The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 5 of 5)Burney, Fanny
History
The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 5 of 5)
Burney, Fanny
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Refugees -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Refugees -- Fiction; War stories
'I have met with nothing like her, Master Baronet,' he continued, 'all
the globe over. Neither juggler nor conjuror is a match for her. She can
make herself as ugly as a witch, and as handsome as an angel. She'll
answer what one only murmurs in a whisper; and she won't hear a word,
when one bawls as loud as a speaking-trumpet. Now she turns herself into
a vagrant, not worth sixpence; and now, into a fine player and singer
that ravishes all ears, and might make, if it suited her fancy, a
thousand pounds at her benefit: and now, again, as you see, you can't
tell whether she's a house-maid, or a country girl! yet a devilish fine
creature, faith! as fine a creature as ever I beheld,--when she's in
that humour! Look but what a beautiful head of hair she's displaying to
us now! It becomes her mightily. But I won't swear that she does not
change it, in a minute or two, for a skull-cap! She's a droll girl,
faith! I like her prodigiously!'
Utterly disconcerted, Juliet, expressively bowing to the Baronet, lifted
up the lid of the band-box, and, encircling her head in his bonnet,
begged his permission to re-seat herself in the chaise.
Charmed with the prospect of another tête à tête, Sir Jaspar, with
alacrity, accompanied her to the carriage; leaving Riley to enjoy, at
his leisure, the cynical satisfaction, of having worried a timid deer
from the field.
Still, however, Juliet, while uncertain whether the embarkation might
not be eluded, desired to adhere to her plan of privacy and obscurity;
and the Baronet would not struggle against a resolution from which he
hoped to reap the fruit of lengthened intercourse. Pleased and
willingly, therefore, he told his postilion to drive across the plain
to ----, whence they proceeded post to Blandford.
Great was the relief afforded to the feelings of Juliet, by a removal so
expeditious from the immediate vicinity of the scene of her sufferings;
but she considered it, at the same time, to be a circumstance to obviate
all necessity, and, consequently, all propriety of further attendance
from the Baronet: here, therefore, to his utter dismay, with firmness,
though with the gentlest acknowledgements, she begged that they might
separate.
Cruelly disappointed, Sir Jaspar warmly remonstrated against the danger
of her being left alone; but the possible hazards which might be annexed
to acting right, could not deter her from the certain evil of acting
wrong. Her greatest repugnance was that of being again forced to accept
pecuniary aid; yet that, which, however disagreeable, might be refunded,
was at least preferable to the increase and continuance of obligations,
which, besides their perilous tendency, could never be repaid. Already,
upon opening the band-box, she had seen a well furnished purse; and
though her first movement had prompted its rejection, the decision of
necessity was that of acceptance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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