The Baron Was Not Only One Of The Most Gallant, But Also One Of The Best
Humoured Men In The
World; he spared nothing during the whole time they
tarried in his quarters, nor in their journey to Paris, which
Might
contribute to make his prisoner easy under his present circumstances;
and among other things, often said to him, if you and some others have
fallen under the common chance of war, you have yet the happiness of
knowing your army in general has been victorious, and that, there are
infinitely a greater number of ours who, against their will, must see
England, than, there are of yours conducted into France.
On their arrival, Horatio wrote an account to Dorilaus of all had
happened to him, not doubting but he would use his interest to have him
either mentioned when there should come an exchange of prisoners, or
that he would randsom him himself; but receiving no answer, he concluded
his letter, by some accident, had miscarried, and sent another, but that
meeting the same fate as the former, he wrote a third, accompanied with
one to his sister directed to the boarding-school, where he imagined she
still was: to this last, after some time, he had the following return
from the governess:
SIR,
'A letter directed for miss Louisa coming to
my house, I was in debate with myself
what to do with it, that young lady having been
gone from me last September, since which time
I have never heard any thing of her: - at last I
sent it to Dorilaus's country seat by a messenger,
who brought it to me again, with intelligence
that he was gone with some friends into the north
of Ireland, and that it was probable they had
taken miss with them: - I then thought proper
to open it, believing she had no secrets I might
not be entrusted with, and finding it came from
you, could do no less than give you this information
to prevent your being under any surprize
for not receiving answers to your letters. I am
sorry to find by yours that you have had such ill
success in your first campaign; but would not
have you be cast down, since you need not doubt
but on the return of Dorilaus you will have remittances
for your ransom, or whatever else you
may have occasion for.'
I am, SIR,
Your most humble and obedient Servant,
A. TRAINWELL.
This letter made him perfectly contented; he had no reason to question
the continuance of Dorilaus's goodness to him, nor that he should attend
this new proof of it any longer than the return of that gentleman to
England should make him know the occasion he now had for it. He
therefore had no anxious thoughts to interrupt the pleasures the place
he was in afforded in such variety; he was every evening with the baron,
either at court, the opera, the comedy, or some other gay scene of
entertainment; was introduced to the best company; and his young heart,
charm'd with the politeness and gallantry of that nation, and the little
vanity to which a person of such early years is incident, being
flattered with the complaisance he was treated with, gave him in a short
time a very strong affection for them; but there was yet another and
more powerful motive which rendered his captivity not only pleasing, but
almost destroyed in him an inclination ever to see his native
country again.
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