Our adventurer, having by his hypocrisy obtained free access to his
mistress, began the siege by professing the most sincere contrition
for his former levity, and imploring her forgiveness with such
earnest supplication, that, guarded as she was against his flattering
arts, she began to believe his protestations, which were even
accompanied with tears, and abated a good deal of that severity
and distance she had proposed to maintain during this interview.
She would not, however, favour him with the least acknowledgment
of a mutual passion, because, in the midst of his vows of eternal
constancy and truth, he did not mention one syllable of wedlock,
though he was now entirely master of his own conduct, and this
consideration created a doubt, which fortified her against all his
attacks. Yet, what her discretion would have concealed, was discovered
by her eyes, which, in spite of all her endeavours, breathed
forth complacency and love; for her inclination was flattered by
her own self-sufficiency, which imputed her admirer's silence in
that particular to the hurry and perturbation of his spirits, and
persuaded her that he could not possibly regard her with any other
than honourable intentions.
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