midnight
-- Can any personal perfections in a man attone for the contempt he treats us with in courting us to infamy ! -- the mean opinion he testifies to have of us sure ought rather to excite hate than love ; our very pride , methinks , should be a sufficient guard , and turn whatever favourable thoughts we might have of such a one , unknowing his design , into aversion , when once convinced he presumed upon our weakness . In these kind of reasonings did she continue some time ; but reflecting that the trouble she was in might put Melanthe on asking the cause , it seemed best to her to avoid seeing her that night , so retired to her own room and went to bed , ordering the servants to tell their lady , in case she enquired for her , that she was a little indisposed . While Louisa was thus deploring a misfortune she wanted power to remedy , the person for whom she was concerned past her time in a far different manner : the count omitted nothing that might convince her of his gallantry , and give her a pretence for flattering herself with his sincerity : -- he swore ten thousand oaths of constancy , and she easily gave credit to what she wished and had vanity enough to think she merited : -- he had prepared every thing that could delight the senses for her reception at the house to which he carried her ; and she found in herself so little inclination to quit the pleasures she enjoyed , that it was as much as the little remains of decency and care of reputation could do , to make her tear herself away before midnight . In the fullness of her heart she had doubtless concealed no part of this adventure from Louisa , but on hearing she was gone to rest , and not very well , would not disturb her . The first thing she did in the morning was to run into the chamber and enquire after her health , which she did in so affectionate and tender a manner , that it very much heightened the other 's trouble for her . It is certain that , setting aside too loose a way of thinking of virtue and religion , and adhering to that false maxim , that a woman of rank is above censure , Melanthe had many amiable qualities , and as she truly loved Louisa , was alarmed at her supposed indisposition , which , to conceal the perplexity her mind was in , she still continued to counterfeit , as well as to avoid going to a masquerade , to which they had some days before been invited , and which the present situation of her thoughts left her no relish for .