ourselves in a house suitable to our condition; and this, that I
might be under the less embarrassment, if I pleased to remove.

Fix our-selves in a house, and we, and our, Mr. Lovelace--Pray, in what
light--

He interrupted me--Why, my dearest life, if you will hear me with
patience--yet, I am half afraid that I have been too forward, as I have
not consulted you upon it--but as my friends in town, according to what
Mr. Doleman has written, in the letter you have seen, conclude us to be
married--

Surely, Sir, you have not presumed--

Hear me out, my dearest creature--you have received with favour, my
addresses: you have made me hope for the honour of your consenting hand:
yet, by declining my most fervent tender of myself to you at Mrs.
Sorlings's, have given me apprehensions of delay: I would not for the
world be thought so ungenerous a wretch, now you have honoured me with
your confidence, as to wish to precipitate you. Yet your brother's
schemes are not given up. Singleton, I am afraid, is actually in town;
his vessel lies at Rotherhithe--your brother is absent from Harlowe-
place; indeed not with Singleton yet, as I can hear. If you are known
to be mine, or if you are but thought to be so, there will probably be an
end of your brother's contrivances. The widow's character may be as
worthy as it is said to be. But the worthier she is, the more danger,
if your brother's agent should find us out; since she may be persuaded,
that she ought in conscience to take a parent's part against a child who
stands in opposition to them. But if she believes us married, her good
character will stand us instead, and give her a reason why two apartments
are requisite for us at the hour of retirement.

I perfectly raved at him. I would have flung from him in resentment; but
he would not let me: and what could I do? Whither go, the evening
advanced?

I am astonished at you! said I.--If you are a man of honour, what need of
all this strange obliquity? You delight in crooked ways--let me know,
since I must stay in your company (for he held my hand), let me know all
you have said to the people below.--Indeed, indeed, Mr. Lovelace, you are
a very unaccountable man.

My dearest creature, need I to have mentioned any thing of this? and
could I not have taken up my lodgings in this house unknown to you, if I
had not intended to make you the judge of all my proceedings?--But this
is what I have told the widow before her kinswo