Clarissa, Volume 6 - The History Of A Young Lady
Clarissa, Volume 6 - The History Of A Young Lady
Clarissa, Volume 6 - The History Of A Young Lady
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<strong>Clarissa</strong>, <strong>Volume</strong> 6 − <strong>The</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Of</strong> A <strong>Young</strong> <strong>Lady</strong> 91<br />
This, however, shows me, that she is aware that the reluctantly−given assurance may be fairly construed into a<br />
matrimonial expectation on my side. And if she will now, even now, look forward, I think, from my heart, that<br />
I will put on her livery, and wear it for life.<br />
What a situation am I in, with all my cursed inventions! I am puzzled, confounded, and ashamed of myself,<br />
upon the whole. To take such pains to be a villain!−−But (for the fiftieth time) let me ask thee, Who would<br />
have thought that there had been such a woman in the world?−− Nevertheless, she had best take care that she<br />
carries not her obstinacy much farther. She knows not what revenge for slighted love will make me do.<br />
<strong>The</strong> busy scenes I have just passed through have given emotions to my heart, which will not be quieted one<br />
while. My heart, I see, (on re−perusing what I have written,) has communicated its tremors to my fingers; and<br />
in some places the characters are so indistinct and unformed, that thou'lt hardly be able to make them out. But<br />
if one half of them is only intelligible, that will be enough to expose me to thy contempt, for the wretched<br />
hand I have made of my plots and contrivances. −−But surely, Jack, I have gained some ground by this<br />
promise.<br />
And now, one word to the assurances thou sendest me, that thou hast not betrayed my secrets in relation to<br />
this charming creature. Thou mightest have spared them, Belford. My suspicions held no longer than while I<br />
wrote about them.* For well I knew, when I allowed myself time to think, that thou hadst no principles, no<br />
virtue, to be misled by. A great deal of strong envy, and a little of weak pity, I knew to be thy motives. Thou<br />
couldst not provoke my anger, and my compassion thou ever hadst; and art now more especially entitled to it;<br />
because thou art a pityful fellow.<br />
All thy new expostulations in my beloved's behalf I will answer when I see thee.<br />
LETTER XXXII<br />
MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ. THURSDAY NIGHT.<br />
Confoundedly out of humour with this perverse woman!−−Nor wilt thou blame me, if thou art my friend. She<br />
regards the concession she made, as a concession extorted from her: and we are but just where we were before<br />
she made it.<br />
With great difficulty I prevailed upon her to favour me with her company for one half hour this evening. <strong>The</strong><br />
necessity I was under to go down to M. Hall was the subject I wanted to talk upon.<br />
I told her, that as she had been so good as to promise that she would endeavour to make herself easy till she<br />
saw the Thursday in next week over, I hoped that she would not scruple to oblige me with her word, that I<br />
should find her here at my return from M. Hall.<br />
Indeed she would make no such promise. Nothing of this house was mentioned to me, said she: you know it<br />
was not. And do you think that I would have given my consent to my imprisonment in it?<br />
I was plaguily nettled, and disappointed too. If I go not down to Mr. Hall, Madam, you'll have no scruple to<br />
stay here, I suppose, till Thursday is over?<br />
If I cannot help myself I must−−but I insist upon being permitted to go out of this house, whether you leave it<br />
or not.<br />
Well, Madam, then I will comply with your commands. And I will go out this very evening in quest of<br />
lodgings that you shall have no objections to.