"Why upon my word" said I, "I think he is a very handsome young Man."
"I am glad you think so" replied she, "for he is distractedly in love with you."
"Law! Lady Scudamore" said I, "how can you talk so ridiculously?"
"Nay, t'is very true" answered she, "I assure you, for he was in love with you from the first moment he beheld you."
"I wish it may be true" said I, "for that is the only kind of love I would give a farthing for. There is some sense in being in love at first sight."
"Well, I give you Joy of your conquest," replied Lady Scudamore, "and I beleive it to have been a very complete one; I am sure it is not a contemptible one, for my Cousin is a charming young fellow, has seen a great deal of the World, and writes the best Love-letters I ever read."
This made me very happy, and I was excessively pleased with my conquest. However, I thought it was proper to give myself a few Airs—so I said to her—
"This is all very pretty Lady Scudamore, but you know that we young Ladies who are Heiresses must not throw ourselves away upon Men who have no fortune at all."
"My dear Miss Halton" said she, "I am as much convinced of that as you can be, and I do assure you that I should be the last person to encourage your marrying anyone who had not some pretensions to expect a fortune with you. Mr Musgrove is so far from being poor that he has an estate of several hundreds an year which is capable of great Improvement, and an excellent House, though at Present it is not quite in repair."
"If that is the case" replied I, "I have nothing more to say against him, and if as you say he is an informed young Man and can write a good Love-letter, I am sure I have no reason to find fault with him for admiring me, tho' perhaps I may not marry him for all that Lady Scudamore."
"You are certainly under no obligation to marry him" answered her Ladyship, "except that which love himself will dictate to you, for if I am not greatly mistaken you are at this very moment unknown to yourself, cherishing a most tender affection for him."
"Law, Lady Scudamore" replied I blushing "how can you think of such a thing?"
"Because every look, every word betrays it," answered she; "Come my dear Henrietta, consider me as a freind, and be sincere with me. Do not you prefer Mr Musgrove to any man of your acquaintance?"
"Pray do not ask me such questions Lady Scudamore," said I turning away my head, "for it is not fit for me to answer them."
"Nay my Love" replied she, "now you confirm my suspicions. But why Henrietta should you be ashamed to own a well-placed Love, or why refuse to confide in me?"
"I am not ashamed to own it," said I taking Courage. "I do not refuse to confide in you or blush to say that I do love your cousin Mr Musgrove, that I am sincerely attached to him, for it is no disgrace to love a handsome Man. If he were plain indeed I might have had reason to be ashamed of a passion which must have been mean since the object would have been unworthy. But with such a figure and face, and such beautiful hair as your Cousin has, why should I blush to own that such superior merit has made an impression on me."
"My sweet Girl (said Lady Scudamore embracing me with great affection) what a delicate way of thinking you have in these matters, and what a quick discernment for one of your years! Oh! how I honour you for such Noble Sentiments!"
"Do you Ma'am" said I; "You are vastly obliging. But pray Lady Scudamore did your Cousin himself tell you of his affection for me? I shall like him the better if he did, for what is a Lover without a Confidante?"
"Oh! my Love" replied she, "you were born for each other. Every word you say more deeply convinces me that your Minds are actuated by the invisible power of simpathy, for your opinions and sentiments so exactly coincide. Nay, the colour of your Hair is not very different. Yes my dear Girl, the poor despairing Musgrove did reveal to me the story of his Love. Nor was I surprised at it. I know not how it was, but I had a kind of presentiment that he would be in love with you."
"Well, but how did he break it to you?"
"It was not till after supper. We were sitting round the fire together talking on indifferent subjects, though to say the truth the Conversation was cheifly on my side for he was thoughtful and silent, when on a sudden he interrupted me in the midst of something I was saying, by exclaiming in a most Theatrical tone—
"Yes I'm in love I feel it now—And Henrietta Halton has undone me."
"Oh! What a sweet way" replied I, "of declaring his Passion! To make such a couple of charming lines about me! What a pity it is that they are not in rhime!"
"I am very glad you like it" answered she; "To be sure there was a great deal of Taste in it. 'And are you in love with her, Cousin?' said I. 'I am very sorry for it, for unexceptionable as you are in every respect, with a pretty Estate capable of Great improvements, and an excellent House tho' somewhat out of repair, yet who can hope to aspire with success to the adorable Henrietta who has had an offer from a Colonel and been toasted by a Baronet.'" "That I have—" cried I. Lady Scudamore continued. "'Ah dear Cousin' replied he, 'I am so well convinced of the little Chance I can have of winning her who is adored by thousands, that I need no assurances of yours to make me more thoroughly so. Yet surely neither you or the fair Henrietta herself will deny me the exquisite Gratification of dieing for her, of falling a victim to her Charms. And when I am dead'"—continued her—
"Oh Lady Scudamore," said I wiping my eyes, "that such a sweet Creature should talk of dieing!"
"It is an affecting Circumstance indeed," replied Lady Scudamore. "'When I am dead' said he, 'let me be carried and lain at her feet, and perhaps she may not disdain to drop a pitying tear on my poor remains.'"
"Dear Lady Scudamore" interrupted I, "say no more on this affecting subject. I cannot bear it."
"Oh! how I admire the sweet sensibility of your Soul, and as I would not for Worlds wound it too deeply, I will be silent."
"Pray go on." said I. She did so.
"And then added he, 'Ah! Cousin imagine what my transports will be when I feel the dear precious drops trickle on my face! Who would not die to haste such extacy! And when I am interred, may the divine Henrietta bless some happier Youth with her affection, May he be as tenderly attached to her as the hapless Musgrove and while he crumbles to dust, May they live an example of Felicity in the Conjugal state!'"
Did you ever hear any thing so pathetic? What a charming wish, to be lain at my feet when he was dead! Oh! what an exalted mind he must have to be capable of such a wish! Lady Scudamore went on.
"'Ah! my dear Cousin' replied I to him, 'such noble behaviour as this, must melt the heart of any woman however obdurate it may naturally be; and could the divine Henrietta but hear your generous wishes for her happiness, all gentle as is her mind, I have not a doubt but that she would pity your affection and endeavour to return it.'" "'Oh! Cousin' answered he, 'do not endeavour to raise my hopes by such flattering assurances. No, I cannot hope to please this angel of a Woman, and the only thing which remains for me to do, is to die.'" "'True Love is ever desponding' replied I, 'but I my dear Tom will give you even greater hopes of conquering this fair one's heart, than I have yet given you, by assuring you that I watched her with the strictest attention during the whole day, and could plainly discover that she cherishes in her bosom though unknown to herself, a most tender affection for you.'"
"Dear Lady Scudamore" cried I, "This is more than I ever knew!"
"Did not I say that it was unknown to yourself? 'I did not,' continued I to him, 'encourage you by saying this at first, that surprise might render the pleasure still Greater.' 'No Cousin' replied he in a languid voice, 'nothing will convince me that I can have touched the heart of Henrietta Halton, and if you are deceived yourself, do not attempt deceiving me.' In short my Love it was the work of some hours for me to Persuade the poor despairing Youth that you had really a preference for him; but when at last he could no longer deny the force of my arguments, or discredit what I told him, his transports, his