Page:The Adventures of David Simple (1904).djvu/302

 just by our villa, for her watchful eyes continually found him; he still persisting in using new arguments to prevail with her to return her husband's faithful love, and change the dreadful design her soul was fraught with; and she on her side was as obstinately bent never to give it up but with her life.

"In the meantime Pandolph, who had formerly been a servant to my father, and, now he was old and past his labour, was still retained in my brother's family, perceived these meetings of Dumont and Dorimene in the wood, and observed they generally happened when his master was gone out. He was at first very much surprised at it, but was resolved to watch them; and sometimes he would hide himself near enough to observe they were earnest in discourse; but old age had taken from him the quick sense of hearing, and he could not make much of what they said; only he confusedly heard the words love—passion—the Marquis de Stainville—Isabelle—and by what he could gather, he fancied he had very convincing proofs that there was an intrigue carrying on between them. "This poor Pandolph foolishly imagined that officiously to discover to his master all he had seen would be at once the most faithful service he could do him, and the most grateful return in his power to make him for his kindness in keeping him in his family now he was unable to take any care of himself. He eagerly embraced the first opportunity of doing his master such a piece of service, and minutely told my brother all that he had seen and heard; and certainly, if any person was ever justly the object of compassion, it was the Marquis de Stainville at that instant. His passions were naturally very violent; and although from the time the giving way to them had like to have caused a fatal accident between him and his friend, he had taken great pains to keep