Page:The Adventures of David Simple (1904).djvu/258

 my friend happy, and doing no injury to Monsieur Le Buisson, as it would be the means of his having the best of wives, I overcame all my scruples, and engaged heartily in it. Every time I had used him ill enough to work him into a rage, Juliè purposely threw herself in his way, and by all the mild and gentle methods she could think on, endeavoured to calm his mind and bring him into good humour again: in short, we did this so often, that at last we succeeded to our wish. I got rid of my lover, and Juliè engaged the man whose love was the only thing she thought could make her happy. "The match was soon concluded, for her friends all greatly approved of it. I was forced to tell my father the whole truth, to prevent his thinking himself injured by his friend. He chid me at first for not informing him of it sooner; but as he always looked with a favourable eye on what I did, he soon forgave me. My friend and I both thought ourselves now quite happy—Juliè in the completion of her wishes, and I in having been instrumental in bringing them about. But, alas! better had it been for us both, had she for ever shut herself from the world, and spent her time in conquering, instead of endeavouring to gratify and indulge her passion; for Monsieur Le Buisson, in a very short time, grew quite tired of her. For, as she had never been really his inclination, and it was only by working on the different turns of his passion that he was at first engaged to marry her, he could not keep himself from falling, at least, into a cold indifference: however, as he was a polite man, it was some time before he could bring himself to break through the rules of good breeding, and he treated her with the respect and civility he thought due to a woman. This, however, did not prevent her being very miserable; for the great tenderness she felt for him required all those soft sensations,