every other comfort of life with some degree of fortitude, but the
prospect of losing her disabled all my philosophy, and tortured my soul
into madness.

Miss Williams found me, next morning, full of anxious tumult, which
did not abate when she told me that my Lord Quiverwit, having professed
honourable intentions, had been introduced to my lovely mistress by her
brother, who had, at the same time, from the information of Melinda,
spoken of me as an Irish fortune-hunter, without either birth or estate;
who supported myself in the appearance of a gentleman by sharping and
other infamous practices; and who was of such an obscure origin, that I
did not even know my own extraction. Though I expected all this malice,
I could not hear it with temper, especially as truth was so blended
with falsehood in the assertion, that it would be almost impossible to
separate the one from the other in my vindication. But I said nothing on
this head, being impatient to know how Narcissa had been affected
with the discovery. That generous creature, far from believing these
imprecations, was no sooner withdrawn with her confidante, than she
inveighed with great warmth against the malevolence of the world,
to which only she ascribed the whole of what had been said to my
disadvantage, and, calling every circumstance of my behaviour to her
into review before her, found everything so polite, honourable, and
disinterested, that she could not harbour the least doubt of my being
the gentleman I assumed. "I have indeed," said she, "purposely forborne
to ask the particulars of his life, lest the recapitulation of some
misfortunes, which he has undergone, should give him pain; and, as to
the article of his fortune, I own myself equally afraid of inquiring
into it, and of discovering the state of my own, lest we should find
ourselves both unhappy in the explanation; for, alas! my provision
is conditional, and depends entirely on my marrying with my brother's
consent."

I was thunderstruck with this intelligence, the light forsook my
eyes, the colour vanished from my cheeks, and I remained in a state
of universal trepidation! My female friend, perceiving my disorder,
encouraged me with assurances of Narcissa's constancy, and the hope of
some accident favourable to our love; and, as a further consolation,
gave me to understand, that she had acquainted my mistress with the
outlines of my life: and that, although she was no stranger to the
present low st