Mr. Selvin, in spite of his natural gravity, could not forbear laughing at this speech of Miss Glanville's, which shocked her brother; and not being able to stay where Arabella was ridiculed, nor entitled to resent it, which would have been a manifest injustice on that occasion, he retired to his own apartment, to give vent to that spleen which in those moments made him out of humour with all the world.
Sir Charles, when he was gone, indulged himself in a little mirth on his niece's extravagance, protesting he did not know what to do with her. Upon which Miss Glanville observed, that it was a pity there were not such things as Protestant nunneries; giving it as her opinion, that her cousin ought to be confined in one of those places, and never suffered to see any company, by which means she would avoid exposing herself in the manner she did now.
Mr. Selvin, who possibly thought this a reasonable scheme of Miss Glanville's, seemed by his silence to assent to her opinion; but Sir Charles was greatly displeased with his daughter for expressing herself so freely; alleging that Arabella, when she was out of those whims, was a very sensible young lady, and sometimes talked as learnedly as a divine. To which Mr. Selvin also added, that she had a great knowledge of history, and had a most surprising memory; and after some more discourse to the same purpose, he took his leave, earnestly entreating Sir Charles to believe that he never entertained any design of making his addresses to Lady Bella.
In the mean time, that lady, after having given near half an hour to those reflections which occur to heroines in the same situation with herself, called for Lucy, and ordered her to go to the dining-room, and see in what condition Mr. Selvin was, telling her she had certainly left him in a swoon, as also the occasion of it; and bade her give him all the consolation in her power.
Lucy, with tears in her eyes at this recital, went down as she was ordered, and entering the room without any ceremony, her thoughts being wholly fixed on the melancholy circumstance her lady had been telling her; she looked eagerly round the room without speaking a word, till Sir Charles and Miss Glanville, who thought she had been sent with some message from Arabella, asked her both at the same instant, what she wanted.
I came, sir, said Lucy, repeating her lady's words, to see in what condition Mr. Selvin is in, and to give him all the solation in my power.
Sir Charles, laughing heartily at this speech, asked her what she could do for Mr. Selvin? To which she replied, she did not know; but her lady had told her to give him all the solation in her power.
Consolation thou wouldst say, I suppose, said Sir Charles.
Yes, Sir, said Lucy, curtseying. Well, child, added he, go up and tell your lady, Mr. Selvin does not need any consolation.
Lucy accordingly returned with this message, and was met at the chamber-door by Arabella, who hastily asked her if Mr. Selvin was recovered from his swoon: to which Lucy replied that she did not know; but that Sir Charles bid her tell her ladyship, Mr. Selvin did not need any consolation.