Clarissa, Volume 6 - The History Of A Young Lady

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Clarissa, Volume 6 − The History Of A Young Lady 80 I can now return your joy, for the joy you have given me, as well as my dear friend Mr. Harlowe, in the news of his beloved niece's happy recovery; for he is determined to comply with her wishes and your's, and to give her to you with his own hand. As the ceremony has been necessarily delayed by reason of her illness, and as Mr. Harlowe's birth−day is on Thursday the 29th of this instant June, when he enters into the seventy−fourth year of his age; and as time may be wanted to complete the dear lady's recovery; he is very desirous that the marriage shall be solemnized upon it; that he may afterwards have double joy on that day to the end of his life. For this purpose he intends to set out privately, so as to be at Kentish−town on Wednesday se'nnight in the evening. All the family used, he says, to meet to celebrate it with him; but as they are at present in too unhappy a situation for that, he will give out, that, not being able to bear the day at home, he has resolved to be absent for two or three days. He will set out on horseback, attended only with one trusty servant, for the greater privacy. He will be at the most creditable−looking public house there, expecting you both next morning, if he hear nothing from me to prevent him. And he will go to town with you after the ceremony is performed, in the coach he supposes you will come in. He is very desirous that I should be present on the occasion. But this I have promised him, at his request, that I will be up before the day, in order to see the settlements executed, and every thing properly prepared. He is very glad you have the license ready. He speaks very kindly of you, Mr. Lovelace; and says, that, if any of the family stand out after he has seen the ceremony performed, he will separate from them, and unite himself to his dear niece and her interests. I owned to you, when in town last, that I took slight notice to my dear friend of the misunderstanding between you and his niece; and that I did this, for fear the lady should have shown any little discontent in his presence, had I been able to prevail upon him to go up in person, as then was doubtful. But I hope nothing of that discontent remains now. My absence, when your messenger came, must excuse me for not writing by him. Be pleased to make my most respectful compliments acceptable to the admirable lady, and believe me to be Your most faithful and obedient servant, ANTONY TOMLINSON. *** This letter I sealed, and broke open. It was brought, thou mayest suppose, by a particular messenger; the seal such a one as the writer need be ashamed of. I took care to inquire after the Captain's health, in my beloved's hearing; and it is now ready to be produced as a pacifier, according as she shall take on or resent, if the two metamorphoses happen pursuant to my wonderful dream; as, having great faith in dreams, I dare say they will.−−I think it will not be amiss, in changing my clothes, to have this letter of the worthy Captain lie in my beloved's way. LETTER XXVIII MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ. WEDN. NOON, JUNE 21.
Clarissa, Volume 6 − The History Of A Young Lady 81 What shall I say now!−−I, who but a few hours ago had such faith in dreams, and had proposed out of hand to begin my treatise of dreams sleeping and dreams waking, and was pleasing myself with the dialogues between the old matronal lady and the young lady, and with the metamorphoses, (absolutely assured that every thing would happen as my dream chalked it out,) shall never more depend upon those flying follies, those illusions of a fancy depraved, and run mad. Thus confoundedly have matters happened. I went out at eight o'clock in high good humour with myself, in order to give the sought−for opportunity to the plotting mistress and corrupted maid; only ordering Will. to keep a good look−out for fear his lady should mistrust my plot, or mistake a hackney−coach for the dowager−lady's chariot. But first I sent to know how she did; and receiving for answer, Very ill: had a very bad night: which latter was but too probable; since this I know, that people who have plots in their heads as seldom have as deserve good ones. I desired a physician might be called in; but was refused. I took a walk in St. James's Park, congratulating myself all the way on my rare inventions: then, impatient, I took coach, with one of the windows quite up, the other almost up, playing at bo−peep in every chariot I saw pass in my way to Lincoln's−inn−fields: and when arrived there I sent the coachman to desire any one of Mother H.'s family to come to me to the coach−side, not doubting but I should have intelligence of my fair fugitive there; it being then half an hour after ten. A servant came, who gave me to understand that the matronly lady was just returned by herself in the chariot. Frighted out of my wits, I alighted, and heard from the mother's own mouth, that Dorcas had engaged her to protect the lady; but came to tell her afterwards, that she had changed her mind, and would not quit the house. Quite astonished, not knowing what might have happened, I ordered the coachman to lash away to our mother's. Arriving here in an instant, the first word I asked, was, If the lady was safe? [Mr. Lovelace here gives a very circumstantial relation of all that passed between the Lady and Dorcas. But as he could only guess at her motives for refusing to go off, when Dorcas told her that she had engaged for her the protection of the dowager−lady, it is thought proper to omit this relation, and to supply it by some memoranda of the Lady's. But it is first necessary to account for the occasion on which those memoranda were made. The reader may remember, that in the letter written to Miss Howe, on her escape to Hampstead,* she promises to give her the particulars of her flight at leisure. She had indeed thoughts of continuing her account of every thing that had passed between her and Mr. Lovelace since her last narrative letter. But the uncertainty she was in from that time, with the execrable treatment she met with on her being deluded back again, followed by a week's delirium, had hitherto hindered her from prosecuting her intention. But, nevertheless, having it still in her view to perform her promise as soon as she had opportunity, she made minutes of every thing as it passed, in order to help her memory:−−'Which,' as she observes in one place, 'she could less trust to since her late disorders than before.' In these minutes, or book of memoranda, she observes, 'That having apprehensions that Dorcas might be a traitress, she would have got away while she was gone out to see for a coach; and actually slid down stairs with that intent. But that, seeing Mrs. Sinclair in the entry, (whom Dorcas had planted there while she went out,) she speeded up again unseen.' * See Vol. V. Letter XXI.
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