Ah! Madam, said I, perceiving she had finished her Discourse, doubt not but I shall most gratefully preserve the Remembrance of what the generous Sydimiris has done for me; and shall always be ready to lose that Life in her Defense, which she has had the superlative Goodness to take so much Care of. But, Madam, pursued I, with an earnest Look, do not, I beseech you, refuse me one Favor, without which I shall depart with inconceivable Sorrow.
Depend upon it, valiant Sir, replied she, that if what you will require of me, be in my Power, and fit for me to grant, I shall very willingly oblige you. It is then, resumed I, trembling at the Boldness of my Request, that you would condescend to intreat the most generous Sydimiris to favor me with an Interview, and give me an Opportunity of throwing myself at her Feet, to thank her for all those Favors I have received from her Compa**ion.
I cannot promise you, replied the Lady, rising, to prevail upon Sydimiris to grant you an Audience; but I a**ure you, that I will endeavour to dispose her to do you this Favor; and it shall not be my Fault, if you are not satisfied. Saying this, she went out of my Chamber, I having followed her to the Door, with Protestations that I would never forget her Kindness upon this Occasion.
handed her therefore, with a great deal of Satisfaction, into the Pump-Room, which happened to be greatly clouded that Morning. The Attention of most Part of the Company was immediately engaged by the Appearance Lady Bella made. Strangers are here most strictly criticized, and every new Object affords a delicious Feast of Raillery and Scandal. The Ladies, alarmed at the Singularity of her Dress, crowded together in Parties; and the Words, Who can she be?
Strange Creature! Ridiculous! and other Exclamations of the same Kind, were whispered very intelligibly. The Men were struck with her Figure, veiled as she was: Her fine Stature, the beautiful Turn of her Person, the Grace and Elegance of her Motion, attracted all their Notice: The Phenomena of the Veil, however, gave them great Disturbance. So lovely a Person seemed to promise the Owner had a Face not unworthy of it; but that was totally hid from their View: For Arabella, at her Entrance into the Room, had pulled the Gauze quite over her Face, following therein the Custom of the Ladies in Clelia, and the Grand Cyrus, who, in mixed Companies, always hid their Faces with great Care. The Wits and Pretty-Fellows, railed at the envious Covering, and compared her to the Sun obscured by a Cloud; while the Beaux deemed the horrid Innovation, and expressed a Fear, lest it should grow into a Fashion.
Some of the wiser Sort took her for a Foreigner; others, of still more Sagacity, supposed her a Scots Lady, covered with her Plaid; and a third Sort, infinitely wiser than either, concluded she was a Spanish Nun, that had escaped from a Convent, and had not yet quitted her Veil. Arabella, ignorant of the Diversity of Opinions, to which her Appearance gave Rise, was taken up in discoursing with Mr. Glanville upon the medicinal Virtue of the Springs, the economy of the Baths, the Nature of the Diversions, and such other Topics, as the Objects around them furnished her with. In the mean Time, Miss Glanville was got amidst a Croud of her Acquaintance, who had hardly paid the Civilities of a first Meeting, before they eagerly inquired, who that Lady she brought with her was. Miss Glanville informed them, that she was her Cousin, and Daughter to the deceased Marquis of adding with a Sneer, That she had been brought up in the Country; knew nothing of the World; and had some very peculiar Notions, as you may see, said she, by that odd kind of Covering she wears.
Her Name and Quality were presently whispered all over the Room: The Men, hearing she was a great Heiress, found greater Beauties to admire in her Person: The Ladies, awed by the Sanction of Quality, dropt their Ridicule on her Dress, and began to quote Examples of Whims full as inexcusable. One remembered, that Lady J F always wore her Ruffles reversed; that the Countess of went to Court in a Farthingale; that the Duchess of sat astride upon a Horse; and a certain Lady of great Fortune, and nearly allied to Quality, because she was not dignified with a Title, invented a new one for herself; and directed her Servants to say in speaking to her, Your Honors, which afterwards became a Custom among all her Acquaintance; who mortally offended her, if they omitted that Instance of Respect.