36 The ADVENTURES of
began to prepare; had not my good genius interpoft ed, and ordered it fo, as that my befieger became my Have. I had the good fortune to captivate him, during an interview we had on the fubjettof the law-fuit.
I fpared nothing, I own, to infprire him with a paffion for me : the defire of faving my land, made me prac- tife upon him all thofe Ianguiftiing airs which.had often fucceeded fo well. Notwithstanding all my art, I was afraid of being baffled by the attorney, who •was fo ingulphed in bufinefs, that he did not feem fufceptible of an amorous imprefiton. Neverthclefs, this fullen, aukward fcrawler, took more pleaftire in looking at me, than I imagined. “ Madam (faidhel J know not how to make love : I have always applied to my profeflion fo clofely, as to neglect the methods and cuftoms of gallantry ; but, however, 1 am not ignorant of the cfTential part ; and therefore, to come to the point, I affure you, that if you will give me your hand, we will burn the whole proceedings; 1 will bubble the other creditois, who join in the fuit againft you ; you (ball enjoy the life rent, and your daughter the property of the land.” My own intcreft, and that j of Beatrice, did not permit me to hcfitate; I accepted the propofal, and the attorney kept his promife. He turned his arms againft the reli of the creditors, and fecured me in the poffeffion of my caftie ; and this, perhaps, was the firft time of his having befriended the widow and the orphan.
- I became therefore, an attorney’s wife, without cea- fin a to be lady of the parifh. But this new marriage coft me the efteem of the gentry in Valencia. The women of fafhion looked upon me as one who had degenerated, and therefore would not vifit me; fo that I was obliged to confine myfelf to an acquaintance among citizens ; a ciicumftance that gave me fouie uneafinefs at hr(l ; becaufe I had been, for fix years, accutlomed to correfpond with none but ladies of di(lin£iion ; but I. foon confoled myfelf, and became acquainted with the wises of a fcrivcnei and
two