Languages & literature > Key to the drama

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‘ On his return from this fcene of barba¬
rity, he came on a vifit to my houfe, on
purpofe to learn how fuch trani'aftions were
reliflied by me *, and molt unfortunately,
though confidering that it has produced
this happy efcape, I may rather fay fortu¬
nately, he caft his eye, for the firft time
fince Ihe had arrived at the ftate of puber¬
ty, upon my Eugenia, whom, until that
hour, I had carefully concealed from his
rapacious eyes ; he catched fire at fight of
her beauty, and even in the inftant made
infinuations againft her virtue ! Nay he had
the effrontery to demand her of myfelf, for
his miftrefs! The dreadful examples of Inetta
znABanchowtre too full in my memory, not
to caution me againft the effects of a flat
denial; on the contrary, I tried only to de¬
fer the fhocking purpofe,. by promifing
that I would myfelf recommend his fuit,
and exhort her to a fenfibilicy of the prefer¬
ence with which he confidered her. By this
means I flattered myfelf with gaining fome
days, and was in the mean time bufy me¬
ditating the mofl probable meafures for an
efcape. Engenia, who was not altogether a
ftranger to the vicious difpofitions of Mac¬
beth, became miferable with fear, fince the
firft approach he made to her •, he made
his errands more frequent at my houfe,
and it was with the utmoft difficulty that