"I saw your desire of saving Madame Duval, and scarce could I refrain
giving the brutal Captain my real opinion of his savage conduct;
but I am unwilling to quarrel with him, lest I should be denied
entrance into a house which you inhabit; I have been endeavouring
to prevail with him to give up his absurd new scheme, but I find
him impenetrable:-I have therefore determined to make a pretense for
suddenly leaving this place, dear as it is to me, and containing all
I most admire and adore;-and I will stay in town till the violence
of this boobyish humour is abated."
He stopped; but I was silent, for I knew not what I ought to
say. He took my hand, which he pressed to his lips, saying, "And
must I then, Miss Anville, must I quit you-sacrifice voluntarily my
greatest felicity:-and yet not be honoured with one word, one look
of approbation?"
I withdrew my hand, and said with half a laugh, "You know so well,
Sir Clement, the value of the favours you confer, that it would be
superfluous for me to point it out."
"Charming, charming girl! how does your wit, your understanding, rise
upon me daily: and must I, can I part with you?-will no other method-"
"O, Sir, do you so soon repent the good office you had planned for
Madame Duval?"
"For Madame Duval!-cruel creature, and will you not even suffer me
to place to your account the sacrifice I am about to make?"
"You must place it, Sir, to what account you please; but I am too
much in haste now to stay here any longer."
And then I would have left him; but he held me, and rather impatiently
said, "If, then, I cannot be so happy as to oblige you, Miss Anville,
you must not be surprised should I seek to oblige myself. If my scheme
is not honoured with your approbation, for which alone it was formed,
why should I, to my own infinite dissatisfaction, pursue it?"
We were then, for a few minutes, both silent; I was really unwilling
he should give up a plan which would so effectually break into
the Captain's designs, and, at the same time, save me the pain
of disobliging him; and I should instantly and thankfully have
accepted his offered civility, had not Mrs. Mirvan's caution made
me fearful. However, when he pressed me to speak, I said, in an
ironical voice, "I had thought, Sir, that the very strong sense you
have yourself of the favour you propose to me, would sufficiently have
repaid you; but, as I was mistaken, I must thank you myself. And now,"
making a low courtesy, "I hope, Sir, you are satisfied."
"Loveliest of thy sex-" he began; but I forced myself from him and
ran upstairs.
Soon after Miss Mirvan told me that Sir Clement had just received a
letter, which obliged him instantly to leave the Grove, and that he
had actually ordered a chaise. I then acquainted her with the real
state of the affair. Indeed, I conceal nothing from her; she is so
gentle and sweet-tempered, that it gives me great pleasure to place
an entire confidence in her.
At dinner, I must own, we all missed him; for though the flightiness
of his behaviour to me, when we are by ourselves is very distressing;
yet, in large companies, and general conversation, he is extremely
entertaining and agreeable. As to the Captain, he has been so much
chagrined at his departure, that he has scarce spoken a word since
he went: but Madame Duval, who made her first public appearance since
her accident, was quite in raptures that she escaped seeing him.
The money which we left at the farm-house has been returned to
us. What pains the Captain must have taken to arrange and manage the
adventures which he chose we should meet with! Yet he must certainly be
discovered; for Madame Duval is already very much perplexed, at having
received a letter this morning from M. Du Bois, in which he makes no
mention of his imprisonment. However, she has so little suspicion,
that she imputes his silence upon the subject to his fears that the
letter might be intercepted.
Not one opportunity could I meet with, while Sir Clement was here,
to enquire
after his friend Lord Orville: but I think it was strange he should
never mention him unasked. Indeed, I rather wonder that Mrs. Mirvan
herself did not introduce the subject, for she always seemed
particularly attentive to him.
And now, once more, all my thoughts involuntarily turn upon the
letter I so
soon expect from Paris. This visit of Sir Clement has, however,
somewhat diverted my fears; and, therefore, I am very glad he made
it at this time. Adieu, my dear Sir.