he honourableness of my intentions to your dear self,) to prevail
upon him, by a larger reward, to serve me; since, at the same time, he
might preserve the favour of your uncle and brother, as I desired to
know nothing but what related to myself and to you, in order to guard us
both against the effects of an ill-will, which all his fellow-servants,
as well as himself, as he acknowledged, thought undeserved.

'By this means, I own to you, Madam, I frequently turned his principals
about upon a pivot of my own, unknown to themselves: and the fellow, who
is always calling himself a plain man, and boasting of his conscience,
was the easier, as I condescended frequently to assure him of
my honourable views; and as he knew that the use I made of his
intelligence, in all likelihood, prevented fatal mischiefs.

'I was the more pleased with his services, as (let me acknowledge
to you, Madam) they procured to you, unknown to yourself, a safe and
uninterrupted egress (which perhaps would not otherwise have been
continued to you so long as it was) to the garden and wood-house: for he
undertook, to them, to watch all your motions: and the more cheerfully,
(for the fellow loves you,) as it kept off the curiosity of others.'*

* See Vol.II. Letter XXXVI.

So, my dear, it comes out, that I myself was obliged to this deep
contriver.

I sat in silent astonishment; and thus he went on.

'As to the circumstance, for which you think so hardly of me, I do
freely confess, that having a suspicion that you would revoke your
intention of getting away, and in that case apprehending that we should
not have the time together that was necessary for that purpose; I had
ordered him to keep off every body he could keep off, and to be himself
within a view of the garden-door; for I was determined, if possible, to
induce you to adhere to your resolution.'--

But pray, Sir, interrupting him, how came you to apprehend that I should
revoke my intention? I had indeed deposited a letter to that purpose;
but you had it not: and how, as I had reserved to myself the privilege
of a revocation, did you know, but I might have prevailed upon my
friends, and so have revoked upon good grounds?

'I will be very ingenuous, Madam--You had made me hope that if you
changed your mind, you would give me a meeting to apprize me of the
reasons for it. I went to the loose bricks, and I saw the letter there:
and as I knew your friends were immovably fixed in thei