BOOK VII
Chapter I
For the shortness of which the length of the next shall make some amends.

Sir George, to gratify Arabella’s humour, had not presumed to come to the castle for several days; but hearing that they were preparing to leave the country, he wrote a short billet to her; and, in the style of romance, most humbly entreated her to grant him a moment’s audience.

Arabella being informed by Lucy, to whom Sir George’s gentleman had addressed himself, that he had brought a letter from his master, she [124] ordered her to bring him to her apartment, and as soon as he appeared.

“How comes it,” said she, “that the prince your master has had the presumption to importune me again, after my absolute commands to the contrary?”

“The prince, my master, madam!” said the man, excessively surprised.

“Aye!” said Arabella. “Are you not Sir George’s squire? And does he not trust you with his most secret thoughts?”

“I belong to Sir George Bellmour, madam,” replied the man, who did not understand what she meant. “I have not the honour to be a squire.”

“No!” interrupted Arabella. “It is strange then that he should have honoured you with his commission. Pray, what is it you come to request for him?”

“My master, madam,” said he, “ordered me to get this letter delivered to your ladyship, and to stay for your commands.”

“You would persuade me,” said she, sternly, being provoked that he did not deliver the letter upon his knees, as was the custom in romances, “that you are not acquainted with the purport of this audacious billet, since you express so little fear of my displeasure; but know, presumptuous, that I am mortally offended with your master, for his daring to suppose I would read this proof at once of his insolence and infidelity; and were you worth my resentment, I would haply make you suffer for your want of respect to me.”

The poor man, surprised and confounded at [125] her anger, and puzzled extremely to understand what she meant, was opening his mouth to say something, it is probable in his own defence, when Arabella preventing him:

“I know what thou wouldst say,” said she, “thou wouldst abuse my patience by a false detail of thy master’s sighs, tears, exclamations and despair.”

“Indeed, madam, I don’t intend to say any such thing,” replied the man.p. 237

“No!” repeated Arabella, a little disappointed. “Bear back this^* presumptuous billet then, which I suppose contains the melancholy account; and tell him, he that could so soon forget the generous Sydimiris for Philonice, and could afterwards be false to that incomparable beauty, is not a person worthy to adore Arabella.”

The man, who could not tell what to make of this message, and feared he should forget these two hard names, humbly entreated her to be pleased to acquaint his master, by a line, with her intentions. Arabella, supposing he meant to importune her still more, made a sign with her hand, very majestically, for him to be gone; but he, not able to comprehend her meaning, stood still with an air of perplexity, not daring to beg her to explain herself, supposing she, by that sign, required something of him.

“Why dost thou not obey my commands?” said Arabella, finding he did not go.

“I will, to be sure, madam,” replied he, wishing at the same time secretly she would let him know what they were.

“And yet,” said she hastily, “thou art disobeying [126] me this moment. Did I not bid you get out of my presence, and to speak no more of your inconstant master, whose crimes have rendered him the detestation of all generous persons whatever?”

Sir George’s messenger, extremely surprised at so harsh a character of his master, and the rage with which the lady seemed to be actuated, made haste to get out of her apartment; and, at his return, informed his master, very exactly, of the reception he had met with, repeating all Lady Bella’s words, which, notwithstanding the blunders he made in the names of Sydimiris and Philonice, Sir George understood well enough; and found new occasion of wondering at the excess of Arabella’s extravagance, who he never imagined would have explained herself in that manner to his servant.

Without endeavouring therefore to see Arabella, he went to pay his compliments to Sir Charles, Mr. Glanville and Miss Glanville, to the last of whom he said^* some soft things that made her extremely regret his staying behind them in the country.p. 238

Chapter II
Not so long as was first intended; but contains, however, a surprising adventure on the road.

The day of their departure being come, they set out in a coach and six,^* attended by several servants on horseback. The first [127] day’s journey passed off without any accident worthy relating; but, towards the close of the second, they were alarmed by the appearance of three highwaymen,^* well mounted, at a small distance.

One of the servants, who had first spied them, immediately rode up to the coach; and, for fear of alarming the ladies, whispered Mr. Glanville in the ear.

Sir Charles, who was sitting next his son, and had heard it, cried out, with too little caution: “How’s this? Are we in any danger of being attacked, say you?”

Mr. Glanville, without replying, jumped out of the coach, at which Miss Glanville screamed out; and, lest her father should follow, sprung into^* her brother’s seat, and held him fast by the coat.

Arabella, being in a strange consternation at all this, put her head out of the coach, to see what was the matter; and, observing three or four men of a genteel appearance, on horseback, who seemed to halt, and gaze on them without offering to advance:

“Sir,” said she to her uncle, “are yonder knights the persons^* whom you suppose will attack us?”

“Ay, ay,”^* said Sir Charles, “they are knights of the road^* indeed. I suppose we shall have a bout^* with them; for it will be scandalous to deliver, since we have the odds of our side, and are more than a match for them.”p. 239

Arabella, interpreting these words in her own way, looked out again; and, seeing the robbers, who had by this time taken their resolution, galloping towards them, her cousin [128] and the servants ranging themselves of each side of the coach, as if to defend them:

“Hold, hold, valiant men!” said she, as loud as she could speak, addressing herself to the highwaymen. “Do not, by a mistaken generosity, hazard your lives in a combat, to which the laws of honour do not oblige you. We are not violently carried away, as you falsely suppose; we go willingly along with these persons, who are our friends and relations.”

“Heyday!” cried Sir Charles, staring at her with great surprise. “What’s the meaning of all this? Do you think these fellows will mind your fine speeches, niece?”

“I hope they will, sir,” said she, then, pulling her cousin: “Show yourself, for heaven’s sake, miss,” pursued she, “and second my assurances that we are not forced away. These generous men come to fight for our deliverance.”

The highwaymen, who were near enough to hear Arabella’s voice, though they could not distinguish her words, gazed on her with great surprise; and, finding they would be very well received, thought fit to abandon their enterprise, and galloped away as fast as they were able. Some of the servants made a motion to pursue them, but Mr. Glanville forbad it; and, entering again into the coach, congratulated the ladies upon the escape they had had.^*

“Since these men,” said Arabella, “did not come to deliver us, out of a mistaken notion that we were carried away by force, it must necessarily follow they had some bad design; and I protest I know not who to suspect is the author of it, unless the person you vanquished,” [129] said she to Mr. Glanville, “the other day in a single combat; for the disguised Edward, you assured me, was dead. But perhaps,” continued she, “it was some lover of Miss Glanville’s who designed to make an attempt to carry her away. Methinks he was too slenderly attended for such a hazardous undertaking.”

“I’ll assure you, madam,” said Miss Glanville, “I have no lovers among highwaymen.”

“Highwaymen!” repeated Arabella.

“Why, ay, to be sure, madam,” rejoined Sir Charles. “What do you take them for?”

“For persons of quality, sir,” resumed Arabella. “And though they came, questionless, either upon a good or bad design, yet it cannot be doubted but that their birth is illustrious; otherwise they would never pretend either to fight in our defence, or to carry us away.”p. 240

“I vow, niece,” said Sir Charles, “I can’t possibly understand you.”

“My cousin, sir,” interrupted Mr. Glanville, “has been mistaken in these persons; and has not yet, possibly, believed them to be highwaymen who came to rob us.”

“There is no question, sir,” said Arabella, smiling, “that if they did not come to defend us, they came to rob you. But it is hard to guess, which of us it was of whom they designed to deprive you; for it may very possibly be for my cousin’s sake, as well as mine, that this enterprise was undertaken.”

“Pardon me, madam,” said Mr. Glanville, who was willing to prevent his father from answering her absurdities, “these men had no other design than to rob us of our money.”

[130] “How!” said Arabella. “Were these cavaliers who appeared to be in so handsome a garb that I took them for persons of prime quality, were they robbers? I have been strangely mistaken, it seems. However, I apprehend there is no certainty that your suspicions are true; and it may still be as I say that they either came to rescue or carry us away.”

Mr. Glanville, to avoid a longer dispute, changed the discourse, having observed, with confusion, that Sir Charles and his sister seemed to look upon his beloved cousin as one that was out of her senses.