 dinner, and imparted a thousand trifles in continual whispers,
which attracted the notice of the company so much, that I began to fear his
behaviour would give rise to some report to my prejudice; and therefore avoided
him with the utmost caution. Notwithstanding all my care, however, he found
means one night, while my maid, who lay in my room, went down stairs, to get
into my chamber after I was abed: upon which, I started up, and told him, that
if he should approach me, I would alarm the house; for I never wanted courage
and resolution. Perceiving my displeasure, he kneeled by the bed-side, begg'd I
would have pity on his sufferings, and swore I should have carte blanche to the
utmost extent of his fortune. To these proposals I made no other reply, but that
of protesting I would never speak to him again, if he did not quit my apartment
that moment; upon which, he thought proper to withdraw; and I never afterwards
gave him an opportunity of speaking to me on the same subject: so that, in a few
weeks, he separated himself from our society; though the ladies of Brussels
considered him as my lover, because, of all the other officers, he was their
greatest favourite.
    His lordship being thus repulsed, Mr. W-- took the field, and assailed my
heart in a very different manner. He said, he knew not how to make love, but was
a man of honour, would keep the secret, and so forth. To this cavalier address I
answered, that I was not angry, as I otherwise should have been at his blunt
declaration, because I found, by his own confession, he did not know what was
due to the sex; and my unhappy situation in some shape excused him for a
liberty, which he would not have dream'd of taking, had not my misfortunes
encouraged his presumption. But I would deal with him in his own way; and far
from assuming the prude, frankly assured him, that he was not at all to my
taste, hoping he would consider my dislike as a sufficient reason to reject his
love.
    Lord R-- began to feel the symptoms of a genuine passion, which he carefully
cherished in silence, being naturally diffident and bashful; but, by the very
means he used to conceal it from my observation, I plainly discerned the
situation of his heart, and was not at all displeased at the progress I had made
in his inclinations. Mean while, he cultivated my acquaintance
