 less astonishing: For to lay all Considerations of
Cruelty and Crime out of the Case, what a foolish Bargain doth the Man make for
himself, who purchases so poor a Pleasure at so high a Price!
    We had lived near three Weeks, with as much Freedom as if we had been all of
the same Family; when one Afternoon, my Lord proposed to my Husband to ride down
himself to solicite the Surrender: For he said, the Bishop had received an
unsatisfactory Answer from the Parson, and had writ a second Letter more
pressing; which his Lordship now promised us to strengthen by one of his own
that my Husband was to carry with him. Mr. Bennet agreed to this Proposal with
great Thankfulness; and the next Day was appointed for his Journey. The Distance
was near seventy Miles.
    My Husband set out on his Journey; and he had scarce left me before Mrs.
Ellison came into my Room, and endeavoured to comfort me in his Absence; to say
the Truth, tho' he was to be from me but a few Days, and the Purpose of his
going was to fix our Happiness on a sound Foundation for all our future Days, I
could scarce support my Spirits under this first Separation. But tho' I then
thought Mrs. Ellison's Intentions to be most kind and friendly; yet the Means
she used were utterly ineffectual, and appeared to me injudicious. Instead of
soothing my Uneasiness, which is always the first Physic to be given to Grief,
she rallied me upon it, and began to talk in a very unusual Stile of Gaiety, in
which she treated conjugal Love with much Ridicule.
    I gave her to understand, that she displeased me by this Discourse; but she
soon found Means to give such a Turn to it, as made a Merit of all she had said.
And now, when she had worked me into a good Humour, she made a Proposal to me,
which I at first rejected; but at last fatally, - too fatally suffered myself to
be over-persuaded. This was to go to a Masquerade at Ranelagh, for which my Lord
had furnished her with Tickets.«
    At these Words Amelia turned pale as Death, and hastily begged her Friend to
give her a Glass of Water, some Air, or any Thing. Mrs. Bennet having thrown
open the Window, and procured the Water, which prevented Amelia from fainting,
looked at her with much Tenderness, and cried, »I do not wonder, my dear Madam,
that you are affected with my mentioning that fatal Masquerade; since I firmly
