Oh, no matter, said Tinsel, you have told me enough: I'll wait upon her directly.
Lucy, who saw him making towards the door, pressed between it and him; and having all her lady's whims in her head, supposed he was going to carry her away.—Possessed with this thought, she screamed out, Help! help! for Heaven's sake! My lady will be carried away!
Arabella hearing this exclamation of her woman's, echoed her screams, though with a voice infinitely more delicate; and seeing Tinsel, who, confounded to the last degree at the cries of both the lady and her woman, had got into her chamber he knew not how, she gave herself over for lost, and fell back in her chair in a swoon, or something she took for a swoon, for she was persuaded it could happen no otherwise; since all ladies in the same circumstances are terrified into a fainting fit, and seldom recover till they are conveniently carried away; and when they awake, find themselves many miles off in the power of their ravisher.
Arabella's other women, alarmed by her cries, came running into the room; and seeing Mr. Tinsel there, and their lady in a swoon, concluded some very extraordinary accident had happened.
What is your business here? cried they all at a time. Is it you that has frighted her ladyship?
Devil take me, said Tinsel, amazed, if I can tell what all this means.
By this time Sir Charles, Mr. Glanville, and his sister, came running astonished up stairs. Arabella still continued motionless in her chair, her eyes closed, and her head reclined upon Lucy, who, with her other women, was endeavouring to recover her.
Mr. Glanville eagerly ran to her assistance, while Sir Charles and his daughter as eagerly interrogated Mr. Tinsel, who stood motionless with surprise, concerning the cause of her disorder.
Arabella, then first discovering some signs of life, half opened her eyes.
Inhuman wretch! cried she, with a faint voice, supposing herself in the hands of her ravisher, think not thy cruel violence shall procure thee what thy submissions could not obtain; and if when thou hadst only my indifference to surmount, thou didst find it so difficult to overcome my resolution, now that, by this unjust attempt, thou hast added aversion to that indifference, never hope for any thing but the most bitter reproaches from me.—