SARA.

No doubly because she wished to be found!

MARWOOD.

No bitter jests! They do not become a woman of such gentle disposition.
I say, he found her; and found her inexorable. She would not accept his
hand on any account; and the promise to return to London was all that
he could get from her. They agreed to postpone their marriage until his
relative, tired of the long delay, should be compelled to propose an
arrangement. In the meantime Marwood could not well renounce the daily
visits from Mellefont, which for a long time were nothing but the
respectful visits of a suitor, who has been ordered back within the
bounds of friendship. But how impossible is it for a passionate temper
not to transgress these bounds. Mellefont possesses everything which
can make a man dangerous to us. Nobody can be more convinced of this
than you yourself, Miss Sampson.

SARA.

Alas!

MARWOOD.

You sigh! Marwood too has sighed more than once over her weakness, and
sighs yet.

SARA.

Enough, Madam, enough! These words I should think, are worse than the
bitter jest which you were pleased to forbid me.

MARWOOD.

Its intention was not to offend you, but only to show you the unhappy
Marwood in a light, in which you could most correctly judge her. To be
brief--love gave Mellefont the rights of a husband; and Mellefont did
not any longer consider it necessary to have them made valid by the
law. How happy would Marwood be, if she, Mellefont, and Heaven alone
knew of her shame! How happy if a pitiable daughter did not reveal to
the whole world that which she would fain be able to hide from herself.

SARA.

What do you say? A daughter----

MARWOOD.

Yes, through the intervention of Sara Sampson, an unhappy daughter
loses all hope of ever being able to name her parents without
abhorrence.

SARA.

Terrible words! And Mellefont has concealed this from me? Am I to
believe it, Madam?

MARWOOD.

You may assuredly believe that Mellefont has perhaps concealed still
more from you.

SARA.

Still more? What more could he have concealed from me?

MARWOOD.

This,--that he still