of what I expected them to
be.

The grand deluder was at the farther end of the room, another way;
probably to give me an opportunity to hear these preconcerted praises--
looking into a book, which had there not been a preconcert, would not
have taken his attention for one moment. It was Taylor's Holy Living and
Dying.

When the pretended ladies joined me, he approached me with it in his hand
--a smart book, this, my dear!--this old divine affects, I see, a mighty
flowery style of an ordinary country funeral, where, the young women, in
honour of a defunct companion, especially if she were a virgin, or passed
for such, make a flower-bed of her coffin.

And then, laying down the book, turning upon his heel, with one of his
usual airs of gaiety, And are you determined, Ladies, to take up your
lodgings with my charming creature?

Indeed they were.

Never were there more cunning, more artful impostors, than these women.
Practised creatures, to be sure: yet genteel; and they must have been
well-educated--once, perhaps, as much the delight of their parents, as I
was of mine: and who knows by what arts ruined, body and mind--O my dear!
how pregnant is this reflection!

But the man!--Never was there a man so deep. Never so consummate a
deceiver; except that detested Tomlinson; whose years and seriousness,
joined with a solidity of sense and judgment that seemed uncommon, gave
him, one would have thought, advantages in villany, the other had not
time for. Hard, very hard, that I should fall into the knowledge of two
such wretches; when two more such I hope are not to be met with in the
world!--both so determined to carry on the most barbarous and perfidious
projects against a poor young creature, who never did or wished harm to
either.

Take the following slight account of these women's and of this man's
behaviour to each other before me.

Mr. Lovelace carried himself to his pretended aunt with high respect,
and paid a great deference to all she said. He permitted her to have all
the advantage over him in the repartees and retorts that passed between
them. I could, indeed, easily see, that it was permitted; and that he
forbore that vivacity, that quickness, which he never spared showing to
his pretended Miss Montague; and which a man of wit seldom knows how to
spare showing, when an opportunity offers to display his wit.

The pretended Miss Montague was still more respectful in her behaviour to
her pretended aunt