, young as you was, you could scarce avoid making
from my Aunt, who was free, or reserved, with all People, just as they had more
or less of this Merit.
    And this Merit, I believe, it was, which principally recommended Mr.
Fitzpatrick to her Favour. In which he so well succeeded, that he was always one
of her private Parties. Nor was he backward in returning such Distinction; for
he soon grew so very particular in his Behaviour to her, that the Scandal Club
first began to take Notice of it, and the better disposed Persons made a Match
between them. For my own Part, I confess, I made no Doubt but that his Designs
were strictly honourable, as the Phrase is; that is, to rob a Lady of her
Fortune by Way of Marriage. My Aunt was, I conceived, neither young enough nor
handsome enough, to attract much wicked Inclination; but she had matrimonial
Charms in great Abundance.
    I was the more confirmed in this Opinion from the extraordinary Respect
which he shewed to myself, from the first Moment of our Acquaintance. This I
understood as an Attempt to lessen, if possible, that Disinclination which my
Interest might be supposed to give me towards the Match; and I know not but in
some Measure it had that Effect: for as I was well contented with my own
Fortune, and of all People the least a Slave to interested Views, so I could not
be violently the Enemy of a Man with whose Behaviour to me I was greatly
pleased; and the more so, as I was the only Object of such Respect; for he
behaved at the same Time to many Women of Quality without any Respect at all.
    Agreeable as this was to me, he soon changed it into another Kind of
Behaviour, which was perhaps more so. He now put on much Softness and
Tenderness, and languished and sighed abundantly. At Times indeed, whether from
Art or Nature I will not determine, he gave his usual Loose to Gayety and Mirth;
but this was always in general Company, and with other Women; for even in a
Country Dance, when he was not my Partner, he became grave and put on the
softest Look imaginable, the Moment he approached me. Indeed he was in all
Things so very particular towards me, that I must have been blind not to have
discovered it. And, and, and -« »And you was more pleased still, my dear Harriet
,« cries Sophia; »you need not be ashamed,« added she sighing, »for sure there
