I have your narrative, my dear. You are the same noble creature you
ever were. Above disguise, above art, above attempting to extenuate a
failing.
The only family in the world, yours, surely, that could have driven such
a daughter upon such extremities.
But you must not be so very much too good for them, and for the case.
You lay the blame so properly and so unsparingly upon your meeting him,
that nothing can be added to that subject by your worst enemies, were
they to see what you have written.
I am not surprised, now I have read your narrative, that so bold and so
contriving a man--I am forced to break off----
*****
You stood it out much better and longer--Here again comes my bustling,
jealous mother!
*****
Don't be angry at yourself. Did you not do for the best at the time? As
to your first fault, the answering his letters; it was always incumbent
upon you to assume the guardianship of such a family, when the bravo of
it had run riot, as he did, and brought himself into danger.
Except your mother, who has no will of her own, have any of them common
sense?
Forgive me, my dear--Here is that stupid uncle Antony of yours. A
pragmatical, conceited positive.--He came yesterday, in a fearful
pucker, and puffed, and blowed, and stumped about our hall and parlour,
while his message was carried up.
My mother was dressing. These widows are as starched as the old
bachelors. She would not see him in a dishabille for the world--What can
she mean by it?
His errand was to set her against you, and to shew her their determined
rage on your going away. The issue proved too evidently that this was
the principal end of his visit.
The odd creature desired to speak with her alone. I am not used to such
exceptions whenever any visits are made to my mother.
When she was primed out, down she came to him. They locked themselves
in. The two positive heads were put together--close together I suppose;
for I listened, but could hear nothing distinctly, though they both
seemed full of their subject.
I had a good mind, once or twice, to have made them open the door.
Could I have been sure of keeping but tolerably my temper, I would have
demanded admittance. But I was afraid, if I had obtained it, that I
should have forgot it was my mother's house, and been for turning
him out of it. To come to rave against and abuse my dearest, dearest,
faultless friend! and the ravings to be encouraged, and perhaps joined
in, in order to justify themselves; the one for contributing to drive
that dear friend out of her father's house; the other for refusing her
a temporary asylum, till the reconciliation could have been effected,
which her dutiful heart was set upon; and which it would have become
the love which my mother had ever pretended for you, to have mediated
for--Could I have had patience!
The issue, as I said, shewed what the errand was--Its fusty appearance,
after the old fusty fellow was marched off, [you must excuse me, my
dear,] was in a kind of gloomy, Harlowe-like reservedness in my mother;
which upon a few resenting flirts of mine, was followed by a rigorous
prohibition of correspondence.
This put us, you may suppose, upon terms not the most agreeable, I
desired to know, if I were prohibited dreaming of you?--For, my dear,
you have all my sleeping as well as waking hours.
I can easily allow for your correspondence with your wretch at first
(and yet your notions were excellent) by the effect this prohibition has
upon me; since, if possible, it has made me love you better than before;
and I am more desirous than ever of corresponding with you.
But I have nevertheless a much more laudable motive--I should think
myself the unworthiest of creatures, could I be brought to slight a
dear friend, and such a meritorious one, in her distress. I would die
first--And so I told my mother. And I have desired her not to watch me
in my retired hours; nor to insist upon my lying with her constantly,
which she now does more earnestly than ever. 'Twere better, I told her,
that the Harlowe-Betty were borrowed to be set over me.
Mr. Hickman, who so greatly honours you, has, unknown to me, interposed
so warmly in your favour with my mother, that it makes for him no small
merit with me.
I cannot, at present, write to every particular, unless I would be in
set defiance. Tease, tease, tease, for ever! The same thing, though
answered fifty times over, in every hour to be repeated--Lord bless
me! what a life must my poor father--But let me remember to whom I am
writing.
If this ever-active, ever-mischievous monkey of a man, this Lovelace,
contrived as you suspect--But here comes my mother again--Ay, stay a
little longer, my Mamma, if you please--I can but be suspected! I can
but be chidden for making you wait; and chidden I am sure to be, whether
I do or not, in the way you, my good Mamma, are Antony'd into.
Bless me! how impatient she is! How she thunders at the door! This
moment, Madam! How came I to double-lock myself if! What have I done
with the key! Duce take the key! Dear Madam! You flutter one so!
*****
You may believe, my dear, that I took care of my papers before I opened
the door. We have had a charming dialogue--She flung from me in a
passion--
So--What's now to be done? Sent for down in a very peremptory manner,
I assure you. What an incoherent letter will you have, when I get it
to you! But now I know where to send it, Mr. Hickman shall find me a
messenger. Yet, if he be detected, poor soul, he will be Harlowed-off,
as well as his meek mistress.