This speech bringing on a comparison between the ladies, the champions for each grew so warm in the dispute, that they had like to have quarrelled. However, by the interposition of some other gentlemen who were with them, they parted tolerable friends that night, and renewed their visits to Sir Charles in the morning.
They found only Miss Glanville with her father and brother. Arabella generally spent the mornings in her own chamber, where reading and the labours of the toilet employed her time till dinner: though it must be confessed, to her honour, that the latter engrossed but a very small part of it.
Miss Glanville, with whom the beau had a long conversation at one of the windows, in which he recounted his dispute with Mr. Selvin, and the danger he ran of being pinked in a duel (that was his phrase) for her sake, at last proposed a walk; to which she consented, and engaged to prevail upon Arabella to accompany them.
That lady at first positively refused, alleging in excuse, that she was so extremely interested in the fate of the princess Melisintha, whose story she was reading, that she could not stir till she had finished it.
That poor princess, continued she, is at present in a most terrible situation. She has just set fire to the palace, in order to avoid the embraces of a king who forced her to marry him. I am in pain to know how she escapes the flames.
Pshaw, interrupted Miss Glanville, let her perish there if she will: don't let her hinder our walk.
Who is it you doom with so much cruelty to perish? said Arabella, closing the book, and looking stedfastly on her cousin. Is it the beautiful Melisintha, that princess, whose fortitude and patience have justly rendered her the admiration of the whole world? That princess, descended from a race of heroes, whose heroic virtues all glowed in her own beauteous breast; that princess, who, when taken captive with the king her father, bore her imprisonment and chains with a marvellous constancy; and who, when she had enslaved her conqueror, and given fetters to the prince who held her father and herself in bonds, nobly refused the diadem he proffered her, and devoted herself to destruction, in order to punish the enemy of her house. I am not able to relate the rest of her history, seeing I have read no farther myself; but if you will be pleased to sit down and listen to me while I read what remains, I am persuaded you will find new cause to love and admire this amiable princess.
Pardon me, madam, said Miss Glanville, I have heard enough; and I could have been very well satisfied not to have heard so much. I think we waste a great deal of time talking about people we know nothing of. The morning will be quite lost, if we don't make haste. Come, added she, you must go. You have a new lover below, who waits to go with us: he'll die if I don't bring you.
A new lover! returned Arabella, surprised.
Aye, aye, said Miss Glanville, the learned Mr. Selvin; I assure you, he had almost quarrelled with Mr. Tinsel last night about your ladyship.