Mr. Glanville, willing to prevent the company's observation upon this speech, began to acquaint his father with the rise and progress of his distemper: but though the old gentleman listened with great attention to his son while he was speaking; yet, not having lost a word of what Arabella had said, as soon as he was done he turned to his niece, and asked her how she could be so unjust as to accuse his son of disobedience, because he did not recover when she commanded him? Why, madam, added he, you want to carry your power farther then ever any beauty did before you; since you pretend to make people sick and well whenever you please.
Really, sir, replied Arabella, I pretend to no more power than what I presume all others of my sex have upon the like occasions; and since nothing is more common than for a gentleman, though ever so sick, to recover in obedience to the commands of that person who has an absolute power over his life, I conceive I have a right to think myself injured, if Mr. Glanville, contrary to mine, had thought proper to die—
Since, said the old gentleman, smiling, my son has so well obeyed your commands in recovering his health, I shall tremble, lest in obedience to a contrary command of yours, he should die, and deprive me of an heir; a misfortune which, if it should happen, I should place to your account.
I assure you, sir, said Arabella, very gravely, I have too great an esteem for Mr. Glanville, to condemn him to so severe a punishment as death for light offences; and since it is not very probable that he will ever commit such crimes against me, as can be only expiated by his death; such as infidelity, disobedience, and the like, you have no reason to fear such a misfortune by my means—
Alas! replied Sir George, you beauties make very nice distinctions in these cases; and think, if you do not directly command your lovers to die, you are no ways accountable for their death. And when a lover, as it often happens, dies through despair of ever being able to make himself beloved; or, being doomed to banishment, or silence, falls into a fever, from which nothing but kindness can recover him; and, that being denied, he patiently expires; I say, when these things happen, as they certainly do every day; how can you hold yourselves guiltless of their deaths, which are apparently occasioned either by your scorn or insensibility?
Sir Charles and Miss Glanville were extremely diverted at this speech of Sir George's; and Mr. Glanville, though he would have wished he had been rallying any other person's follies than his cousin's, yet could not help smiling at the solemn accent in which he delivered himself—
Arabella, mightily pleased with his manner of talking, was resolved to furnish him with more occasions of diverting the company at her expense.
I see, answered she, you are one of those persons who call a just decorum, which all ladies, who love glory as they ought to do, are obliged to preserve, by the name of severity: but pray, what would you have a lady do, whom an importunate lover presumes to declare his passion to? You know it is not permitted us to listen to such discourses; and you know also, whoever is guilty of such an offence, merits a most rigorous punishment: moreover, you find, that when a sentence of banishment or silence is pronounced upon them, these unhappy criminals are so conscious of the justice of their doom, that they never murmur against their judge who condemns them; and therefore, whatever are their fates in consequence of that anger they have incurred, the ladies, thus offended, ought not to be charged with it as any cruel exertion of their power.
Such eloquence as yours, madam, replied Sir George, might defend things yet more unjustifiable. However, you must give me leave, as being interested in the safety of my sex, still to be of opinion, that no man ought to be hated because he adores a beautiful object, and consecrates all his moments to her service.
Questionless, resumed Arabella, he will not be hated, while, out of the respect and reverence he bears her, he carefully conceals his passion from her knowledge; but as soon as ever he breaks through the bounds which that respect prescribes him, and lets her understand his true sentiments, he has reason to expect a most rigorous sentence, since he certainly, by that presumption, has greatly deserved it.