Cl.  He cannot clear himself, Captain Tomlinson.  The people of the house must be very vile, as well as he.  I am convinced that there was a wicked confederacy—­but no more upon such a subject.

Capt.  Only one word more, Madam.—­He tells me, that you promised to pardon him.  He tells me—­

He knew, interrupted she, that he deserved not pardon, or he had not extorted the promise from me.  Nor had I given it to him, but to shield myself from the vilest outrage—­

Capt.  I could wish, Madam, inexcusable as his behaviour has been, since he has something to plead in the reliance he made upon your promise, that, for the sake of appearances to the world, and to avoid the mischiefs that may follow if you absolutely break with him, you could prevail upon your naturally-generous mind to lay an obligation upon him by your forgiveness.

She was silent.

Capt.  Your father and mother, Madam, deplore a daughter lost to them, whom your generosity to Mr. Lovelace may restore:  do not put it to the possible chance, that they may have cause to deplore a double loss; the losing of a son, as well as a daughter, who, by his own violence, which you may perhaps prevent, may be for ever lost to them, and to the whole family.

She paused—­she wept—­she owned that she felt the force of this argument.

I will be the making of this fellow, thought I.

Capt.  Permit me, Madam, to tell you, that I do not think it would be difficult to prevail upon your uncle, if you insist upon it, to come up privately to town, and to give you with his own hand to Mr. Lovelace—­ except, indeed, your present misunderstanding were to come to his ears.  Besides, Madam, your brother, it is likely, may at this very time be in town; and he is resolved to find you out—­

Cl.  Why, Sir, should I be so much afraid of my brother?  My brother has injured me, not I him.  Will my brother offer to me what Mr. Lovelace has offered?—­Wicked, ungrateful man! to insult a friendless, unprotected creature, made friendless by himself!—­I cannot, cannot think of him in the light I once thought of him.  What, Sir, to put myself into the power of a wretch, who has acted by me with so much vile premeditation!—­Who shall pity, who shall excuse me, if I do, were I to suffer ever so much from him?—­No, Sir.—­Let Mr. Lovelace leave me—­let my brother find me.  I am not such a poor creature as to be afraid to face the brother who has injured me.

Capt.  Were you and your brother to meet only to confer together, to expostulate, to clear up difficulties, it were another thing.  But what, Madam, can you think will be the issue of an interview, (Mr. Solmes with him,) when he finds you unmarried, and resolved never to have Mr. Lovelace; supposing Mr. Lovelace were not to interfere, which cannot be imagined?

Cl.  Well, Sir, I can only say, I am a very unhappy creature!—­I must resign to the will of Providence, and be patient under evils, which that will not permit me to shun.  But I have taken my measures.  Mr. Lovelace can never make me happy, nor I him.  I wait here only for a letter from Miss Howe—­that must determine me—­