And with what purpose didst thou wear it? said she. Do not your thoughts accuse you of your crime?
I always hoped, madam——said he.
You hoped! interrupted Arabella, frowning. Did I ever give you reason to hope? I will not deny but I had compassion on you; but even that you was ignorant of.
I know, madam, you had compassion on me, said Edward; for your ladyship, I always thought, did not believe me guilty.
I was weak enough, said she, to have compassion on you, though I did believe you guilty.
Indeed, madam, returned Edward, I always hoped, as I said before (but your ladyship would not hear me out), that you did not believe any malicious reports; and therefore you had compassion on me.
I had no reports of you, said she, but what my own observation gave me; and that was sufficient to convince me of your fault.
Why, madam, said Edward, did your ladyship see me steal the carp then, which was the fault unjustly laid to my charge?
Mr. Glanville, as much cause as he had for uneasiness, could with great difficulty restrain laughter at this ludicrous circumstance; for he guessed what crime Arabella was accusing him of. As for the young gentleman, he could not conceive what she meant, and longed to hear what would be the end of such a strange conference. But poor Arabella was prodigiously confounded at his mentioning so low an affair; not being able to endure that Glanville and her protector should know a lover of hers could be suspected of so base a theft.
The shame she conceived at it, kept her silent for a moment: but, recovering herself at last, No, said she, I knew you better than to give any credit to such an idle report: persons of your condition do not commit such paltry crimes.