Page:The female Quixote, or, The adventures of Arabella (Second Edition).pdf/123

 notwithstanding the repeated Expressions of Friendship Arabella used to her, increased her Curiosity to know her Adventures, which she was extremely surprised, she had never offered to relate; but, attributing her Silence, upon this Head, to her Modesty, she was resolved, as was the Custom in those Cases, to oblige her Woman, who, she presumed, was her Confidante, to relate, her Lady's History to her; and sending for this Person one Day, when she was alone, to attend her in her Closet, she gave Orders to her Women, if the fair Stranger came to inquire for her, to say she was then busy, but would wait on her as soon as possible.

After this Caution, she ordered Mrs. Morris to be admitted; and, obliging her to sit down, told her, she sent for her in order to hear from her the History of her Lady's Life, which she was extremely desirous of knowing.

Mrs. Morris, who was a Person of Sense, and had seen the World, was extremely surprised at this Request of Arabella, which was quite contrary to the Laws of Good-breeding; and, as she thought, betrayed a great deal of impertinent Curiosity: She could not tell how to account for the free Manner in which she desired her to give up her Lady's Secrets, which, indeed, were not of a Nature to be told; and appeared so much confused, that Arabella took Notice of it; and, supposing it was her Bashfulness which caused her Embarrassment, she endeavoured to re-assure her by the most affable Behaviour imaginable.

Mrs. Morris, who was not capable of much Fidelity for her Lady, being but lately taken