Clarissa, Volume 6 - The History Of A Young Lady

Clarissa, Volume 6 − The History Of A Young Lady 69
My honour, Sir! said the dear creature−−Alas!−−And turned weeping from me with inimitable grace−−as if
she had said−−Alas!−−you have robbed me of my honour!
I hoped then, that her angry passions were subsiding; but I was mistaken; for, urging her warmly for the day;
and that for the sake of our mutual honour, and the honour of both our families; in this high−flown and
high−souled strain she answered me:
And canst thou, Lovelace, be so mean−−as to wish to make a wife of the creature thou hast insulted,
dishonoured, and abused, as thou hast me? Was it necessary to humble me down to the low level of thy
baseness, before I could be a wife meet for thee? Thou hadst a father, who was a man of honour: a mother,
who deserved a better son. Thou hast an uncle, who is no dishonour to the Peerage of a kingdom, whose peers
are more respectable than the nobility of any other country. Thou hast other relations also, who may be thy
boast, though thou canst not be theirs−− and canst thou not imagine, that thou hearest them calling upon thee;
the dead from their monuments; the living from their laudable pride; not to dishonour thy ancient and splendid
house, by entering into wedlock with a creature whom thou hast levelled with the dirt of the street, and classed
with the vilest of her sex?
I extolled her greatness of soul, and her virtue. I execrated myself for my guilt: and told her, how grateful to
the manes of my ancestors, as well as to the wishes of the living, the honour I supplicated for would be.
But still she insisted upon being a free agent; of seeing herself in other lodgings before she would give what I
urged the least consideration. Nor would she promise me favour even then, or to permit my visits. How then,
as I asked her, could I comply, without resolving to lose her for ever?
She put her hand to her forehead often as she talked; and at last, pleading disorder in her head, retired; neither
of us satisfied with the other. But she ten times more dissatisfied with me, than I with her.
Dorcas seems to be coming into favour with her−−
What now!−−What now!
MONDAY NIGHT.
How determined is this lady!−−Again had she like to have escaped us!−− What a fixed resentment!−−She
only, I find, assumed a little calm, in order to quiet suspicion. She was got down, and actually had unbolted
the street−door, before I could get to her; alarmed as I was by Mrs. Sinclair's cookmaid, who was the only one
that saw her fly through the passage: yet lightning was not quicker than I.
Again I brought her back to the dining−room, with infinite reluctance on her part. And, before her face,
ordered a servant to be placed constantly at the bottom of the stairs for the future.
She seemed even choked with grief and disappointment.
Dorcas was exceedingly assiduous about her; and confidently gave it as her own opinion, that her dear lady
should be permitted to go to another lodging, since this was so disagreeable to her: were she to be killed for
saying so, she would say it. And was good Dorcas for this afterwards.
But for some time the dear creature was all passion and violence−−
I see, I see, said she, when I had brought her up, what I am to expect from your new professions, O vilest of
men!−−