----

Madam, Madam, Madam--these are insults not to be borne--and was
approaching her.

She withdrew to the door, and set her back against it, holding the
pointed knife to her heaving bosom; while the women held me, beseeching
me not to provoke the violent lady--for their house sake, and be curs'd
to them, they besought me--and all three hung upon me--while the truly
heroic lady braved me at that distance:

'Approach me, Lovelace, with resentment, if thou wilt. I dare die. It
is in defence of my honour. God will be merciful to my poor soul! I
expect no more mercy from thee! I have gained this distance, and two
steps nearer me, and thou shalt see what I dare do!'----

Leave me, women, to myself, and to my angel!--[They retired at a
distance.]--O my beloved creature, how you terrify me! Holding out my
arms, and kneeling on one knee--not a step, not a step farther, except to
receive my death at that injured hand which is thus held up against a
life far dearer to me than my own! I am a villain! the blackest of
villains!--Say you will sheath your knife in the injurer's, not the
injured's heart, and then will I indeed approach you, but not else.

The mother twanged her d--n'd nose; and Sally and Polly pulled out their
handkerchiefs, and turned from us. They never in their lives, they told
me afterwards, beheld such a scene----

Innocence so triumphant: villany so debased, they must mean!

Unawares to myself, I had moved onward to my angel--'And dost thou, dost
thou, still disclaiming, still advancing--dost thou, dost thou, still
insidiously move towards me?'--[And her hand was extended] 'I dare--I
dare--not rashly neither--my heart from principle abhors the act, which
thou makest necessary!--God, in thy mercy! [lifting up her eyes and
hands] God, in thy mercy!'

I threw myself to the farther end of the room. An ejaculation, a silent
ejaculation, employing her thoughts that moment; Polly says the whites of
her lovely eyes were only visible: and, in the instant that she extended
her hand, assuredly to strike the fatal blow, [how the very recital
terrifies me!] she cast her eye towards me, and saw me at the utmost
distance the room would allow, and heard my broken voice--my voice was
utterly broken; nor knew I what I said, or whether to the purpose or not
--and her charming cheeks, that were all in a glow before, turned pale,
as if terrified at her own purpose; and lifting up her eyes--'Thank God!
--thank God!