Clarissa, Volume 6 - The History Of A Young Lady

Clarissa, Volume 6 − The History Of A Young Lady 43
I have business here which will hold me yet a few days; and then perhaps I shall quit this house for ever.
I have had a solemn and tedious time of it. I should never have known that I had half the respect I really find I
had for the old gentleman, had I not so closely, at his earnest desire, attended him, and been a witness of the
tortures he underwent.
This melancholy occasion may possibly have contributed to humanize me: but surely I never could have been
so remorseless a caitiff as thou hast been, to a woman of half this lady's excellence.
But pr'ythee, dear Lovelace, if thou'rt a man, and not a devil, resolve, out of hand, to repair thy sin of
ingratitude, by conferring upon thyself the highest honour thou canst receive, in making her lawfully thine.
But if thou canst not prevail upon thyself to do her this justice, I think I should not scruple a tilt with thee, [an
everlasting rupture at least must follow] if thou sacrificest her to the accursed women.
Thou art desirous to know what advantage I reap by my uncle's demise. I do not certainly know; for I have not
been so greedily solicitous on this subject as some of the kindred have been, who ought to have shown more
decency, as I have told them, and suffered the corpse to have been cold before they had begun their hungry
inquiries. But, by what I gathered from the poor man's talk to me, who oftener than I wished touched upon the
subject, I deem it will be upwards of 5000£. in cash, and in the funds, after all legacies paid, besides the real
estate, which is a clear 1000£. a−year.
I wish, from my heart, thou wert a money−lover! Were the estate to be of double the value, thou shouldst have
it every shilling; only upon one condition [for my circumstances before were as easy as I wish them to be
while I am single]−−that thou wouldst permit me the honour of being this fatherless lady's father, as it is
called, at the altar.
Think of this! my dear Lovelace! be honest: and let me present thee with the brightest jewel that man ever
possessed; and then, body and soul, wilt thou bind to thee for ever thy
BELFORD.
LETTER XIV
MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ. THURSDAY, JUNE 15.
Let me alone, you great dog, you!−−let me alone!−−have I heard a lesser boy, his coward arms held over his
head and face, say to a bigger, who was pommeling him, for having run away with his apple, his orange, or
his ginger−bread.
So say I to thee, on occasion of thy severity to thy poor friend, who, as thou ownest, has furnished thee
(ungenerous as thou art!) with the weapons thou brandishest so fearfully against him.−−And to what purpose,
when the mischief is done? when, of consequence, the affair is irretrievable? and when a CLARISSA could
not move me?
Well, but, after all, I must own, that there is something very singular in this lady's case: and, at times, I cannot
help regretting that ever I attempted her; since not one power either of body or soul could be moved in my
favour; and since, to use the expression of the philosopher, on a much graver occasion, there is no difference
to be found between the skull of King Philip and that of another man.
But people's extravagant notions of things alter not facts, Belford: and, when all's done, Miss Clarissa
Harlowe has but run the fate of a thousand others of her sex−−only that they did not set such a romantic value