I beg pardon, returned Mr. Glanville gravely, for that offence; and also, for staying any longer in a house which you have so genteelly turned me out of.
My pardon, Mr. Glanville, resumed she, is not so easily gained: time, and your repentance, may, indeed, do much towards obtaining it.
Saying this, she made a sign to him to retire, for he had walked up with her to her chamber: but, finding he did not obey her, for really he was quite unacquainted with these sorts of dumb commands, she hastily retired to her closet, lest he should attempt to move her pity by any expressions of despair for the cruel banishment she had doomed him to.
Mr. Glanville, seeing she had shut herself up in her closet, left her chamber, and retired to his own, more confounded than ever at the behaviour of his cousin.
Her bidding him so peremptorily to leave the house, would have equally persuaded him of her ignorance and ill-breeding, had not the elegance of her manners, in every other respect, proved the contrary; nor was it possible to doubt she had a great share of understanding, since her conversation, singular as some of her sentiments seemed to him, was far superior to most other ladies. Therefore, he concluded the affront he had received proceeded from her disdain to admit the addresses of any person whose quality was inferior to hers; which, probably, was increased to some particular dislike she had to his person.
His honour would not permit him to make use of that advantage her father's authority could give him; and, wholly engrossed by his resentment of the usage he had received from her, he resolved to set out for London the next day without seeing the marquis, from whom he was apprehensive of some endeavours to detain him.
Having taken this resolution, he ordered his servant to have the horses ready early in the morning; and, without taking any notice of his intention, he left the castle, riding, as fast as possible to the next stage, from whence he wrote to his uncle; and, dispatching a messenger with his letter, held on his way to London.
The marquis, being pretty well recovered from his indisposition by a good night's rest, sent for Mr. Glanville in the morning, to walk with him, as was his custom, in the garden; but, hearing he had rode out, though he imagined it was only to take the air, yet he could not help accusing him, in his own thoughts, of a little neglect; for which he resolved to chide him, when he returned: but his long stay filling him with some surprise, he was beginning to express his fears that something had befallen him, to Arabella, who was then with him; when a servant presented him the letter, which Mr. Glanville's messenger had that moment brought.
The marquis casting his eyes on the direction, and knowing his nephew's hand, Bless me! cried he, extremely surprised, what can this mean? Bella, added he, here's a letter from your cousin.
Arabella, at these words, started up; and, preventing her father, with a respectful action, from opening it, I beseech you, my lord, said she, before you read this letter, suffer me to assure you, that if it contains any thing fatal, I am not at all accessary to it: it is true I have banished my cousin, as a punishment for the offence he was guilty of towards me; but, Heaven is my witness, I did not design his death; and if he has taken any violent resolution against himself, he has greatly exceeded my commands.