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

itself in its full lustre, unmingled ☞ with that charming obligingness and condescending sweetness, which is evermore the softener of that dignity, when your mind is free and unapprehensive!

☞ Let me stop to admire, and to bless my beloved friend, who, unhappily for herself, at an age so tender, unacquainted as she was with the world, and with the vile arts of libertines, having been called upon to sustain the hardest and most shocking trials, from persecuting relations on one hand, and from a villanous lover on the other, has been enabled to give such an illustrious example of fortitude and prudence as never woman gave before her; and who, as I have heretofore observed,192 has made a far greater figure in adversity, than she possibly could have made, had all her shining qualities been exerted in their full force and power, by the ☞ continuance of that prosperous run of fortune which attended her for eighteen years of life out of nineteen.

☞ But now, my dear, do I apprehend, that you are in greater danger than ever yet you have been in; if you are not married in a week; and yet stay in this abominable house. For were you out of it, I own I should not be much afraid for you. These are my thoughts, on the most deliberate ☞ consideration: “That he is now convinced, that he has not been able to draw you off your guard: that therefore, if he can obtain no new advantage over you as he goes along, he is resolved to do you all the poor justice that it is in the power of such a wretch as he to do you. He is the rather induced to this, as he sees that all his own family have warmly engaged themselves in your cause: and that it is ☞ his highest interest to be just to you. Then the horrid wretch loves you (as well he may) above all women. I have no doubt of this: with such a love ☞ as such a wretch is capable of: with such a love as Herod loved his Marianne. He is now therefore, very probably, at last, in earnest.” I took time for inquiries of different natures, as I knew, by the train you are in, that whatever his designs are, they cannot ripen either for good or ☞ evil till something shall result from this device of his about Tomlinson and your uncle. Device I have no doubt that it is, whatever this dark, this impenetrable spirit intends by it.

☞ And yet I find it to be true, that Counsellor Williams (whom Mr. Hickman knows to be a man of eminence in his profession) has actually as good ☞ as finished the settlements: that two draughts of them have been made; one avowedly to be sent to one Captain Tomlinson, as the clerk says:⁠—and I find that a license has actually been more than once endeavoured to be obtained; and that difficulties have hitherto been made, equally to Lovelace’s ☞ vexation and disappointment. My mother’s proctor, who is very intimate with the proctor applied to by the wretch, has come at this information in confidence; and hints, that, as Mr. Lovelace is a man of high fortunes, these difficulties will probably be got over. But here follow the causes of my apprehension of your danger; which I should not have had a thought ☞ of (since nothing very vile has yet been attempted) but on finding what a house you are in, and, on that discovery, laying together and ruminating on past occurrences. “You are obliged, from the present favourable ☞ appearances, to give him your company whenever he requests it.⁠—You are under a necessity of forgetting, or seeming to forget, past disobligations; and to receive his addresses as those of a betrothed lover.⁠—You will incur the censure of prudery and affectation, even perhaps in your own apprehension, if you keep him at that distance which has hitherto ☞ been your security.⁠—His sudden (and as suddenly recovered) illness has given him an opportunity to find out that you love him. (Alas! my dear, I knew you loved him!) He is, as you relate, every ☞ hour more and more an encroacher upon it. He has seemed to change his nature, and is all love and ☞ gentleness. The wolf has put on the sheep’s clothing; yet more than once has shown his teeth, and his hardly-sheathed claws. The instance you have given of his freedom with your person,193 which you could not but resent; and yet, as matters are circumstanced between you, could not but pass over, when Tomlinson’s letter called you into his ☞ company,194 show the advantage he has now over you; and also, that if he can obtain greater, he will.⁠—And for this very reason (as I apprehend) it ☞ is, that Tomlinson is introduced; that is to say, to give you the greater security, and to be a mediator, if mortal offence be given you by any villanous attempt.⁠—The day seems not now to be so much in your power as it ought to be, since that now partly depends on your uncle, whose presence, at your own motion, he has wished on the occasion. A wish, were all real, very unlikely, I think, to be granted.”

☞ And thus situated, should he offer greater freedoms, must you not forgive him? I fear nothing (as I know who has said) that devil carnate or incarnate can fairly do against a ☞ virtue so established.195⁠—But surprises, my dear, in such a house as you are in, and in such circumstances as I have mentioned, I greatly fear! the ☞ man one who has already triumphed over persons worthy of his alliance.

☞ What then have you to do, but