t. Mr. Lovelace owns, that you have reason to be
displeased with him. But he so solemnly clears himself of premeditated
offence--

Cl. He cannot clear himself, Captain Tomlinson. The people of the
house must be very vile, as well as he. I am convinced that there was a
wicked confederacy--but no more upon such a subject.

Capt. Only one word more, Madam.--He tells me, that you promised to
pardon him. He tells me--

He knew, interrupted she, that he deserved not pardon, or he had not
extorted the promise from me. Nor had I given it to him, but to shield
myself from the vilest outrage--

Capt. I could wish, Madam, inexcusable as his behaviour has been, since
he has something to plead in the reliance he made upon your promise,
that, for the sake of appearances to the world, and to avoid the
mischiefs that may follow if you absolutely break with him, you could
prevail upon your naturally-generous mind to lay an obligation upon him
by your forgiveness.

She was silent.

Capt. Your father and mother, Madam, deplore a daughter lost to them,
whom your generosity to Mr. Lovelace may restore: do not put it to the
possible chance, that they may have cause to deplore a double loss; the
losing of a son, as well as a daughter, who, by his own violence, which
you may perhaps prevent, may be for ever lost to them, and to the whole
family.

She paused--she wept--she owned that she felt the force of this argument.

I will be the making of this fellow, thought I.

Capt. Permit me, Madam, to tell you, that I do not think it would be
difficult to prevail upon your uncle, if you insist upon it, to come up
privately to town, and to give you with his own hand to Mr. Lovelace--
except, indeed, your present misunderstanding were to come to his ears.
Besides, Madam, your brother, it is likely, may at this very time be in
town; and he is resolved to find you out--

Cl. Why, Sir, should I be so much afraid of my brother? My brother has
injured me, not I him. Will my brother offer to me what Mr. Lovelace has
offered?--Wicked, ungrateful man! to insult a friendless, unprotected
creature, made friendless by himself!--I cannot, cannot think of him in
the light I once thought of him. What, Sir, to put myself into the power
of a wretch, who has acted by me with so much vile premeditation!--Who
shall pity, who shall excuse me, if I do, were I to suffer ever so much
from him?--No, Sir.--Let Mr. Lovelace leave me--let my brot