burst into speaking before he had finished what he had to say; she called up all the little discretion and reason love had left her to manage herself as she ought in this great occasion; she bit her lips, and swallowed her rising sighs; but he soon saw the storm he had raised, and knew not how to stand the shock of its fury; he sighs, he pleads in vain, and the more he endeavours to excuse the levity of _Philander_, the more he rends her heart, and sets her on the rack; and concluding him false, she could no longer contain her rage, but broke out into all the fury that madness can inspire, and from one degree to another wrought her passion to the height of lunacy: she tore her hair, and bit his hands that endeavoured to restrain hers from violence; she rent the ornaments from her fair body, and discovered a thousand charms and beauties; and finding now that both his strength and reason were too weak to prevent the mischiefs he found he had brought on her, he calls for help: when _Brilliard_ was but too ready at hand, with _Antonet_, and some others who came to his assistance. _Brilliard_, who knew nothing of the occasion of all this, believed it the second part of his own late adventure, and fancied that _Octavio_ had used some violence to her; upon this he assumes the authority of his lord, and secretly that of a husband or lover, and upbraiding the innocent _Octavio_ with his brutality, they fell to such words as ended in a challenge the next morning, for _Brilliard_ appeared a gentleman, companion to his lord; and one whom _Octavio_ could not well refuse: this was not carried so silently but _Antonet_, busy as she was about her raving lady, heard the appointment, and _Octavio_ quitted the chamber almost as much disturbed as _Sylvia_, whom, with much ado they persuaded him to leave; but before he did so, he on his knees offered her the letter, and implored her to receive it; so absolutely his love had vanquished his nobler part, that of honour. But she attending no motions but those of her own rage, had no regard either to _Octavio_’. proffer, or his arguments of excuse; so that he went away with the letter in all the extremity of disorder. This last part of his submission was not seen by _Brilliard_; who immediately left the chamber, upon receiving _Octavio_’. answer to his challenge; so that _Sylvia_ was now left with her woman only; who by degrees brought her to more calmness; and _Brilliard_, impatient to hear the reproaches he hoped she would give _Octavio_ when she was returned to reason, being curious of any thing that might redound to his disadvantage, whom he took to be a powerful rival, returned again into her chamber: but in lieu of hearing what he wished, _Sylvia_ being recovered from her passion of madness, and her soul in a state of thinking a little with reason, she misses _Octavio_ in the crowd, and with a voice her rage had enfeebled to a languishment, she cried--surveying carefully those about her, ‘Oh where is _Octavio_?