The
disconsolate soon pitched upon a very agreeable successor, whom she very
prudently designed to govern by the same method. This man knew her
little arts, and resolved to break through all tenderness, and be
absolute master, as soon as occasion offered. One day it happened, that
a discourse arose about furniture: he was very glad of the occasion, and
fell into an invective against china,[261] protesting, he would never
let five pounds more of his money be laid out that way as long as he
breathed. She immediately fainted--he starts up as amazed, and calls for
help--the maids ran to the closet--he chafes her face, bends her
forwards, and beats the palms of her hands: her convulsions increase,
and down she tumbles on the floor, where she lies quite dead, in spite
of what the whole family, from the nursery to the kitchen, could do for
her relief.
While every servant was thus helping or lamenting their mistress, he,
fixing his cheek to hers, seemed to be following her in a trance of
sorrow; but secretly whispers her, "My dear, this will never do: what is
within my power and fortune, you may always command, but none of your
artifices: you are quite in other hands than those you passed these
pretty passions upon.
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