Page:The Adventures of David Simple (1904).djvu/257

 me as a rival, although they despised the man contended for. I must own to you, from the time I first saw Monsieur Le Buisson, I always liked him; and I flattered myself that he treated me with a peculiar air of gallantry, which I fondly imputed to a growing passion. If ever I accidentally met him walking in the garden, or in any other place, he seemed to seek occasions to keep me with him. But, alas! I have since found out that it was his love for you which made him endeavour to be acquainted with me, as he saw we were generally together. If you like him, I will go and bemoan my own wretched fate in any corner of the earth, rather than be the least obstacle to your happiness.' "Here she ceased: the swelling tears stood ready to start from her eyes, and she seemed almost choked for want of utterance. I really pitied her, but knew not which way to relieve her. To tell Monsieur Le Buisson of her passion did not appear to me, by what I could observe of his disposition, to be a likely means of succeeding, I tried all manner of ways to find if there was a possibility of making her easy, in case there should be any unconquerable obstacle to the gratifying her inclination; but when at last I found she would hearken with pleasure to nothing but the talking of methods to make Monsieur Le Buisson in love with her, I began to think seriously which way I could bring it about. I imagined, if I kept him on without any determinate answer what I would do, that I might, by a disagreeable behaviour, joined to Juliè's good-nature and softness, make him turn his affections on her. But it was some time before I could bring myself to this; I thought it was not acting a sincere part, and I abhorred nothing so much as dissimulation. But then, when I consired, on the other side, that it would be making