neither to be moved by address, nor gained by liberality, nor on any
terms would be prevailed on to stay as his housekeeper, after the death
of his mother. She took that post in the house of an old judge, where
she continued to be solicited by the emissaries of the count's passion,
and found a new persecutor in her master, who, after three months'
endeavour to corrupt her, offered her marriage. She chose to return to
her former obscurity, and escaped from his pursuit, without asking any
wages, and privately returned to the Signora Diana. She threw herself at
her feet, and, kissing her hands, begged her, with tears, to conceal her
at least some time, if she would not accept of her service. She
protested she had never been happy since she left it. While she was
making these submissions, Signor Aurelio entered. She entreated his
intercession on her knees, who was easily persuaded to consent she
should stay with them, though his sister blamed her highly for her
precipitate flight, having no reason, from the age and character of her
master, to fear any violence, and wondered at her declining the honour
he offered her. Octavia confessed that perhaps she had been too rash in
her proceedings, but said, that he seemed to resent her refusal in such
a manner as frighted her; she hoped that after a few days' search he
would think no more of her; and that she scrupled entering into the holy
bands of matrimony, where her heart did not sincerely accompany all the
words of the ceremony. Signora Diana had nothing to say in contradiction
to this pious sentiment; and her brother applauded the honesty which
could not be perverted by any interest whatever. She remained concealed
in their house, where she helped in the kitchen, cleaned the rooms, and
redoubled her usual diligence and officiousness. Her old master came to
Lovere on pretence of adjusting a lawsuit, three days after, and made
private inquiry after her; but hearing from her mother and brother (who
knew nothing of her being here) that they had never heard of her, he
concluded she had taken another route, and returned to Bergamo; and she