But a few days after she had left us, two very pretty
young gentlemen, who were Mrs. Cole's especial favourites,
and free of her academy, easily obtain'd her consent for
Emily's and my acceptance of a party of pleasure at a little
but agreeable house belonging to one of them, situated not
far up the river Thames, on the Surry side.
Everything being settled, and it being a fine summer-
day, but rather of the warmest, we set out after dinner, and
got to our rendez-vous about four in the afternoon; where,
landing at the foot of a neat, joyous pavillion, Emily and I
were handed into it by our squires, and there drank tea with
a cheerfulness and gaiety that the beauty of the prospect,
the serenity of the weather, and the tender politeness of our
sprightly gallants naturally led us into.
After tea, and taking a turn in the garden, my particu-
lar, who was the master of the house, and had in no sense
schem'd this party of pleasure for a dry one, propos'd to us,
with that frankness which his familiarity at Mrs. Cole's
entitled him to, as the weather was excessively hot, to bathe
together, under a commodious shelter that he had prepared
expressly for that purpose, in a creek of the river, with
which a side-door of the pavilion immediately communicated,
and where we might be sure of having our diversion out, safe
from interruption, and with the utmost privacy.
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