rnally miserable. Ah, then pursue
your honourable Proposal, and make my Father happy in my Marriage! It
must not be (return'd Don _Henrique_) my Honour, my Friendship forbids
it. No (she return'd) your Honour requires it; and if your Friendship
opposes your Honour, it can have no sure and solid Foundation. Female
Sophistry! (cry'd _Henrique_;) but you need no Art nor Artifice,
_Ardelia_, to make me love you: Love you! (pursu'd he:) By that bright
Sun, the Light and Heat of all the World, you are my only Light and
Heat--Oh, Friendship! Sacred Friendship, now assist me!--[Here for a
Time he paus'd, and then afresh proceeded thus,]--You told me, or my
Ears deceiv'd me, that you lov'd me, _Ardelia_. I did, she reply'd; and
that I do love you, is as true as that I told you so. 'Tis well;--But
would it were not so! Did ever Man receive a Blessing thus?--Why,
I could wish I did not love you, _Ardelia_! But that were impossible--At
least unjust, (interrupted she.) Well then (he went on) to shew you that
I do sincerely consult your particular Happiness, without any regard to
my own, To-morrow I will give you to Don _Antonio_; and as a Proof of
your Love to me, I expect your ready Consent to it. To let you see, Don
_Henrique_, how perfectly and tenderly I love you, I will be sacrificed
To-morrow to Don _Antonio_, and to your Quiet. Oh, strongest, dearest
Obligation!--cry'd _Henrique_: To-morrow then, as I have told your
Father, I am to bring you to see the dearest Friend I have on Earth, who
dares not appear within this City for some unhappy Reasons, and
therefore cannot be present at our Nuptials; for which Cause, I could
not but think it my Duty to one so nearly related to my Soul, to make
him happy in the Sight of my beautiful Choice, e'er yet she be my Bride.
I hope (said she) my loving Obedience may merit your Compassion; and
that at last, e'er the Fire is lighted that must consume the Offering,
I mean the Marriage-Tapers (alluding to the old _Roman_ Ceremony) that
you or some other pitying Angel, will snatch me from the Altar. Ah, no
more, _Ardelia_! say no more (cry'd he) we must be cruel, to be just to
our selves. [Here their Discourse ended, and they walked into the House,
where they found the good old Gentleman and his Lady, with whom he
stay'd till about an Hour after Supper, when he returned to his Friend
with joyful News, but a sorrowful Heart.]

_Antonio_ was all Rapture with the Thoughts of the approaching Day;
whi