take no pleasure in the promised had my kneeling humility affected visit of Lady Betty and my cousin them. Montague? And in the protection

Women, Jack, tacitly acknowthey offer you, if you are dissatis- ledge the inferiority of their sex fied with mine? Have you no wish in the pride they take to behold a to see your uncle's friend? Stay kneeling lover at their feet. only till Captain Tomlinson comes. Receive from him the news of your uncle's compliance with the wishes of both.

She turned from me, herself into a chair.

and threw

I arose, and approached her with reverence. My dearest creaShe seemed altogether dis- ture, said I- and was proceeding tressed; was ready to sink; and - but, with a face glowing with forced to lean against the wain- conscious dignity, she interrupted scot, as I kneeled at her feet. A me Ungenerous, ungrateful stream of tears at last burst from Lovelace! You know not the her less indignant eyes- Good value of the heart you have inheaven! said she, lifting up her sulted! nor can you conceive how lovely face, and clasped hands, much my soul despises your meanwhat is at last to be my destiny! ness. But meanness must ever be -Deliver me from this dangerous the portion of the man, who can man: and direct me! I know not act vilely! — what I do; what I can do; nor The women believing we were what I ought to do! likely to be on better terms, reThe women, as I had owned tired. The dear perverse opposed marriage to be but half completed, their going; but they saw I was heard nothing in this whole scene desirous of their absence. to contradict (not flagrantly to when they had withdrawn, I once contradict) what I had asserted: more threw myself at her feet, they believed they saw in her re- and acknowledged my offences; turning temper, and staggered implored her forgiveness for this resolution, a love for me, which one time, and promised the most her indignation had before sup- exact circumspection for the fupressed; and they joined to per- ture.

And

suade her to tarry till the Captain It was impossible for her, she came, and to hear his proposals; said, to keep her memory and forrepresenting the dangers to which give me. What hadst thou seen she would be exposed; the fatigues in the conduct of Clarissa Harshe might endure; a lady of her lowe, that should encourage such appearance, unguarded, unpro- an insult upon her, as thou didst tected. On the other hand, they dare to make? How meanly must dwelt upon my declared contri- thou think of her, that thou couldst tion, and on my promises; for presume to be so guilty, and expect the performance of which they her to be so weak as to forgive thee? offered to be bound. So much I besought her to let me read

over to her Captain Tomlinson's-And all this, for what? Had I letter. I was sure it was impos- not yielded to your intreaties (forsible she could have given it the give me, madam) you could not requisite attention. have carried further your resent

I cannot bear

I have given it the requisite at-ments tention, said she, and the other Wretch! Was it not crime letters too. So that what I say, enough to give occasion for those is upon deliberation. And what intreaties? Wouldst thou make a have I to fear from my brother merit to me, that thou didst not and sister? They can but com- utterly ruin her whom thou oughtplete the ruin of my fortunes with est to have protected? Begone, my father and uncles. Let them and man! turning from me, her face welcome. You, sir, I thank you, crimsoned over with passion have lowered my fortunes: but I See me no more! bless God, that my mind is not thee in my sight sunk with my fortunes. It is, on Dearest, dearest creature! the contrary, raised above for- If I forgive thee, Lovelace tune, and above you; and for and there she stopped. To enhalf a word, they shall have the deavour, proceeded she, to enestate they have envied me for, deavour, by premeditation, by low and an acquittal from me of all contrivance, by cries of fire expectations from my family that terrify a poor creature who had may make them uneasy. consented to take a wretched

to

I lifted up my hands and eyes chance with thee for life! in silent admiration of her. For heaven's sake - offering to

My brother, sir, may think me take her repulsing hand, as she ruined. To the praise of your was flying from me towards the character he may think it impos-closet

sible to be with you, and be inno- What hast thou to do, to plead cent. You have but too well jus- the sake of heaven in thy favour, tified their harshest censures by O darkest of human minds!

Thou that hadst

every part of your conduct. But Then turning from me, wiping now, that I have escaped from her eyes, and again turning toyou, and that I am out of the wards me, but her sweet face half reach of your mysterious devices, aside, What difficulties hast thou I will wrap myself up in mine own involved me in! innocence, [and then the pas- a plain path before thee, after thou sionate beauty folded her arms hadst betrayed me into thy power about herself] and leave to time, and to my future circumspection, the reestablishment of my character. Leave me then, sir pursue me not!

at once my mind takes in the whole of thy crooked behaviour; and if thou thinkest of Clarissa Harlowe as her proud heart tells her thou oughtest to think of her, Good heaven! interrupting her thou wilt seek thy fortunes else

-

where. How often hast thou pro- | hope also will but I cannot eat voked me to tell thee, that my soul is above thee?

-I cannot go down. As for you, sir, I suppose you will think it right to depart hence; at least till the gentleman comes whom you expect.

For heaven's sake, madam, for a soul's sake, which it is in your power to save from perdition, forgive me the past offence. I am I respectfully withdrew into the the greatest villain on earth, if it next room, that Mrs. Moore might was a premeditated one. Yet I acquaint her [I durst not myself] presume not to excuse myself. On that I was her lodger and boarder, your mercy I throw myself. I as [whisperingly] I desired she will not offer at any plea, but that would: and meeting Miss Rawlins of penitence. See but Captain in the passage, Dearest Miss Tomlinson. See but Lady Betty Rawlins, said I, stand my friend: and my cousin; let them plead for join with Mrs. Moore to pacify me; let them be guarantees for my Mrs. Lovelace, if she has any new flights upon my having taken If Captain Tomlinson come lodgings, and intending to board while I stay here, I may see him. here. I hope she will have more But as for you, sir generosity than to think of Dearest creature! let me beg of hindering a gentlewoman from you not to aggravate my offence letting her lodgings. to the Captain, when he comes. I suppose Mrs. Moore (whom I Let me beg of you left with my fair one) had apprized What askest thou? Is it not her of this before Miss Rawlins that I shall be of party against went in; for I heard her say, while myself! "No, That I shall pal- I withheld Miss Rawlins liate indeed; he is much mistaken surely he does not think I will."

honour.

brother's

Do not charge me, madam, interrupted I, with villainous pre- They both expostulated with meditation! Do not give such her, as I could gather from bits a construction to my offence, as and scraps of what they said; for may weaken your uncle's opi- they spoke so low, that I could not nion as may strengthen your hear any distinct sentence, but from the fair perverse, whose She flung from me to the further anger made her louder. And to end of the room [she could go no this purpose I heard her deliver further] and just then Mrs. herself in answer to different parts Moore came up and told her, that of their talk to her:- "Good Mrs. dinner was ready; and that she Moore, dear Miss Rawlins, press had prevailed upon Miss Rawlins me no further: I cannot sit to give her her company. down at table with him!" You must excuse me, Mrs.

They said something, as I sup

Moore, said she. Miss Rawlins I pose in my behalf "O the in

you may ad

sinuating wretch! What de- dining with them: for she said, "I fence have I against a man, who, have nothing to say to that it is go where I will, can turn every your own house, Mrs. Moore - it one, even of the virtuous of my is your own tablesex, in his favour?" mit whom you please to it After something else said, which leave me at my liberty to choose I heard not distinctly - "This is my company." execrable cunning! Were you

only

Then in answer, as I suppose,

to know his wicked heart, he is to their offer of sending her up a not without hope of engaging you plate -- "A bit of bread, if you two good persons to second him please, and a glass of water: in the vilest of his machinations." that's all I can swallow at present. How came she (thought I at the I am really very much discominstant) by all this penetration? posed. Saw you not how bad I My devil surely does not play me was? Indignation only could booty. If I thought he did, I have supported my spirits! would marry, and live honest, to "I have no objections to his be even with him. dining with you, madam;" added

I suppose then, they urged the she, in reply, I suppose to a furplea which I hinted to Miss ther question of the same nature Rawlins at going in, that she "But I will not stay a night in would not be Mrs. Moore's the house where he lodges.' hindrance; for thus she expressed I presume Miss Rawlins had herself "He will no doubt pay told her, that she would not stay you your own price. You need dinner for she said, "Let me not question his liberality: but not deprive Mrs. Moore of your one house cannot hold us. Why, company, Miss Rawlins. You will if it would, did I fly from him, to not be displeased with his talk. seek refuge among strangers!" He can have no design upon you.' Then, in answer to somewhat Then I suppose they pleaded else they pleaded "'Tis a what I might say behind her back, mistake, madam; I am not recon- to make my own story good: ciled to him, I will believe nothing "I care not what he says, or what he says. Has he not given you a he thinks of me. Repentance and flagrant specimen of what a man amendment are all the harm I he is, and of what he is capable, wish him, whatever becomes of by the disguises you saw him in? me!" My story is too long, and my stay here will be but short; or I could convince you, that my resentments against him are but too well founded."

By her accent, she wept when she spoke these last words.

They came out both of them wiping their eyes; and would have persuaded me to relinquish the I suppose then, that they lodgings, and to depart till her pleaded for her leave, for my uncle's friend came.

But I knew

force;

better. I did not care to trust the the game in her own hands; and devil, well as she and Miss Howe by giving me so good an excuse suppose me to be acquainted with for withdrawing, I had time to him, for finding her out again, if strengthen myself; the Captain once more she escaped me. had time to come; and the lady to What I am most afraid of, is cool. Shakspeare advises well, that she will throw herself among her own relations; and if she does, Oppose not rage, whilst rage is in its I am confident they will not be But give it way awhile, and let it waste. able to withstand her affecting The rising deluge is not stopp'd with eloquence. But yet, as thou 'lt dams; see, the Captain's letter to me is Those it o'erbears, and drowns the hope admirably calculated to obviate But, wisely manag'd, its divided strength my apprehensions on this score; Is sluic'd in channels, and securely particularly in that passage, And when its force is spent and unwhere it is said, that her uncle thinks not himself at liberty to The correspond directly with her, or to And receive applications from her but through Captain Tomlinson, as is strongly implied*.

of harvest.

drain'd:

supply'd,

strain'd,

residue with mounds may be redry-shod we may pass the naked

ford.

I went down with the women to I must own (notwithstanding dinner, Mrs. Moore sent her fair the revenge I have so solemnly boarder up a plate; but she only vowed) that I would very fain eat a little bit of bread, and drank have made for her a merit with a glass of water. I doubted not myself in her returning favour, and but she would keep her word, have owed as little as possible to when it was once gone out. Is she the mediation of Captain Tom- not an Harlowe? She seems to linson. My pride was concerned be inuring herself to hardships, in this: and this was one of my which at the worst she can never reasons for not bringing him with know; since, though she should me. Another was: that, if I were ultimately refuse to be obliged to obliged to have recourse to his me, or (to express myself more assistance, I should be better able suitable to my own heart) to oblige (by visiting her without him) to me, every one who sees her must direct him what to say or to do, as befriend her. I should find out the turn of her humour.

But let me ask thee, Belford, art thou not solicitous for me in relaI was, however, glad at my tion to the contents of the letter heart, that Mrs. Moore came up which the angry beauty had so seasonably with notice that written and dispatched away by dinner was ready. The fair man and horse; and what may be fugitive was all in all.

See p. 66.

She had Miss Howe's answer to it! Art thou not ready to inquire whether