After some time that I had lived here with _Bellimante_, I made some pretext to leave her for a little while; she, who was extreamly charmed with that Solitude, resolved to wait there my return, so that I had some pain in contriving how I should bring _Bellinda_ to the same Castle as I wished to do; but it had in it many Mansions and Apartments, and, as I said, so retired from one another, that it was difficult to come at any time together or to meet: This consideration made me resolved, and very pressing with _Bellinda_, to go to this place, assuring her of such Diversion as she never met with in any other part of the World: She loved and was not long in persuading, and I had the Glory to conduct her in spight of all her Wit and Gayety, to this retreat of Solitude with me; where, unperceived, I obliged her to render me all that Love could allow, and more than Honour would permit: And I was for some days extreamly happy, and possibly had continued so, (going from one Apartment to another, and, like the Great Sultan, visiting by turns my Beauties,) had not a malicious fate prevented my Grandeur and Pleasure. It hap’ned one day that I had sued a repetition of Favours from _Bellinda_; she seeming resolved to grant me no more, repenting of those I had taken, and with a charming Sorrow reproaching me, making me a thousand times more pressing than before: At last her force growing weaker, her denials fainter, and my importunities more raging; I found her yeilding, the Lily in her Face gave place to the Roses, and Love and Trembling made her Eyes more fair, and just ready to render me all. We saw approaching us _Bellimante_, who, having heard how I sometimes past my hours, resolved to surprise me in my perfidy; and accordingly found us in a gloomy Arbour with all the Transports of Love in both our Faces, which it was too late to resettle and hide from this too sensible and jealous fair One: In vain I strove with all the Arguments of Love and Tenderness to appease her, or, if by anything I said, I found her inclined to pardon me, on the other side it but served to incense and enrage _Bellinda_, to whom I had made equal Vows (at her coming to that place,) of eternal Fidelity. I am not able to express to you, my dear _Lysander_, what confusion I found myself in, I divided my Heart and my Entreaties between ‘em; and knew not to which I most ardently meant ‘em; I was very sensible, that while I treated both with equal Love and Respect, that I should gain neither, and yet if what I said to both had been addrest to any one of ‘em, it would have prevailed; and I found it easie to have kept either, if I would resolve to quit the other; but my heart not inclining to that, or if it wou’d, not knowing which I shou’d chuse, made me remain between ‘em both the most out-of-countenanced coxcomb, that ever was taken in the cheats of Love, while both were on either side reproaching me with all the malice and noise imaginable, so that not being able longer to endure