Languages & literature > Key to the drama

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no lefs fortunate for us, the lucky accident
of fearching for what he had forgotten de¬
tained him fome minutes in the anticham¬
ber-, this gave the half diftradted j4na-
bella time to recover her fcattered fenfes,
the confequence of which was, that Ihe di-
retted me, to creep immediately under the
bed as the only hiding place our fituation
afforded; I however without either thought
or hefitation inftantly complied; and had
juft fquatted in my irkfome retreat, and
fhe but half adjufted, when in entered the
unfufpe&ing Thane : Anabella had placed
herfelf on the couch, the better to conceal
any impreflions, which might have been
vifible there : he appeared at firft furprized;
and afked her. Why in that undrefs ?—She
anfwered with amazing readinefs; that the
day had been intolerably hot; and that as
he had gone from home, fhe was deter¬
mined to fee no company ; fhe intended
therefore to dream away the fultry hours, in
refrefhing flumbers. and had unrob’d her¬
felf, for her more eafy repofe. The in¬
viting difhabile, and engaging attitude, he
found her in, even began to quicken un-
ufual emotions in the grave Thane-, he
feated himfelf by her, and became a recent
proof, that fuch exquifite charms as the
tempting Anabella pofleffed, could invigo¬
rate the half chilled faculties of age itfelf:
in