He besought my excuse for detaining my attention so long.  Upon his motion to go, my two cousins came in.  He took even a solemn leave of me, and a very respectful one of them.

I had kept up my spirits to their utmost stretch:  I besought my cousins to excuse me for a few minutes.  His departure from me was too solemn; and I hurried up to my closet; and after a few involuntary sobs, a flood of tears relieved me.  I besought, on my knees, peace to the disturbed mind of the excellent Clementina, calmness and resignation to my own, and safety to Sir Charles.  And then, drying my eyes at the glass, I went down stairs to my cousins; and on their inquiries (with looks of deep concern) after the occasion of my red eyes, I said, All is over!  All is over! my dear cousins.  I cannot blame him:  he is all that is noble and good—­I can say no more just now.  The particulars you shall have from my pen.

I went up stairs to write:  and except for one half hour at dinner, and another at tea, I stopt not till I had done.

And here, quite tired, uneasy, vexed with myself, yet hardly knowing why, I lay down my pen.—­Take what I have written, cousin Reeves:  if you can read it, do:  and then dispatch it to my Lucy.

But, on second thoughts, I will shew it to the two ladies, and Lord L——­, before it is sent away.  They will be curious to know what passed in a conversation, where the critical circumstances both of us were in, required a delicacy which I am not sure was so well observed on my side, as on his.

I shall, I know, have their pity:  but let nobody who pities not the noble Clementina shew any for

Harriet Byron.

LETTER XII

Miss Byron.—­In continuation
Tuesday night, April 4.

Miss Grandison came to me just as we had supped.  She longed, she said, to see me; but was prevented coming before, and desired to know what had passed between her brother and me this morning.  I gave her the letter, which I had but a little while before concluded.  He had owned, she said, that he had breakfasted with me, and spoke of me to her, and Lord and Lady L——­ with an ardor, that gave them pleasure.  She put my letter into her bosom.  I may, I hope, Harriet—­If you please, madam, said I.

If you please, madam, repeated she; and with that do-lo-rous accent too, my Harriet!—­My sister and I have been in tears this morning:  Lord L——­ had much ado to forbear.  Sir Charles will soon leave us.

It can’t be helped, Charlotte.  Did you dine to-day in St.
James’s-square?

No, indeed!—­My brother had a certain tribe with him; and the woman also.  It is very difficult, I believe, Harriet, for good people to forbear doing sometimes more than goodness requires of them.

Could you not, Charlotte, have sat at table with them for one hour or two?