ve us, as she said, an
opportunity to accommodate matters. But I bade her come in, or I would
go out; and curiosity impelled her to obey me.

"Mr. Venables began to expostulate; and this woman, proud of his
confidence, to second him. But I calmly silenced her, in the midst of a
vulgar harangue, and turning to him, asked, 'Why he vainly tormented me?
declaring that no power on earth should force me back to his house.'

"After a long altercation, the particulars of which, it would be to
no purpose to repeat, he left the room. Some time was spent in loud
conversation in the parlour below, and I discovered that he had brought
his friend, an attorney, with him.*

* In the original edition the paragraph following is
preceded by three lines of asterisks [Publisher's note].

"The tumult on the landing place, brought out a gentleman, who had
recently taken apartments in the house; he enquired why I was thus
assailed?* The voluble attorney instantly repeated the trite tale. The
stranger turned to me, observing, with the most soothing politeness and
manly interest, that 'my countenance told a very different story.' He
added, 'that I should not be insulted, or forced out of the house, by
any body.'

* The introduction of Darnford as the deliverer of Maria, in
an early stage of the history, is already stated (Chap.
III.) to have been an after-thought of the author. This has
probably caused the imperfectness of the manuscript in the
above passage; though, at the same time, it must be
acknowledged to be somewhat uncertain, whether Darnford is
the stranger intended in this place. It appears from Chap.
XVII, that an interference of a more decisive nature was
designed to be attributed to him. EDITOR. [Godwin's note]

"'Not by her husband?' asked the attorney.

"'No, sir, not by her husband.' Mr. Venables advanced towards him--But
there was a decision in his attitude, that so well seconded that of his
voice, * They left the house: at the same time protesting, that any one
that should dare to protect me, should be prosecuted with the utmost
rigour.

* Two and a half lines of asterisks appear here in the
original [Publisher's note].

"They were scarcely out of the house, when my landlady came up to me
again, and begged my pardon, in a very different tone. For, though Mr.
Venables had bid her, at her peril, harbour me, he had not attended,
I found, to her broad hi