as she
told me, to support life under my displeasure, was going into a fit: but
when I saw her preparing for it, I went out of the room; and so she
thought it would not be worth her while to show away.

[In this manner he mentions what his meaning was in making the Lady the
compliment of his absence:]

As to leaving her: if I go but for one night, I have fulfilled my
promise: and if she think not, I can mutter and grumble, and yield again,
and make a merit of it; and then, unable to live out of her presence,
soon return. Nor are women ever angry at bottom for being disobeyed
through excess of love. They like an uncontroulable passion. They like
to have every favour ravished from them, and to be eaten and drunk quite
up by a voracious lover. Don't I know the sex?--Not so, indeed, as yet,
my Clarissa: but, however, with her my frequent egresses will make me
look new to her, and create little busy scenes between us. At the least,
I may surely, without exception, salute her at parting, and at return;
and will not those occasional freedoms (which civility will warrant) by
degrees familiarize my charmer to them?

But here, Jack, what shall I do with my uncle and aunts, and all my
loving cousins? For I understand that they are more in haste to have me
married than I am myself.

LETTER IV

MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE
FRIDAY, APRIL 28.

Mr. Lovelace is returned already. My brother's projects were his
pretence. I could not but look upon this short absence as an evasion of
his promise; especially as he had taken such precautions with the people
below; and as he knew that I proposed to keep close within-doors. I
cannot bear to be dealt meanly with; and angrily insisted that he should
directly set out for Berkshire, in order to engage his cousin, as he had
promised.

O my dearest life, said he, why will you banish me from your presence? I
cannot leave you for so long a time as you seem to expect I should. I
have been hovering about town ever since I left you. Edgware was the
farthest place I went to, and there I was not able to stay two hours, for
fear, at this crisis, any thing should happen. Who can account for the
workings of an apprehensive mind, when all that is dear and valuable to
it is at stake? You may spare yourself the trouble of writing to any of
your friends, till the solemnity has passed that shall entitle me to give
weight to your application. When they know we are married, y