usin, bound hand and foot, to the victorious fair. As he dreaded
nothing more than a compliance on her part, so nothing could astonish him
more than the contempt with which she received his proposal. The scorn
with which she refused him, made him believe that she was sure of Lord
Taaffe, and wonder how a girl like her could find out two men who would
venture to marry her. He hastened to relate this refusal, with all the
most aggravating circumstances, as 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