Her
liking of him grew by degrees into a friendship, no less tender than
that one feels for very near relations, and who have never done any
thing to disoblige us, are more endeared by being under undeserved
calamity: but as the inclination she had for him was perfectly innocent,
and no ways prejudicial to the prince who was in possession of her
person, she made no secret of it either to himself or those she
conversed with, and was always talking of the wit, delicacy, and
handsomeness of one of those prisoners, whom it was well known were
pensioners to her bounty. But how dangerous is it to be too open before
persons who, void of all true generosity, or the lead principle of
honour themselves, never fail to put the worst construction on the
actions of others. Edella was very near being undone by her sincerity in
acknowledging the distinction she paid to merit, or the compassion she
felt for misfortunes, in a country where humanity to enemies is looked
upon as a crime, friendship to those of the same party altogether
unknown, and even common civility never practised but for the
gratification of self-interest, or some favourite passion.
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