Page:The Adventures of David Simple (1904).djvu/202

 father was reading in a room very near us; she therefore exalted her voice to such a pitch, that it was impossible for him not to hear her. This immediately brought him to know what was the matter: he found me endeavouring to speak, and yet, from the variety of passions working in my mind, unable to utter my words; for from what we had been talking of, the idea of all the torments I had suffered from the time I first observed a decline in my father's affections, rushed at once upon my thoughts, and quite overpowered me. Livia looked as pale as death; for, thus provoked, I could not help telling her what I thought of her behaviour. Her pride could not bear to think I knew her, so that I believe she was at last in as great a passion as she could be; but she never was carried so far as to forget her main view. My father looked wild at seeing us in this condition, and desired Livia to tell him, what could be the cause of of all this confusion; solemnly affirming, that no nearness of blood, or any tie whatever, should screen the person from his anger who could use her in such a way as to ruffle that sweetness of temper which he knew nothing but the highest provocation could so much get the better of, as to make her talk so loud, and look so discomposed. By this time she had enough recollected herself to think of an answer proper for her purpose; and told him, Itit [sic] was no matter now—it was over—she had recovered herself again; but I had been in a violent passion, only because she said and then she repeated some trifling thing, which however had two meanings; and the different manner she now spoke it in from what she had done before, gave it quite another turn; and you may be sure her husband took it in the most favourable sense. 'But,' said he, I must have been a stock or a stone, and have had no manner of feeling, if