LETTER XXIX
MRS. NORTON, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWETUESDAY, AUG. 22.
After I had sealed up the enclosed, I had the honour of a private visitfrom your aunt Hervey; who has been in a very low-spirited way, and kepther chamber for several weeks past; and is but just got abroad.
She longed, she said, to see me, and to weep with me, on the hard fatethat had befallen her beloved niece.
I will give you a faithful account of what passed between us; as I expectthat it will, upon the whole, administer hope and comfort to you.
'She pitied very much your good mother, who, she assured me, is obligedto act a part entirely contrary to her inclinations; as she herself, sheowns, had been in a great measure.
'She said, that the poor lady was with great difficulty with-held fromanswering your letter to her; which had (as was your aunt's expression)almost broken the heart of every one: that she had reason to think thatshe was neither consenting to your two uncles writing, nor approving ofwhat they wrote.
'She is sure they all love you dearly; but have gone so far, that theyknow not how to recede.
'That, but for the abominable league which your brother had got everybody into (he refusing to set out for Scotland till it was renewed, andtill they had all promised to take no step towards a reconciliation inhis absence but by his consent; and to which your sister's resentmentskept them up); all would before now have happily subsided.
'That nobody knew the pangs which their inflexible behaviour gave them,ever since you had begun to write to them in so affecting and humble astyle.
'That, however, they were not inclined to believe that you were either soill, or so penitent as you really are; and still less, that Mr. Lovelaceis in earnest in his offers of marriage.
'She is sure, however, she says, that all will soon be well: and thesooner for Mr. Morden's arrival: who is very zealous in your behalf.
'She wished to Heaven that you would accept of Mr. Lovelace, wicked as hehas been, if he were now in earnest.
'It had always,' she said, 'been matter of astonishment to her, that soweak a pride in her cousin James, of making himself the whole family,should induce them all to refuse an alliance with such a family as Mr.Lovelace's was.
'She would have it, that your going off with Mr. Lovelace was theunhappiest step for your honour and your interest that could have beentaken; for that although you would have had a severe trial the next day,yet it would probably have been the last; and your pathetic powers musthave drawn you off some friends--hinting at your mother, at your uncleHarlowe, at your uncle Hervey, and herself.'
But here (that the regret that you did not trust to the event of thatmeeting, may not, in your present low way, too much afflict you) I mustobserve, that it seems a little too evident, even from this opinion ofyour aunt's, that it was not absolutely determined that all compulsionwas designed to be avoided, since your freedom from it must have beenowing to the party to be made among them by your persuasive eloquence anddutiful expostulation.
'She owned, that some of them were as much afraid of meeting you as youcould be of meeting them:'--But why so, if they designed, in the lastinstance, to give you your way?
Your aunt told me, 'That Mrs. Williams* had been with her, and asked heropinion, if it would be taken amiss, if she desired leave to go up, toattend her dearest young lady in her calamity. Your aunt referred her toyour mother: but had heard no more of it.
* The former housekeeper at Harlowe-place.
'Her daughter,' (Miss Dolly,) she said, 'had been frequently earnest withher on the same subject; and renewed her request with the greatestfervour when your first letter came to hand.'
Your aunt says, 'That she then being very ill, wrote to your mother uponit, hoping it would not be taken amiss if she permitted Dolly to go; butthat your sister, as from your mother, answered her, That now you seemedto be coming-to, and to have a due sense of your faults, you must be leftentirely to their own management.
'Miss Dolly,' she said, 'had pined ever since she had heard of Mr.Lovelace's baseness, being doubly mortified by it: first, on account ofyour sufferings; next, because she was one who rejoiced in your gettingoff, and vindicated you for it; and had incurred censure and ill-will onthat account; especially from your brother and sister; so that she seldomwent to Harlowe-place.'
Make the best use of these intelligences, my dearest young lady, for yourconsolation.
I will only add, that I am, with the most fervent prayers for yourrecovery and restoration to favour,
Your ever-faitfulJUDITH NORTON.