proceed to another, which will require your utmost attention. It
will give you the reason why Mr. Solmes's presence is requisite--

Ay, said my uncle, and shew you what sort of a man somebody is. Mr.
Solmes, pray favour us, in the first place, with the letter you received
from your anonymous friend.

I will, Sir. And out he pulled a letter-case, and taking out a letter,
it is written in answer to one, sent to the person. It is superscribed,
To Roger Solmes, Esq. It begins thus: Honoured Sir--

I beg your pardon, Sir, said I: but what, pray, is the intent of reading
this letter to me?

To let you know what a vile man you are thought to have set your heart
upon, said my uncle, in an audible whisper.

If, Sir, it be suspected, that I have set my heart upon any other, why
is Mr. Solmes to give himself any further trouble about me?

Only hear, Niece, said my aunt; only hear what Mr. Solmes has to read
and to say to you on this head.

If, Madam, Mr. Solmes will be pleased to declare, that he has no view
to serve, no end to promote, for himself, I will hear any thing he shall
read. But if the contrary, you must allow me to say, that it will abate
with me a great deal of the weight of whatever he shall produce.

Hear it but read, Niece, said my aunt--

Hear it read, said my uncle. You are so ready to take part with--

With any body, Sir, that is accused anonymously, and from interested
motives.

He began to read; and there seemed to be a heavy load of charges in this
letter against the poor criminal: but I stopped the reading of it,
and said, It will not be my fault, if this vilified man be not as
indifferent to me, as one whom I never saw. If he be otherwise at
present, which I neither own, nor deny, it proceed from the strange
methods taken to prevent it. Do not let one cause unite him and me, and
we shall not be united. If my offer to live single be accepted, he shall
be no more to me than this gentleman.

Still--Proceed, Mr. Solmes--Hear it out, Niece, was my uncle's cry.

But to what purpose, Sir! said I--Had not Mr. Solmes a view in this?
And, besides, can any thing worse be said of Mr. Lovelace, than I have
heard said for several months past?

But this, said my uncle, and what Mr. Solmes can tell you besides,
amounts to the fullest proof--

Was the unhappy man, then, so freely treated in his character before,
without full proof? I beseech you, Sir, give me not too good an opinion
of Mr. Lovelace; as I m