To my astonishment, she held forth a penknife in her hand, the point to her own bosom, grasping resolutely the whole handle, so that there was no offering to take it from her.

’I offer not mischief to any body but myself.  You, Sir, and ye women, are safe from every violence of mine.  The law shall be all my resource:  the law,’ and she spoke the word with emphasis, the law! that to such people carries natural terror with it, and now struck a panic into them.

No wonder, since those who will damn themselves to procure ease and plenty in this world, will tremble at every thing that seems to threaten their methods of obtaining that ease and plenty.——­

’The law only shall be my refuge!’——­

The infamous mother whispered me, that it were better to make terms with this strange lady, and let her go.

Sally, notwithstanding all her impudent bravery at other times, said, If Mr. Lovelace had told them what was not true, of her being his wife——­

And Polly Horton, That she must needs say, the lady, if she were not my wife, had been very much injured; that was all.

That is not now a matter to be disputed, cried I:  you and I know, Madam ——­

’We do, said she; and I thank God, I am not thine—­once more I thank God for it—­I have no doubt of the farther baseness that thou hast intended me, by this vile and low trick:  but I have my senses, Lovelace:  and from my heart I despise thee, thou very poor Lovelace!—­How canst thou stand in my presence!—­Thou, that’——­

Madam, Madam, Madam—­these are insults not to be borne—­and was approaching her.

She withdrew to the door, and set her back against it, holding the pointed knife to her heaving bosom; while the women held me, beseeching me not to provoke the violent lady—­for their house sake, and be curs’d to them, they besought me—­and all three hung upon me—­while the truly heroic lady braved me at that distance: 

’Approach me, Lovelace, with resentment, if thou wilt.  I dare die.  It is in defence of my honour.  God will be merciful to my poor soul!  I expect no more mercy from thee!  I have gained this distance, and two steps nearer me, and thou shalt see what I dare do!’——­

Leave me, women, to myself, and to my angel!—­[They retired at a distance.]—­O my beloved creature, how you terrify me!  Holding out my arms, and kneeling on one knee—­not a step, not a step farther, except to receive my death at that injured hand which is thus held up against a life far dearer to me than my own!  I am a villain! the blackest of villains!—­Say you will sheath your knife in the injurer’s, not the injured’s heart, and then will I indeed approach you, but not else.

The mother twanged her d—­n’d nose; and Sally and Polly pulled out their handkerchiefs, and turned from us.  They never in their lives, they told me afterwards, beheld such a scene——­