by
compulsion, or had yielded to your honour; so they said; and was, or
would be ruined!

My master seemed vexed, as I feared. And I said, Pray, sir, be so good
as to excuse the fears of my honest parents. They cannot know your
goodness to me.

And so (said he, without answering me,) they refused to deliver the
papers? Yes, and please your honour, said Thomas, though I told them,
that you, madam, of your own accord, on a letter I had brought you, very
cheerfully wrote what I carried: But the old gentleman said, Why, wife,
there are in these papers twenty things nobody should see but ourselves,
and especially not the 'squire. O the poor girl has had so many
stratagems to struggle with! and now, at last, she has met with one that
has been too hard for her. And can it be possible for us to account for
her setting out to come to us, and in such post haste, and, when she had
got above half-way, to send us this letter, and to go back again of her
own accord, as you say; when we know that all her delight would have
been to come to us and to escape from the perils she had been so long
contending with? And then, and please your honour, he said, he could not
bear this; for his daughter was ruined, to be sure, before now. And so,
said Thomas, the good old couple sat themselves down, and, hand-in-hand,
leaning upon each other's shoulder, did nothing but lament.--I was
piteously grieved, said he; but all I could say could not comfort them;
nor would they give me the papers; though I told them I should deliver
them only to Mrs. Andrews herself. And so, and please your honour, I was
forced to come away without them.

My good master saw me all bathed in tears at this description of your
distress and fears for me; and he said, I would not have you take on
so. I am not angry with your father in the main; he is a good man; and
I would have you write out of hand, and it shall be sent by the post to
Mr. Atkins, who lives within two miles of your father, and I'll enclose
it in a cover of mine, in which I'll desire Mr. Atkins, the moment it
comes to his hand, to convey it safely to your father or mother; and say
nothing of their sending their papers, that it may not make them uneasy;
for I want not now to see them on any other score than that of mere
curiosity; and that will do at any time. And so saying, he saluted me
before Thomas, and with his own handkerchief wiped my eyes; and said to
Thomas, The good old folks are not to be blamed in