 that she could not think of her without hate
and indignation. She wished she had run all risks, rather than submit to such
detested partition; and vowed with great warmth, that let the consequence be
what it would, she was determined to discover the whole affair to the abbess, if
ever he should introduce himself again, in a manner which must subject him to
the knowledge and claim of her competitor.
    He applauded the delicacy of her sentiments, which he swore were exactly
conformable to his own; and promised to desist from those visits that gave her
umbrage, encouraging her to hope, that they would find some other means of
settling an intercourse, in which she should ingross his undivided attention.
Such a scheme was actually the subject of his thoughts at that time; and a youth
of his fruitful imagination, assisted with the counsels of such a consummate
politician as the valet de chambre, would undoubtedly have brought it to
maturation, had not his aim been anticipated by an unforeseen accident, that
flowed from the partial administration of his favour. The nun who had been
indebted to chance for his addresses, was too conscious of her own inferior
qualifications, to think she could dispute the heart of our hero with the young
lady who was previously possessed of his affection; she knew, that her share of
his good graces was altogether casual, and that the continuance of his
assiduities must be the effect of policy and constrained complaisance; yet, even
on these considerations, they were too agreeable to be given up; and therefore
she resolved to guard her privilege with the most minute vigilance and caution.
Jealousy was the natural consequence of these suggestions: the assignation in
the garden, she knew, must have been preceded by some communication; and as
there was no other opportunity of conversing with the male sex, except that of
holding a conference through the grate, she went to the portress, with a view of
obtaining some intelligence; and pumped the beldame so successfully, that she
learnt how her rival had that very forenoon been favoured with a visit by a
young gentleman, whom she supposed to be no other than their common gallant.
Inflamed with this information, she taxed the young lady with double dealing;
and scolded with such bitterness, that the other, already prejudiced against her
pretensions, could no longer contain her resentment, which she uttered in
contemptuous sneers against her personal attributes; and in the pride of her
wrath declared, that she ought not to expect another interview with her lover in
the grove; for he was already too much satiated with her charms to return to
such a banquet, and
