LETTER XLVIII
MR. BELFORD, TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.THURSDAY, JUNE 29.
Thou hast heard from M'Donald and Mowbray the news. Bad or good, I knownot which thou'lt deem it. I only wish I could have given thee joy uponthe same account, before the unhappy lady was seduced from Hampstead; forthen of what an ungrateful villany hadst thou been spared theperpetration, which now thou hast to answer for!
I came to town purely to serve thee with her, expecting that thy nextwould satisfy me that I might endeavour it without dishonour. And atfirst when I found her gone, I half pitied thee; for now wilt thou beinevitably blown up: and in what an execrable light wilt thou appear toall the world!--Poor Lovelace! caught in thy own snares! thy punishmentis but beginning.
But to my narrative: for I suppose thou expectest all particulars fromme, since Mowbray has informed thee that I have been collecting them.
'The noble exertion of spirit she has made on Friday night, had, itseems, greatly disordered her; insomuch that she was not visible tillSaturday evening; when Mabell saw her; and she seemed to be very ill:but on Sunday morning, having dressed herself, as if designing to go tochurch, she ordered Mabell to get her a coach to the door.
'The wench told her, She was to obey her in every thing but the callingof a coach or chair, or in relation to letters.
'She sent for Will. and gave him the same command.
'He pleaded his master's orders to the contrary, and desired to beexcused.
'Upon this, down she went, herself, and would have gone out withoutobservation; but finding the street-door double-locked, and the key notin the lock, she stept into the street-parlour, and would have thrown upthe sash to call out to the people passing by, as they doubted not: butthat, since her last attempt of the same nature, had been fastened down.
'Hereupon she resolutely stept into Mrs. Sinclair's parlour in theback-house; where were the old devil and her two partners; and demandedthe key of the street-door, or to have it opened for her.
'They were all surprised; but desired to be excused, and pleaded yourorders.
'She asserted, that you had no authority over her; and never should haveany: that their present refusal was their own act and deed: she saw theintent of their back house, and the reason of putting her there: shepleaded her condition and fortune; and said, they had no way to avoidutter ruin, but by opening their doors to her, or by murdering her, andburying her in their garden or cellar, too deep for detection: thatalready what had been done to her was punishable by death: and bid themat their peril detain her.'
What a noble, what a right spirit has this charming creature, in casesthat will justify an exertion of spirit!--
'They answered that Mr. Lovelace could prove his marriage, and wouldindemnify them. And they all would have vindicated their behaviour onFriday night, and the reputation of their house. But refusing to hearthem on that topic, she flung from them threatening.
'She then went up half a dozen stairs in her way to her own apartment:but, as if she had bethought herself, down she stept again, and proceededtowards the street-parlour; saying, as she passed by the infamous Dorcas,I'll make myself protectors, though the windows suffer. But that wench,of her own head, on the lady's going out of that parlour to Mrs.Sinclair's, had locked the door, and taken out the key: so that findingherself disappointed, she burst into tears, and went sobbing and menacingup stairs again.
'She made no other attempt till the effectual one. Your letters andmessages, they suppose, coming so fast upon one another (though she wouldnot answer one of them) gave her some amusement, and an assurance tothem, that she would at last forgive you; and that then all would end asyou wished.
'The women, in pursuance of your orders, offered not to obtrudethemselves upon her; and Dorcas also kept out of her sight all the restof Sunday; also on Monday and Tuesday. But by the lady's condescension,(even to familiarity) to Mabell, they imagined, that she must be workingin her mind all that time to get away. They therefore redoubled theircautions to the wench; who told them so faithfully all that passedbetween her lady and her, that they had no doubt of her fidelity to herwicked trust.
''Tis probable she might have been contriving something all this time;but saw no room for perfecting any scheme. The contrivance by which sheeffected her escape seems to me not to have been fallen upon till thevery day; since it depended partly upon the weather, as it proved. Butit is evident she hoped something from Mabell's simplicity, or gratitude,or compassion, by cultivating all the time her civility to her.
'Polly waited on her early on Wednesday morning; and met with a betterreception than she had reason to expect. She complained however, withwarmth, of her confinement. Polly said there would be an happy end to it(if it were a confinement,) next day, she presumed. She absolutelydeclared to the contrary, in the way Polly meant it; and said, That Mr.Lovelace, on his return [which looked as if she intended to wait for it]should have reason to repent the orders he had given, as they all shouldtheir observance of them: let him send twenty letters, she would notanswer one, be the consequence what it would; nor give him hope of theleast favour, while she was in that house. She had given Mrs. Sinclairand themselves fair warning, she said: no orders of another ought to makethem detain a free person: but having made an open attempt to go, andbeen detained by them, she was the calmer, she told Polly; let them lookto the consequence.
'But yet she spoke this with temper; and Polly gave it as her opinion,(with apprehension for their own safety,) that having so good a handle topunish them all, she would not go away if she might. And what, inferredPolly, is the indemnity of a man who has committed the vilest of rapes ona person of condition; and must himself, if prosecuted for it, eitherfly, or be hanged?
'Sinclair, [so I will still call her,] upon this representation of Polly,foresaw, she said, the ruin of her poor house in the issue of thisstrange business; and the infamous Sally and Dorcas bore their parts inthe apprehension: and this put them upon thinking it advisable for thefuture, that the street-door should generally in the day-time be onlyleft upon a bolt-latch, as they called it, which any body might open onthe inside; and that the key should be kept in the door; that theirnumerous comers and goers, as they called their guests, should be able togive evidence, that she might have gone out if she would: not forgetting,however, to renew their orders to Will. to Dorcas, to Mabell, and therest, to redouble their vigilance on this occasion, to prevent herescape: none of them doubting, at the same time, that her love of a manso considerable in their eyes, and the prospect of what was to happen, asshe had reason to believe, on Thursday, her uncle's birth-day, would(though perhaps not till the last hour, for her pride sake, was theirword) engage her to change her temper.
'They believe, that she discovered the key to be left in the door; forshe was down more than once to walk in the little garden, and seemed tocast her eye each time to the street-door.
'About eight yesterday morning, an hour after Polly had left her, shetold Mabell, she was sure she should not live long; and having a goodmany suits of apparel, which after her death would be of no use to anybody she valued, she would give her a brown lustring gown, which, withsome alterations to make it more suitable to her degree, would a greatwhile serve her for a Sunday wear; for that she (Mabell) was the onlyperson in that house of whom she could think without terror or antipathy.
'Mabell expressing her gratitude upon the occasion, the lady said, shehad nothing to employ herself about, and if she could get a workwomandirectly, she would look over her things then, and give her what sheintended for her.
'Her mistress's mantua-maker, the maid replied, lived but a little wayoff: and she doubted not that she could procure her, or one of thejourney-women to alter the gown out of hand.
'I will give you also, said she, a quilted coat, which will require butlittle alteration, if any; for you are much about my stature: but thegown I will give directions about, because the sleeves and the robingsand facings must be altered for your wear, being, I believe, above y
ourstation: and try, said she, if you can get the workwoman, and we'lladvise about it. If she cannot come now, let her come in the afternoon;but I had rather now, because it will amuse me to give you a lift.
'Then stepping to the window, it rains, said she, [and so it had done allthe morning:] slip on the hood and short cloak I have seen you wear, andcome to me when you are ready to go out, because you shall bring me insomething that I want.
'Mabell equipped herself accordingly, and received her commands to buyher some trifles, and then left her; but in her way out, stept into theback parlour, where Dorcas was with Mrs. Sinclair, telling her where shewas going, and on what account, bidding Dorcas look out till she cameback. So faithful as the wench to the trust reposed in her, and solittle had the lady's generosity wrought upon her.
'Mrs. Sinclair commended her; Dorcas envied her, and took her cue: andMabell soon returned with the mantua-maker's journey-woman; (sheresolved, she said, but she would not come without her); and then Dorcaswent off guard.
'The lady looked out the gown and petticoat, and before the workwomancaused Mabell to try it on; and, that it might fit the better, made thewilling wench pull off her upper-petticoat, and put on that she gave her.Then she bid them go into Mr. Lovelace's apartment, and contrive about itbefore the pier-glass there, and stay till she came to them, to give themher opinion.
'Mabell would have taken her own clothes, and hood, and short cloak withher: but her lady said, No matter; you may put them on again here, whenwe have considered about the alterations: there's no occasion to litterthe other room.
'They went; and instantly, as it is supposed, she slipt on Mabell's gownand petticoat over her own, which was white damask, and put on thewench's hood, short cloak, and ordinary apron, and down she went.
'Hearing somebody tripping along the passage, both Will. and Dorcas whiptto the inner-hall door, and saw her; but, taking her for Mabell, Are yougoing far, Mabell? cried Will.
'Without turning her face, or answering, she held out her hand, pointingto the stairs; which they construed as a caution for them to look out inher absence; and supposing she would not be long gone, as she had not inform, repeated her caution to them, up went Will, tarrying at thestairs-head in expectation of the supposed Mabell's return.
'Mabell and the workwoman waited a good while, amusing themselves notdisagreeably, the one with contriving in the way of her business, theother delighting herself with her fine gown and coat. But at last,wondering the lady did not come in to them, Mabell tiptoed it to herdoor, and tapping, and not being answered, stept into the chamber.
'Will. at that instant, from his station at the stairs-head, seeingMabell in her lady's clothes; for he had been told of the present, [giftsto servants fly from servant to servant in a minute,] was very muchsurprised, having, as he thought, just seen her go out in her own; andstepping up, met her at the door. How the devil can this be? said he:just now you went out in your own dress! How came you here in this? andhow could you pass me unseen? but nevertheless, kissing her, said, hewould now brag he had kissed his lady, or one in her clothes.
'I am glad, Mr. William, cried Mabell, to see you here so diligently.But know you where my lady is?
'In my master's apartment, answered Will. Is she not? Was she nottalking with you this moment?
'No, that's Mrs. Dolins's journey-woman.
'They both stood aghast, as they said; Will, again recollecting he hadseen Mabell, as he thought, go out in her own clothes. And while theywere debating and wondering, up comes Dorcas with your fourth letter,just then brought for the lady, and seeing Mabell dressed out, (whom shehad likewise beheld a little before), as she supposed, in her commonclothes; she joined in the wonder; till Mabell, re-entering the lady'sapartment, missed her own clothes; and then suspecting what had happened,and letting the others into the ground of the suspicion, they all agreedthat she had certainly escaped. And then followed such an uproar ofmutual accusation, and you should have done this, and you have done that,as alarmed the whole house; every apartment in both houses giving up itsdevil, to the number of fourteen or fifteen, including the mother and herpartners.
'Will. told them his story; and then ran out, as on the like occasionformerly, to make inquiry whether the lady was seen by any of thecoachmen, chairmen, or porters, plying in that neighbourhood: whileDorcas cleared herself immediately, and that at the poor Mabell'sexpense, who made a figure as guilty as awkward, having on the suspectedprice of her treachery; which Dorcas, out of envy, was ready to tear fromher back.
'Hereupon all the pack opened at the poor wench, while the mother foamedat the mouth, bellowed out her orders for seizing the suspected offender;who could neither be heard in her own defence, nor had she been heard,would have been believed.
'That such a perfidious wretch should ever disgrace her house, was themother's cry; good people might be corrupted; but it was a fine thing ifsuch a house as her's could not be faithfully served by cursed creatureswho were hired knowing the business they were to be employed in, and whohad no pretence to principle!--D--n her, the wretch proceeded!--She hadno patience with her! call the cook, and call the scullion!
'They were at hand.
'See, that guilty pyeball devil, was her word--(her lady's gown upon herback)--but I'll punish her for a warning to all betrayers of their trust.Put on the great gridiron this moment, [an oath or a curse at everyword:] make up a roaring fire--the cleaver bring me this instant--I'llcut her into quarters with my own hands; and carbonade and broil thetraitress for a feast to all the dogs and cats in the neighbourhood, andeat the first slice of the toad myself, without salt or pepper.
'The poor Mabell, frighted out of her wits, expected every moment to betorn in pieces, having half a score open-clawed paws upon her all atonce. She promised to confess all. But that all, when she had obtaineda hearing, was nothing: for nothing had she to confess.
'Sally, hereupon with a curse of mercy, ordered her to retire;undertaking that she and Polly would examine her themselves, that theymight be able to write all particulars to his honour; and then, if shecould not clear herself, or, if guilty, give some account of the lady,(who had been so wicked as to give them all this trouble,) so as theymight get her again, then the cleaver and gridiron might go to work withall their heart.
'The wench, glad of this reprieve, went up stairs; and while Sally waslaying out the law, and prating away in her usual dictorial manner, whipton another gown, and sliding down the stairs, escaped to her relations.And this flight, which was certainly more owing to terror than guilt,was, in the true Old Bailey construction, made a confirmation of thelatter.'
***
These are the particulars of Miss Harlowe's flight. Thou'lt hardly thinkme too minute.--How I long to triumph over thy impatience and fury on theoccasion!
Let me beseech thee, my dear Lovelace, in thy next letter, to rave mostgloriously!--I shall be grievously disappointed if thou dost not.
***
Where, Lovelace, can the poor lady be gone? And who can describe thedistress she must be in?
By thy former letters, it may be supposed, that she can have very littlemoney: nor, by the suddenness of her flight, more clothes than those shehas on. And thou knowest who once said,* 'Her parents will not receiveher. Her uncles will not entertain her. Her Norton is in theirdirection, and cannot. Miss Howe dare not. She has not one friend orintimate in town--entirely a stranger to it.' And, let me add, has beendespoiled of her honour by the man for whom she had made all thesesacrifices; and who stood bound to her by a thousand oaths and vows, tobe her husband, her protector, and friend!
* See Vol. IV. Letter XXI.
How strong must be her resentment of the barbarous treatment she hasreceived! how worthy of herself, that it has made her hate the man sheonce loved! and, rather than marry him, choose to expose her disgrace tothe whole world: to forego the reconciliation with her friends which herheart was so set upon: and to hazard a thousand evils to which her youthand her sex may too probably ex
pose an indigent and friendly beauty!
Rememberest thou not that home push upon thee, in one of the paperswritten in her delirium; of which, however it savours not?----
I will assure thee, that I have very often since most seriously reflectedupon it: and as thy intended second outrage convinces me that it made noimpression upon thee then, and perhaps thou hast never thought of itsince, I will transcribe the sentence.
'If, as religion teaches us, God will judge us, in a great measure! byour benevolent or evil actions to one another--O wretch! bethink thee, intime bethink thee, how great must be thy condemnation.'*
* See Vol. VI. Letter XVI.
And is this amiable doctrine the sum of religion? Upon my faith,believe it is. For, to indulge a serious thought, since we are notatheists, except in practice, does God, the BEING of Beings, want anything of us for HIMSELF! And does he not enjoin us works of mercy to oneanother, as the means to obtain his mercy? A sublime principle, andworthy of the SUPREME SUPERINTENDENT and FATHER of all things!--But if weare to be judged by this noble principle, what, indeed, must be thycondemnation on the score of this lady only? and what mine, and what allour confraternity's, on the score of other women: though we are none ofus half so bad as thou art, as well for want of inclination, I hope, asof opportunity!
I must add, that, as well for thy own sake, as for the lady's, I wish yewere yet to be married to each other. It is the only medium that can behit upon to salve the honour of both. All that's past may yet beconcealed from the world, and from all her sufferings, if thou resolvestto be a tender and kind husband to her.
And if this really be thy intention, I will accept with pleasure of acommission from thee that shall tend to promote so good an end, whenevershe can be found; that is to say, if she will admit to her presence a manwho professes friendship to thee. Nor can I give a greaterdemonstration, that I am
Thy sincere friend,J. BELFORD.
P.S. Mabell's clothes were thrown into the passage this morning: nobodyknows by whom.