MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
SUNDAY, MAY 28.
This story of Captain Tomlinson employed us not only for the time we were
together last night, but all the while we sat at breakfast this morning.
She would still have it that it was the prelude to some mischief from
Singleton. I insisted (according to my former hint) that it might much
more probably be a method taken by Colonel Morden to alarm her, previous
to a personal visit. Travelled gentlemen affected to surprise in this
manner. And why, dearest creature, said I, must every thing that
happens, which we cannot immediately account for, be what we least wish?
She had had so many disagreeable things befall her of late, that her
fears were too often stronger than her hopes.
And this, Madam, makes me apprehensive, that you will get into so low-
spirited a way, that you will not be able to enjoy the happiness that
seems to await us.
Her duty and her gratitude, she gravely said, to the Dispenser of all
good, would secure her, she hoped, against unthankfulness. And a
thankful spirit was the same as a joyful one.
So, Belford, for all her future joys she depends entirely upon the
invisible Good. She is certainly right; since those who fix least upon
second causes are the least likely to be disappointed--And is not this
gravity for her gravity?
She had hardly done speaking, when Dorcas came running up in a hurry--
she set even my heart into a palpitation--thump, thump, thump, like a
precipitated pendulum in a clock-case--flutter, flutter, flutter, my
charmer's, as by her sweet bosom rising to her chin I saw.
This lower class of people, my beloved herself observed, were for ever
aiming at the stupid wonderful, and for making even common incidents
matter of surprise.
Why the devil, said I to the wench, this alarming hurry?--And with your
spread fingers, and your O Madams, and O Sirs!--and be cursed to you!
Would there have been a second of time difference, had you come up
slowly?
Captain Tomlinson, Sir!
Captain Devilson, what care I?--Do you see how you have disordered your
lady?
Good Mr. Lovelace, said my charmer, trembling [see, Jack, when she has an
end to serve, I am good Mr. Lovelace,] if--if my brother,--if Captain
Singleton should appear--pray now--I beseech you--let me beg of you--to
govern your temper--My brother is my brother--Captain Singleton is but an
agent.
My dearest life, folding my arms about her, [when she asks favours,
thought I, the devil's in it, if she will not allow such an innocent
freedom as this, from good Mr. Lovelace too,] you shall be witness of all
passes between us.--Dorcas, desire the gentleman to walk up.
Let me retire to my chamber first!--Let me not be known to be in the
house!
Charming dear!--Thou seest, Belford, she is afraid of leaving me!--O the
little witchcrafts! Were it not for surprises now-and-then, how would an
honest man know where to have them?
She withdrew to listen.--And though this incident has not turned out to
answer all I wished from it, yet is it not necessary, if I would acquaint
thee with my whole circulation, to be very particular in what passed
between Captain Tomlinson and me.
Enter Captain Tomlinson, in a riding-dress, whip in hand.
Your servant, Sir,--Mr. Lovelace, I presume?
My name is Lovelace, Sir.
Excuse the day, Sir.--Be pleased to excuse my garb. I am obliged to go
out of town directly, that I may return at night.
The day is a good day. Your garb needs no apology.
When I sent my servant, I did not know that I should find time to do
myself this honour. All that I thought I could do to oblige my friend
this journey, was only to assure myself of your abode; and whether there
was a probability of being admitted to the speech of either you, or your
lady.
Sir, you best know your own motives. What your time will permit you to do,
you also best know. And here I am, attending your pleasure.
My charmer owned afterwards her concern on my being so short. Whatever
I shall mingle of her emotions, thou wilt easily guess I had afterwards.
Sir, I hope no offence. I intend none.
None--None at all, Sir.
Sir, I have no interest in the affair I come about. I may appear
officious; and if I thought I should, I would decline any concern in it,
after I have just hinted what it is.
And pray, Sir, what is it?
May I ask you, Sir, without offence, whether you wish to be reconciled,
and to co-operate upon honourable terms, with one gentleman of the name
of Harlowe; preparative, as it may be hoped, to a general reconciliation?
O how my heart fluttered! cried my charmer.
I can't tell, Sir--[and then it fluttered still more, no doubt:] The
whole family have used me extremely ill. They have taken greater
liberties with my character than are justifiable; and with my family too;
which I can less forgive.
Sir, Sir, I have done. I beg pardon for this intrusion.
My beloved was then ready to sink, and thought very hardly of me.
But, pray, Sir, to the immediate purpose of your present commission;
since a commission it seems to be?
It is a commission, Sir; and such a one, as I thought would be agreeable
to all parties, or I should not have given myself concern about it.
Perhaps it may, Sir, when known. But let me ask you one previous
question--Do you know Colonel Morden, Sir?
No, Sir. If you mean personally, I do not. But I have heard my good
friend Mr. John Harlowe talk of him with great respect; and such a
co-trustee with him in a certain trust.
Lovel. I thought it probable, Sir, that the Colonel might be arrived;
that you might be a gentleman of his acquaintance; and that something of
an agreeable surprise might be intended.
Capt. Had Colonel Morden been in England, Mr. John Harlowe would have
known it; and then I should not have been a stranger to it.
Lovel. Well but, Sir, have you then any commission to me from Mr. John
Harlowe?
Capt. Sir, I will tell you, as briefly as I can, the whole of what I
have to say; but you'll excuse me also in a previous question, for what
curiosity is not my motive; but it is necessary to be answered before I
can proceed; as you will judge when you hear it.
Lovel. What, pray, Sir, is your question?
Capt. Briefly, whether you are actually, and bonâ fide, married to Miss
Clarissa Harlowe?
I started, and, in a haughty tone, is this, Sir, a question that must be
answered before you can proceed in the business you have undertaken?
I mean no offence, Mr. Lovelace. Mr. Harlowe sought to me to undertake
this office. I have daughters and nieces of my own. I thought it a good
office, or I, who have many considerable affairs upon my hands, had not
accepted of it. I know the world; and will take the liberty to say, that
if the young lady--
Captain Tomlinson, I think you are called?
My name is Tomlinson.
Why then, Tomlinson, no liberty, as you call it, will be taken well, that
is not extremely delicate, when that lady is mentioned.
When you had heard me out, Mr. Lovelace, and had found I had so behaved,
as to make the caution necessary, it would have been just to have given
it.--Allow me to say, I know what is due to the character of a woman of
virtue, as well as any man alive.
Why, Sir! Why, Captain Tomlinson, you seem warm. If you intend any
thing by this, [O how I trembled! said the lady, when she took notice of
this part of our conversation afterwards,] I will only say, that this is
a privileged place. It is at present my home, and an asylum for any
gentleman who thinks it worth his while to inquire after me, be the
manner or end of his inquiry what it will.
I know not, Sir, that I have given occasion for this. I make no scruple
to attend you elsewhere, if I am troublesome here. I was told, I had a
warm young gentleman to deal with: but as I knew my intention, and that
my commission was an amicable one, I was the less concerned about that.
I am twice your age, Mr. Lovelace, I dare say: but I do assure you, that
if either my message or my manner gives you offence, I can suspend the
one or the other for a day, or for ever, as you like. And so, Sir, any
time before eight tomorrow morning, you will let me know your further
commands.--And was going to tell me where he might be found.
Captain Tomlinson, said I, you answer well. I love a man of spirit.
Have you not been in the army?
I have, Sir; but have turned my sword into a ploughshare, as the
scripture has it,--[there was a clever fellow, Jack!--he was a good man
with somebody, I warrant! O what a fine coat and cloke for an hypocrite
will a text of scripture, properly applied, make at any time in the eyes
of the pious!--how easily are the good folks taken in!]--and all my
delight, added he, for some years past, has been in cultivating my
paternal estate. I love a brave man, Mr. Lovelace, as well as ever I did
in my life. But let me tell you, Sir, that when you come to my time of
life, you will be of opinion, that there is not so much true bravery in
youthful choler, as you may now think there is.
A clever fellow again, Belford!--Ear and heart, both at once, he took in
my charmer!--'Tis well, she says, there are some men who have wisdom in
their anger.
Well, Captain, that is reproof for reproof. So we are upon a footing.
And now give me the pleasure of hearing the import of your commission.
Sir, you must first allow me to repeat my question: Are you really, and
bonâ fide, married to Miss Clarissa Harlowe? or are you not yet married?
Bluntly put, Captain. But if I answer that I am, what then?
Why then, Sir, I shall say, that you are a man of honour.
That I hope I am, whether you say it or not, Captain Tomlinson.
Sir, I will be very frank in all I have to say on this subject--Mr. John
Harlowe has lately found out, that you and his niece are both in the same
lodgings; that you have been long so; and that the lady was at the play
with you yesterday was se'nnight; and he hopes that you are actually
married. He has indeed heard that you are; but as he knows your
enterprising temper, and that you have declared, that you disdain a
relation to their family, he is willing by me to have your marriage
confirmed from your own mouth, before he take the steps he is inclined to
take in his niece's favour. You will allow me to say, Mr. Lovelace, that
he will not be satisfied with an answer that admits of the least doubt.
Let me tell you, Captain Tomlinson, that it is a high degree of vileness
for any man to suppose--
Sir--Mr. Lovelace--don't put yourself into a passion. The lady's
relations are jealous of the honour of their family. They have
prejudices to overcome as well as you--advantage may have been taken--and
the lady, at the time, not to blame.
This lady, Sir, could give no such advantages: and if she had, what must
the man be, Captain Tomlinson, who could have taken them?--Do you know
the lady, Sir?
I never had the honour to see her but once; and that was at a church; and
should not know her again.
Not know her again, Sir!--I thought there was not a man living who had
once seen her, and would not know her among a thousand.
I remember, Sir, that I thought I never saw a finer woman in my life.
But, Mr. Lovelace, I believe, you will allow, that it is better that her
relations should have wronged you, than you the lady, I hope, Sir, you
will permit me to repeat my question.
Enter Dorcas, in a hurry.
A gentleman, this minute, Sir, desires to speak with your honour--[My
lady, Sir!--Aside.]
Could the dear creature put Dorcas upon telling this fib, yet want to
save me one?
Desire the gentleman to walk into one of the parlours. I will wait upon
him presently.
[Exit Dorcas.
The dear creature, I doubted not, wanted to instruct me how to answer
the Captain's home put. I knew how I intended to answer it--plumb, thou
may'st be sure--but Dorcas's message staggered me. And yet I was upon
one of my master-strokes--which was, to take advantage of the captain's
inquiries, and to make her own her marriage before him, as she had done
to the people below; and if she had been brought to that, to induce her,
for her uncle's satisfaction, to write him a letter of gratitude; which
of course must have been signed Clarissa Lovelace. I was loth,
therefore, thou may'st believe, to attend her sudden commands: and yet,
afraid of pushing matters beyond recovery with her, I thought proper to
lead him from the question, to account for himself and for Mr. Harlowe's
coming to the knowledge of where we are; and for other particulars which
I knew would engage her attention; and which might possibly convince her
of the necessity there was for her to acquiesce in the affirmative I was
disposed to give. And this for her own sake; For what, as I asked her
afterwards, is it to me, whether I am ever reconciled to her family?--A
family, Jack, which I must for ever despise.
You think, Captain, that I have answered doubtfully to the question you
put. You may think so. And you must know, that I have a good deal of
pride; and, only that you are a gentleman, and seem in this affair to be
governed by generous motives, or I should ill brook being interrogated as
to my honour to a lady so dear to me.--But before I answer more directly
to the point, pray satisfy me in a question or two that I shall put to
you.
With all my heart, Sir. Ask me what questions you please, I will answer
them with sincerity and candour.
You say, Mr. Harlowe has found out that we were at a play together: and
that we were both in the same lodgings--How, pray, came he at his
knowledge?--for, let me tell you, that I have, for certain
considerations, (not respecting myself, I will assure you,) condescended
that our abode should be kept secret. And this has been so strictly
observed, that even Miss Howe, though she and my beloved correspond, knows
not directly where to send to us.
Why, Sir, the person who saw you at the play, was a tenant of Mr. John
Harlowe. He watched all your motions. When the play was done, he
followed your coach to your lodgings. And early the next day, Sunday,
he took horse, and acquainted his landlord with what he had observed.
Lovel. How oddly things come about!--But does any other of the Harlowes
know where we are?
Capt. It is an absolute secret to every other person of the family; and
so it is intended to be kept: as also that Mr. John Harlowe is willing to
enter into treaty with you, by me, if his niece be actually married; for
perhaps he is aware, that he shall have difficulty enough with some
people to bring about the desirable reconciliation, although he could
give them this assurance.
I doubt it not, Captain--to James Harlowe is all the family folly owing.
Fine fools! [heroically stalking about] to be governed by one to whom
malice and not genius, gives the busy liveliness that distinguishes him
from a natural!--But how long, pray, Sir, has Mr. John Harlowe been in
this pacific disposition?
I will tell you, Mr. Lovelace, and the occasion; and be very explicit
upon it, and upon all that concerns you to know of me, and of the
commission I have undertaken to execute; and this the rather, as when
you have heard me out, you will be satisfied, that I am not an officious
man in this my present address to you.