me, for all this preparation and contrivance!--But it is now too
late!--But how!--Too late, did I say?--What a word is that!--What a
dreadful thing, were I to repent, to find it to be too late to remedy
the apprehended evil!

SATURDAY, TEN O'CLOCK.

Mr. Solmes is here. He is to dine with his new relations, as Betty tells
me he already calls them.

He would have thrown himself in my way once more: but I hurried up to my
prison, in my return from my garden-walk, to avoid him.

I had, when in the garden, the curiosity to see if my letter were gone:
I cannot say with an intention to take it back again if it were not,
because I see not how I could do otherwise than I have done; yet, what a
caprice! when I found it gone, I began (as yesterday morning) to wish it
had not: for no other reason, I believe, than because it was out of my
power.

A strange diligence in this man!--He says, he almost lives upon the
place; and I think so too.

He mentions, as you will see in his letter, four several disguises,
which he puts on in one day. It is a wonder, nevertheless, that he has
not been seen by some of our tenants: for it is impossible that any
disguise can hide the gracefulness of his figure. But this is to be
said, that the adjoining grounds being all in our own hands, and no
common foot-paths near that part of the garden, and through the park and
coppice, nothing can be more bye and unfrequented.

Then they are less watchful, I believe, over my garden-walks, and my
poultry-visits, depending, as my aunt hinted, upon the bad character
they have taken so much pains to fasten upon Mr. Lovelace. This, they
think, (and justly think,) must fill me with doubts. And then the regard
I have hitherto had for my reputation is another of their securities.
Were it not for these two, they would not surely have used me as they
have done; and at the same time left me the opportunities which I have
several times had, to get away, had I been disposed to do so:* and,
indeed, their dependence on both these motives would have been well
founded, had they kept but tolerable measures with me.

* They might, no doubt, make a dependence upon the reasons
she gives: but their chief reliance was upon the vigilance
of their Joseph Leman; little imagining what an implement he
was of Mr. Lovelace.

Then, perhaps, they have no notion of the back-door; as it is seldom
opened, and leads to a place so pathless and lonesome.* If no