Miss Howe
herself is but a puppet danced upon my wires at second or third hand. To
outwit, and impel, as I please, two such girls as these, who think they
know every thing; and, by taking advantage of the pride and ill-nature
of the old ones of both families, to play them off likewise at the very
time they think they are doing me spiteful displeasure; what charming
revenge!--Then the sweet creature, when I wished that her brother was
not at the bottom of Mrs. Howe's resentment, to tell me, that she was
afraid he was, or her uncle would not have appeared against her to that
lady!--Pretty dear! how innocent!

But don't think me the cause neither of her family's malice and
resentment. It is all in their hearts. I work but with their materials.
They, if left to their own wicked direction, would perhaps express their
revenge by fire and faggot; that is to say, by the private dagger, or
by Lord Chief Justices' warrants, by law, and so forth: I only point
the lightning, and teach it where to dart, without the thunder. In other
words, I only guide the effects: the cause is in their malignant hearts:
and while I am doing a little mischief, I prevent a great deal.

Thus he exults on her mentioning London:

I wanted her to propose London herself. This made me again mention
Windsor. If you would have a woman do one thing, you must always propose
another, and that the very contrary: the sex! the very sex! as I hope
to be saved!--Why, Jack, they lay a man under a necessity to deal doubly
with them! And, when they find themselves outwitted, they cry out upon
an honest fellow, who has been too hard for them at their own weapons.

I could hardly contain myself. My heart was at my throat.--Down, down,
said I to myself, exuberant exultation! A sudden cough befriended me;
I again turned to her, all as indifferenced over as a girl at the first
long-expected question, who waits for two more. I heard out the rest of
her speech: and when she had done, instead of saying any thing to her
for London, I advised her to send for Mrs. Norton.

As I knew she would be afraid of lying under obligation, I could have
proposed to do so much for the good woman and her son, as would have
made her resolve that I should do nothing: this, however, not merely to
avoid expense. But there was no such thing as allowing of the presence
of Mrs. Norton. I might as well have had her mother or her aunt Hervey
with her. Hannah, had she been able to come, and had s