r and turn her adrift.

I considered a little, and then asked her whether if these difficulties
could be got over she would still be disposed to marry him.

She said it was no use thinking of it, but that if it were not for the
objections she had mentioned, she certainly would, as she thought she
could live happily with him.

I then told her that as to the first objection she might set her mind
perfectly at ease, for from what I had already seen of Sir Charles, his
instrument I knew was so much larger than anything that had found its
way into her and he would find so much difficulty in getting it in for
the first time that he would never suspect any intruder had been before
him, and that if, as she easily might, she insisted in the operation
being performed in the dark, I could supply her with a contrivance by
which a little red liquid might be applied so as to produce the natural
appearance of an effusion of blood. Then as to the second objection, I
told her I thought there would be little fear of his making any
complaint at least in public on the subject, if she had the power to
hold out to him that she could bring forward a matter which it would be
equally unpleasant for him to have disclosed.

She said that in such a case the matter might perhaps be arranged, but
she could not imagine how she was to obtain such a hold over him.

I told her I thought she might leave that to me. I then explained to
her that Sir Charles had taken a fancy to me on my arrival, and had
shown me every kindness and attention, evidently wishing to be on an
intimate footing with me.

The poor fellow no doubt was in an awkward predicament. Inflamed by the
constant sight of the charms of Laura, of whom he was greatly
enamoured, he was afraid to console himself in the arms of any of the
women in the neighbourhood for fear his infidelity might come to her
knowledge, and unable wholly to restrain his desire to give vent in
some manner to his pent-up passions, he had made some overtures to me
of which I clearly understood the meaning, though with Laura, Betsy,
and Frank on my hands, I had quite enough to do in that way, and
consequently I had pretended not to understand his intentions. I now
suggested to Laura that by complying with his wishes I might get him to
come to my room where she and Frank would have an opportunity of seeing
us enjoy each other, so that if at any future period he should accuse
her of infidelity prior to her marriage,