a courteous one! So here may something arise to lead into
correspondencies, and so forth. To be sure a person need not be so wary,
so cautious of what she writes, or what she leaves upon her table, or
toilette, when her attendant cannot read.

It would be a miracle, as thou sayest, if this lady can save
herself--And having gone so far, how can I recede? Then my revenge upon
the Harlowes!--To have run away with a daughter of theirs, to make her
a Lovelace--to make her one of a family so superior to her own--what a
triumph, as I have heretofore observed,* to them! But to run away
with her, and to bring her to my lure in the other light, what a
mortification of their pride! What a gratification of my own!

Then these women are continually at me. These women, who, before my
whole soul and faculties were absorbed in the love of this single
charmer, used always to oblige me with the flower and first fruits of
their garden! Indeed, indeed, my goddess should not have chosen this
London widow's! But I dare say, if I had, she would not. People who will
be dealing in contradiction ought to pay for it. And to be punished by
the consequences of our own choice--what a moral lies there!--What a
deal of good may I not be the occasion of from a little evil!

Dorcas is a neat creature, both in person and dress; her continuance not
vulgar. And I am in hopes, as I hinted above, that her lady will accept
of her for her bedfellow, in a strange house, for a week or so. But I
saw she had a dislike to her at her very first appearance; yet I thought
the girl behaved very modestly--over-did it a little perhaps. Her
ladyship shrunk back, and looked shy upon her. The doctrine of
sympathies and antipathies is a surprising doctrine. But Dorcas will be
excessively obliging, and win her lady's favour soon, I doubt not. I
am secure in one of the wench's qualities however--she is not to be
corrupted. A great point that! since a lady and her maid, when heartily
of one party, will be too hard for half a score devils.

The dear creature was no less shy when the widow first accosted her at
her alighting. Yet I thought that honest Doleman's letter had prepared
her for her masculine appearance.

And now I mention that letter, why dost thou not wish me joy, Jack?

Joy, of what?

Why, joy of my nuptials. Know then, that said, is done, with me, when I
have a mind to have it so; and that we are actually man and wife! only
that consummation has not passed: