There they are:—­that’s the first—­read it out, if you can.

I opened a letter from my charmer, dated Thursday, June 29, our wedding-day, that was to be, and written to Lady Betty Lawrance.  By the contents, to my great joy, I find the dear creature is alive and well, and in charming spirits.  But the direction where to send an answer to was so scratched out that I could not read it; which afflicted me much.

She puts three questions in it to Lady Betty.

1st.  About a letter of her’s, dated June 7, congratulating me on my nuptials, and which I was so good as to save Lady Betty the trouble of writing——­A very civil thing of me, I think!

Again—­’Whether she and one of her nieces Montague were to go to town, on an old chancery suit?’—­And, ’Whether they actually did go to town accordingly, and to Hampstead afterwards?’ and, ’Whether they brought to town from thence the young creature whom they visited?’ was the subject of the second and third questions.

A little inquisitive, dear rogue! and what did she expect to be the better for these questions?——­But curiosity, d——­d curiosity, is the itch of the sex—­yet when didst thou know it turned to their benefit?—­ For they seldom inquire, but what they fear—­and the proverb, as my Lord has it, says, It comes with a fear.  That is, I suppose, what they fear generally happens, because there is generally occasion for the fear.

Curiosity indeed she avows to be her only motive for these interrogatories:  for, though she says her Ladyship may suppose the questions are not asked for good to me, yet the answer can do me no harm, nor her good, only to give her to understand, whether I have told her a parcel of d——­d lyes; that’s the plain English of her inquiry.

Well, Madam, said I, with as much philosophy as I could assume; and may I ask—­Pray, what was your Ladyship’s answer?

There’s a copy of it, tossing it to me, very disrespectfully.

This answer was dated July 1.  A very kind and complaisant one to the lady, but very so-so to her poor kinsman—­That people can give up their own flesh and blood with so much ease!—­She tells her ’how proud all our family would be of an alliance with such an excellence.’  She does me justice in saying how much I adore her, as an angel of a woman; and begs of her, for I know not how many sakes, besides my soul’s sake, ’that she will be so good as to have me for a husband:’  and answers—­thou wilt guess how—­to the lady’s questions.

Well, Madam; and pray, may I be favoured with the lady’s other letter?  I presume it is in reply to your’s.

It is, said the Peer:  but, Sir, let me ask you a few questions, before you read it—­give me the letter, Lady Betty.

There it is, my Lord.

Then on went the spectacles, and his head moved to the lines—­a charming pretty hand!—­I have often heard that this lady is a genius.

And so, Jack, repeating my Lord’s wise comments and questions will let thee into the contents of this merciless letter.