not at all
contribute to the cooling of his concupiscence, but on the contrary
inflamed him to such a degree, that he could scarce restrain his
impatience, until, by her breathing deep, he concluded the fellow-lodger
of his Amanda was asleep. This welcome note no sooner saluted his ears,
than he crept to his charmer's bedside, and placing himself on his
knees, gently laid hold on her white hand, and pressed it to his lips.
She had just begun to close her eyes, and enjoy the agreeable oppression
of slumber, when she was roused by this rape, at which she started,
pronouncing, in a tone of surprise and dismay, "My God! who's that?"

The lover, with the most insinuating humility, besought her to hear him;
vowing that his intention, in approaching her thus, was not to violate
the laws of decency, or that indelible esteem which she had engraved on
his heart; but to manifest his sorrow and contrition for the umbrage he
had given, to pour forth the overflowings of his soul, and tell her that
he neither could nor would survive her displeasure. These and many
more pathetic protestations, accompanied with sighs and tears and other
expressions of grief, which our hero had at command, could not fail to
melt the tender heart of the Fleming, already prepossessed in favour of
his qualifications. She sympathized so much with his affliction, as
to weep in her turn, when she represented the impossibility of her
rewarding his passion; and he, seizing the moment, reinforced his
solicitations with such irresistible transports, that her resolution
gave way, she began to breathe quick, expressed her fear of being
overheard by the other lady, with an ejaculation of "O heavens! I'm
undone," suffered him, after a faint struggle, to make a lodgment upon
the covered way of her bed. Her honour, however, was secured for the
present, by a strange sort of knocking upon the wainscot, at the other
end of the room, hard by the bed in which the female adventurer lay.

Surprised at this circumstance, the lady begged him for heaven's sake
to retreat, or her reputation would be ruined for ever; but when he
represented to her, that her character would run a much greater risk
if he should be detected in withdrawing, she consented, with great
trepidation, to his stay, and they listened in silence to the sequel of
the noise that alarmed them. This was no other than an expedient of the
painter to awaken his dulcinea, with whom he had made an assignation,
or at le