So that, in a few weeks, he
separated himself from our society; though the ladies of Brussels
considered him as my lover, because, of all the other officers, he
was their greatest favourite.
"His lordship being thus repulsed, Mr. W-- took the field,
and assailed my heart in a very different manner. He said he knew
not how to make love, but was a man of honour, and would keep the
secret, and so forth. To this cavalier address I answered, that
I was not angry as I otherwise should have been, at his blunt
declaration, because I found by his own confession, he did not know
what was due to the sex; and my unhappy situation in some shape
excused him for a liberty which he would not have dreamed of taking,
had not my misfortunes encouraged his presumption. But I would deal
with him in his own way; and, far from assuming the prude, frankly
assured him, that he was not at all to my taste, hoping he would
consider my dislike as a sufficient reason to reject his love.
"Lord R-- began to feel the symptoms of a genuine passion, which
he carefully cherished in silence, being naturally diffident
and bashful; but, by the very means he used to conceal it from
my observation, I plainly discerned the situation of his heart,
and was not at all displeased at the progress I had made in his
inclinations.
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