Pray, niece, said Sir Charles, what has Mr. Selvin done to disoblige you?
Sir, replied Arabella, Mr. Selvin's offence can admit of no other reparation than that which I required of him, which was a voluntary banishment from my presence; and in this, pursued she, I am guilty of no more severity to you, than the princess Udosia was to the unfortunate Thrasimedes. For the passion of this prince having come to her knowledge, notwithstanding the pains he took to conceal it, this fair and wise princess thought it not enough to forbid his speaking to her, but also banished him from her presence; laying a peremptory command upon him, never to appear before her again till he was perfectly cured of that unhappy love he had entertained for her—Imitate therefore the meritorious obedience of this poor prince: and if that passion you profess for me——
How, sir! interrupted Sir Charles: do you make love to my niece then?—
Sir, replied Mr. Selvin, who was strangely confounded at Arabella's speech, though I really admire the perfections this lady is possessed of, yet I assure you, upon my honour, I never had a thought of making any addresses to her; and I can't imagine why her ladyship persists in accusing me of such presumption.
So formal a denial, after what Arabella had said, extremely perplexed Sir Charles, and filled Mr. Glanville with inconceivable shame—
Miss Glanville enjoyed their disturbance, and, full of an ill-natured triumph, endeavoured to look Arabella into confusion; but that lady not being at all discomposed by this declaration of Mr. Selvin's, having accounted for it already, replied with great calmness—
Sir, it is easy to see through the artifice of your disclaiming any passion for me—Upon any other occasion, questionless, you would rather sacrifice your life, than consent to disavow these sentiments, which unhappily for your peace, you have entertained. At present the desire of continuing near me obliges you to lay this constraint upon yourself. However, you know Thrasimedes fell upon the same stratagem to no purpose. The rigid Udosia saw through the disguise, and would not dispense with herself from banishing him from Rome, as I do you from England——
How, madam! interrupted Selvin, amazed—
Yes, sir, replied Arabella hastily: nothing less can satisfy what I owe to the consideration of my own glory.
Upon my word, madam, said Selvin, half angry, and yet strongly inclined to laugh, I don't see the necessity of my quitting my native country, to satisfy what you owe to the consideration of your own glory. Pray, how does my staying in England affect your ladyship's glory?