lodging; where he lay some Moments in all the Perplexity imaginable at the Oddness of this Adventure. But she suffer’d not these Cogitations to be of any long Continuance: She came, but came in the Dark; which being no more than he expected by the former Part of her Proceedings, he said nothing of; but as much Satisfaction as he found in her Embraces, nothing ever long’d for the Approach of Day with more Impatience than he did. At last it came; but how great was his Disappointment, when by the Noises he heard in the Street, the Hurry of the Coaches, and the Crys of Penny-Merchants, he was convinc’d it was Night no where but with him? He was still in the same Darkness as before; for she had taken care to blind the Windows in such a manner, that not the least Chink was left to let in Day.—He complain’d of her Behaviour in Terms that she would not have been able to resist yielding to, if she had not been certain it would have been the Ruin of her Passion:—She, therefore, answered him only as she had done before; and getting out of the Bed from him, flew out of the Room with too much Swiftness for him to have overtaken her, if he had attempted it.The Moment she left him, the two Attendants enter’d the Chamber, and plucking down the Implements which had skreen’d him from the Knowledge of that which he so much desir’d to find out, restored his Eyes once more to Day:—They attended to assist him in Dressing, brought him Tea, and by their Obsequiousness, let him see there was but one Thing which the Mistress of them would not gladly oblige him in.—He was so much out of Humour, however, at the Disappointment of his Curiosity, that he resolv’d never to make a second Visit.—Finding her in an outer Room, he made no Scruple of expressing the Sense he had of the little Trust she reposed in him, and at last plainly told her, he could not submit to receive Obligations from a Lady, who thought him uncapable of keeping a Secret, which she made no Difficulty of letting her Servants into.—He resented,—he once more entreated,—he said all that Man could do, to prevail on her to unfold the Mystery; but all his Adjurations were fruitless; and he went out of the House determin’d never to re-enter it, till she should pay the Price of his Company with the Discovery of her Face and Circumstances.—She suffer’d him to go with this Resolution, and doubted not but he would recede from it, when he reflected on the happy Moments they had pass’d together; but if he did not, she comforted herself with the Design of forming some other Stratagem, with which to impose on him a fourth СКАЧАТЬ