entleness of the other, rendered the comparison almost
odious to him; and as he could not but acknowledge the impractibility
of maintaining a conversation with the latter, without the
participation of the former; nor though he should even consent to
divide himself between them, would either of them be content, he told
Elgidia, that the only way to solve these difficulties, was, for her
to fly from the monastery, and be the partner of his fortune, as she
was the mistress of his heart.

Such a proposition made her start!--to abandon all her friends, and
put herself wholly in the power of a stranger, of whose fortune,
family, or fidelity, she could not be assured, gave her very just
alarms; but whatever was her reluctance at the first mention of such
an enterprize, the extreme passion she had for him, rendered all her
apprehensions, by degrees, less formidable:--he told her he had no
other wishes, than such as were dictated by honour;--that he would
marry her as soon as they should arrive at a place where the ceremony
could be performed with safety:--that he was heir to a considerable
estate after his father's death, that on his return to England he
should have a handsome settlement out of it, and that his present
allowance was sufficient to keep them above want.--People easily
believe what they wish, especially from the mouth of a beloved
person.--Natura indeed had uttered no untruths as to his
circumstances, but as to the main point, his marrying her, it is
impossible to judge whether in that he was sincere, because he knew
not himself whether he was so, tho' in the vehemence of his present
inclinations he might imagine he did so, and at that time really meant
as he said.

Be that as it may, Elgidia suffered herself to be won by his
perswasions; and being so, the present opportunity was not to be
lost.--He had horses at the gate, could conduct her, he said, where
she might be concealed till they got quite out of the reach of her
kindred, and failed not to remonstrate, that if she delayed, but even
till the next morning, not only the jealousy of the abbess, but a
thousand other accidents, might separate them for ever.

As the lovers past their time in this manner, the distracted abbess
was prosecuting her journey, in quest of him she had left behind: as
the way she had to go was so short, there was no great danger of any
mischief attending it, neither did any happen; but how great was her
confusion! when arriving at t