ies.
Accordingly, the very next day, the fatal papers were prepared, and he
subscribed his name to that which was to remain in her custody, as she
did her's to that given to him. Each being witnessed by the woman with
whom he first became acquainted with her, and another person called
into the room for that purpose.

Natura now considering her as his wife, thought himself intitled to
take greater liberties than he had ever presumed to do before, and she
had also a kind of a pretence for permitting them, till at last there
remained nothing more for him to ask, or her to grant.

Enjoyment made no abatement in his passion; his fondness was rather
increased by it, and he never thought himself happy, but when with
her; he went to her almost every night, and sometimes passed all night
with her, having made an interest with one of the servants, who let
him in at whatever hour he came:--so totally did she engross his mind,
that he seemed to have not the least attention for any thing beside:
nor was the time he wasted with her all the prejudice she did
him:--all the allowance made him by his father for cloaths and other
expences, he dissipated in treats and presents to her, running in debt
for every thing he had occasion for.

But this was insufficient for her expectations; she wanted a sum of
money, and pretending that her law-suit required a hundred guineas
immediately, and that some remittances she was to have from the
country would come too late, told him he must raise it for her some
way or other.

This demand was a kind of thunder-stroke to Natura; not but he doated
on her enough to have sacrificed infinitely more to her desires, if in
his power; but what she asked seemed so wholly out of reach, that he
knew not any way by which there was the least probability of attaining
it. The embarrassment that appeared in his countenance made her see it
was not so easy for him to grant, as it was for her to ask. 'I should
have wanted courage,' said she, 'to have made you this request, had I
not considered that what is mine must one day be yours, and it will be
your own unhappiness as well as mine, should my cause miscarry for
want of means to carry it on.'--'Severe necessity!' added she, letting
fall some tears, 'that reduces me to intreat favours where I could
wish only to bestow them.'

These words destroyed all the remains of prudence his love had left in
him; he embraced her, kissed away her tears, and assured her that
tho