concern'd me nearly, as to a Marriage my Father
design'd me, and much more nearly in being told by you. For Heaven's
sake, disclose not to any Body your Knowledge of me, that I may not be
forced to an immediate Act of Disobedience; for if my future Services
and inviolate Love, cannot recommend me to your Favour, I shall find
more comfort in the cold Embraces of a Grave, than in the Arms of the
never so much admired (but by me dreaded) Juliana. Think, Madam, of
those severe Circumstances I lie under; and withal I beg you, think it
is in your Power, and only in your Power, to make them happy as my
Wishes, or much more miserable than I am able to imagine. That dear,
inestimable (though undesign'd) Favour which I receiv'd from you,
shall this Day distinguish me from the Crowd of your Admirers; that
which I really applied to my inward bleeding Wound, the welcom Wound
which you have made, and which, unless from you, does wish no Cure;
then pardon and have pity on, O Adored Leonora, him, who is your's by
Creation as he is Heaven's, though never so unworthy. Have pity on

Your
Aurelian.

She read the Letter over and over, then flung it by, then read it again;
the Novelty of the Adventure made her repeat her Curiosity, and take more
than ordinary Pains to understand it. At last her Familiarity with the
Expressions grew to an Intimacy, and what she at first permitted she now
began to like. She thought there was something in it a little more
serious, than to be barely Gallantry. She wondred at her own Blindness,
and fancy'd she could remember something of a more becoming Air in the
Stranger than was usual to Lorenzo. This thought was parent to another
of the same kind, till a long Chain successively had Birth, and every one
somewhat more than other, in Favour of the supposed Aurelian. She
reflected upon his Discretion, in deferring the Discovery of himself,
till a little time had, as it were, weaned her from her perswasion, and
by removing her farther from her Mistake, had prepared her for a full and
determinate Convincement. She thought his Behaviour, in personating a
Sick Man so readily, upon the first hint was not amiss, and smil'd to
think of his Excuse to procure her Handkerchief; and last of all, his
sifting out the Means to write to her, which he had done with that
Modesty and Respect, she could not tell how to find fault with it.

She had proceeded thus far in