The History of Miss Betsy ThoughtlessHaywood, Eliza Fowler
General
The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless
Haywood, Eliza Fowler
Abused wives -- Fiction; Bildungsromans; Didactic fiction; England -- Fiction; Married women -- Fiction
He had but just rose from a bed which that night had afforded him but
little repose; when he was told Sir Bazil Loveit, to whom he had given
his directions the day before, was come to wait upon him. Mr. Trueworth
was very glad of it, being impatient to undeceive him in the opinion he
found he had entertained of Miss Betsy. They had not been three minutes
together before the other gave him an opportunity, by some facetious
interrogatories concerning the transactions of the past night; and,
among the rest, after looking round the room, asked how he had disposed
of his pretty Betsy. To all which Mr. Trueworth replied, with a very
serious air, 'Sir Bazil, though I must own there are many appearances to
justify your mistake, yet I hope my word and honour will out-balance
them. I do assure you, Sir, that lady, whom you think and speak so
lightly of, is a woman of fortune, family, and reputation.'--'I am
sorry, then,' said Sir Bazil, very much surprized, 'I treated her in the
manner I did. My Nancy, indeed,' continued he, meaning Miss Forward,
'told me she was virtuous, but I did not regard what she said on that
score; I know it is a trick among them to set off one another, to draw
in us men. But, pr'ythee, dear Charles, are you in earnest?' Mr.
Trueworth, then, after having made a second asseveration that he was
sincere in what he said, proceeded to give him some account of Miss
Betsy's family, circumstances, and manner of life; adding, that nothing
could be more surprizing to him, than to have met her in that place.
'But,' said he, 'she must certainly be unacquainted with the character
of the woman she came to visit.'
'Such a thing might possibly happen,' replied Sir Bazil, 'and I think
you would do well to give her a hint of it.'--'Doubtless,' cried the
other; 'I am doubly bound to do so; first, by my own honour; and, next,
by the friendship I have for some of her kindred.' No farther discourse
passed between them on this score; and the remaining time they were
together being taken up on matters altogether foreign to the business of
this history, there is no occasion for making any mention of it.
Sir Bazil staid so long, that when he had taken his leave, it was too
late for Mr. Trueworth to make a morning visit to Miss Betsy, as he
intended to have done, so was obliged to defer it till the afternoon;
though, since his first acquaintance with her, he had never felt more
impatience to see her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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