the best news he could carry
to his cousin; but his cousin would not believe him: he supposed that
Killegrew disguised the truth, for the same reasons he had already
alleged; and not daring to mention the matter any more to him, he
resolved to wait upon her himself. He summoned all his courage for
the enterprise, and got his compliment by heart; but as soon as he
had opened his mouth for the purpose, she told him he might have saved
himself the trouble of calling on her about such a ridiculous affair;
that she had already given her answer to Killegrew; and that she
neither had, nor ever should have, any other to give; which words she
accompanied with all the severity with which importunate demands are
usually refused.

He was more affected than confounded at this repulse: everything became
odious to him in London, and he himself more so than all the rest: he
therefore left town, without taking leave of his cousin, went back to
his country seat, and thinking it would be impossible for him to live
without the inhuman fair, he resolved to neglect no opportunity in his
power to hasten his death.

But whilst, in order to indulge his sorrow, he had forsaken all
intercourse with dogs and horses; that is to say, renounced all the
delights and endearments of a country squire, the scornful nymph, who
was certainly mistaken in her reckoning, took the liberty of being
brought to-bed in the face of the whole court.

An adventure so public made no small noise, as we may very well
imagine: all the prudes at court at once broke loose upon it; and those
principally, whose age or persons secured them from any such scandal,
were the most inveterate, and cried most loudly for justice. But the
governess of the maids of honour, who might have been called to an
account for it, affirmed that it was nothing at all, and that she was
possessed of circumstances which would at once silence all censorious
tongues. She had an audience of the queen, in order to unfold the
mystery; and related to her majesty how everything had passed with her
consent, that is to say, upon honourable terms.

The queen sent to inquire of Lord Taaffe, whether he acknowledged Miss
Warmestre for his wife: to which he most respectfully returned for
answer, that he neither acknowledged Miss Warmestre nor her child,
and that he wondered why she should rather father it upon him than any
other. The unfortunate Warmestre, more enraged at this answer than at
the loss of such