g her unhappy mother, by making
her husband's interest a guaranty for her tolerable, if not good,
behaviour to her child.

I was glad to carry my thoughts out of myself, as I may say, and from my
own concerns. We all, sir, said I, look upon Mr. Beauchamp as a
future--

Husband for Emily, madam, interrupted he?--It must not be at my motion.
My friend shall be entitled to share with me my whole estate; but I will
never seek to lead the choice of my WARD. Let Emily, some time hence,
find out the husband she can be happy with; Beauchamp the wife he can
love: Emily, if I can help it, shall not be the wife of any man's
convenience. Beauchamp is nice, and I will be as nice for my WARD. And
the more so, as I hope she herself wants not delicacy. There is a
cruelty in persuasion, where the heart rejects the person proposed,
whether the urger be parent or guardian.

Lord bless me, thought I, what a man is this!

Do you expect Mr. Beauchamp soon, sir?

Every day, madam.

And is it possible, sir, that you can bring all these things to bear
before you leave England, and go so soon?

I fear nothing but Charlotte's whimsies. Have you, madam, any reason to
apprehend that she is averse to an alliance with Lord G----? His father
and aunt are very importunate for an early celebration.

None at all, sir.

Then I shall depend much upon yours, and Lord and Lady L----'s influence
over her.

He besought my excuse for detaining my attention so long. Upon his
motion to go, my two cousins came in. He took even a solemn leave of me,
and a very respectful one of them.

I had kept up my spirits to their utmost stretch: I besought my cousins
to excuse me for a few minutes. His departure from me was too solemn;
and I hurried up to my closet; and after a few involuntary sobs, a flood
of tears relieved me. I besought, on my knees, peace to the disturbed
mind of the excellent Clementina, calmness and resignation to my own, and
safety to Sir Charles. And then, drying my eyes at the glass, I went
down stairs to my cousins; and on their inquiries (with looks of deep
concern) after the occasion of my red eyes, I said, All is over! All is
over! my dear cousins. I cannot blame him: he is all that is noble and
good--I can say no more just now. The particulars you shall have from my
pen.

I went up stairs to write: and except for one half hour at dinner, and
another at tea, I stopt not till I had done.

And here, quite tired, uneasy, vexed with