Read Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 9 Page 19
LETTER XIX
MR. BELFORD, TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.SAT. AFTERNOON, SEPT. 9.
I understand, that thou breathest nothing but revenge against me, fortreating thee with so much freedom; and against the cursed woman and herinfernal crew. I am not at all concerned for thy menaces against myself.It is my design to make thee feel. It gives me pleasure to find myintention answered. And I congratulate thee, that thou hast not lostthat sense.
As to the cursed crew, well do they deserve the fire here, that thouthreatenest them with, and the fire hereafter, that seems to await them.But I have this moment received news which will, in all likelihood, savethee the guilt of punishing the old wretch for her share of wickedness asthy agent. But if that happens to her which is likely to happen, wiltthou not tremble for what may befal the principal?
Not to keep thee longer in suspense; last night, it seems, the infamouswoman got so heartily intoxicated with her beloved liquor, arrack punch,at the expense of Colonel Salter, that, mistaking her way, she fell downa pair of stairs, and broke her leg: and now, after a dreadful night, shelies foaming, raving, roaring, in a burning fever, that wants not anyother fire to scorch her into a feeling more exquisite and durable thanany thy vengeance could give her.
The wretch has requested me to come to her; and lest I should refuse acommon messenger, sent her vile associate, Sally Martin; who not findingme at Soho, came hither; another part of her business being to procurethe divine lady's pardon for the old creature's wickedness to her.
This devil incarnate, Sally, declares that she never was so shocked inher life, as when I told her the lady was dead.
She took out her salts to keep from fainting; and when a little recoveredshe accused herself for her part of the injuries the lady had sustained;as she said Polly Horton would do for her's; and shedding tears,declared, that the world never produced such another woman. She calledher the ornament and glory of her sex; acknowledged, that her ruin wasowing more to their instigations, than even (savage as thou art) to thyown vileness; since thou wert inclined to have done her justice more thanonce, had they not kept up thy profligate spirit to its height.
This wretch would fain have been admitted to a sight of the corpse; but Irefused the request with execrations.
She could forgive herself, she said, for every thing but her insults uponthe admirable lady at Rowland's, since all the rest was but in pursuit ofa livelihood, to which she had been reduced, as she boasted, from betterexpectations, and which hundred follow as well as she. I did not askher, by whom reduced?
At going away, she told me, that the old monster's bruises are of moredangerous consequence than the fracture; that a mortification isapprehended, and that the vile wretch has so much compunction of heart,on recollecting her treatment of Miss Harlowe, and is so much set uponprocuring her forgiveness, that she is sure the news she is to carry herwill hasten her end.