But, however, Mrs. Townsend and I, though I have not yet had dealings with her, are upon a very good foot of understanding.  She is a sensible woman; she has been abroad, and often goes abroad in the way of her business, and gives very entertaining accounts of all she has seen.

And having applied to me to recommend her to you, (as it is her view to be known to young ladies who are likely to change their condition,) I am sure I can engage her to give you protection at her house at Deptford; which she says is a populous village, and one of the last, I should think, in which you would be sought for.  She is not much there, you will believe, by the course of her dealings, but, no doubt, must have somebody on the spot, in whom she can confide:  and there, perhaps, you might be safe till your cousin comes.  And I should not think it amiss that you write to him out of hand.  I cannot suggest to you what you should write.  That must be left to your own discretion.  For you will be afraid, no doubt, of the consequence of a variance between the two men.

But, notwithstanding all this, and were I sure of getting you safely out of his hands, I will nevertheless forgive you, were you to make all up with him, and marry to-morrow.  Yet I will proceed with my projected scheme in relation to Mrs. Townsend; though I hope there will be no occasion to prosecute it, since your prospects seem to be changed, and since you have had twenty-four not unhappy hours together.  How my indignation rises for this poor consolation in the courtship [courtship must I call it?] of such a woman! let me tell you, my dear, that were you once your own absolute and independent mistress, I should be tempted, notwithstanding all I have written, to wish you to be the wife of any man in the world, rather than the wife either of Lovelace or of Solmes.

Mrs. Townsend, as I have recollected, has two brothers, each a master of a vessel; and who knows, as she and they have concerns together, but that, in case of need, you may have a whole ship’s crew at your devotion?  If Lovelace give you cause to leave him, take no thought for the people at Harlowe-place.  Let them take care of one another.  It is a care they are used to.  The law will help to secure them.  The wretch is no assassin, no night-murderer.  He is an open, because a fearless enemy; and should he attempt any thing that would make him obnoxious to the laws of society, you might have a fair riddance of him, either by flight or the gallows; no matter which.

Had you not been so minute in your account of the circumstances that attended the opportunity you had of overhearing the dialogue between Mr. Lovelace and two of the women, I should have thought the conference contrived on purpose for your ear.

I showed Mr. Lovelace’s proposals to Mr. Hickman, who had chambers once in Lincoln’s-inn, being designed for the law, had his elder brother lived.  He looked so wise, so proud, and so important, upon the occasion; and wanted to take so much consideration about them—­Would take them home if I pleased—­and weigh them well—­and so forth—­and the like—­and all that—­that I had no patience with him, and snatched them back with anger.