Page:The amorous intrigues and adventures of Aaron Burr.pdf/44

 yielded her assent to the marriage. Some thought he would go mad if she did not accept him."

"A man does wrong to appeal to a young lady's pity," said Burr, "when he has reason to believe that she would not prefer him if left to her own proper judgment."

"Yes, sir, and when he does get her by appealing to her pity, he ought, at least, to treat her well."

"What, sir! do you mean to say that he does not treat her well?"

"He has been married but six months," was the reply, "and there are strange stories about him already."

"Of what?"

"You may guess."

"That he keeps a mistress, perhaps."

The other smiled, and said:

"He goes into New Hampshire once in a while."

"Are there many pretty girls in New Hampshire?" inquired Burr.

"Yes, sir; many a fair neck and bosom, with fair hair, and rounded forms—a plenty of them, sir."

"You say the wife is beautiful?"

"Beautiful, sir, but disatisfieddissatisfied [sic]. Having yielded up her liberty to the prayers and entreaties of a man who seemed to love her to madness, it is natural that she should feel unhappy when he has proved, by his conduct, that he was governed by a mere whim of the moment."

Burr had, indeed, observed something in the air of the young lady that warranted him in believing every word that his informant had communicated.

Acting as if he had never seen her, Burr obtained an accurate description of her personal appearance. It was certainly the same woman whom he had seen at the window.

"Does he often leave town for New Hampshire?" asked Burr.

"Yes; he is gone there even now."

Burr said to himself:

"It is best to make hay while the sun shines. And when evening arrived, he contrived to separate from his two friends, as if by accident, and rapping at the door of Dr. W—, asked for the lady of the house.

He was equstedrequested [sic] to walk in, and the start which Mrs. W— gave when she first beheld his countenance by the light of the lamp, convinced him that she had been impressed by his appearance when she saw him in the street.

"My apology, madam, for intruding upon you this evening," said Burr, "is the fact that I am just from the colony of New Hampshire, and have been hunting for you all the afternoon."

"From New Hampshire, sir!" cried the lady, seeming puzzled at this announcement.