After this attack it was not long but he found an opportunity to catch
me again, and almost in the same posture; indeed, it had more of design
in it on his part, though not on my part. It was thus: the young
ladies were all gone a-visiting with their mother; his brother was out
of town; and as for his father, he had been in London for a week
before. He had so well watched me that he knew where I was, though I
did not so much as know that he was in the house; and he briskly comes
up the stairs and, seeing me at work, comes into the room to me
directly, and began just as he did before, with taking me in his arms,
and kissing me for almost a quarter of an hour together.
It was his younger sister's chamber that I was in, and as there was
nobody in the house but the maids below-stairs, he was, it may be, the
ruder; in short, he began to be in earnest with me indeed. Perhaps he
found me a little too easy, for God knows I made no resistance to him
while he only held me in his arms and kissed me; indeed, I was too well
pleased with it to resist him much.
However, as it were, tired with that kind of work, we sat down, and
there he talked with me a great while; he said he was charmed with me,
and that he could not rest night or day till he had told me how he was
in love with me, and, if I was able to love him again, and would make
him happy, I should be the saving of his life, and many such fine
things. I said little to him again, but easily discovered that I was a
fool, and that I did not in the least perceive what he meant.
Then he walked about the room, and taking me by the hand, I walked with
him; and by and by, taking his advantage, he threw me down upon the
bed, and kissed me there most violently; but, to give him his due,
offered no manner of rudeness to me, only kissed a great while. After
this he thought he had heard somebody come upstairs, so got off from
the bed, lifted me up, professing a great deal of love for me, but told
me it was all an honest affection, and that he meant no ill to me; and
with that he put five guineas into my hand, and went away downstairs.
I was more confounded with the money than I was before with the love,
and began to be so elevated that I scarce knew the ground I stood on.
I am the more particular in this part, that if my story comes to be
read by any innocent young body, they may learn from it to guard
themselves against the mischiefs which attend an early knowledge of
their own beauty. If a young woman once thinks herself handsome, she
never doubts the truth of any man that tells her he is in love with
her; for if she believes herself charming enough to captivate him, 'tis
natural to expect the effects of it.