That, indeed, was a very notable adventure, said Arabella; but it is not strange that love should produce such metamorphoses: it is not very long ago that I heard of a man of quality who disguised himself in a poor habit, and worked in the gardens of a certain nobleman, whose daughter he was enamoured with: these things happen every day.
The person I speak of, madam, said Mrs. Morris, was never discovered to be any thing better than a writing-master; and yet, for all that, Miss was smitten with his fine person, and was taking measures to run away with him, when the intrigue was discovered, the lover dismissed, and the young lady, whose faulty conduct had drawn upon her her mother's dislike, was sent up to London, and allowed to be her own mistress at sixteen; to which unpardonable neglect of her mother she owes the misfortunes that have since befallen her.
Whatever may be the common opinion of this matter, interrupted Arabella again, I am persuaded the writing-master, as you call him, was some person of quality, who made use of that device to get access to his beautiful mistress. Love is ingenious in artifices: who would have thought, that, under the name of Alcippus, a simple attendant of the fair Artemisa, princess of Armenia, the gallant Alexander, son of the great and unfortunate Antony, by Queen Cleopatra, was concealed, who took upon himself that mean condition for the sake of seeing his adored princess? Yet the contrivance of Orontes, prince of the Massagetes, was far more ingenious, and even dangerous; for this valiant and young prince happening to see the picture of the beautiful Thalestris, daughter of the queen of the Amazons, he fell passionately in love with her; and, knowing that the entrance into that country was forbid to men, he dressed himself in women's apparel; and, finding means to be introduced to the queen and her fair daughter, whose amity he gained by some very singular services in the wars, he lived several years undiscovered in their court. I see, therefore, no reason to the contrary, but that this writing-master might have been some illustrious person, whom love had disguised; and I am persuaded, added she, smiling, that I shall hear more of him anon, in a very different character.
Indeed, madam, said Mrs. Morris, whom this speech of Arabella had extremely surprised, I never heard any thing more about him than what I have related; and, for what I know, he continues still to teach writing; for I don't suppose the duchess's displeasure could affect him.
How is it possible, said Arabella, that you can suppose such an offence to probability? In my opinion, it is much more likely that this unfortunate lover is dead through despair; or, perhaps, wandering over the world in search of that fair-one who was snatched from his hopes.
If it was his design to seek for her, madam, resumed Mrs. Morris, he need not have gone far, since she was only sent to London, whither he might easily have followed her.
There is no accounting for these things, said Arabella: perhaps he has been imposed upon, and made to believe, that it was she herself that banished him from her presence: it is probable too, that he was jealous, and thought she preferred some one of his rivals to him. Jealousy is inseparable from true love; and the slightest matters imaginable will occasion it: and what is still more wonderful, this passion creates the greatest disorders in the most sensible and delicate hearts. Never was there a more refined and faithful passion than that of the renowned Artamenes for Mandana; and yet this prince was driven almost to distraction by a smile, which he fancied he saw in the face of his divine mistress, at a time when she had some reason to believe he was dead; and he was so transported with grief and rage, that though he was a prisoner in his enemy's camp, where the knowledge of his quality would have procured him certain death, yet he determined to hazard all things for the sake of presenting himself before Mandana, and upbraiding her with her infidelity; when, in reality, nothing was farther from the thoughts of that fair and virtuous princess, than the lightness he accused her of: so that, as I said before, it is not at all to be wondered at, if this disguised lover of your lady was driven to despair by suspicions as groundless, perhaps, as those of Artamenes, yet not the less cruel and tormenting.
Mrs. Morris, finding Arabella held her peace at these words, went on with her history in this manner:—Miss Groves, madam, being directed by her woman in all things, took up her lodgings in her father's house, who was a broken tradesman, and obliged to keep himself concealed for fear of his creditors: here she formed her equipage, which consisted of a chair, one footman, a cook, and her woman. As she was indulged with the command of what money she pleased, her extravagance was boundless: she lavished away large sums at gaming, which was her favourite diversion; kept such a number of different animals for favourites, that their maintenance amounted to a considerable sum every year. Her woman's whole family were supported at her expense; and, as she frequented all public places, and surpassed ladies of the first quality in finery, her dress alone consumed great part of her income. I need not tell you, madam, that my lady was a celebrated beauty: you have yourself been pleased to say, that she is very handsome. When she first appeared at court, her beauty, and the uncommon dignity of her person, at such early years, made her the object of general admiration. The king was particularly struck with her; and declared to those about him, that Miss Groves was the finest woman at court. The ladies, however, found means to explain away all that was flattering in this distinction: they said, Miss Groves was clumsy; and it was her resemblance to the unwieldy German ladies that made her so much admired by his majesty. Her pride, and the quality-airs she affected, were the subject of great ridicule to those that envied her charms: some censures were maliciously cast on her birth; for, as she was always styled the Duchess of ——'s daughter, a custom she introduced herself, she seemed to disclaim all title to a legal father. Miss Groves, as universally admired as she was, yet made but very few particular conquests. Her fortune was known to be very considerable, and her mother's jointure was to descend to her after her death: yet there was no gentleman who would venture upon a wife of Miss Groves's taste for expense, as very few estates, to which she could pretend, would support her extravagance. The Honourable Mr. L——, brother to the Earl of ——, was the only one amidst a crowd of admirers, who made any particular address to her. This gentleman was tolerably handsome, and had the art of making himself agreeable to the ladies, by a certain air of softness and tenderness, which never failed to make some impression upon those he desired to deceive.
Miss Groves was ravished with her conquest, and boasted of it so openly, that people who were acquainted with this gentleman's character, foreseeing her fate, could not help pitying her.
A very few months' courtship completed the ruin of poor Miss Groves: she fell a sacrifice to oaths which had been often prostituted for the same inhuman purposes; and became so fond of her betrayer, that it was with great difficulty he could persuade her not to give him, even in public, the most ridiculous proofs of her tenderness. Her woman pretends that she was ignorant of this intrigue, till Miss Groves growing big with child, it could no longer be concealed; it was at length agreed she should lie-in at her own lodgings, to prevent any suspicions from her retreating into the country; but that scheme was over-ruled by her woman's mother, who advised her to conceal herself in some village, not far from town, till the affair was over.