Mr. Hervey, whose astonishment was increased by every word she spoke, began now to be apprehensive that this might prove a very serious affair, since she seemed resolved to believe he had a design to carry her off; and, knowing that an attempt of that nature upon an heiress might have dangerous consequences, he resolved to accept the conditions she offered him: but while he delivered his hanger to the servant, he assured her in the strongest terms, that he had no other design in riding up to her, but to have a nearer view of her person.
Add not falsehood, said Arabella sternly, to a crime already black enough; for though, by an effect of my generosity, I have resolved not to deliver you up to the resentment of my father, yet nothing shall ever be able to make me pardon this outrage. Go, then, pursued she, go, base man, unworthy of the care I took of thy safety; go to some distant country, where I may never hear of thee more, and suffer me, if possible, to lose the remembrance of thy crimes.
Saying this, she ordered her servants, who had got the hanger in their possession, to set him at liberty, and mount their horses; which they did immediately, and followed their lady, who rode with all imaginable speed to the castle.
Mr. Hervey, not yet recovered from his surprise, stood some moments considering the strange scene he had been witness to; and in which he had, much against his will, appeared the principal character. As he was not acquainted with Lady Bella's foible, he concluded her fears of him were occasioned by her simplicity, and some misrepresentations that had been made her by Lucy, who, he thought, had betrayed him; and, fearing this ridiculous adventure would be soon made public, and himself exposed to the sneers of his country acquaintance, he resolved to go back to London as soon as possible.
The next day, pretending he had received a letter which obliged him to set out immediately, he took leave of his cousin, heartily glad at the escape he should make from his raillery; for he did not doubt but the story would very soon be known, and told greatly to his disadvantage.
But Arabella, in order to be completely generous, a quality for which all the heroines are famous, laid a command upon her two attendants not to mention what had passed, giving them at the same time money to secure their secrecy; and threatening them with her displeasure, if they disobeyed.
Arabella, as soon as she had an opportunity, did not fail to acquaint her faithful Lucy with the danger from which she had so happily escaped, thanking Heaven at the same time with great devotion, for having preserved her from the hands of the ravisher.
Two or three months rolled away, after this accident, without offering any new adventure to our fair visionary; when her imagination, always prepossessed with the same fantastic ideas, made her stumble upon another mistake, equally absurd and ridiculous.