Read Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 2 Page 28
LETTER XXVI
MISS HOWE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE THURSDAY NIGHT, MARCH 30.
The fruits of my inquiry after your abominable wretch's behaviour andbaseness at the paltry alehouse, which he calls an inn, prepare to hear.
Wrens and sparrows are not too ignoble a quarry for this villainousgos-hawk!--His assiduities; his watchings; his nightly risques; theinclement weather he journeys in; must not be all placed to youraccount. He has opportunities of making every thing light to him ofthat sort. A sweet pretty girl, I am told--innocent till he wentthither--Now! (Ah! poor girl!) who knows what?
But just turned of seventeen!--His friend and brother-rake (a man ofhumour and intrigue) as I am told, to share the social bottle with.And sometimes another disguised rake or two. No sorrow comes near theirhearts. Be not disturbed, my dear, at his hoarsenesses! his pretty,Betsey, his Rosebud, as the vile wretch calls her, can hear all he says.
He is very fond of her. They say she is innocent even yet--her father,her grandmother, believe her to be so. He is to fortune her out to ayoung lover!--Ah! the poor young lover!--Ah! the poor simple girl!
Mr. Hickman tells me, that he heard in town, that he used to be oftenat plays, and at the opera, with women; and every time with a differentone--Ah! my sweet friend!--But I hope he is nothing to you, if all thiswere truth.--But this intelligence, in relation to this poor girl, willdo his business, if you had been ever so good friends before.
A vile wretch! Cannot such purity in pursuit, in view, restrain him? butI leave him to you!--There can be no hope of him. More of a fool,than of such a man. Yet I wish I may be able to snatch the poor youngcreature out of his villainous paws. I have laid a scheme to do so; ifindeed she be hitherto innocent and heart-free.
He appears to the people as a military man, in disguise, secretinghimself on account of a duel fought in town; the adversary's life insuspense. They believe he is a great man. His friend passes for aninferior officer; upon a footing of freedom with him. He, accompanied bya third man, who is a sort of subordinate companion to the second. Thewretch himself with but one servant.
O my dear! how pleasantly can these devils, as I must call them, passtheir time, while our gentle bosoms heave with pity for their supposedsufferings for us!
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I have sent for this girl and her father; and am just now informed, thatI shall see them. I will sift them thoroughly. I shall soon find outsuch a simple thing as this, if he has not corrupted her already--and ifhe has, I shall soon find out that too.--If more art than nature appearseither in her or her father, I shall give them both up--but depend uponit, the girl's undone.
He is said to be fond of her. He places her at the upper end of histable. He sets her a-prattling. He keeps his friends at a distance fromher. She prates away. He admires for nature all she says. Once was heardto call her charming little creature! An hundred has he called so nodoubt. He puts her upon singing. He praises her wild note--O my dear,the girl's undone!--must be undone!--The man, you know, is LOVELACE.
Let 'em bring Wyerley to you, if they will have you married--any bodybut Solmes and Lovelace be yours!--So advises
Your ANNA HOWE.
My dearest friend, consider this alehouse as his garrison: him as anenemy: his brother-rakes as his assistants and abettors. Would not yourbrother, would not your uncles, tremble, if they knew how near them heis, as they pass to and fro?--I am told, he is resolved you shall not becarried to your uncle Antony's.--What can you do, with or without suchan enterprising--
Fill up the blank I leave.--I cannot find a word bad enough