d I to do but to try for a
palliation of my confusion, since it served me not?

I told him I had hopes it would not be long before Mr. Morden arrived;
and doubted not that that gentleman would be the readier to engage in my
favour, when he found that I made no other use of his (Mr. Lovelace's)
assistance, than to free myself from the addresses of a man so
disagreeable to me as Mr. Solmes: I must therefore wish that every thing
might remain as it was till I could hear from my cousin.

This, although teased by him as I was, was not, you see, my dear,
a denial. But he must throw himself into a heat, rather than try to
persuade; which any other man in his situation, I should think, would
have done; and this warmth obliged me to adhere to my seeming negative.

This was what he said, with a vehemence that must harden any woman's
mind, who had a spirit above being frighted into passiveness--

Good God! and will you, Madam, still resolve to show me that I am
to hope for no share in your favour, while any the remotest prospect
remains that you will be received by my bitterest enemies, at the price
of my utter rejection?

This was what I returned, with warmth, and with a salving art too--You
should have seen, Mr. Lovelace, how much my brother's violence can
affect me: but you will be mistaken if you let loose yours upon me, with
a thought of terrifying me into measures the contrary of which you have
acquiesced with.

He only besought me to suffer his future actions to speak for him; and
if I saw him worthy of any favour, that I would not let him be the only
person within my knowledge who was not entitled to my consideration.

You refer to a future time, Mr. Lovelace, so do I, for the future proof
of a merit you seem to think for the past time wanting: and justly you
think so. And I was again going from him.

One word more he begged me to hear--He was determined studiously to
avoid all mischief, and every step that might lead to mischief, let my
brother's proceedings, short of a violence upon my person, be what they
would: but if any attempt that should extend to that were to be made,
would I have had him to be a quiet spectator of my being seized, or
carried back, or on board, by this Singleton; or, in case of extremity,
was he not permitted to stand up in my defence?

Stand up in my defence, Mr. Lovelace!--I should be very miserable were
there to be a call for that. But do you think I might not be safe and
private in L