repartee so unexpected and just, raised such
a universal laugh at the aggressor, that all his assurance was
insufficient to support him under their derision; so that, after he had
endeavoured to compose himself by taking snuff and forcing a smile, he
was obliged to sneak off in a ludicrous attitude, while my Dulcinea
was applauded to the skies for the brilliancy of her wit, and her
acquaintance immediately courted by the best people of both sexes in the
room.

This event, with which I was indefinitely pleased at first, did not fail
of alarming me, upon further reflection, when I considered, that the
more she was caressed by persons of distinction, the more her pride
would be inflamed, and consequently, the obstacles to my success
multiplied and enlarged. Nor were my presaging fears untrue. That very
night I perceived her a little intoxicated with the incense she had
received, and, though, she still behaved with a particular civility to
me, I foresaw, that, as soon as her fortune should be known, she would
be surrounded with a swarm of admirers, some of whom might possibly, by
excelling me on point of wealth, or in the arts of flattery and scandal,
supplant me in her esteem, and find means to make the mother of his
party. I resolved therefore to lose no time, and, being invited to
spend the evening with them, found an opportunity, in spite of the old
gentlewoman's vigilance, to explain the meaning of my glances in the
coach, by paying homage to her wit, and professing myself enamoured of
her person. She blushed at my declaration and in a favourable manner
disapproved of the liberty I had taken, putting me in mind of our
being strangers to each other, and desiring I would not be the means
of interrupting our acquaintance, by any such unseasonable strokes of
gallantry for the future. My ardour was effectually checked by this
reprimand, which was, however, delivered in a gentle manner, that I had
no cause to be disobliged; and the arrival of her mother relieved me
from a dilemma in which I should not have known how to demean myself
a minute longer. Neither could I resume the easiness of carriage with
which I came in; my mistress acted on the reserve, and the conversation
beginning to flag, the old lady introduced her kinswoman of the house,
and proposed a hand at whist.

While we amused ourselves at this diversion, I understood from the
gentlewoman, that there was to be an assembly next night at which I
begged to have th