The History of Sir Charles Grandison | Page 8

of Father Marescotti. He assured
me of his esteem, in very warm terms.
And just as I was again applying to my Jeronymo, the general came to
me: You cannot think, sir, said he, nor did you design it, I suppose, that
I should be pleased with your address to me. I have only this question
to ask, When do you quit Bologna?
Let me ask your lordship, said I, when do you return to Naples?
Why that question, sir? haughtily.
I will answer you frankly. Your lordship, at the first of my
acquaintance with you, invited me to Naples. I promised to pay my
respects to you there. If you think of being there in a week, I will attend
you at your own palace in that city; and there, my lord, I hope, no cause
to the contrary having arisen from me, to be received by you with the

same kindness and favour that you shewed when you gave me the
invitation. I think to leave Bologna to-morrow.
O brother! said the bishop, are you not now overcome?
And are you in earnest? said the general.
I am, my lord. I have many valuable friends, at different courts and
cities in Italy, to take leave of. I never intend to see it again. I would
look upon your lordship as one of those friends; but you seem still
displeased with me. You accepted not my offered hand before; once
more I tender it. A man of spirit cannot be offended at a man of spirit,
without lessening himself. I call upon your dignity, my lord.
He held out his hand, just as I was withdrawing mine. I have pride, you
know, Dr. Bartlett; and I was conscious of a superiority in this instance:
I took his hand, however, at his offer; yet pitied him, that his motion
was made at all, as it wanted that grace which generally accompanies
all he does and says.
The bishop embraced me.--Your moderation, thus exerted, said he,
must ever make you triumph. O Grandison! you are a prince of the
Almighty's creation.
The noble Jeronymo dried his eyes, and held out his arms to embrace
me.
The general said, I shall certainly be at Naples in a week. I am too
much affected by the woes of my family, to behave as perhaps I ought
on this occasion. Indeed, Grandison, it is difficult for sufferers to act
with spirit and temper at the same time.
It is, my lord; I have found it so. My hopes raised, as once they were,
now sunk, and absolute despair having taken place of them--Would to
God I had never returned to Italy!--But I reproach not any body.
Yet, said Jeronymo, you have some reason--To be sent for as you
were--
He was going on--Pray, brother, said the general--And turning to me, I
may expect you, sir, at Naples?
You may, my lord. But one favour I have to beg of you mean time. It is,
that you will not treat harshly your dear Clementina. Would to Heaven
I might have had the honour to say, my Clementina! And permit me to
make one other request on my own account: and that is, that you will
tell her, that I took my leave of your whole family, by their kind
permission; and that, at my departure, I wished her, from my soul, all

the happiness that the best and tenderest of her friends can wish her! I
make this request to you, my lord, rather than to Signor Jeronymo,
because the tenderness which he has for me might induce him to
mention me to her in a manner which might, at this time, affect her too
sensibly for her peace.
Be pleased, my dear Signor Jeronymo, to make my devotion known to
the marchioness. Would to Heaven--But adieu! and once more adieu,
my Jeronymo. I shall hear from you when I get to Naples, if not
before.-- God restore your sister, and heal you!
I bowed to the marquis, to the ladies, to the general, to the bishop,
particularly; to the rest in general; and was obliged, in order to conceal
my emotion, to hurry out at the door. The servants had planted
themselves in a row; not for selfish motives, as in England: they bowed
to the ground, and blessed me, as I went through them. I had ready a
purse of ducats. One hand and another declined it: I dropt it in their
sight. God be with you, my honest friends! said I; and departed--O, Dr.
Bartlett, with a heart how much distressed!
And now, my good Miss Byron, Have I not reason, from the deep
concern which you take in the woes of Lady Clementina, to regret the
task you have put me upon? And