Liber Amoris, or The New Pygmalion | Page 7

not have
mentioned it now, but I thought it might give you some satisfaction.
H. Why did he go at last?
S. We thought it better to part.
H. And do you correspond?
S. No, Sir. But perhaps I may see him again some time or other, though
it will be only in the way of friendship.
H. My God! what a heart is thine, to live for years upon that bare hope!
S. I did not wish to live always, Sir--I wished to die for a long time
after, till I thought it not right; and since then I have endeavoured to be
as resigned as I can.
H. And do you think the impression will never wear out?
S. Not if I can judge from my feelings hitherto. It is now sometime
since,--and I find no difference.
H. May God for ever bless you! How can I thank you for your
condescension in letting me know your sweet sentiments? You have
changed my esteem into adoration.--Never can I harbour a thought of
ill in thee again.

S. Indeed, Sir, I wish for your good opinion and your friendship.
H. And can you return them?
S. Yes.
H. And nothing more?
S. No, Sir.
H. You are an angel, and I will spend my life, if you will let me, in
paying you the homage that my heart feels towards you.

THE QUARREL

H. You are angry with me?
S. Have I not reason?
H. I hope you have; for I would give the world to believe my
suspicions unjust. But, oh! my God! after what I have thought of you
and felt towards you, as little less than an angel, to have but a doubt
cross my mind for an instant that you were what I dare not name--a
common lodging-house decoy, a kissing convenience, that your lips
were as common as the stairs--
S. Let me go, Sir!
H. Nay--prove to me that you are not so, and I will fall down and
worship you. You were the only creature that ever seemed to love me;
and to have my hopes, and all my fondness for you, thus turned to a
mockery--it is too much! Tell me why you have deceived me, and
singled me out as your victim?
S. I never have, Sir. I always said I could not love.
H. There is a difference between love and making me a laughing-stock.
Yet what else could be the meaning of your little sister's running out to
you, and saying "He thought I did not see him!" when I had followed
you into the other room? Is it a joke upon me that I make free with you?
Or is not the joke against HER sister, unless you make my courtship of
you a jest to the whole house? Indeed I do not well see how you can
come and stay with me as you do, by the hour together, and day after
day, as openly as you do, unless you give it some such turn with your
family. Or do you deceive them as well as me?
S. I deceive no one, Sir. But my sister Betsey was always watching and
listening when Mr. M---- was courting my eldest sister, till he was
obliged to complain of it.

H. That I can understand, but not the other. You may remember, when
your servant Maria looked in and found you sitting in my lap one day,
and I was afraid she might tell your mother, you said "You did not care,
for you had no secrets from your mother." This seemed to me odd at
the time, but I thought no more of it, till other things brought it to my
mind. Am I to suppose, then, that you are acting a part, a vile part, all
this time, and that you come up here, and stay as long as I like, that you
sit on my knee and put your arms round my neck, and feed me with
kisses, and let me take other liberties with you, and that for a year
together; and that you do all this not out of love, or liking, or regard,
but go through your regular task, like some young witch, without one
natural feeling, to shew your cleverness, and get a few presents out of
me, and go down into the kitchen to make a fine laugh of it? There is
something monstrous in it, that I cannot believe of you.
S. Sir, you have no right to harass my feelings in the manner you do. I
have never made a jest of you to anyone, but always felt and expressed
the greatest esteem for you. You have no ground for complaint in my
conduct; and I cannot help