Cl.  I have no pleasure, Sir, in distressing any one; not even him, who has so much distressed me.  But, Sir, when I think, and when I see him before me, I cannot command my temper!  Indeed, indeed, Captain Tomlinson, Mr. Lovelace has not acted by me either as a grateful or a generous man, nor even as a prudent one!—­He knows not, as I told him yesterday, the value of the heart he has insulted!

There the angel stopt; her handkerchief at her eyes.

O Belford, Belford! that she should so greatly excel, as to make me, at times, appear as a villain in my own eyes!

I besought her pardon.  I promised that it should be the study of my whole life to deserve it.  My faults, I said, whatever they had been, were rather faults in her apprehension than in fact.  I besought her to give way to the expedient I had hit upon—­I repeated it.  The Captain enforced it, for her uncle’s sake.  I, once more, for the sake of the general reconciliation; for the sake of all my family; for the sake of preventing further mischief.

She wept.  She seemed staggered in her resolution—­she turned from me.  I mentioned the letter of Lord M. I besought her to resign to Lady Betty’s mediation all our differences, if she would not forgive me before she saw her.

She turned towards me—­she was going to speak; but her heart was full, and again she turned away her eyes,—­And do you really and indeed expect Lady Betty and Miss Montague?—­And do you—­Again she stopt.

I answered in a solemn manner.

She turned from me her whole face, and paused, and seemed to consider.  But, in a passionate accent, again turning towards me, [O how difficult, Jack, for a Harlowe spirit to forgive!] Let her Ladyship come, if she pleases, said she, I cannot, cannot, wish to see her; and if I did see her, and she were to plead for you, I cannot wish to hear her!  The more I think, the less I can forgive an attempt, that I am convinced was intended to destroy me. [A plaguy strong word for the occasion, supposing she was right!] What has my conduct been, that an insult of such a nature should be offered to me, and it would be a weakness in me to forgive?  I am sunk in my own eyes!  And how can I receive a visit that must depress me more?

The Captain urged her in my favour with greater earnestness than before.  We both even clamoured, as I may say, for mercy and forgiveness. [Didst thou never hear the good folks talk of taking Heaven by storm?]—­ Contrition repeatedly avowed; a total reformation promised; the happy expedient again urged.

Cl.  I have taken my measures.  I have gone too far to recede, or to wish to recede.  My mind is prepared for adversity.  That I have not deserved the evils I have met with is my consolation; I have written to Miss Howe what my intentions are.  My heart is not with you—­it is against you, Mr. Lovelace.  I had not written to you as I did in the letter I left behind me, had I not resolved, whatever became of me, to renounce you for ever.