Read Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 6 Page 20

  LETTER XX

  MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.

  I have this moment intelligence from Simon Parsons, one of Lord M.'sstewards, that his Lordship is very ill. Simon, who is my obsequiousservant, in virtue of my presumptive heirship, gives me a hint in hisletter, that my presence at M. Hall will not be amiss. So I mustaccelerate, whatever be the course I shall be allowed or compelled totake.

  No bad prospects for this charming creature, if the old peer would be sokind as to surrender; and many a summons has this gout given him. A good8000L. a-year, and perhaps the title reversionary, or a still higher,would help me up with her.

  Proudly as this lady pretends to be above all pride, grandeur will haveits charms with her; for grandeur always makes a man's face shine in awoman's eye. I have a pretty good, because a clear, estate, as it is.But what a noble variety of mischief will 8000L. a-year, enable a man todo?

  Perhaps thou'lt say, I do already all that comes into my head; but that'sa mistake--not one half I will assure thee. And even good folks, as Ihave heard, love to have the power of doing mischief, whether they makeuse of it or not. The late Queen Anne, who was a very good woman, wasalways fond of prerogative. And her ministers, in her name, in moreinstances than one, made a ministerial use of this her foible.

  ***

  But now, at last, am I to be admitted to the presence of my angryfair-one; after three denials, nevertheless; and a peremptory from me, byDorcas, that I must see her in her chamber, if I cannot see her in thedining-room.

  Dorcas, however, tells me that she says, if she were at her own liberty,she would never see me more; and that she had been asking after thecharacters and conditions of the neighbours. I suppose, now she hasfound her voice, to call out for help from them, if there were any tohear her.

  She will have it now, it seems, that I had the wickedness from the verybeginning, to contrive, for her ruin, a house so convenient for dreadfulmischief.

  Dorcas begs of her to be pacified--entreats her to see me with patience--tells her that I am one of the most determined of men, as she has heardsay. That gentleness may do with me; but that nothing else will, shebelieves. And what, as her ladyship (as she always styles her,) ismarried, if I had broken my oath, or intended to break it!--

  She hinted plain enough to the honest wench, that she was not married.But Dorcas would not understand her.

  This shows she is resolved to keep no measures. And now is to be a trialof skill, whether she shall or not.

  Dorcas has hinted to her my Lord's illness, as a piece of intelligencethat dropt in conversation from me.

  But here I stop. My beloved, pursuant to my peremptory message, is justgone up into the dining-room.