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"If you were in a Condition (said she merrily) I should be half in hope it was of your Heart I had made so great a Conquest"

— Haywood [née Fowler], Eliza (1693?-1756)

Author

Haywood [née Fowler], Eliza (1693?-1756)

Work Title

The Rash Resolve: or, the Untimely Discovery. A Novel.

Place of Publication

London

Date

1724, 1725

Metaphor

"If you were in a Condition (said she merrily) I should be half in hope it was of your Heart I had made so great a Conquest"

Metaphor in Context

Being resolv'd to leave the Island with the first Ship, she sent for Don Pedro, to advise with him on the ordering her Affairs; she could not think it safe or practicable to take her whole Effects with her, and therefore thought it proper to settle a Correspondence how they might be sent after her, and in what hands trusted. Don Pedro, who before had heard of her Design, thought it now high time to discover the Secret he so long had kept; and making her a low Bow: It is easy, Madam, said he, for us to contrive means to send your Fortune either to Madrid, or any other Place you shall command: but it will not be so easy to bring us to consent to the parting with your self. -- You here receiv'd your Being;--here your Education; --are a Native--a Property of this Place; and when you attempt to deprive us of that Right we claim of your Presence, the whole Island would rise in Arms; nor ought you to wonder if in so just a Cause I should appear their Head, and force your Stay, if soft Persuasion fails. The old Gentleman was so little accustomed to Gallantry, that Emanuella could not help laughing at these Words, which she had not the least Thought were spoke with any other Design; and perceiving he had done, Well well Don Pedro! return'd she, I do not doubt but in such a Cause as this I should be able to make my party good against the Islanders, even tho' you should appear their Head, as you threaten; but to shew you that I am not for War, if Peace may be maintain'd on honourable Terms, pray what have you to offer me here in lieu of those Advantages I may expect elsewhere? That (reply'd the other hastily) which if duly weigh'd, is of more Estimation than the whole World beside;-- a Love accompanied by Sincerity, Constancy, and Truth,--a Passion pure as the Zeal which warms the Martyr's Breast, and everlasting as his Reward. All this was so far from giving her any Notion of his Intention, that she had no other Surprize than to find him in a Disposition so different from his former Gravity; and believing he assum'd this Air of Raillery only to divert her, would not baulk his Good-Humour, but return'd an Answer such as she thought suitable to the Occasion: If you were in a Condition (said she merrily) I should be half in hope it was of your Heart I had made so great a Conquest; but as you are not yet, nor like to be a Widower, I must entreat you to inform me who it is has felt the Effects of a Power I never had any Reason to have an Opinion of till now. Alas! Madam, (resumed the Don) it would ill become the Autumn of my Age to attempt to please the delightful Bloom of yours. --No, no, I would not thus affront your Beauty. --But I have a Son, whose Years will not disgrace the Passion he professes--nor will his Suit, I hope, be unworthy your Regard. These Words were like a Clap of Thunder to Emanuella's Ears: the manner in which they were spoke, joined to a thousand little Passages, which when they happened, were unheeded, but now all at once occurr'd to her Remembrance, made her indeed believe he meant what he said: But not yet fully assured, And are you in earnest? cry'd she, (with a Voice which testified both her Amazement and Indignation.) But he, whose Pride would not permit him to be easily quell'd, was so far from excusing the Presumption of his Application, that he rather resented the little Deference she paid him. I know not, resumed he, for what reason you should make a doubt of it; there is not so great a Disparity either in Birth or Fortune, to oblige you to think it strange I should offer at an Alliance. -- You will leave me to Judge of that (answer'dshe, growing still more disturb'd ) but I desire not a Repetition of Genealogies, or a Calculation how many Thousands either of us are possess'd of; 'tis sufficient I am not ignorant what is in your hands of mine, which I shall call for in, as soon as I have consider'd of a Person proper to be intrusted in such an Affair. She spoke no more at that time, but continued walking up and down the Room, by her outward Disorders making visible the inward Agitations of her Soul: Don Pedro, who had as much Cunning as Pride, observ'd every Motion, and believing he had gone too far, endeavour'd to mitigate the Boldness of his first Expressions, by pleading his Concern for the Welfare of an only Son, who could not live without her. But all he could say to this purpose, was ineffectual to abate the Indignation she had conceiv'd at so disproportionable a Proposal, and the more he endeavour'd at it, the more she grew incensed: till at last weary of his Importunities, she desir'd him to leave her House, and to prepare to make up his Accompts with her by the next day; still assuring him she was determined to take shipping by the first Opportunity. The Chagreen this Accident gave her, was very great; she was disappointed in the Hope of maintaining a friendly Correspondence with a Man who had the Power of being very serviceable to her in those Affairs which she was unexperienced in, and which her Soul, delighting in sublimer Contemplations, was unwilling to be amus'd in. Young as she was, she had a very good guess at the Language of the Eyes, and easily found by his, that she must expect no Obligations from him, unless she could consent to come into his Measures, than which nothing could be more averse to her Inclinations, and consequently to her Designs; for she was not of a Disposition to resolve on the one,
without having first consulted the other: But tho' she foresaw many little Vexations would attend this Quarrel with her Guardian, yet she was far from having any Suspicion, he had Baseness enough in his Nature to act in the manner he was already forming, and she soon after experienc'd.
(pp. 5-8)