er. She began to meditate schemes
for his downfall. At this time, Sir Miles received the following letter
from Mr. Fielden:--

SOUTHAMPTON, Aug. 20, 1801.

DEAR SIR MILES,--You will remember that I informed you when I arrived
at Southampton with my dear young charge; and Susan has twice written
to her sister, implying the request which she lacked the courage, seeing
that she is timid, expressly to urge, that Miss Clavering might again be
permitted to visit her. Miss Clavering has answered as might be expected
from the propinquity of the relationship; but she has perhaps the same
fears of offending you that actuate her sister. But now, since the
worthy clergyman who had undertaken my parochial duties has found the
air insalubrious, and prays me not to enforce the engagement by which we
had exchanged our several charges for the space of a calendar year, I am
reluctantly compelled to return home,--my dear wife, thank Heaven, being
already restored to health, which is an unspeakable mercy; and I am
sure I cannot be sufficiently grateful to Providence, which has not only
provided me with a liberal independence of more than 200 pounds a year,
but the best of wives and the most dutiful of children,--possessions
that I venture to call "the riches of the heart." Now, I pray you, my
dear Sir Miles, to gratify these two deserving young persons, and to
suffer Miss Lucretia incontinently to visit her sister. Counting on your
consent, thus boldly demanded, I have already prepared an apartment for
Miss Clavering; and Susan is busy in what, though I do not know much of
such feminine matters, the whole house declares to be a most beautiful
and fanciful toilet-cover, with roses and forget-me-nots cut out of
muslin, and two large silk tassels, which cost her three shillings and
fourpence. I cannot conclude without thanking you from my heart for your
noble kindness to young Ardworth. He is so full of ardour and spirit
that I remember, poor lad, when I left him, as I thought, hard at
work on that well-known problem of Euclid vulgarly called the Asses'
Bridge,--I found him describing a figure of 8 on the village pond, which
was only just frozen over! Poor lad! Heaven will take care of him, I
know, as it does of all who take no care of themselves. Ah, Sir Miles,
if you could but see Susan,--such a nurse, too, in illness! I have the
honour to be, Sir Miles,

Your most humble, poor servant, to command,

MATTHEW FIELDEN.

Sir Miles put thi