Clarissa Harlowe, Samuel Richardson [black authors fiction .txt] 📗

speak of what was so near his heart, till he began first. And then he told me, that he had had an application made to him, two or three days before, by a gentleman whom he named,165 to induce him not only to be reconciled himself to his niece, but to forward for her a general reconciliation.

A like application, he told me, had been made to his sister Harlowe, by a good woman, whom everybody respected; who had intimated, that his niece, if encouraged, would again put herself into the protection of her friends, and leave you: but if not, that she must unavoidably be yours.

I hope, Mr. Lovelace, I make no mischief.⁠—You look concerned⁠—you sigh, Sir.

Proceed, Captain Tomlinson. Pray proceed.⁠—And I sighed still more profoundly.

Capt. They all thought it extremely particular, that a lady should decline marriage with a man she had so lately gone away with.

Pray, Captain⁠—pray, Mr. Tomlinson⁠—no more of this subject. My beloved is an angel. In everything unblamable. Whatever faults there have been, have been theirs and mine. What you would further say, is, that the unforgiving family rejected her application. They did. She and I had a misunderstanding. The falling out of lovers⁠—you know, Captain.⁠—We have been happier ever since.

Capt. Well, Sir; but Mr. John Harlowe could not but better consider the matter afterwards. And he desired my advice how to act in it. He told me that no father ever loved a daughter as he loved this niece of his; whom, indeed, he used to call his daughter-niece. He said, she had really been unkindly treated by her brother and sister: and as your alliance, Sir, was far from being a discredit to their family, he would do his endeavour to reconcile all parties, if he could be sure that ye were actually man and wife.

Lovel. And what, pray, Captain, was your advice?

Capt. I gave it as my opinion, that if his niece were unworthily treated, and in distress, (as he apprehended from the application to him), he would soon hear of her again: but that it was likely, that this application was made without expecting it would succeed; and as a salvo only, to herself, for marrying without their consent. And the rather thought I so, as he had told me, that it came from a young lady her friend, and not in a direct way from herself; which young lady was no favourite of the family; and therefore would hardly have been employed, had success been expected.

Lovel. Very well, Captain Tomlinson⁠—pray proceed.

Capt. Here the matter rested till last Sunday evening, when Mr. John Harlowe came to me with the man who had seen you and your lady (as I presume she is) at the play; and who had assured him, that you both lodged in the same house.⁠—And then the application having been so lately made, which implied that you were not then married, he was so uneasy for his niece’s honour, that I advised him to dispatch to town someone in whom he could confide, to make proper inquiries.

Lovel. Very well, Captain⁠—And was such a person employed on such an errand by her uncle?

Capt. A trusty and discreet person was accordingly sent; and last Tuesday, I think it was, (for he returned to us on the Wednesday), he made the inquiries among the neighbours first. (The very inquiry, Jack, that gave us all so much uneasiness.166) But finding that none of them could give any satisfactory account, the lady’s woman was come at, who declared, that you were actually married. But the inquirist keeping himself on the reserve as to his employers, the girl refused to tell the day, or to give him other particulars.

Lovel. You give a very clear account of everything, Captain Tomlinson. Pray proceed.

Capt. The gentleman returned; and, on his report, Mr. Harlowe, having still doubts, and being willing to proceed on some grounds in so important a point, besought me (as my affairs called me frequently to town) to undertake this matter. ‘You, Mr. Tomlinson, he was pleased to say, have children of your own: you know the world: you know what I drive at: you will proceed, I am sure, with understanding and spirit: and whatever you are satisfied with shall satisfy me.’

Enter Dorcas again in a hurry.

Sir, the gentleman is impatient.

I will attend him presently.

The Captain then accounted for his not calling in person, when he had reason to think us here.

He said he had business of consequence a few miles out of town, whither he thought he must have gone yesterday, and having been obliged to put off his little journey till this day, and understanding that we were within, not knowing whether he should have such another opportunity, he was willing to try his good fortune before he set out; and this made him come booted and spurred, as I saw him.

He dropped a hint in commendation of the people of the house; but it was in such a way, as to give no room to suspect that he thought it necessary to inquire after the character of persons, who make so genteel an appearance, as he observed they do.

And here let me remark, that my beloved might collect another circumstance in favour of the people below, had she doubted their characters, from the silence of her uncle’s inquirist on Tuesday among the neighbours.

Capt. And now, Sir, that I believe I have satisfied you in everything relating to my commission, I hope you will permit me to repeat my question⁠—which is⁠—

Enter Dorcas again, out of breath.

Sir, the gentleman will step up to you. Aside. —My lady is impatient. She wonders at your honour’s delay.

Excuse me, Captain, for one moment.

I have stayed my full time, Mr. Lovelace. What may result from my question and your answer, whatever it shall be, may take us up time.⁠—And you are engaged. Will you permit me to attend you in the morning, before I set