neasy at his stay with me here,
proposed that I would put myself into Lady Betty's protection; assuring
me that he thought he could not leave me at Mrs. Sorlings's with safety
to myself. And upon my declining to do that, for the reasons I gave you
in my last,* he urged me to make a demand of my estate.

* See Letter XXVIII. of this volume.

He knew it, I told him, to be my resolution not to litigate with my
father.

Nor would he put me upon it, he replied, but as the last thing. But
if my spirit would not permit me to be obliged, as I called it, to any
body, and yet if my relations would refuse me my own, he knew not how
I could keep up that spirit, without being put to inconveniences,
which would give him infinite concern--Unless--unless--unless, he said,
hesitating, as if afraid to speak out--unless I would take the only
method I could take, to obtain the possession of my own.

What is that, Sir?

Sure the man saw by my looks, when he came with his creeping unless's,
that I guessed what he meant.

Ah! Madam, can you be at a loss to know what that method is?--They will
not dispute with a man that right which they contest with you.

Why said he with a man, instead of with him? Yet he looked as if he
wanted to be encouraged to say more.

So, Sir, you would have me employ a lawyer, would you, notwithstanding
what I have ever declared as to litigating with my father?

No, I would not, my dearest creature, snatching my hand, and pressing it
with his lips--except you would make me the lawyer.

Had he said me at first, I should have been above the affectation of
mentioning a lawyer.

I blushed. The man pursued not the subject so ardently, but that it was
more easy as well as more natural to avoid it than to fall into it.

Would to Heaven he might, without offending!--But I so over-awed
him!--[over-awed him!--Your* notion, my dear!]--And so the over-awed,
bashful man went off from the subject, repeating his proposal, that I
would demand my own estate, or empower some man of the law to demand it,
if I would not [he put in] empower a happier man to demand it. But it
could not be amiss, he thought, to acquaint my two trustees, that I
intended to assume it.

* See Letter XIX. of this volume.

I should know better what to do, I told him, when he was at a distance
from me, and known to be so. I suppose, Sir, that if my father propose
my return, and engage never to mentions Solmes to me, nor any other