s, and the remainder as soon as the
bills can be looked up, and the amount of them adjusted. Thus will you
have a charming house entirely ready to receive you. Some of the ladies
of my family will soon be with you: they will not permit you long to
suspend my happy day. And that nothing may be wanting to gratify your
utmost punctilio, I will till then consent to stay here at Mrs.
Sinclair's while you reside at your new house; and leave the rest to your
own generosity. O my beloved creature, will not this be agreeable to
you? I am sure it will--it must--and clasping her closer to me, I gave
her a more fervent kiss than ever I had dared to give her before. I
permitted not my ardour to overcome my discretion, however; for I took
care to set my foot upon the letter, and scraped it farther from her, as
it were behind her chair.

She was in a passion at the liberty I took. Bowing low, I begged her
pardon; and stooping still lower, in the same motion took up the letter,
and whipt it into my bosom.

Pox on me for a puppy, a fool, a blockhead, a clumsy varlet, a mere Jack
Belford!--I thought myself a much cleverer fellow than I am!--Why could I
not have been followed in by Dorcas, who might have taken it up, while I
addressed her lady?

For here, the letter being unfolded, I could not put it in my bosom
without alarming her ears, as my sudden motion did her eyes--Up she flew
in a moment: Traitor! Judas! her eyes flashing lightning, and a
perturbation in her eager countenance, so charming!--What have you taken
up?--and then, what for both my ears I durst not have done to her, she
made no scruple to seize the stolen letter, though in my bosom.

What was to be done on so palpable a detection?--I clasped her hand,
which had hold of the ravished paper, between mine: O my beloved
creature! said I, can you think I have not some curiosity? Is it
possible you can be thus for ever employed; and I, loving narrative
letter-writing above every other species of writing, and admiring your
talent that way, should not (thus upon the dawn of my happiness, as I
presume to hope) burn with a desire to be admitted into so sweet a
correspondence?

Let go my hand!--stamping with her pretty foot; How dare you, Sir!--At
this rate, I see--too plainly I see--And more she could not say: but,
gasping, was ready to faint with passion and affright; the devil a bit
of her accustomed gentleness to be seen in her charming face, or to be
heard in her