But O Lovelace, thou liest!—­She is all that is lovely.  All that is excellent!

But is she, can she be gone!—­Oh! how Miss Howe will triumph!—­But if that little fury receive her, fate shall make me rich amends; for then will I contrive to have them both.

I was looking back for connection—­but the devil take connection; I have no business with it:  the contrary best befits distraction, and that will soon be my lot!

’Dorcas consulted the old wretch about obeying her:  O yes, by all means; for Mr. Lovelace knew how to come at her at any time:  and directed a bottle of sherry to be added.

’This cheerful compliance so obliged her, that she was prevailed upon to go up, and look at the damage done by the fire; and seemed not only shocked by it, but, as they thought, satisfied it was no trick; as she owned she had at first apprehended it to be.  All this made them secure; and they laughed in their sleeves, to think what a childish way of showing her resentment she had found out; Sally throwing out her witticisms, that Mrs. Lovelace was right, however, not to quarrel with her bread and butter.’

Now this very childishness, as they imagined it, in such a genius, would have made me suspect either her head, after what had happened the night before; or her purpose, when the marriage was (so far as she knew) to be completed within the week in which she was resolved to secrete herself from me in the same house.

’She sent Will. with a letter to Wilson’s, directed to Miss Howe, ordering him to inquire if there were not one for her there.

’He only pretended to go, and brought word there was none; and put her letter in his pocket for me.

’She then ordered him to carry another (which she gave him) to the Horn Tavern to me.—­All this done without any seeming hurry:  yet she appeared to be very solemn; and put her handkerchief frequently to her eyes.

’Will. pretended to come to me with this letter.  But thou the dog had the sagacity to mistrust something on her sending him out a second time; (and to me, whom she had refused to see;) which he thought extraordinary; and mentioned his mistrusts to Sally, Polly, and Dorcas; yet they made light of his suspicions; Dorcas assuring them all, that her lady seemed more stupid with her grief, than active; and that she really believed she was a little turned in her head, and knew not what she did.  But all of them depended upon her inexperience, her open temper, and upon her not making the least motion towards going out, or to have a coach or chair called, as sometimes she had done; and still more upon the preparations she had made for a week’s siege, as I may call it.

’Will. went out, pretending to bring the letter to me; but quickly returned; his heart still misgiving him, on recollecting my frequent cautions, that he was not to judge for himself, when he had positive orders; but if any doubt occurred, from circumstances I could not foresee, literally to follow them, as the only way to avoid blame.