Read Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 1 Page 28

  LETTER XXIII

  MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 6.

  They are resolved to break my heart. My poor Hannah isdischarged--disgracefully discharged!--Thus it was.

  Within half an hour after I had sent the poor girl down for mybreakfast, that bold creature Betty Barnes, my sister's confidant andservant, (if a favourite maid and confidant can be deemed a servant,)came up.

  What, Miss, will you please to have for breakfast?

  I was surprised. What will I have for breakfast,Betty!--How!--What!--How comes it!--Then I named Hannah. I could nottell what to say.

  Don't be surprised, Miss:--but you'll see Hannah no more in this house.

  God forbid!--Is any harm come to Hannah?--What! What is the matter withHannah?

  Why, Miss, the short and the long is this: Your papa and mamma thinkHannah has staid long enough in the house to do mischief; and so sheis ordered to troop [that was the confident creature's word]; and I amdirected to wait upon you in her stead.

  I burst into tears. I have no service for you, Betty Barnes; none atall. But where is Hannah? Cannot I speak with the poor girl? I owe herhalf a year's wages. May I not see the honest creature, and pay her herwages? I may never see her again perhaps; for they are resolved to breakmy heart.

  And they think you are resolved to break theirs: so tit for tat, Miss.

  Impertinent I called her; and asked her, if it were upon such confidentterms that her service was to begin.

  I was so very earnest to see the poor maid, that (to oblige me, as shesaid) she went down with my request.

  The worthy creature was as earnest to see me; and the favour was grantedin presence of Shorey and Betty.

  I thanked her, when she came up, for her past service to me.

  Her heart was ready to break. And she began to vindicate her fidelityand love; and disclaimed any mischief she had ever made.

  I told her, that those who occasioned her being turned out of myservice, made no question of her integrity: that her dismission wasintended for an indignity to me: that I was very sorry to be obliged topart with her, and hoped she would meet with as good a service.

  Never, never, wringing her hands, should she meet with a mistressshe loved so well. And the poor creature ran on in my praises, and inprofessions of love to me.

  We are all apt, you know, my dear, to praise our benefactors, becausethey are our benefactors; as if every body did right or wrong, as theyobliged or disobliged us. But this good creature deserved to be kindlytreated; so I could have no merit in favouring one whom it would havebeen ungrateful not to distinguish.

  I gave her a little linen, some laces, and other odd things; and insteadof four pounds which were due to her, ten guineas: and said, if ever Iwere again allowed to be my own mistress, I would think of her in thefirst place.

  Betty enviously whispered Shorey upon it.

  Hannah told me, before their faces, having no other opportunity, thatshe had been examined about letters to me, and from me: and that shehad given her pockets to Miss Harlowe, who looked into them, and put herfingers in her stays, to satisfy herself that she had not any.

  She gave me an account of the number of my pheasants and bantams; and Isaid, they should be my own care twice or thrice a day.

  We wept over each other at parting. The girl prayed for all the family.

  To have so good a servant so disgracefully dismissed, is very cruel: andI could not help saying that these methods might break my heart, but notany other way answer the end of the authors of my disgraces.

  Betty, with a very saucy fleer, said to Shorey, There would be a trialof skill about that she fancied. But I took no notice of it. If thiswench thinks that I have robbed her young mistress of a lover, as yousay she has given out, she may believe that it is some degree of meritin herself to be impertinent to me.

  Thus have I been forced to part with my faithful Hannah. If you cancommand the good creature to a place worthy of her, pray do for my sake.

  LETTER XXIV

  MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE MONDAY, NEAR 12 O'CLOCK.

  The enclosed letter was just now delivered to me. My brother has carriedall his points.

  I send you also the copy of my answer. No more at this time can Iwrite--!