lf in the eye of the world, if she actually should escape?
That she must be subjected to infinite distress and hazard! For whom has
she to receive and protect her? Yet to determine to risque all these
evils! and furthermore to stoop to artifice, to be guilty of the reigning
vice of the times, of bribery and corruption! O Jack, Jack! say not,
write not another word in her favour!

Thou hast blamed me for bringing her to this house: but had I carried her
to any other in England, where there would have been one servant or
inmate capable either of compassion or corruption, what must have been
the consequence?

But seest thou not, however, that in this flimsy contrivance, the dear
implacable, like a drowning man, catches at a straw to save herself!--A
straw shall she find to be the refuge she has resorted to.

LETTER XXV

MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
TUES. MORN. TEN O'CLOCK

Very ill--exceedingly ill--as Dorcas tells me, in order to avoid seeing
me--and yet the dear soul may be so in her mind. But is not that
equivocation? Some one passion predominating in every human breast,
breaks through principle, and controuls us all. Mine is love and revenge
taking turns. Her's is hatred.--But this is my consolation, that hatred
appeased is love begun; or love renewed, I may rather say, if love ever
had footing here.

But reflectioning apart, thou seest, Jack, that her plot is beginning to
work. To-morrow is to break out.

I have been abroad, to set on foot a plot of circumvention. All fair
now, Belford!

I insisted upon visiting my indisposed fair-one. Dorcas made officious
excuses for her. I cursed the wench in her hearing for her impertinence;
and stamped and made a clutter; which was improved into an apprehension
to the lady that I would have flung her faithful confidante from the top
of the stairs to the bottom.

He is a violent wretch!--But, Dorcas, [dear Dorcas, now it is,] thou
shalt have a friend in me to the last day of my life.

And what now, Jack, dost think the name of her good angel is!--Why Dorcas
Martindale, christian and super (no more Wykes) as in the promissory note
in my former--and the dear creature has bound her to her by the most
solemn obligations, besides the tie of interest.

Whither, Madam, do you design to go when you get out of this house?

I will throw myself into the first open house I can find; and beg
protection till I can get a coach, or a lodging in some honest f