 at present; but I know not how you will make it appear, that an Absence, which you allow to be short, has seemed so tedious to you; for this is a manifest Contradiction: However, pursued she, preventing his Reply, you look so well, and so much at Ease, that I am apt to believe, Absence has agreed very well with you.
And yet I assure you, Madam, said Mr. Glanville, interrupting her, that I have suffered more Uneasiness during this Absence, than I fear you will permit me to tell you.
Since, replied Arabella, that Uneasiness has neither made you thinner, nor paler, I don't think you ought to be pitied: For, to say the

Truth, in these Sort of Matters, a Person's bare Testimony has but little Weight.
Mr. Glanville was going to make her some Answer; when Miss Glanville, who, while they had been speaking, was adjusting her Dress at the Glass, came up to them, and made the Conversation more general.
After Dinner, they adjourned to the Gardens, where the gay Miss Glanville, running eagerly from one Walk to another, gave her Brother as many Opportunities of talking to Lady Bella as he could wish: However, he stood in such Awe of her, and dreaded so much another Banishment, that he did not dare, otherwise than by distant Hints, to mention his Passion; and Arabella, well enough pleased with a Respect that in some measure came up to her Expectation, discovered no Resentment at Insinuations she was at Liberty to dissemble the Knowlege of: And if he could not, by her Behaviour, flatter himself with any great Hopes, yet he found as little Reason, in Arabella's Language, to despair.
Miss Glanville, at the End of a few Weeks, was so tired of the magnificent Solitude she lived in, that she heartily repented her Journey; and insinuated to her Brother, her Inclination to return to Town.
Mr. Glanville, knowing his Stay was regulated by his Sister's, intreated her not to expose him to the Mortification of leaving Arabella so soon; and promised her he would contrive some Amusements for her, which should make her relish the Country better than she had yet done.

Accordingly, he proposed to Arabella to go to the Races, which were to be held atÑa few Miles from the Castle: She would have excused herself, upon account of her Mourning; but Miss Glanville discovered so great an Inclination to be present at this Diversion, that Arabella could no longer refuse to
