vil! or you could not after you
have put these questions to me, seem to doubt the truth of answers so
solemnly sworn to.

And if I do think thee so, have I not cause? Is there another man in the
world, (I hope for the sake of human nature, there is not,) who could act
by any poor friendless creature as thou hast acted by me, whom thou hast
made friendless--and who, before I knew thee, had for a friend every one
who knew me?

I told you, Madam, before that Lady Betty and my cousin were actually
here, in order to take leave of you, before they set out for Berkshire:
but the effects of my ungrateful crime, (such, with shame and remorse, I
own it to be,) were the reason you could not see them. Nor could I be
fond that they should see you; since they never would have forgiven me,
had they known what had passed--and what reason had I to expect your
silence on the subject, had you been recovered?

It signifies nothing now, that the cause of their appearance has been
answered in my ruin, who or what they are: but if thou hast averred thus
solemnly to two falsehoods, what a wretch do I see before me!

I thought she had now reason to be satisfied; and I begged her to allow
me to talk to her of to-morrow, as of the happiest day of my life. We
have the license, Madam--and you must excuse me, that I cannot let you go
hence till I have tried every way I can to obtain your forgiveness.

And am I then, [with a kind of frantic wildness,] to be detained a
prisoner in this horrid house--am I, Sir?--Take care! take care! holding
up her hand, menacing, how you make me desperate! If I fall, though by
my own hand, inquisition will be made for my blood; and be not out in thy
plot, Lovelace, if it should be so--make sure work, I charge thee--dig a
hole deep enough to cram in and conceal this unhappy body; for, depend
upon it, that some of those who will not stir to protect me living, will
move heaven and earth to avenge me dead!

A horrid dear creature!--By my soul she made me shudder! She had need
indeed to talk of her unhappiness in falling into the hands of the only
man in the world, who could have used her as I have used her--she is the
only woman in the world, who could have shocked and disturbed me as she
has done. So we are upon a foot in that respect. And I think I have the
worst of it by much: since very little has been my joy--very much my
trouble. And her punishment, as she calls it, is over: but when mine
will, or what