But what are you determin'd? Are you determined to distress your
friends?
I wish not to distress my friends: nothing would give me so much pain;
but I _must_ go;--indeed I _must_.
He rose up;--walk'd about the room,--came back to his seat again,
looking quite frantic,--Good God! why should that sex practise so many
arts? He pray'd,--intreated,--left no argument untried.
I cannot picture his countenance, when I declared myself resolved.--He
caught both my hands, fixed his eyes stedfastly upon me.
Then you are inflexible, Madam?--Nothing can move you to pity the most
wretched of his sex.--Know you the person living that could prevail?--If
you do,--say so;--I will bring him instantly on his knees.
There is not in the world, my Lord, one who could prevent me from paying
my _duty_, my _affection_, my _obedience_, to Lady Mary Sutton: if due
to a parent, how much more from me to _Lady Mary_;--a poor orphan, who
have experienced from her the most maternal fondness? The word _orphan_
struck him; he reeled from me and flung himself into a chair opposite,
leaning his head on a table which stood near.
I declare he distress'd me greatly;--I know not what my thoughts were at
that moment;--I rose to quit the room; he started up.
Don't leave me, Miss Warley;--don't leave me. I _will_ keep you no
longer in the dark: I _must_ not suffer in your opinion,--be the
consequence--
Here we were interrupted by Edmund.--I was sorry he just then
entered;--I would have given the world to know what his Lordship was
about to say.
When we were in the coach, instead of explaining himself, he assumed
rather a chearful air; and asked, if my time was fix'd for going to
France?
Not absolutely fix'd, my Lord; a month or two hence, perhaps. This I
said, that he might not know exactly the time when I shall set out.
_A month_ or _two!_ O! that will be just the thing, just as I could wish
it.--
What does your Lordship mean?
Only that I intend spending part of the winter in Paris; and if I should
not be deemed an _intruder_, perhaps the same yacht may carry us over.