Oh Heavens! cried Arabella, throwing herself into a chair as pale as death—He is dead, he has fallen upon his sword, and put an end to his life and miseries at once—Oh! how unhappy am I, cried she, bursting into tears, to be the cause of so cruel an accident—Was ever any fate so terrible as mine—Was ever beauty so fatal—Was ever rigour so unfortunate—How will the quiet of my future days be disturbed by the sad remembrance of a man whose death was caused by my disdain—But why, resumed she after a little pause—Why do I thus afflict myself for what has happened by an unavoidable necessity? Nor am I singular in the misfortune which has befallen me—Did not the sad Perinthus die for the beautiful Panthea—Did not the rigour of Barsina bring the miserable Oxyatres to the grave—And the severity of Statira make Oroondates fall upon his sword in her presence, though happily he escaped being killed by it—Let us then not afflict ourselves unreasonably at this sad accident—Let us lament, as we ought, the fatal effects of our charms—But let us comfort ourselves with the thought that we have only acted conformable to our duty.
Arabella having pronounced these last words with a solemn and lofty accent, ordered Lucy, who listened to her with eyes drowned in tears, to go down and ask if the body was removed. For, added she, all my constancy will not be sufficient to support me against that pitiful sight.
Lucy accordingly delivered her message to Sir Charles and Miss Glanville, who were still together, discoursing on the fantastical turn of Arabella; when the knight, who could not possibly comprehend what she meant by asking if the body was removed, bid her tell her lady he desired to speak with her.
Arabella, upon receiving this summons, set herself to consider what could be the intent of it. If Mr. Selvin be dead, said she, what good can my presence do among them? Surely it cannot be to upbraid me with my severity, that my uncle desires to see me—No, it would be unjust to suppose it. Questionless, my unhappy lover is still struggling with the pangs of death, and for a consolation in his last moments, implores the favour of resigning up his life in my sight. Pausing a little at these words, she rose from her seat with a resolution to give the unhappy Selvin her pardon before he died. Meeting Mr. Glanville as he was returning from his chamber to the dining-room, she told him, she hoped the charity she was going to discover towards his rival, would not give him any uneasiness; and preventing his reply, by going hastily into the room, he followed her, dreading some new extravagance, yet, not able to prevent it, endeavoured to conceal his confusion from her observation. Arabella, after breathing a gentle sigh, told Sir Charles, that she was come to grant Mr. Selvin her pardon for the offence he had been guilty of, that he might depart in peace.
Well, well, said Sir Charles, he is departed in peace without it.
How, Sir! interrupted Arabella: is he dead then already? Alas! why had he not the satisfaction of seeing me before he expired, that his soul might have departed in peace? He would have been assured not only of my pardon, but pity also; and that assurance would have made him happy in his last moments.
Why, niece, interrupted Sir Charles, staring, you surprise me prodigiously: are you in earnest?
Questionless I am, sir, said she: nor ought you to be surprised at the concern I express for the fate of this unhappy man, nor at the pardon I proposed to have granted him; since herein I am justified by the example of many great and virtuous princesses, who have done as much, nay, haply more than I intended to have done, for persons whose offences were greater than Mr. Selvin's.
I am very sorry, madam, said Sir Charles, to hear you talk in this manner: it is really enough to make one suspect you are——
You do me great injustice, sir, interrupted Arabella, if you suspect me to be guilty of any unbecoming weakness for this man. If barely expressing my compassion for his misfortunes be esteemed so great a favour, what would you have thought if I had supported his head on my knees while he was dying, shed tears over him, and discovered all the tokens of a sincere affliction for him?