little merit with you, so as that I might
not have been the preliminary sacrifice to a reconciliation.

Your hope, Sir, had been better grounded if you had had my consent to my
abandoning of my father's house--

Always, Madam, and for ever, to be reminded of the choice you would have
made of that damn'd Solmes--rather than--

Not so hasty! not so rash, Mr. Lovelace! I am convinced that there was
no intention to marry me to that Solmes on Wednesday.

So I am told they now give out, in order to justify themselves at your
expense. Every body living, Madam, is obliged to you for your kind
thoughts but I.

Excuse me, good Mr. Lovelace [waving my hand, and bowing], that I am
willing to think the best of my father.

Charming creature! said he, with what a bewitching air is that
said!--And with a vehemence in his manner would have snatched my hand.
But I withdrew it, being much offended with him.

I think, Madam, my sufferings for your sake might have entitled me to
some favour.

My sufferings, Sir, for your impetuous temper, set against your
sufferings for my sake, I humbly conceive, leave me very little your
debtor.

Lord! Madam, [assuming a drawling air] What have you suffered?--Nothing
but what you can easily forgive. You have been only made a prisoner in
your father's house, by way of doing credit to your judgment!--You have
only had an innocent and faithful servant turned out of your service,
because you loved her!--You have only had your sister's confident
servant set over you, with leave to tease and affront you--!

Very well, Sir!

You have only had an insolent brother take upon him to treat you like a
slave, and as insolent a sister to undermine you in every body's favour,
on pretence to keep you out of hands, which, if as vile as they vilely
report, are not, however, half so vile and cruel as their own.

Go on, Sir, if you please!

You have only been persecuted, in order to oblige you to have a sordid
fellow, whom you have professed to hate, and whom every body despises!
The license has been only got! The parson has only been had in
readiness! The day, a near, a very near day, had been only fixed! And
you were only to be searched for your correspondencies, and still closer
confined till the day came, in order to deprive you of all means of
escaping the snare laid for you!--But all this you can forgive! You
can wish you had stood all this; inevitable as the compulsion must have
been!--And the man who