She walked from us; and then returning, Captain Tomlinson, said she, I will own to you, that I was not capable of resolving to give my hand, and —­nothing but my hand.  Had I not given a flagrant proof of this to the once most indulgent of parents? which has brought me into a distress, which this man has heightened, when he ought, in gratitude and honour, to have endeavoured to render it supportable.  I had even a bias, Sir, in his favour, I scruple not to own it.  Long (much too long!) bore I with his unaccountable ways, attributing his errors to unmeaning gaiety, and to a want of knowing what true delicacy, and true generosity, required from a heart susceptible of grateful impressions to one involved by his means in unhappy circumstances.

It is now wickedness in him (a wickedness which discredits all his professions) to say, that this last cruel and ungrateful insult was not a premeditated one—­But what need I say more of this insult, when it was of such a nature, and that it has changed that bias in his favour, and make me choose to forego all the inviting prospects he talks of, and to run all hazards, to free myself from his power?

O my dearest creature! how happy for us both, had I been able to discover that bias, as you condescend to call it, through such reserves as man never encountered with!

He did discover it, Capt.  Tomlinson.  He brought me, more than once, to own it; the more needlessly brought me to own it, as I dare say his own vanity gave him no cause to doubt it; and as I had apparently no other motive in not being forward to own it, than my too-justly-founded apprehensions of his want of generosity.  In a word, Captain Tomlinson, (and now, that I am determined upon my measures, I the less scruple to say,) I should have despised myself, had I found myself capable of affectation or tyranny to the man I intended to marry.  I have always blamed the dearest friend I have in the world for a fault of this nature.  In a word—­

Lovel.  And had my angel really and indeed the favour for me she is pleased to own?—­Dearest creature, forgive me.  Restore me to your good opinion.  Surely I have not sinned beyond forgiveness.  You say that I extorted from you the promise you made me.  But I could not have presumed to make that promise the condition of my obedience, had I not thought there was room to expect forgiveness.  Permit, I beseech you, the prospects to take place, that were opening so agreeably before us.  I will go to town, and bring the license.  All difficulties to the obtaining of it are surmounted.  Captain Tomlinson shall be witness to the deeds.  He will be present at the ceremony on the part of your uncle.  Indeed he gave me hope that your uncle himself—­

Capt.  I did, Mr. Lovelace:  and I will tell you my grounds for the hope I gave.  I promised to my dear friend, (your uncle, Madam,) that he should give out that he would take a turn with me to my little farm-house, as I call it, near Northampton, for a week or so.—­Poor gentleman! he has of late been very little abroad!—­Too visibly declining!—­Change of air, it might be given out, was good for him.—­But I see, Madam, that this is too tender a subject—­