e as calm and undisturbed as the bishop at
his prayers; while he, as is evident by his letter, must be actuated by
revenge and passion.

Doubt not, therefore, Jack, that I shall give a good account of this
affair. Mean time, I remain,

Your's most affectionately, &c.
LOVELACE.

LETTER LXII

MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
TRENT, DEC. 3--14.

To-morrow is to be the day, that will, in all probability, send either
one or two ghosts to attend the manes of my CLARISSA.

I arrived here yesterday; and inquiring for an English gentleman of the
name of Morden, soon found out the Colonel's lodgings. He had been in
town two days; and left his name at every probable place.

He was gone to ride out; and I left my name, and where to be found; and
in the evening he made me a visit.

He was plaguy gloomy. That was not I. But yet he told me that I had
acted like a man of true spirit in my first letter; and with honour, in
giving him so readily this meeting. He wished I had in other respects;
and then we might have seen each other upon better terms than now we did.

I said there was no recalling what was passed; and that I wished some
things had not been done, as well as he.

To recriminate now, he said, would be as exasperating as unavailable.
And as I had so cheerfully given him this opportunity, words should give
place to business.--Your choice, Mr. Lovelace, of time, of place, of
weapon, shall be my choice.

The two latter be your's, Mr. Morden. The time to-morrow, or next day,
as you please.

Next day, then, Mr. Lovelace; and we'll ride out to-morrow, to fix the
place.

Agreed, Sir.

Well: now, Mr. Lovelace, do you choose the weapon.

I said I believed we might be upon an equal footing with the single
rapier; but, if he thought otherwise, I had no objection to a pistol.

I will only say, replied he, that the chances may be more equal by the
sword, because we can neither of us be to seek in that; and you would
stand, says he, a worse chance, as I apprehend, with a pistol; and yet
I have brought two, that you may take your choice of either; for, added
he, I have never missed a mark at pistol-distance, since I knew how to
hold a pistol.

I told him, that he spoke like himself; that I was expert enough that
way, to embrace it, if he chose it; though not so sure of my mark as
he pretended to be. Yet the devil's in it, Colonel, if I, who have slit
a bullet in two upon a knife's edge, hit not my man