Melanthe, Conscious She Had Hid Nothing From Her, And Also Sensible Of
The Little Approbation She Gave To Her Intrigue,
Was very much picqued
that she should have done any thing to make the count perceive
it; - whatever she suspects,
Cried she, haughtily, she ought not to treat
with any ill manners a person whom I avow a friendship for. Vanity,
answered he, sometimes gets the better of discretion in ladies of her
years: - she knows herself handsome, and cannot have a good opinion of
the man who prefers any charms to her own. - I imagine this to be the
cause why she looks on me with such disdain, and, whenever you are not
witness of her words, is so keen in satyrical reflections. - On our first
acquaintance she looked and spoke with greater softness, and I can
impute it to no other motive than the pride of beauty, that this sudden
change has happened.
All the time he was speaking, the soul of Melanthe grew more and more
fired with jealousy. - It is natural for every one to imagine whatever
they like is agreeable to others. The distaste which Louisa had on many
occasions testified for the count, seemed now to have been only
affected: - the melancholy she had been in, and the deep resvery she
remembered she had fallen into when first she informed her of their
amour, joined to convince her, that the advice she gave proceeded from a
motive very different from what she pretended.
The wily count saw into the workings of her soul; and while he seemed as
if he would not discover the whole of his sentiments for fear of
disobliging her, threw out the plainest hints, that Louisa had made him
advances which would have been very flattering to a heart not
pre-engaged, till Melanthe, not able to contain her rage, broke out into
the fevered invectives against the innocent Louisa.
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