Clarissa, Volume 6 - The History Of A Young Lady

Clarissa, Volume 6 − The History Of A Young Lady 159
Dearest Madam, said the other to me, let me follow you, [for I was next the door.] Fear nothing: I will not stir
from your presence.
Come, my dear, said the pretended lady, give me your hand; holding out her's. Oblige me this once.
I will bless your footsteps, said the old creature, if once more you honour my house with your presence.
A crowd by this time was gathered about us; but I was too much affected to mind that.
Again the pretended Miss Montague urged me; standing up as ready to go out if I would give her
room.−−Lord, my dear, said she, who can bear this crowd?−−What will people think?
The pretended Lady again pressed me, with both her hands held out−−Only, my dear, to give orders about
your things.
And thus pressed, and gazed at, (for then I looked about me,) the women so richly dressed, people whispering;
in an evil moment, out stepped I, trembling, forced to lean with both my hands (frighted too much for
ceremony) on the pretended Lady Betty's arm−−Oh! that I had dropped down dead upon the guilty threshold!
We shall stay but a few minutes, my dear!−−but a few minutes! said the same specious jilt−−out of breath
with her joy, as I have since thought, that they had thus triumphed over the unhappy victim!
Come, Mrs. Sinclair, I think your name is, show us the way−−−−following her, and leading me. I am very
thirsty. You have frighted me, my dear, with your strange fears. I must have tea made, if it can be done in a
moment. We have farther to go, Mrs. Sinclair, and must return to Hampstead this night.
It shall be ready in a moment, cried the wretch. We have water boiling.
Hasten, then−−Come, my dear, to me, as she led me through the passage to the fatal inner house−−lean upon
me−−how you tremble!−−how you falter in your steps!−−Dearest niece Lovelace, [the old wretch being in
hearing,] why these hurries upon your spirits?−−We'll be gone in a minute.
And thus she led the poor sacrifice into the old wretch's too−well−known parlour.
Never was any body so gentle, so meek, so low voiced, as the odious woman; drawling out, in a puling accent,
all the obliging things she could say: awed, I then thought, by the conscious dignity of a woman of quality;
glittering with jewels.
The called−for tea was ready presently.
There was no Mr. Belton, I believe: for the wretch went not to any body, unless it were while we were
parlying in the coach. No such person however, appeared at the tea−table.
I was made to drink two dishes, with milk, complaisantly urged by the pretended ladies helping me each to
one. I was stupid to their hands; and, when I took the tea, almost choked with vapours; and could hardly
swallow.
I thought, transiently thought, that the tea, the last dish particularly, had an odd taste. They, on my palating it,
observed, that the milk was London−milk; far short in goodness of what they were accustomed to from their
own dairies.
I have no doubt that my two dishes, and perhaps my hartshorn, were prepared for me; in which case it was