such a daughter.
And saying this, he hurried out of the room, went into the court-yard,
and ordered his horse.
Mr. Antony Harlowe went to him there, just as he was mounting, and said
he hoped he should find him cooler in the evening, (for he, till then,
had lodged at his house,) and that then they would converse calmly, and
every one, mean time, would weigh all matters well.--But the angry
gentleman said, Cousin Harlowe, I shall endeavour to discharge the
obligations I owe to your civility since I have been in England; but I
have been so treated by that hot-headed young man, (who, as far as I
know, has done more to ruin his sister than Lovelace himself, and this
with the approbation of you all,) that I will not again enter into your
doors, or theirs. My servants shall have orders whither to bring what
belongs to me from your house. I will see my dear cousin Clary as soon
as I can. And so God bless you altogether!--only this one word to your
nephew, if you please--That he wants to be taught the difference between
courage and bluster; and it is happy for him, perhaps, that I am his
kinsman; though I am sorry he is mine.
I wondered to hear your uncle, on his return to them all, repeat this;
because of the consequences it may be attended with, though I hope it
will not have bad ones; yet it was considered as a sort of challenge, and
so it confirmed every body in your brother's favour; and Miss Harlowe
forgot not to inveigh against that error which had brought on all these
evils.
I took the liberty again, but with fear and trembling, to desire leave to
attend you.
Before any other person could answer, your brother said, I suppose you
look upon yourself, Mrs. Norton, to be your own mistress. Pray do you
want our consents and courtship to go up?--If I may speak my mind, you
and my sister Clary are the fittest to be together.--Yet I wish you would
not trouble your head about our family matters, till you are desired to
do so.
But don't you know, brother, said Miss Harlowe, that the error of any
branch of a family splits that family into two parties, and makes not
only every common friend and acquaintance, but even servants judges over
both?--This is one of the blessed effects of my sister Clary's fault!
There never was a creature so criminal, said your father, looking with
displeasure at me, who had not some weak heads to pity and side with her.
I wept. Your mother was so good as to take me by the hand; com
|