Chapter VIII.

Which concludes Book the Eighth.

Mr. Glanville at his Return to the Dining-Room, finding Arabella retir'd, told his Father in a Rapture of Joy, that the charming Countess would certainly make a Convert of Lady Bella.

Methinks, said the Baronet, she has as strange Whims in her Head as my Niece. Ad'sheart, what a deal of Stuff did she talk about! A Parcel of Heroes as she calls them, with confounded hard Names--In my Mind she is more likely to make Lady Bella worse than better.

Mr. Glanville, a little vex'd at his Father's Mis-apprehension, endeavour'd with as much Delicacy as he could, to set him right with Regard to the Countess; so that he brought him at last to confess she manag'd the Thing very well.

The Countess, who had resolv'd to take Arabella openly into her Protection, was thinking on Means to engage her to appear at the Assembly, whither she propos'd to accompany her in a modern Dress. But her good Intentions towards our lovely Heroine were suspended by the Account she receiv'd of her Mother's Indisposition, which commanded her immediate Attendance on her at her Seat in -- Her sudden Departure gave Arabella an extreme Uneasiness, and proved a cruel Disappointment to Mr. Glanville, who had founded all his Hopes of her Recovery on the Conversation of that Lady.

Sir Charles having Affairs that requir'd his Presence in London, propos'd to his Niece the leaving Bath in a few Days, to which she consented; and accordingly they set out for London in Arabella's Coach and Six, attended by several Servants on Horseback, her Women having been sent away before in the Stage.

Nothing very remarkable happen'd during this Journey, so we shall not trouble our Readers with several small Mistakes of Arabella's, such as her supposing a neat Country Girl who was riding behind a Man, to be some Lady or Princess in Disguise, forc'd away by a Lover she hated, and intreating Mr. Glanville to attempt her Rescue; which occasion'd some little Debate between her and Sir Charles, who could not be persuaded to believe it was as she said, and forbid his Son to meddle in other Peoples Affairs. Several of these Sort of Mistakes, as we said before, we omit, and will therefore if our Reader pleases, bring our Heroine without further Delay to London.