At length my father broke silence, and clapping his
lordship on the shoulder, told him he was but a dull bridegroom; upon
which my lord gave him to understand that he was out of spirits.
This dejection continued all the day, notwithstanding the refreshment
of a plentiful dinner which he ate upon the road; and in the evening
we arrived at the place of our destination, where we were kindly
received by my mother, though she had no liking to the match; and,
after supper, we retired to our apartment.
"It was here that I had occasion to perceive the most disagreeable
contrast between my present helpmate and my former lord. Instead
of flying to my arms with all the eagerness of love and rapture,
this manly representative sat moping in a corner, like a criminal
on execution day, and owned he was ashamed to bed with a woman
whose hand he had scarce ever touched.
"I could not help being affected with this pusillanimous behaviour.
I remembered Lord W--, while I surveyed the object before me, and
made such a comparison as filled me with horror and disgust: nay,
to such a degree did my aversion to this phantom prevail, that I
began to sweat with anguish at the thought of being subjected to
his pleasure; and when, after a long hesitation, he ventured to
approach me, I trembled as if I had been exposed to the embraces
of a rattlesnake.
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