till my empress send an
answer to my cousin Montague.

But if she persist, and will not promise to take time to consider of the
matter, thou mayest communicate to her what I had written, as above,
before my cousin entered; and, if she be still perverse, assure her, that
I must and will see her--but this with all honour, all humility: and, if
I cannot move her in my favour, I will then go abroad, and perhaps never
more return to England.

I am sorry thou art, at this critical time, so busily employed, as thou
informest me thou art, in thy Watford affairs, and in preparing to do
Belton justice. If thou wantest my assistance in the latter, command me.
Though engrossed by this perverse beauty, and plagued as I am, I will
obey thy first summons.

I have great dependence upon thy zeal and thy friendship: hasten back to
her, therefore, and resume a task so interesting to me, that it is
equally the subject of my dreams, as of my waking hours.

LETTER LXVI

MISS MONTAGUE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE
TUESDAY, AUG. 1.

DEAREST MADAM,

All our family is deeply sensible of the injuries you have received at
the hands of one of it, whom you only can render in any manner worthy of
the relation he stands in to us all: and if, as an act of mercy and
charity, the greatest your pious heart can show, you will be pleased to
look over his past wickedness and ingratitude, and suffer yourself to be
our kinswoman, you will make us the happiest family in the world: and I
can engage, that Lord M., and Lady Sarah Sadleir, and Lady Betty
Lawrance, and my sister, who are all admirers of your virtues, and of
your nobleness of mind, will for ever love and reverence you, and do
every thing in all their powers to make you amends for what you have
suffered from Mr. Lovelace. This, Madam, we should not, however, dare
to petition for, were we not assured, that Mr. Lovelace is most sincerely
sorry for his past vileness to you; and that he will, on his knees, beg
your pardon, and vow eternal love and honour to you.

Wherefore, my dearest cousin, [how you will charm us all, if this
agreeable style may be permitted!] for all our sakes, for his soul's
sake, [you must, I am sure, be so good a lady, as to wish to save a
soul!] and allow me to say, for your own fame's sake, condescend to our
joint request: and if, by way of encouragement, you will but say you will
be glad to see, and to be as much known personally, as you are by fame,
to Charlotte