She chose to insinuate her suspicion in these hints,
rather than give an explicit detail of the young man's dishonourable
contrivance, which might have kindled the resentment of the family
to some dangerous pitch of animosity and revenge.
Our adventurer, finding himself baffled in his expectation of seeing
her, inquired for the old gentleman, with whom he thought he had
influence enough to make his apology good, in case he should find
him prepossessed by the young lady's information. But here too he
was disappointed, the uncle having gone to dine in the country, and
his wife was indisposed; so that he had no pretext for staying in
the house till the return of his charmer. Being, however, fruitful
of expedients, he dismissed his chariot, and took possession of a
room in a tavern, the windows of which fronted the merchant's gate;
and there he proposed to watch until he should see her approach.
This scheme he put in practice with indefatigable patience, though
it was not attended with the expected success.
Emilia, whose caution was equally vigilant and commendable, foreseeing
that she might be exposed to the fertility of his invention, came
home by a private passage, and entered by a postern, which was
altogether unknown to her admirer; and her uncle did not arrive
until it was so late that he could not, with any decency, demand
a conference.
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