beg your pardon Pray Sir proceed I must then remind you pursued she how difficult it has been hitherto for any man to make the least impression on her Inclinations which she is so sensible of that she almost despairs of finding a man she could heartily love I have often heard her though describe such a Figure of a Lover and of such Qualifications to her self which made me once offer my Service to her in the search of such a one she had described insinuating that I was the more likely to Succeed of the two and the sooner because my Breeches would admit me into that Company which her Petticoats would exclude her She readily accepted my offer and was pleased to say she was certain she should approve of my Choice And now this very minute am I playing the Knight Errant to serve this Lady which I would do with the hazard of my life for assure your self I love her as my own heart You were saying Sir interrupted Polydor she gave you a Figure of the man she could love pray what was that Sir If it be not rude in me to desire it nor inconvenient in you to shew it I beg you would proceed to his Picture You shall have it Sir said she assoon as I can get yours drawn As for your humour you are sufficiently acquainted with that already for your Quality I know it by your Name So that to save the expence of so much pretious time I am sure you need only consult your Glass and you will see the very Man therein all Circumstances O Dear Sir said Polydor do not Impose on me but I perceive this is but real Raillery you have a mind to be merry But Come Sir my Service to you this Glass will inspire us with another and perhaps as pleasant discourse She saw him drink off his Glass fairly And then answered By all the truth Mankind is capable of you do me wrong Sir to imagin that I have hitherto impos'd on you or that I shall ever hereafter endeavour it besides I am very sensible 't is no easie attempt in any body especially in me Yet give me leave once more to attack your unjust and if I may say so your unkind mistrust of me of what I have told you By all the hopes I have of future Prosperity pursu'd she you are the Man How can you be assur'd of that Sir said Polydor. I am absolutely Confirm'd assur'd and dare swear it replyed she For she see 's with my Eyes hears with my Ears Understands with my Intellectuals and thinks as I do On my word Sir said Polydor you are a very dangerous Rival then Alas Sir replyed Ariadne were I your Rival you have a great deal the advantage in your Weapon And the Combat would be more Pleasant than Fatal But be confident continu'd she you need fear no Rival to my certain knowledge she is passionately in Love with you And to confess the truth I was sent to observe your motions and if possible to fix you so long as to make this discourse to you with some overtures which yet I have omitted Polydor all this time regarded her so earnestly and so strictly surveyed her all over that he hardly was sensible when she came to this last Period But at length Recollecting himself Sir said he allowing all this to be real yet you are to learn the Circumstances which at present I am under But forgive me after all the serious Faces you have us'd and after all your earnest discourse I am still suspicious of my own Merits tho perhaps not of your sincerity and the assurance you have from her And come continu'd he drinking to Miranda my Service to you Sir Help me I beseech you to Divert this Gentleman's Melancholly Melancholly said Ariadne very eagerly assoon as ever he had set down the Glass 'T is you that Impose now for I see you are about to perswade me that I am a little civilly Distracted or so But pursu'd she vehemently pray Sir let us learn those Circumstances of yours which we are yet ignorant of Polydor seeing her somewhat concern'd did not know what Judgment to make of what he had heard whether it were Real or Fictitious But weighing deliberately the Meen the Habit Beauty and Discourse of the Person began tacitely to accuse himself of Incivility to a Person who at the first sight had offer'd him so considerable a Service as Thirty or Forty Guinneys might ha' done him had he accepted 'em wherefore he concluded himself mistaken and rather the madder of the two which oblig'd him very easily and modestly to reply Sir I most Religiously beg your Pardon for my own Madness in mistaking you so long and that you may the more easily be Invited to so generous an Act I will tell you my Circumstances and you will find what necessity I had to despair of my own deserts in so great an advantage as this might ha' been to me You may happily have heard of my name pursu'd he if you do not know any of the Family which I dare say is honest and not altogether Ignoble my Father let me speak it with Modesty enjoys a plentiful Estate Heaven be praised However I am the youngest Son And my Fortune is small enough I have no dependance but on Providence and my own endeavours if I shou'd extravagantly continue to impair that little Estate my Grandfather left me and already the better moiety is engag'd part of which you saw me just now make my last stake in this House yet give me leave to add I am an Honest Follow true to my King and my Mistress when ever I had one no more a Gamester than my Ancestors which may be was too much I mean tho not fond of it but in hopes to improve the little pittance was left to support this Tenement too little for the unruly Guest that fills it for certainly I had never been so unadvis'd as to hazard my Estate had it been any thing proportionable to my Humour but at present I only possess 80 Pounds a year the Remainder of 150 l. a year left me by the old Gentlemean I spoke of before And now Sir if after all I have discover'd to you 't is possible this Lady should love me she is a Prodigy of Goodness But I hope you are convinc'd she cannnot So far I am from being convinc'd that she shou'd not love you for your slender fortunes answered Ariadne that it the more Confirms me you only must be the Man For these are the very Circumstances she could have wish'd to have met with in him she Lov'd And when her Brother has told her she would sometime or other throw her self away as he call'd it on some younger Brother or Extravagant Elder Brother I have often heard her protest she had rather bestow her self according to the deserts of the Person not his Land since she bad enough to maintain both him her self and her Children splendidly without being
leave us and the Country nor could I tell where to have enquired of you Madam reply'd Polydor I confess it had not been very easy to have met with me by that name And I beseech you pardon me continued he and I will undeceive you He paus'd but seeing she expected he should proceed My name pursu'd he is Polydor I am not altogether unknown to your Brother Sir Francis Why then interrupted Dorothea did you borrow an other name Because Madam reply'd he I would have been wholly disguis'd to you for some Reasons that are not fit to be discours'd And I beg you Madam added he not to press me to the discovery of them Alas I do not mean it Sir reply'd the fair Impostor I have other Business with you and of greater Moment to my self I have Proposals to make to you which happily may not prove absolutely Disadvantageous to you if embrac'd I love you Polydor continued she without suffering him to speak And I love you so passionately that I can be capable of no rest nor sensible of any Joy unless you justly answer me Nay Madam Interrupted Polydor As for that matter I can Love as fast and as well as any man And I am ready to do your Ladyship any Civil Kindness Ah cry'd she I fear you mistake me Polydor my desires and designs are honest and Honourable We must Marry continued Dorothea if you mean to make me Happy If you will not kill a poor Lady that languishes for you How Marry Interrupted he you don't know what you ask Madam I wish I could with all my heart But I have seen enough of that already I hope in Heaven cry'd Dorothea all in a surprize you are not Married Are you If I be not answered Polydor I have seen the fatal Consequences of it in others No no Madam continued he no more of that such another word and I shall Swown though I nere use to do so Why reply'd Dorothea am I so contemptible then if you are any way acquainted with my Brother you may perhaps have heard my Fortunes are not And pursu'd she could it enter into your thoughts that the Sister of Sir Francis Heartwell could ask any thing but Marriage of you after the Declaration of her Love Ah Madam said Polydor Kneeling for Heavens sake forgive me I am certain you would added he if you knew my wretched Cursed Circumstances Heaven knows pursu'd he looking very Amourously on her I would soon embrace so advantageous an offer if it were convenient for either of us Seek not I beseech you continued he with a sigh seek not to know the miserable Obstacle Be satisfied I am lost Madam Condemned to perpetual Infamy while here I Live My Reputation is Damn'd my Fortune and my Rest for ever broken And my Liberty is no more Ah pitty Madam pursu'd he with a hearty sigh pitty a miserable Creature that is not capable of receiving the Happiness your Goodness would throw away upon him And now continu'd he rising Permit me I beg of you to retire and Curse my Evil Stars which have heap'd so great Misfortunes on me only for my Credulity suffer me I Conjure you by your Excellent good Humour to retire that I may Rave freely alone that I may either shake off the thoughts of my Misery or sink under ' em O Heavens cry'd Dorothea weeping which by no means she could refrain such was the sweetness of her Temper I pitty you from my Soul Alas I cannot but be too sensible that you are much Afflicted And I wish heartily it were in my Power or Art to relieve you You may go continued he since you must and will go But I beseech you as ever you hope to regain your Quiet Let me at all times know where to find you Be confident Madam you shall said Polydor kissing her Hand and making his Obeysance very humbly to the very Door he left her gazing after him When he was quite out of sight she went to her cruel Cousin whom she railly'd severely for making her Instrument in Torturing the Poor mistaken Polydor. But to her greater dissatisfaction she understood that she had a Scene or two more to play of her part yet Which Ariadne began to instruct her in While Polydor retreated to his little Thatch'd house where he weigh'd every Circumstance of this Last Adventure Heavens cry'd he was there ever so unfortunate a Fellow as I am to be abus'd by a Counterfeit Ariadne when I might really have had the true one But perhaps I had never seen the last had it not been in quest of the first 'T is stranged Methinks there is still something that hangs about my Heart and will not let me hate that naughty Woman nor I fear I shou'd receive her again were I assur'd of her Virtue Were I confident she were not in Debt or had I but an Estate to pay her Debts whatever they were upon the assurahce of her truth to me I shou'd take her into my Bosom O easy Fool that I am I am certain I shou'd Shee 's witchingly fair I cannot for my Soul forget her Beauty Her Humour too so justly answers mine that 't were too great a Blessing for me to enjoy her had she but Honour too But O! continu'd he I have lost a Diamond for a Pebble Is that so strange Alas I have lost my self But well pursued he I le to Town and strive to divert the Thoughts of my ill Fortune and Disgrace with Company and Play I may meet there with somebody as wretched as my self And then wee 'l sit and Rail and Curse Fortune Women and our own Follies Hold Polydor Hold pursu'd he after a little Pause Do's this become the greatness of thy Spirit No I will suffer quietly and silently I 'le be as great a Stoick as the best of ' em Nay more I 'le bear my Afflictions like a Christian Woman I forgive thee Thou hast not Damned me yet Thou hast only made me forfeit all my Happiness on Earth unless I find it here here in my Breast I first must drive thee out and then I may Alas Thou coudst not help this Treachery It is Entail'd upon thy Sex Heaven has ordain'd that you shou'd all be false Made Soft and Fair the easier to Deceive 'T was not the Fruit nor Serpent ruin'd Man O no! The Woman look'd the Sin into him Shee Smil'd and raised strong Appetites within him The Mighty Charm prevail'd The glorious Bait. He speedily devour'd and in one moment Thus Poyson'd all his Pure Immaculate Soul And left his Sons weak Preys to 's subtle Daughters So continu'd he Recollecting himself I can Preach I see upon occasion However this is no place to Preach in the Night comes on apace I will to Town in spite of Darkness With that he call'd for his Horse and a Pen Ink and Paper which with much ado he got But I believe his Hostess was forc'd to tear a blank Leaf out of the Practice
Prithee do not beg interrupted Sir Francis thou hast stirr'd all that was Woman in me and now I must know thy very Endeavours to conceal it makes me impatient of this tormenting Silence There 's Mischief in it let me know it Mischief I think there is cry'd Marwood all in a Rage Mischief Base Treacherous Mischeif Why then art thou so long ere thou let'st me know it said Ariadnes dear Brothe r Too soon said Marwood shaking his spiteful head and shrugging up his Shoulders you will know too soon the Lady your Sister Ariadne is Married Married said Sir Francis keeping his Temper and his face Why then God give her Joy Can you then so Tamely hear such ill News cry'd Marwood that your Sister is Marri'd basely below her self to a Man of no Fortunes or at least of very small Fortunes and those too decaying And without your Knowledge With all my heart let her Marry without my Knowledge reply'd Sir Francis But what base Man is he she has made her Husband Pray what is his name Do I know him yes I think you have seen him answered Marwood and in my Company Pox o' my Loggerhead that ever I brought him near you Prithee interrupted the good humour'd Gentleman who is he without any more Harrangues let me know his Name if he has one I beseech you 'T is Polydor that Treacherous Beggerly Villain cry'd Marwood his Face all over glowing with Rage and Envy Polydor said Sir Francis have a care Marwood what you say He is a worthy Gentleman and of a good Family besides he was your Friend I am heartily glad 't is so well with her after all the fears you put me in for her So well cry'd Marwoud 'T is true she might have Married a Hangman a Cobler or a Porter for all you I see But I don't apprehend how otherwise she could have done worse The Extravagant Prodigal knows how to spend her Fortunes and his own too were they both doubled Is this all the care you take of your Sister How now Marwoud said Sir Francis putting on a serious Look what do you mean by this Discourse Pray keep your Reprimands till they may be more seasonable will you instruct my Care and Love to my Sister If I have offended Sir answered Marwoud 't is through the excess of my Friendship and Zeal to serve you I could not think such a Lost Fellow as Polydor a fit Match for the incomparable Ariadne It seems reply'd her Brother Ariade thinks so And once more I give you Caution that you treat him at your discourse of him as he is a Gentleman If not for his own and his Families sake yet at least as he is my Sisters Husband and my Brother But how came this Wedding about Marwoud told him every Circumstance as Polydor had related to him but added he I fear he has disguised the Truth and that he surprised her and forc'd her consent to Marry him If so replyd Sir Francis I shall take an Honourable Revenge on him Wee 'l go down to Morrow and learn the Truth But I fear Marwoud you love her your self I have long suspected it and 't is Jealous hate that makes you judge so ill of your happy Rival I hope reply'd Marwoud ready to burst with Anger which he durst not vent there I had not been altogether so Contemptible and disproportionate a Match had I been so happy as Polydor. I grant your Estate is proportionable reply'd Sir Francis but how unequal your Humours may be I know not And perhaps added he sharply she is as Happy as she has disposed of her self as if she had proceeded according to your deliberate Instructions 'T is very possible reply'd Marwoud The next Morning they came to Dorotheas where I fancy they were expected because they were so Civilly entertain'd Assoon as Sir Francis found his Sister in private which you may be confident was before Marwoud had the opportunity of conversing alone with her He told her all that Marwoud had related to him all which she own'd who certainly gave her the greatest animosity imaginable against a Gentleman of his Principles and Circumstances 'T is true she was Reveng'd and that by good Fortune for perhaps Marwoud durst have fought any man on equal terms of Honour or Advantage He was a Spark that could Love as heartily for interest as any man Breathing He had a strange Command over himself in Conversation And would seldom speak Truth for that is the rudest thing imaginable especially if a man always does so You are to know then that assoon as her Brother had made this Discourse to her Ariadne singled out Marwoud and led him into the Garden Is it possible said she that a Gentleman and your friend should impudently and falsely report to you that I was Married to him and is it not as strange that you should give Credit to him on so slight Circumstances as the sight of my Ring and Purse Look here continued she shewing him the Letter Polydor had written to her under the borrowed Name of Beaufort See now are you not finely abused But I perceive very faint appearances will prevail on you to believe the worst things imaginable of me Ha! interrupted Marwoud in a pleasing surprise Are you not then Married to him Why can't you yet give Credit to me said Ariadne Why then cry'd Marwoud do you suffer him to wear those things which are much more precious in their having been worn by you than an hundred times their Value could make them â—ou see answered she he entreates here â—hat he might kiss my hand which by no means I would permit but prevailed with Dorothea to personate me when upon the first sight of her he cry'd she was not that Ariadne he looked for and left her without returning any of ' em By Heaven but he shall return 'em Madam cry'd Marwood in a fierce tone and that ere to Morrow this time I would not said Ariadne Encourage you in any ill design of Revenge upon my Account but truly I must say he deserves to be punished for his Indiscretion What a Devil did this Woman mean now some will say to set this Fellow to Murther her Husband Let them know she was resolved to try his Courage as well as his other Virtues for undoubtedly she was the most humorous Creature Breathing And I dare say she wish'd from her very Soul that Polydor might come off Victorious and Chastize Marwoud for his Tatling They said not much more on that Matter because they saw Sir Francis leading Dorothea and Miranda to them 〈◊〉 they joyned Discourse presently oâ— News and things indifferent which lasted about an Hour when they were told that Dinner waited them on the Table they all went in and those could fed heartily Marwoud's Stomack was full already with his Resolution of fighting Polydor and I think he Eate but little but drank the more And assoon as Dinner was over he took the opportunity to leave
Polydor I am a very unfortunate Fellow indeed For the loss of a Friend grieves me a thousand times more than my Imprisonment But continu'd he did he say I ow'd him any Money No Sir replyed the Serjeant he told us the Debt was real and Contracted by a Lady whom you had lately Marry'd This is all a Riddle to me said Polydor But I thank you Gentlemen for your Information I find I am made the sport of Fortune of late I was a happy Fellow and at Liberty once But now Well! Gentlemen your Servant I thank you for this Liberty Why Sir will you be going already said he who Invited him into the Lodge Dinner is just a coming I believe by this time Be pleas'd then Gentlemen reply'd Polydor to feed heartily when it do's come and Invite some of your Friends in the House to eat with you that want it most at least be pleased to send 'em what you think fit for my part I care not for eating I must mind my own business I see And pray let me entreat the favour of you to let me have a careful Messenger sent to me and you shall command me as much another time if I ever am in a Capacity of serving you Ay Sir wee 'l be sure to send you a very honest Fellow answer'd one of 'em but we are sorry you will not Dine when you have already given order for Meat I thank you Sir said Polydor I have business of greater concern than Dining once more your Servant The Gate was soon open'd to him you may believe and to his dark Apartment he went directly Where after two or three hearty Sighs he began How shou'd Marwoud come acquainted with my Ariadne How came she to employ him And how durst he undertake so base a thing as to betray his Friend Yet what made him fight me for the Ring and the Gold What Title had he to either of ' em 'T is a strange Mystery profound and dark And I am lost in 't He must know my False Ariadne if he did really betray me to this place that 's certain Ariadne did I call her A very Improper Name it is methinks for her For she has led me into a Labyrinth I see all Ariadnes are not of the same humour Her Name sake bravely led her Lover forth spite of a Cruel Father Ventur'd all and lost her self at last for a false Man When I Disarm'd and naked of deceit have got into the Labyrinth and met the Monster So much for Honesty So much for Truth But O! How much for rash Credulity Had I been practic'd in the World 's great Arts Treason Rebellion and Hypocrisy cou'd I have nos'd my Prince and to his Teeth have told him that his Power was but painted cou'd I have sworn a Maid into belief of any feigned Love and when I had enjoy'd have thrown the Rifl'd Broad Blown Flow'r behind me cou'd I in my Dear Friends Bosom lying pierce it to reach his Heart and after all cheat Heaven with pretended Piety serve God with lift up Eyes and dismal tone but Heart of Marble sinking down to Hell then I had been a Glorious Devil Then my Prince might ha' been pitty'd the lost Maid have Fruitless Tears with my Friends unrevenged Bloud They 'd only suffer'd O! No I mistake They had been Blessed perhaps and with their Sighs have blasted all my hopes of future Bliss and blown me down to Hell for Heaven sees and is not to be mock'd He fetch'd another deep Sigh at the end of this long Sermon and threw himself on his Bed Within a little after the Fellow came to him to know what Service he had to command him He rose and dispatch'd him away to his three Gaming Friends and being then somewhat tir'd with Grief and not having yet slept well in his new Lodging he fel into a slumber for two or three hours About which time the Messenger return'd with his three Friends He was almost out o' Countenance when he saw 'em and hardly knew how to receive ' em At last said Will Why how now Polydor What brought thee hither E'en my own Folly replyed Polydor you will not pitty me when you hear it However I must discourse it to you that you may give me your Advice you must know then I 'am Marry'd Marry'd cry'd all three in a strange Surprize Ay Marry'd continu'd Polydor and to one of the most Beautiful Creatures breathing One whom I wou'd not leave for the Empire of the World were she but really what she seem'd You appear Amaz'd at what I say pursu'd he but sit ye down and I will relate you the whole Adventure 'T is pure Knight Errantry that you must take notice of before hand Then he began and told 'em every Circumstance till the very Minute that they came to him They heard it with a great deal of Patience and Wonder but with no little trouble for their Friends sake I 'm sorry said Will you are fallen into the hands of Sir Tenacious Heedy I have heard he 's a meer Jew to any Man that ows him Money No Pox on 't cry'd Harry Nothing troubles me but that he is Marry'd And what 's worse added Tom that he shou'd throw himself away without ever so much as asking the advice of any of his Friends You see Friend said Harry what comes of Weddings Pox take me if I can pitty you for the heart of me Why were there not Wives enow in the Town of other Mens but you must needs get one of your own And added Will to believe a little Rascally Lad in a matter of such moment A likely piece of business indeed cry'd Harry that a Lady of twelve hundred a Year and some thousands in Money and Jewels shou'd dispose of her self on such a Person as thine There had been some reason had some probability that I might have had such Fortune I might justly expect it Yes from such a Lady as Sycorax in the Tempest with a Dowry of Enchanted Lands cry'd Tom which you may take Possession of when you can discern ' em No Faith continu'd he to give the Devil his due Polydor has the advantage of us all that way Ay reply'd Harry and to give the Devil his due he 's the silly'st Devil that ever I heard of Come You are Merry Gentlemen at my Cost interrupted Polydor but this is nothing to my Liberty this is no Advice tho 't is what I did really expect from you Advice cry'd Harry why prithee send for thy Wife Ariadne with her Clue if thou know'st whither I believe she 's gone to my Sycorax for their Lands lie very near together No no interrupted Tom I rather imag n Bacchus has taken her up too into Heaven he 's an old Dog at Ariadne's You shall see he 'l fetch Sir Francis's Sister and all shortly Enough enough of this cry'd Will very soberly Let 's think what 's to be done Why I 'l tell you my opinion