22d in the evening.
I am certainly mad, Lucy; what right have I to expect!--you will
scarce believe the excess of my folly. I went after dinner to Major
Melmoth's; I found Emily at piquet with Sir George: can you conceive
that I fancied myself ill used, that I scarce spoke to her, and
returned immediately home, though strongly pressed to spend the evening
there. I walked two or three times about my room, took my hat, and went
to visit the handsomest Frenchwoman at Montreal, whose windows are
directly opposite to Major Melmoth's; in the excess of my anger, I
asked this lady to dance with me to-morrow at a little ball we are to
have out of town. Can you imagine any behaviour more childish? It would
have been scarce pardonable at sixteen.
Adieu! my letter is called for. I will write to you again in a few
days.
Yours,
Ed. Rivers.
Major Melmoth tells me, they are to be married in a month at
Quebec, and to embark immediately for England. I will not be there; I
cannot bear to see her devote herself to wretchedness: she will be the
most unhappy of her sex with this man; I see clearly into his
character; his virtue is the meer absence of vice; his good qualities
are all of the negative kind.