I bid him ask Mr. Colbrand to
walk up; and he came; but neither of them would sit; nor put their hats
on. What mockado is this, to such a poor soul as I! I asked them, if
they were at liberty to tell me the truth of what they were to do with
me? If not, I would not desire it.--They both said, Robin was ordered to
carry me to my father's; and Mr. Colbrand was to leave me within ten
miles, and then strike off for the other house, and wait till my master
arrived there. They both spoke so solemnly, that I could not but believe
them.
But when Robin went down, the other said, he had a letter to give me next
day at noon, when we baited, as we were to do, at Mrs. Jewkes's
relation's.--May I not, said I, beg the favour to see it to-night? He
seemed so loath to deny me, that I have hopes I shall prevail on him by
and by.
Well, my dear father and mother, I have got the letter, on great promises
of secrecy, and making no use of it. I will try if I can open it without
breaking the seal, and will take a copy of it by and by; for Robin is in
and out: there being hardly any room in this little house for one to be
long alone. Well, this is the letter:
'When these lines are delivered to you, you will be far on your way to
your father and mother, where you have so long desired to be: and, I
hope, I shall forbear thinking of you with the least shadow of that
fondness my foolish heart had entertained for you: I bear you, however,
no ill will; but the end of my detaining you being over, I would not that
you should tarry with me an hour more than needed, after the ungenerous
preference you gave, at a time that I was inclined to pass over all other
considerations, for an honourable address to you; for well I found the
tables entirely turned upon me, and that I was in far more danger from
you, than you were from me; for I was just upon resolving to defy all the
censures of the world, and to make you my wife.
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