Aurelian was confounded at the Relation she had made, and began to fear
his own Estate to be more desperate than ever he had imagined. He made
her a very Passionate and Eloquent Speech in behalf of himself (much
better than I intend to insert here) and expressed a mighty concern
that she should look upon his ardent Affection to be only Rallery or
Gallantry. He was very free of his Oaths to confirm the Truth of what
he pretended, nor I believe did she doubt it, or at least was unwilling
so to do: For I would Caution the Reader by the bye, not to believe
every word which she told him, nor that admirable sorrow which she
counterfeited to be accurately true. It was indeed truth so cunningly
intermingled with Fiction, that it required no less Wit and Presence of
Mind than she was endowed with so to acquit her self on the suddain.
She had entrusted her self indeed with a Fellow who proved a Villain,
to conduct her to a Monastery; but one which was in the Town, and where
she intended only to lie concealed for his sake; as the Reader shall
understand ere long: For we have another Discovery to make to him, if
he have not found it out of himself already.
After Aurelian had said what he was able upon the Subject in hand, with
a mournful tone and dejected look, he demanded his Doom. She asked him
if he would endeavour to convey her to the Monastery she had told him
of? ‘Your commands, Madam, (replied he) ‘are Sacred to me; and were
they to lay down my Life I would obey them. With that he would have
gone out of the Room, to have given order for his Horses to be got
ready immediately; but with a Countenance so full of sorrow as moved
Compassion in the tender hearted Incognita. ‘Stay a little Don
Hippolito (said she) I fear I shall not be able to undergo the Fatigue
of a Journey this Night.—Stay and give me your Advice how I shall
conceal my self if I continue to morrow in this Town. Aurelian could
have satisfied her she was not then in a place to avoid discovery: But
he must also have told her then the reason of it, viz. whom he was, and
who were in quest of him, which he did not think convenient to declare
till necessity should urge him; for he feared least her knowledge of
those designs which were in agitation between him and Juliana, might
deter her more from giving her consent. At last he resolved to try his
utmost perswasions to gain her, and told her accordingly, he was afraid
she would be disturbed there in the Morning, and he knew no other way
(if she had not as great an aversion for him as the Man whom she now
endeavour’d to avoid) than by making him happy to make her self secure.
He demonstrated to her,—that the disobligation to her Parents would be
greater by going to a Monastery, since it was only to avoid a choice
which they had made for her, and which she could not have so just a
pretence to do till she had made one for her self.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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