could not reveal to his vile employer;] his press-
     ing on the marriage-day, in the name of your
     uncle, which it could not answer any wicked pur-
>>> pose for him to do; and what he writes of your
     uncle’s proposal, to have it thought that you were
     married from the time that you have lived in one
     house together; and that to be made to agree with
     the time of Mr. Hickman’s visit to your uncle.
>>> The insisting on a trusty person’s being present at
     the ceremony, at that uncle’s nomination—­These
     things make me willing to try for a tolerable construc-
     tion to be made of all.  Though I am so much
     puzzled by what occurs on both sides of the ques-
>>> tion, that I cannot but abhor the devilish wretch,
     whose inventions and contrivances are for ever em-
     ploying an inquisitive head, as mine is, without
     affording the means of absolute detection.

But this is what I am ready to conjecture, that
Tomlinson, specious as he is, is a machine of Love-
>>> lace; and that he is employed for some end, which
has not yet been answered.  This is certain, that
not only Tomlinson, but Mennell, who, I think,
attended you more than once at this vile house,
must know it to be a vile house.

What can you then think of Tomlinson’s declar-
ing himself in favour of it upon inquiry?

Lovelace too must know it to be so; if not
before he brought you to it, soon after.

>>> Perhaps the company he found there, may be the
     most probable way of accounting for his bearing
     with the house, and for his strange suspensions of
     marriage, when it was in his power to call such an
     angel of a woman his.—­

>>> O my dear, the man is a villain!—­the greatest
     of villains, in every light!—­I am convinced that he
     is.—­And this Doleman must be another of his
     implements!

>>> There are so many wretches who think that to
     be no sin, which is one of the greatest and most
     ungrateful of all sins,—­to ruin young creatures of
     our sex who place their confidence in them; that
     the wonder is less than the shame, that people, of
     appearance at least, are found to promote the horrid
     purposes of profligates of fortune and interest!

>>> But can I think [you will ask with indignant
     astonishment] that Lovelace can have designs upon
     your honour?

>>> That such designs he has had, if he still hold
     them or not, I can have no doubt, now that I know
     the house he has brought you to, to be a vile one. 
     This is a clue that has led me to account for all his
     behaviour to you ever since you have been in his
     hands.

Allow me a brief retrospection of it all.

We both know, that pride, revenge, and a delight
to tread in unbeaten paths, are principal ingredients
in the character of this finished libertine.