No indeed, madam, said Lucy.
I am glad to hear thou art so discreet, said Arabella; and pray do me the favour to relate this adventure to me, as thou wouldest do to those princes and princesses, if thou wert commanded.
Here Arabella, making a full stop, fixed her eyes upon her woman, expecting every moment she would begin the desired narrative—But finding she continued silent longer than she thought was necessary for recalling the several circumstances of the story into her mind—
I find, said she, it will be necessary to caution you against making your audience wait too long for your relation. It looks as if you was to make a studied speech, not a simple relation of facts, which ought to be free from all affectation of labour and art; and be told with that graceful negligence which is so becoming to truth.
This I thought proper to tell you, added she, that you may not fall into that mistake when you are called upon to relate my adventures——Well, now if you please to begin——
What, pray madam? said Lucy.
What? repeated Arabella: why, the adventures which happened to me so lately. Relate to me every circumstance of my being carried away, and how my deliverance was effected by my cousin.
Indeed, madam, said Lucy, I know nothing about your ladyship's being carried away.
Be gone, cried Arabella, losing all patience at her obstinacy: get out of my presence this moment. Wretch, unworthy of my confidence and favour, thy treason is too manifest: thou art bribed by that presumptuous man to conceal all the circumstances of his attempt from my knowledge, to the end that I may not have a full conviction of his guilt.
Lucy, who never saw her lady so much offended before, and knew not the occasion of it, burst into tears; which so affected the tender heart of Arabella, that losing insensibly all her anger, she told her with a voice softened to a tone of the utmost sweetness and condescension, that provided she would confess how far she had been prevailed upon by his rich presents to forget her duty, she would pardon and receive her again into favour—