 because he laid it down as an eternal truth, that if any two
persons of different sexes were obliged to live together in a desart, where they
would be excluded from all other human intercourse, they would naturally and
inevitably contract an inclination for each other.
    How just this hypothesis may be, I leave to the determination of the
curious; though, if I may be allowed to judge from my own disposition, a couple
so situated would be apt to imbibe mutual disgusts, from the nature and
necessity of their union; unless their association was at first the effect of
reciprocal affection and esteem. Be this as it will, I honour the gentleman for
his plan, which was ingeniously contrived, and artfully conducted: but I
happened to have too much address for him in the sequel, cunning as he was,
though at first I did not perceive his drift; and his lordship was much less
likely to comprehend his meaning.
    Immediately after this new accommodation, I was carried to a country house
belonging to my lord, and was simple enough to venture myself (unattended by any
servant on whose integrity I could depend) in the hands of his lordship and
H--n, whose villainy I always dreaded; tho' at this time my apprehensions were
considerably increased, by recollecting, that it was not his interest to let me
live in the house, lest his conduct should be inquired into; and by remembering,
that the very house to which we were going, had been twice burnt down in a very
short space of time, not without suspicion of his having been the incendiary, on
account of some box of writings, which was lost in the conflagration. True it
is, this imputation was never made good; and perhaps he was altogether innocent
of the charge, which nevertheless affected my spirits in such a manner, as
rendered me the most miserable of all mortals; and in this terror did I remain,
till my consternation was weakened by the arrival of Mr. Bal-, a good natured
worthy man, whom my lord had invited to his house, and I thought would not see
me ill used; and in a few weeks, we were joined by Dr. S- and his lady, who
visited us according to their promise; and it was resolved that we should set
out for Tunbridge, on a partie of pleasure, and at our return examine H--n's
accounts.
    This last part of our scheme was not at all relished by our worthy steward,
who, therefore, determined to overturn our whole plan, and succeeded
accordingly. My lord
