Page:French convert.pdf/44

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THE FRENCH CONVERT.

be provided for as became her quality; and, that ſuch a place as he mentioned, with time and company, were the beſt cure to juſtle thoſe wild notions out of her head: Upon which they only ſent her a letter, and reſolved not to go themſelves: So Antonio returned, well ſatisfied, to his wicked companion.

Deidamia, (who was ignorant of this,) miſſing her paper, and not doubting which way it went, taking more care for Bernard the Gardener than herſelf, thought by it he would be diſcovered; wherefore ſhe ſent for him, gave him a handful of gold, and commanded him to shift for himſelf; telling him what had paſſed, and the danger he was in. This command he ſeemed exceeding loth to obey, and with tears in his eyes, proteſted, that for the ſake of his religion, and in her defence againſt any injury or violence, he was willing to expoſe his life; but she urged ſo many things to haſten his departure, that he promiſed to do it: and ſo they (with ſhedding many tears) took a long farewel of each other.

Bernard was preparing to depart, as Antonio returned with his orders.; whereupon Fronovius clapped him up in a dungeon, and that night hired two ruffians to carry him to the ſea-clifts, and throw him thence head-long; and thither they carried him in a ſack, on a horſe, gagged and bound; but finding a veſſel, thruft into a creek, very near the clifts, one of them enquired, and found it belonged to a French plantation in the West Indies: Whereupon they took the method of Joſeph's brethren with the lſhmaelites to make the beſt purchaſe of him, rather than deſtroy him and loſe it; ſo he that came to enquire, demanded of the maſter, If he wanted

a luſty