-I will forbear to write
to you for a few days, if nothing extraordinary happen, and till the
rigour of her prohibition is abated. But be assured that I will not
dispense with your writing to me. My heart, my conscience, my honour,
will not permit it.

But how will I help myself?--How!--easily enough. For I do assure you
that I want but very little farther provocation to fly privately to
London. And if I do, I will not leave you till I see you either
honourably married, or absolutely quit of the wretch: and, in this last
case, I will take you down with me, in defiance of the whole world: or,
if you refuse to go with me, stay with you, and accompany you as your
shadow whithersoever you go.

Don't be frightened at this declaration. There is but one consideration,
and but one hope, that withhold me, watched as I am in all my
retirements; obliged to read to her without a voice; to work in her
presence without fingers; and to lie with her every night against my
will. The consideration is, lest you should apprehend that a step of
this nature would look like a doubling of your fault, in the eyes of such
as think your going away a fault. The hope is, that things will still
end happily, and that some people will have reason to take shame to
themselves for the sorry part they have acted. Nevertheless I am often
balancing--but your resolving to give up the correspondence at this
crisis will turn the scale. Write, therefore, or take the consequence.

A few words upon the subject of your last letters. I know not whether
your brother's wise project be given up or not. A dead silence reigns in
your family. Your brother was absent three days; then at home one; and
is now absent: but whether with Singleton, or not, I cannot find out.

By your account of your wretch's companions, I see not but they are a set
of infernals, and he the Beelzebub. What could he mean, as you say, by
his earnestness to bring you into such company, and to give you such an
opportunity to make him and them reflecting-glasses to one another? The
man's a fool, to be sure, my dear--a silly fellow, at least--the wretches
must put on their best before you, no doubt--Lords of the creation!--
noble fellows these!--Yet who knows how many poor despicable souls of our
sex the worst of them has had to whine after him!

You have brought an inconvenience upon yourself, as you observe, by your
refusal of Miss Partington for your bedfellow. Pity you had not a