‘All your family are at your uncle Harlowe’s. Your uncle finds he
cannot go up; and names Captain Tomlinson for his proxy. He proposes to
keep all your family with him till the Captain assures him that the
ceremony is over.
‘Already he has begun, with hope of success, to try to reconcile your
mother to you.’
My Lord M. but just now has told me how happy he should think himself
to have an opportunity, before he dies, to salute you as his niece. I
have put him in hopes that he shall see you; and have told him that I
will go to town on Wednesday, in order to prevail upon you to accompany
me down on Thursday or Friday. I have ordered a set to be in readiness
to carry me up; and, were not my Lord so very ill, my cousin Montague
tells me that she would offer her attendance on you. If you please,
therefore, we can set out for this place the moment the solemnity is
performed.
Do not, dearest creature, dissipate all those promising appearances,
and by refusing to save your own and your family’s reputation in the
eye of the world, use yourself worse than the ungratefullest wretch on
earth has used you. For if we were married, all the disgrace you
imagine you have suffered while a single lady, will be my own, and only
known to ourselves.
Once more, then, consider well the situation we are both in; and
remember, my dearest life, that Thursday will be soon here; and that
you have no time to lose.
In a letter sent by the messenger whom I dispatch with this, I have
desired that my friend, Mr. Belford, who is your very great admirer,
and who knows all the secrets of my heart, will wait upon you, to know
what I am to depend upon as to the chosen day.
Surely, my dear, you never could, at any time, suffer half so much from
cruel suspense, as I do.
If I have not an answer to this, either from your own goodness, or
through Mr. Belford’s intercession, it will be too late for me to set
out: and Captain Tomlinson will be disappointed, who goes to town on
purpose to attend your pleasure.
One motive for the gentle resistance I have presumed to lay you under
is, to prevent the mischiefs that might ensue (as probably to the more
innocent, as to the less) were you to write to any body while your
passions were so much raised and inflamed against me. Having apprized
you of my direction to the women in town on this head, I wonder you
should have endeavoured to send a letter to Miss Howe, although in a
cover directed to that young lady’s* servant; as you must think it
would be likely to fall into my hands.
* The lady had made an attempt to send away a letter.
The just sense of what I have deserved the contents should be, leaves
me no room to doubt what they are. Nevertheless, I return it you
enclosed, with the seal, as you will see, unbroken.
Relieve, I beseech you, dearest Madam, by the four requested words, or
by Mr. Belford, the anxiety of
Your ever-affectionate and obliged LOVELACE.
Remember, there will not, there cannot be time for further writing, and
for coming up by Thursday, your uncle’s birth-day.