ining with them; for
she said--'I have nothing to say to that: it is your own house, Mrs.
Moore--it is your own table--you may admit whom you please to it, only
leave me at my liberty to choose my company.'

Then, in answer, as I suppose, to their offer of sending her up a plate--
'A bit of bread, if you please, and a glass of water; that's all I can
swallow at present. I am really very much discomposed. Saw you not how
bad I was? Indignation only could have supported my spirits!--

'I have no objections to his dining with you, Madam;' added she, in
reply, I suppose, to a farther question of the same nature--'But I will
not stay a night in the same house where he lodges.'

I presume Miss Rawlins had told her that she would not stay dinner: for
she said,--'Let me not deprive Mrs. Moore of your company, Miss Rawlins.
You will not be displeased with his talk. He can have no design upon
you.'

Then I suppose they pleaded what I might say behind her back, to make my
own story good:--'I care not what he says or what he thinks of me.
Repentance and amendment are all the harm I wish him, whatever becomes of
me!'

By her accent she wept when she spoke these last words.

They came out both of them wiping their eyes; and would have persuaded me
to relinquish the lodgings, and to depart till her uncle's friend came.
But I knew better. I did not care to trust the Devil, well as she and
Miss Howe suppose me to be acquainted with him, for finding her out
again, if once more she escaped me.

What I am most afraid of is, that she will throw herself among her own
relations; and, if she does, I am confident they will not be able to
withstand her affecting eloquence. But yet, as thou'lt see, the
Captain's letter to me is admirably calculated to obviate my
apprehensions on this score; particularly in that passage where it is
said, that her uncle thinks not himself at liberty to correspond directly
with her, or to receive applications from her--but through Captain
Tomlinson, as is strongly implied.*

* See Letter XXIV. of this volume.

I must own, (notwithstanding the revenge I have so solemnly vowed,) that
I would very fain have made for her a merit with myself in her returning
favour, and have owed as little as possible to the mediation of Captain
Tomlinson. My pride was concerned in this: and this was one of my
reasons for not bringing him with me.--Another was, that, if I were
obliged to have recourse to his assista