s, if it
please ye!--I remember the motion: but her back was towards me at the
time.* Are these watchful ladies all eye?--But observe what follows; 'I
wish it had been a poll-axe, and in the hands of his worst enemy.'--

* She tells Miss Howe, that she saw this motion in the pier-glass. See
Letter XXXIII. of this volume.

I will have patience, Jack; I will have patience! My day is at hand.--
Then will I steel my heart with these remembrances.

But here is a scheme to be thought of, in order to 'get my fair prize out
of my hands, in case I give her reason to suspect me.'

This indeed alarms me. Now the contention becomes arduous. Now wilt
thou not wonder, if I let loose my plotting genius upon them both. I
will not be out-Norris'd, Belford.

But once more, 'She has no notion,' she says, 'that I can or dare to mean
her dishonour. But then the man is a fool--that's all.'--I should indeed
be a fool, to proceed as I do, and mean matrimony!--'However, since you
are thrown upon a fool,' says she, 'marry the fool at the first
opportunity; and though I doubt that this man will be the most
unmanageable of fools, as all witty and vain fools are, take him as a
punishment, since you cannot as a reward.'--Is there any bearing this,
Belford?

But, 'such men as myself, are the men that women do not naturally hate.'
--True as the gospel, Jack!--The truth is out at last. Have I not always
told thee so? Sweet creatures and true christians these young girls!
They love their enemies. But rakes in their hearts all of them! Like
turns to like; that's the thing. Were I not well assured of the truth of
this observation of the vixen, I should have thought it worth while, if
not to be a good man, to be more of an hypocrite, than I found it needful
to be.

But in the letter I came at to-day, while she was at church, her scheme
is further opened; and a cursed one it is.

[Mr. Lovelace then transcribes, from his short-hand notes, that part of
Miss Howe's letter, which relates to the design of engaging Mrs.
Townsend (in case of necessity) to give her protection till Colonel
Morden come:* and repeats his vows of revenge; especially for these
words; 'That should he attempt any thing that would make him obnoxious
to the laws of society, she might have a fair riddance of him, either
by flight or the gallows, no matter which.' He then adds]--

* See Letter XLII. of this volume.

'Tis my pride to subdue