Produced by David Widger
By Anthony Hamilton
The conversation before related was agreeable only to Miss Hobart; for ifMiss Temple was entertained with its commencement, she was so much themore irritated by its conclusion this indignation was succeeded by thecuriosity of knowing the reason why, if Sidney had a real esteem for her,she should not be allowed to pay some attention to him.
As soon as they retired from the closet, Miss Sarah came out of the bath,where during all this conversation, she had been almost perished withcold, without daring to complain. This little gipsy had, it seems,obtained leave of Miss Hobart's woman to bathe herself unknown to hermistress; and having, I know not how, found means to fill one of thebaths with cold water, Miss Sarah had just got into it, when they wereboth alarmed with the arrival of the other two. A glass partitionenclosed the room where the baths were, and Indian silk curtains, whichdrew on the inside, screened those that were bathing. Miss Hobart'schamber-maid had only just time to draw these curtains, that the girlmight not be seen to lock the partition door, and to take away the key,before her mistress and Miss Temple came in.
These two sat down on a couch placed along the partition, and Miss Sarah,notwithstanding her alarms, had distinctly heard, and perfectly retainedthe whole conversation. As the little girl was at all this trouble tomake herself clean, only on Lord Rochester's account, as soon as ever shecould make her escape she regained her garret; where Rochester, havingrepaired thither at the appointed hour, was fully informed of all thathad passed in the bathing room. He was astonished at the audacioustemerity of Hobart, in daring to put such a trick upon him; but, thoughhe rightly judged that love and jealousy were the real motives, he wouldnot excuse her. Little Sarah desired to know whether he had a realaffection for Miss Temple, as Miss Hobart said she supposed that was thecase. "Can you doubt it," replied he, "since that oracle of sincerityhas affirmed it? But then you know that I am not now capable ofprofiting by my perfidy, were I even to gain Miss Temple's compliance,since my debauches and the street-walkers have brought me to order."
This answer made Miss Sarah very easy, for she concluded that the firstarticle was not true, since she knew from experience that the latter wasfalse. Lord Rochester was resolved that very evening to attend theduchess's court, to see what reception he would meet with after the fineportrait Miss Hobart had been so kind as to draw of him. Miss Templedid not fail to be there likewise, with the intention of looking on himwith the most contemptuous disdain possible, though she had taken care todress herself as well as she could. As she supposed that the lampoonMiss Hobart had sung to her was in everybody's possession, she was undergreat embarrassment lest all those whom she met should think her such amonster as Lord Rochester had described her. In the mean time, MissHobart, who had not much confidence in her promises never more to speakto him, narrowly watched her. Miss Temple never in her life appeared sohandsome every person complimented her upon it; but she received all thecivilities with such an air, that every one thought she was mad; for whenthey commended her shape, her fresh complexion, and the brilliancy of hereyes: "Pshaw," said she, "it is very well known that