As Soon As They Were Entered He Threw The Door, As If By Incident, Which
Having A Spring Lock, Immediately
Was made fast - She either did not, or
seemed not to regard what he had done; but casting her eyes
Round the
room, and seeing nothing of what he had mentioned, - Where is this
drawing? cried she. In my heart, adorable Mattakesa, answered he, falling
at her feet at the same time: - it is not the city of Petersburg, but the
charming image of its brightest ornament, that the god of love has
engraven on my heart in characters too indelible ever to be
erased: - from the first moment I beheld those eyes my soul has been on
fire, and I must have consumed with inward burnings had I not revealed
my flame: - pardon, continued he, the boldness of a passion which knows
no bounds; and tho' I may not be so worthy of your love as the too happy
Horatio, I am certainly not less deserving of your pity.
Surprize, and perhaps a mixture of secret satisfaction prevented her
from interrupting him during the first part of his discourse; but rage,
at the mention of Horatio, forced from her this exclamation: - has the
villain then betrayed me! cried she. - No, madam, replied he, justice
obliges me to acquit him, tho' my rival. - He had the misfortune, in
putting your billet into his pocket, to let it fall; I took it up unseen
by him, - opened it, read it, and must confess, that all my generosity to
my friend was wholly swallowed up in my passion for you. - I returned not
to him that kind declaration you were pleased to make him, and he is
ignorant of the blessing you intended for him: - if the crime I have been
guilty of seem unpardonable in your eyes, command my death, I will
instantly obey you, for life would be a torment under your displeasure;
and if, in my last moments, you vouchsafe some part of that softness to
the occasion of my fate, that you so lavishly bestowed on the fortunate
Horatio, I will bless the lovely mouth that dooms me to destruction!
He pronounced all this with an emphasis, which made her not doubt the
power of her charms; and surveying him while he was speaking, found
enough in his person to compensate for the disappointment she had met
with from Horatio: besides, she reflected, that if what he had told her
concerning the dropping her letter, was a fiction, it was however an
ingenious one, and shewed his wit, as well as love, in bringing both
himself and friend off in so handsome a manner. She was infatuated with
the praises he gave her; - the pathetic expressions he made use of,
assured her of the ardency of his desires, and as she could not be
certain of being able to inspire Horatio with the same, she wisely chose
to accept the present offer, rather than wait for what might perhaps at
last deceive her expectations. She made, however, no immediate answer;
but her eyes told him she was far from being displeased with what he had
said, and gave him courage to take up one of her hands and kiss it, with
an eagerness which confirmed his protestations.
At last, - Well, Mullern, said she, looking languishingly on him, since
chance has made you acquainted with my foible, I think I must bribe you
to secrecy, by forgiving the liberties you take with me: - and if I were
convinced you really love me as well as you pretend, might indulge you
yet farther. - An unaccountable caprice indeed swayed me in favour of
Horatio, but I am now half inclinable to believe you are more deserving
my regard; - but rise, continued she, I will hear nothing from you while
in that posture.
Mullern, who was no less bold in love than war, immediately obeyed her,
and testified his gratitude for her condescention, by giving a sudden
spring and snatching her to his breast, pressed her in so arduous a
manner, that she would have been incapable of resisting, even tho' she
had an inclination to do so: but she, no less transported than himself,
returned endearment for endearment, and not only permitted, but assisted
all his raptures, - absolutely forgot Horatio, as well as all sense of
her own shame, and yielded him a full enjoyment without even an
affectation of repugnance.
Both parties, in fine, were perfectly satisfied with each other, and
having mutually sworn a thousand oaths of fidelity which neither of
them, it is probable, had any intention to keep, Mullern took upon
himself the care of continuing to entertain her in private as often as
she came to the prison, and in return she made him a present of a purse
of gold, after which they passed into the outer room to prevent censures
on their staying too long together.
On their return they found Horatio with the other gentlemen. Abandoned
as Mattakesa was, she could not keep herself from blushing a little at
sight of him; but soon recovering herself by the help of her natural
audacity, - Well, Horatio, said she, what do you think of the little
French epigram I put into your hands yesterday; - has it not a very
agreeable point?
Horatio had such an aversion to all kind of deceit, that even here,
where it was so necessary, he could not, without some hesitation, answer
to what she said in these words. - Some accident or other, cried he,
deprived me of the pleasure you were so good to intend me; for when I
put my hand in my pocket thinking to read it, I perceived I was so
unhappy as to have lost, it: - I looked for it in vain: - it was
irrecoverably gone, and I am an utter stranger to the contents.
And ever shall be so, replied she tartly, only to punish your
carelessness of a lady's favour; know, that it was a piece of wit which
would have been highly agreeable to you:
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