Read Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 6 Page 58

  LETTER LVIII

  LADY BETTY LAWRANCE, TO MISS CL. HARLOWESATURDAY, JULY 1.

  DEAR MADAM,

  I find that all is not as it should be between you and my nephewLovelace. It will very much afflict me, and all his friends, if he hasbeen guilty of any designed baseness to a lady of your character andmerit.

  We have been long in expectation of an opportunity to congratulate youand ourselves upon an event most earnestly wished for by us all; sinceour hopes of him are built upon the power you have over him: for if everman adored a woman, he is that man, and you, Madam, are that woman.

  Miss Montague, in her last letter to me, in answer to one of mine,inquiring if she knew from him whether he could call you his, or waslikely soon to have that honour, has these words: 'I know not what tomake of my cousin Lovelace, as to the point your Ladyship is so earnestabout. He sometimes says he is actually married to Miss Cl. Harlowe: atother times, that it is her own fault if he be not.--He speaks of her notonly with love but with reverence: yet owns, that there is amisunderstanding between them; but confesses that she is whollyfaultless. An angel, and not a woman, he says she is: and that no manliving can be worthy of her.'--

  This is what my niece Montague writes.

  God grant, my dearest young lady, that he may not have so heinouslyoffended you that you cannot forgive him! If you are not alreadymarried, and refuse to be his, I shall lose all hopes that he ever willmarry, or be the man I wish him to be. So will Lord M. So will LadySarah Sadleir.

  I will now answer your questions: but indeed I hardly know what to write,for fear of widening still more the unhappy difference between you. Butyet such a young lady must command every thing from me. This then is myanswer:

  I wrote not any letter to him on or about the 7th of June.

  Neither I nor my steward know any such man as Captain Tomlinson.

  I wrote not to my niece to meet me at Reading, nor to accompany me to my cousin Leeson's in town.

  My chancery affair, though, like most chancery affairs, it be of long standing, is, nevertheless, now in so good a way, that it cannot give me occasion to go to town.

  Nor have I been in town these six months: nor at Hampstead for years.

  Neither shall I have any temptation to go to town, except to pay my congratulatory compliments to Mrs. Lovelace. On which occasion I should go with the greatest pleasure; and should hope for the favour of your accompanying me to Glenham-hall, for a month at least.

  Be what will the reason of your inquiry, let me entreat you, my dearyoung lady, for Lord M.'s sake; for my sake; for this giddy man's sake,soul as well as body; and for all our family's sakes; not to suffer thisanswer to widen differences so far as to make you refuse him, if healready has not the honour of calling you his; as I am apprehensive hehas not, by your signing by your family-name.

  And here let me offer to you my mediation to compose the differencebetween you, be it what it will. Your cause, my dear young lady, cannotbe put into the hands of any body living more devoted to your service,than into those of

  Your sincere admirer, and humble servant,ELIZ. LAWRANCE.