The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless — John Shaqi
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
They were walking out one day, about an hour or two before the time in
which they usually dined, into the park, where they were met by a
gentleman-commoner and a young student, both of whom they had been in
company with at most of the entertainments before mentioned. The sparks
begged leave to attend them, which was readily granted: they walked all
together for some time; but the weather being very warm, the
gentleman-commoner took an occasion to remind the ladies how much their
beauties would be in danger of suffering from the immoderate rays of
Phoebus; and proposed going to some gardens full of the most beautiful
alcoves and arbours, so shaded over that the sun, even in his meridian
force, could, at the most, but glimmer through the delightful gloom; he
painted the pleasures of the place, to which he was desirous of leading
them, with so romantick an energy, that they immediately, and without
the least scruple or hesitation, consented to be conducted thither.
This was a condescension which he who asked it, scarce expected would be
granted; and, on finding it so easily obtained, began to form some
conjectures no way to the advantage of those ladies reputations. It is
certain, indeed, that as he professed a friendship for the brother, he
ought not, in strict honour, to have proposed any thing to the sister
which would be unbecoming her to agree to; but he was young, gay to an
excess, and in what he said or did took not always consideration for his
guide.
They went on laughing, till they came to the place he mentioned, where
the gentlemen, having shewed their faire companions into the gardens, in
which were, indeed, several recesses, no less dark than had been
described: on entering one of them, Miss Betsy cried, 'Bless me! this is
fit for nothing but for people to do what they are ashamed of in the
light.'--'The fitter then, Madam,' replied the gentleman-commoner, 'to
encourage a lover, who, perhaps, has suffered more through his own
timidity than the cruelty of the object he adores.' He accompanied these
words with a seizure of both her hands, and two or three kisses on her
lips. The young student was no less free with Miss Flora: but neither of
these ladies gave themselves the trouble to reflect what consequences
might possibly attend a prelude of this nature, and repulsed the
liberties they took in such a manner as made the offenders imagine they
had not sinned beyond a pardon.
They would not, however, be prevailed upon to stay, or even to sit down
in that darksome recess, but went into a house, where they were shewn
into a very pleasant room which commanded the whole prospect of the
garden, and was sufficiently shaded from the sun by jessamine and
honeysuckles, which grew against the window: here wine, cakes, jellies,
and such like things, being brought, the conversation was extremely
lively, and full of gallantry, without the least mixture of indecency.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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