y, naughty girl, who knew so well what she did;
and who could look so far into consequences, that we thought she would
have died rather than have done as she had done!

Her known character for prudence leaves her absolutely without excuse.
How then can I offer to plead for her, if, through motherly indulgence,
I would forgive her myself?--And have we not moreover suffered all the
disgrace that can befall us? Has not she?

If now she has so little liking to his morals, has she not reason before
to have as little? Or has she suffered by them in her own person?--O my
good woman, I doubt--I doubt--Will not the character of the man make one
doubt an angel, if once in his power? The world will think the worst. I
am told it does. So likewise her father fears; her brother hears; and
what can I do?

Our antipathy to him she knew before, as well as his character. These
therefore cannot be new motives without a new reason.--O my dear Mrs.
Norton, how shall I, how can you, support ourselves under the
apprehensions to which these thoughts lead!

He continually pressing her, you say, to marry him: his friends likewise.
She has reason, no doubt she has reason, for this application to us: and
her crime is glossed over, to bring her to us with new disgrace!
Whither, whither, does one guilty step lead the misguided heart!--And
now, truly, to save a stubborn spirit, we are only to be sounded, that
the application may be occasionally retracted or denied!

Upon the whole: were I inclined to plead for her, it is now the most
improper of all times. Now that my brother Harlowe has discouraged (as
he last night came hither on purpose to tell us) Mr. Hickman's insinuated
application; and been applauded for it. Now, that my brother Antony is
intending to carry his great fortune, through her fault, into another
family:--she expecting, no doubt, herself to be put into her
grandfather's estate, in consequence of a reconciliation, and as a reward
for her fault: and insisting still upon the same terms which she offered
before, and which were rejected--Not through my fault, I am sure,
rejected!

From all these things you will return such an answer as the case
requires. It might cost me the peace of my whole life, at this time, to
move for her. God forgive her! If I do, nobody else will. And let it,
for your own sake, as well as mine, be a secret that you and I have
entered upon this subject. And I desire you not to touch upon it agai