but was prevented by the fellow's pretending to
put his ankle out, by a slip down stairs--A trick, says his contriving
master, in his omitted relation, I had taught him, on a like occasion,
at Amiens.

'The fellow a villain! The wench, I doubt, a vile wench. At last
concerned for her own safety. Plays off and on about a coach.

'All my hopes of getting off at present over!--Unhappy creature! to what
farther evils art thou reserved! Oh! how my heart rises at the necessity
I must still be under to see and converse with so very vile a man!'

LETTER XXIX

MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

Disappointed in her meditated escape; obliged, against her will, to
meet me in the dining-room; and perhaps apprehensive of being upbraided
for her art in feigning herself ill; I expected that the dear perverse
would begin with me with spirit and indignation. But I was in hopes,
from the gentleness of her natural disposition; from the consideration
which I expected from her on her situation; from the contents of the
letter of Captain Tomlinson, which Dorcas told me she had seen; and
from the time she had had to cool and reflect since she last admitted
me to her presence, that she would not have carried it so strongly
through as she did.

As I entered the dining-room, I congratulated her and myself upon her
sudden recovery. And would have taken her hand, with an air of
respectful tenderness; but she was resolved to begin where she left
off.

She turned from me, drawing in her hand, with a repulsing and indignant
aspect--I meet you once more, said she, because I cannot help it. What
have you to say to me? Why am I to be thus detained against my will?

With the utmost solemnity of speech and behaviour, I urged the ceremony.
I saw I had nothing else for it. I had a letter in my pocket I said,
[feeling for it, although I had not taken it from the table where I left
it in the same room,] the contents of which, if attended to, would make
us both happy. I had been loth to show it to her before, because I hoped
to prevail upon her to be mine sooner than the day mentioned in it.

I felt for it in all my pockets, watching her eye mean time, which I saw
glance towards the table where it lay.

I was uneasy that I could not find it--at last, directed again by her sly
eye, I spied it on the table at the farther end of the room.

With joy I fetched it. Be pleased to read that letter, Madam; with an