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He heard, he said, you were not so well as he wished you to be, and as you deserved to be.

Oh Mr. Lovelace, said she, what have you to answer for on that young lady's account, if all be true that I have

heard?

I have a great deal to answer for, said the unblushing villain: but that dear lady has so many excellencies, and so much delicacy, that little sins are great ones in her eye.

Little sins! replied Miss D'Oily; Mr. Lovelace's character is so well known that nobody believes he can commit little sins.

You are very good to me, Miss D'Oily.

Indeed I am not.

Then I am the only person to whom you're not very good; and so I am the less obliged to you.

He turned with an unconcerned air to Miss Playford, and made her some genteel compliments. I believe you know her not. She visits his cousins Montague. Indeed, he had something in his specious manner to say to everybody; and this too soon quieted the disgust each person had at his entrance.

I still kept my seat, and he either saw me not, or would not yet see me; and addressing himself to my mother, taking her unwilling hand, with an air of high assurance, I am glad to see you here, madam. I hope Miss Howe is well. I have reason to complain greatly of her; but hope to owe to her the highest obligation that can be laid

on man.

My daughter, sir, is accustomed to be too warm and too zealous in her friendships for either my tranquillity, or her

own.

There had indeed been some late occasion given for mutual displeasure between my mother and me; but I think she might have spared this to him; though nobody heard it, I believe, but the person to whom it was spoken,

and the lady who told it to me; for my mother spoke it low.

We are not wholly, madam, to live for ourselves, said the vile hypocrite. It is not every one who has a soul capable of friendship; and what a heart must that be which can be insensible to the interests of a suffering friend?

This sentiment from Mr. Lovelace's mouth! said my mother. Forgive me, sir, but you can have no end, surely, in endeavouring to make me think as well of you as some innocent creatures have thought of you, to their

cost.

She would have flung from him. But detaining her hand. Less severe, dear madam, said he, be less severe, in this place, I beseech you. You will allow that a very faulty person may see his errors; and when he does, and owns them, and repents, should he not be treated mercifully?

Your air, sir, seems not to be that of a penitent. But the place may as properly excuse this subject, as what you call my severity.

But, dearest madam, permit me to say, that I hope for your interest with your charming daughter (was his sycophant word) to have it put into my power to convince all the world that there never was a truer penitent. And why, why this anger, dear madam? (for she struggled to get her hand out of his) these violent airs-so maidenly! (Impudent fellow !)-may I not ask if Miss Howe be here?

She would not have been here, replied my mother, had she known whom she had been to see.

And is she here, then?-Thank heaven!-He disengaged her hand, and stepped forward into company.

Dear Miss Lloyd, said he, with an air (taking her hand, as he quitted my mother's), tell me, tell me, is Miss Arabella Harlowe here? Or will she be here? I was informed

she would-and this, and the opportunity of paying my compliments to your friend Miss Howe, were great inducements with me to attend the colonel.

Superlative assurance! Was it not, my dear?

Miss Arabella Harlowe, excuse me, sir, said Miss Lloyd, would be very little inclined to meet you here, or anywhere else.

Perhaps so, my dear Miss Lloyd; but, perhaps, for that very reason, I am more desirous to see her.

Miss Harlowe, sir, said Miss Biddulph, with a threatening air, will hardly be here without her brother. I imagine, if one come, both will come.

Heaven grant they both may said the wretch. Nothing, Miss Biddulph, shall begin from me to disturb this assembly, I assure you, if they do. One calm half-hour's conversation with that brother and sister, would be a most fortunate opportunity to me, in presence of the colonel and his lady, or whom else they should choose.

Then turning round, as if desirous to find out the one or the other, or both, he espied me, and, with a very low bow, approached me.

I was all in a flutter, you may suppose. He would have taken my hand. I refused it, all glowing with indignation: everybody's eyes upon us.

I went from him to the other end of the room, and sat down, as I thought, out of his hated sight: but presently I heard his odious voice, whispering, behind my chair (he leaning upon the back of it, with impudent unconcern) Charming Miss Howe! looking over my shoulder: one request-I started up from my seat; but could hardly stand neither, for very indignation-O this sweet, but becoming disdain! whispered on the insufferable creatureI am sorry to give you all this emotion: but either here, or at your own house, let me entreat from you one quarter of an hour's audience.-I beseech you, madam, but one quarter of an hour, in any of the adjoining apartments.

Not for a kingdom (fluttering my fan)-I knew not what I did.-But I could have killed him.

We are so much observed-Else on my knees, my dear Miss Howe, would I beg your interest with your charming friend.

My mediation, vilest of men !-My mediation !-I abhor you! From my soul, I abhor you, vilest of men !-Three or four times I repeated these words, stammering too.—I was excessively fluttered.

You can call me nothing, madam, so bad as I will call myself. I have been, indeed, the vilest of men: but now I am not so.-Permit me-everybody's eyes are upon us! --but one moment's audience-to exchange but ten words with you, dearest Miss Howe-in whose presence you please for your dear friend's sake-but ten words with you in the next apartment.

It is an insult upon me, to presume, that I would exchange one with you, if I could help it!-Out of my way! -out of my sight-fellow !

And away I would have flung: but he took my hand. I was excessively disordered.-Everybody's eyes more and more intent upon us.

Mr. Hickman, whom my mother had drawn on one side, to enjoin him a patience, which perhaps needed not to have been enforced, came up just then, with my mother, who had him by his leading-strings-by his sleeve I should say.

Mr. Hickman, said the bold wretch, be my advocate but for ten words in the next apartment with Miss Howe, in your presence; and in yours, madam, (to my mother).

Hear, Nancy, what he has to say to you. To get rid of him, hear his ten words.

Excuse me, madam, his very breath-unhand me, sir! He sighed and looked-O how the practised villain sighed and looked! He then let go my hand, with such a reverence in his manner, as brought blame upon me

from some, that I would not hear him.-And this incensed me the more. O my dear, this man is a devil! This man is indeed a devil!-So much patience, when he pleases! So much gentleness!-Yet so resolute, so persisting, so audacious !

I was going out of the assembly in great disorder. He was at the door as soon as I.

How kind this is ! said the wretch; and, ready to follow me, opened the door for me.

I turned back, upon this; and, not knowing what I did, snapped my fan just in his face, as he turned short upon me; and the powder flew from his wig.

Everybody seemed as much pleased, as I was vexed.

He turned to Mr. Hickman, nettled at the powder flying, and at the smiles of the company upon him; Mr. Hickman, you will be one of the happiest men in the world, because you are a good man, and will do nothing to provoke this passionate lady; and because she has too much good sense to be provoked without reason: but else, the Lord have mercy upon you!

This man, this Mr. Hickman, my dear, is too meek for a man. Indeed he is. But patient mother twits me, that her passionate daughter ought to like him the better for that. But meek men abroad are not always meek men at home. I have observed that in more instances than one: and if they were, I should not, I verily think, like them the better for being so.

He then turned to my mother, resolved to be even with her too where, good madam, could miss get all this spirit?

The company round smiled; for I need not tell you, that my mother's high-spiritedness is pretty well known; and she, sadly vexed, said, sir, you treat me, as you do the rest of the world-but

I beg pardon, madam, interrupted he: I might have spared my question-and instantly (I retiring to the other

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