hear of my stratagems, and of thy conduct, shall acknowledge
the fortress as nobly won as defended.

'Thou wilt not dare, methinks I hear thee say, to attempt to reduce such
a goddess as this, to a standard unworthy of her excellencies. It is
impossible, Lovelace, that thou shouldst intent to break through oaths
and protestations so solemn.'

That I did not intend it, is certain. That I do intend it, I cannot (my
heart, my reverence for her, will not let me) say. But knowest thou not
my aversion to the state of shackles?--And is she not IN MY POWER?

'And wilt thou, Lovelace, abuse that power which--'

Which what, Belford? Which I obtained not by her own consent, but
against it.

'But which thou never hadst obtained, had she not esteemed thee above
all men.'

And which I had never taken so much pains to obtain, had I not loved her
above all women. So far upon a par, Jack! and if thou pleadest honour,
ought not honour to be mutual? If mutual, does it not imply mutual
trust, mutual confidence? And what have I had of that from her to boast
of?--Thou knowest the whole progress of our warfare: for a warfare it
has truly been; and far, very far, from an amorous warfare too. Doubts,
mistrusts, upbraidings, on her part; humiliations the most abject, on
mine. Obliged to assume such airs of reformation, that every varlet of
ye has been afraid I should reclaim in good earnest. And hast thou not
thyself frequently observed to me, how awkwardly I returned to my usual
gayety, after I had been within a mile of her father's garden-wall,
although I had not seen her?

Does she not deserve to pay for all this?--To make an honest fellow look
like an hypocrite, what a vile thing is that!

Then thou knowest what a false little rogue she has been. How little
conscience she has made of disappointing me. Hast thou not been a
witness of my ravings on this score? Have I not, in the height of them,
vowed revenge upon the faithless charmer? And if I must be forsworn,
whether I answer her expectations, or follow my own inclinations; and if
the option be in my own power, can I hesitate a moment which to choose?

Then, I fancy by her circumspection, and her continual grief, that she
expects some mischief from me. I don't care to disappoint any body I
have a value for.

But O the noble, the exalted creature! Who can avoid hesitating when he
thinks of an offence against her? Who can but pity--

Yet, on the other hand, so loth at last to ve