ord would be easily persuaded to banish all his
rivals from the house; in which case, he did not doubt of his being able
to insinuate himself into my affections; because he laid it down as an
eternal truth, that, if any two persons of different sexes were obliged
to live together in a desert, 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 might 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--, whose villainy I always dreaded;
though, 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. In this terror did I remain, till my consternation was
awakened by the arrival of Mr. B--, a good-natured worthy man, whom my
lord had invited to his house, and I thought would not see me ill-used.
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 party of pleasure, and at our return examine H--'s
accounts.

"This last part of our scheme was not at all rel