Page:The Adventures of David Simple (1904).djvu/283

 "Whilst we were in this situation, young Vieuville, Dorimene's brother, having heard of her ill state of health, came to pay her a visit: he was as handsome for a man as his sister was for a woman; had a remarkable good understanding and a lively wit; all which rendered him perfectly agreeable, and I think it would have been very difficult for any woman disengaged in her affections to have resisted his love, Dorimene was so pleased with her brother's company, that her distemper abated every day; and her fond husband seeing how much he contributed to her amusement, prevailed with him to stay there some time. Vieuville, although he loved his sister very well, and would willingly have done anything in his power to have served her, yet, in this case, had another strong reason to induce him to yield to the Marquis's request; for, from the first day of his arrival, the effect I had on him was very apparent: he was seized with as sudden and violent a passion for me as the Marquis had been for his sister. This was an unexpected blow; poor Dumont saw it; and yet such was the force of his unconquerable virtue, that even the thoughts of such a rival could not provoke him to be guilty of so great a breach of friendship as the endeavouring to gain my affection, and prevent my being better married. I was so miserable to think what he would feel if I took any notice of Vieuville, that I could hardly prevail with myself to be commonly civil to him, but shunned him with the greatest assiduity in my power.

"Although my brother did not at first seem at all displeased at seeing me resolutely bent not to hearken to Vieuville, and often dropped words how little fortune should be valued in any tender engagements, insomuch that I sometimes fancied he saw and approved Dumont's love, yet I was not left at liberty to act as I pleased m this case; for Dorimene said her brother's complaints at my avoiding him pierced