hough she was sorry to lose so good a servant, yet she
thought it right to advise her to choose a husband. The girl answered
modestly, that it was her duty to obey all her commands, but she found
no inclination to marriage; and if she would permit her to live single,
she should think it a greater obligation than any other she could
bestow. Signora Diana was too conscientious to force her into a state
from which she could not free her, and left her to her own disposal.
However, they parted soon after; whether (as the neighbours say) Signor
Aurelio Ardinghi, her brother, looked with too much attention on the
young woman, or that she herself (as Diana says) desired to seek a place
of more profit, she removed to Bergamo, where she soon found preferment,
being strongly recommended by the Ardinghi family. She was advanced to
be first waiting-woman to an old countess, who was so well pleased with
her service, she desired, on her death bed, Count Jeronimo Sosi, her
son, to be kind to her. He found no repugnance to this act of obedience,
having distinguished the beautiful Octavia from his first sight of her;
and, during the six months that she had served in the house, had tried
every art of a fine gentleman, accustomed to victories of that sort, to
vanquish the virtue of this fair virgin. He has a handsome figure, and
has had an education uncommon in this country, having made the tour of
Europe, and brought from Paris all the improvements that are to be picked
up there, being celebrated for his grace in dancing, and skill in
fencing and riding, by which he is a favourite among the ladies, and
respected by the men. Thus qualified for conquest, you may judge of his
surprise at the firm yet modest resistance of this country girl, who was
neither to be moved by address, nor gained by liberality, nor on any
terms would be prevailed on to stay as his housekeeper, after the death
of his mother. She took that post in the house of an old judge, where
she continued to be solicited by the emissaries of the count's passion,
and found a new persecutor in her master, who, after three months'
endeavour to corrupt her, offered her marriage. She chose to return to
her former obscurity, and escaped from his pursuit, without asking any
wages, and privately returned to the Signora Diana. She threw herself at
her feet, and, kissing her hands, begged her, with tears, to conceal her
at least some time, if she would not accept of her service. She
protest