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36 perſiſt in your impudence and folly, I will ſpeedily take thoſe methods that ſhall iſſue in your deſerved ſhame and confuſion.'

He would have replied, but ſhe forthwith went out of her chamber, and would not hear him.

This abſolute denial and ſevere reprimand, filled Fronovius with confuſion and almoſt made him hopeleſs; but, after ſome reflection, he ſtrongly fancied that the oppoſition be met with, proceeded not from the lady's virtue, but from the great inclination ſhe had to ſome rival, who enjoyed thoſe favours which he had been purſuing; and he ſuppoſed the Gardener to be the man, becauſe he had received ſome particular marks of her favour, ſince the departure of the Count Alanſon. Being thus perfuaded, he was reſolved, if it were poſſible, to make a plain diſcovery: and to this end, he planted himſelf privately one evening, near the back-ſtairs that led out of the garden into Deidamia's apartment; (for that way he thought this ſuppoſed rival muſt come;) and indeed, he had not waited long, before a perſon came by, and went up thoſe ſtairs, whom he ſoftly followed to the ſtair's-foot: the darkneſs of the night hindered him from diſcerning who the perſon was that went by him; but he doubted not but it was the Gardener: and having liſtened at the bottom of the ſtairs, hearing no door open, nor any key to turn, he imagined the door was left open on purpoſe, and therefore reſolved to go up himſelf, and ſurpriſe them in the very act of their unlawful love. He had no ſooner reſolved thus, but he heard ſomebody come ſoftly down ſtairs: As ſoon as the perſon came to the bottom of the ſtairs, Fronovius bcldly ſeized on him