Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/191

 less than my dishonour and ruin. He should have seen an Elmira, quite different from her who had hitherto so kindly condescended to permit his visits, but this gratuitous discovery by holding up to my reason all the dangers which threatened me, afforded a more salutary lesson, than all the effects resulting from the momentary gratification of an hasty revenge, which would only have served to whet the malice of an incorrigible miscreant.

"I returned to my apartment, deeply sensible of the necessity of keeping up the appearances of the part I had began to act. I forced myself back within the limits of that placid serenity, that ingenuous frankness and unassuming simplicity, which those that know me, have always remarked in my real character. The evening came, my fashionable visitors appeared as, usual, and the designing beau delivered up his lap dog with all the ceremonials that can possibly attend the surrender of some great and valuable sacrifice. I received the gift with all the pleasantness of conscious obligation, and with all the airs of remunerating friendship. The traiterous se-