The gentleman never afterwards made the
slightest sign of having understood a word of what she had said to him,
at which she was exceedingly distressed and vexed; and she knew not to
what cause to impute her failure, unless it were to the foolish fear of
which she deemed the gentleman to be possessed.
A few days afterwards, finding that he gave no sign of understanding
what she had said, she resolved on her part to set aside all fear or
shame, and to tell him of her love. She felt sure that beauty such as
hers could not be otherwise than well received, although she would fain
have had the honour of being wooed. However, she set her honour on one
side for her pleasure's sake, and after she had several times attempted
the same fashion of discourse as at first, but without receiving any
reply to her liking, she one day plucked the gentleman by the sleeve,
and told him that she must speak to him on certain matters of weight.
The gentleman went with the humility and reverence that were her due to
a deep window into which she had withdrawn; and, on perceiving that
no one in the room could see her, she began in a trembling voice,
that halted between desire and fear, to continue her former discourse,
rebuking him for not yet having chosen some lady in the company, and
promising him that, no matter who it might be, she would help him to win
kindly treatment.
Pages:
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181