University of Virginia Library

[A Letter from Miss Lintot to her friend Florence Weldon.]

I have taken a great step, from which I am yet in a very disturbed
state.

Mr. Howard, Henry's father, full of ingenuity to affect the reconciliation
which he has so much at heart, enclosed to his son a letter for
me, with instructions to hand it to me in person! It was for the purpose
of affording the poor youth a pretext for taking a step for which he
had not the necessary courage.

He came, and in the absence, or with the consent of the servant, entered
my presence and tremblingly presented the letter of his father:

`Miss Lintot,' he said, `your silence and disdain are but a light punishment
for my abominable fault. Yet, must my punishment be eternal?
Will my repentance never disarm your displeasure? I was not
worthy of being your husband; but, setting aside matrimony and love,
cannot we be friends? Since with my heart or without it, you would
not dare to surrender yourself as the wife of a man prejudiced against
matrimony, and since for this reason he has renounced your love, does
it necessarily follow, (the manner of my rejection being forgiven) that
we ought always to be separated from each other, antagonists, when our
characters sympathise so perfectly?'

I was moved and cast down my eyes. He continued:

`Pardon me, Louise, and give me permission to visit you! Inasmuch
as my conscience may not be reconciled with matrimony, I swear to
you that you shall never hear from my lips a word that a sister may not
hear from her brother! Do you doubt? He, who loving as I have
loved you, has had the strength to sacrifice his love to exaggerate scruples,

ridiculous if you choose to call them, will he not have strength, if
not to conquer it, at least, to prevent its outbreak? Permit me, Louise,
permit me, for the love of Heaven, to see you sometimes! To deny
me will be to consign me again to the horrible madness which I
have endured for the last eight and twenty days, and which has only
left me since I have been in your presence. Louise, reflect, reflect
deeply before you reply!'

What could I do when my heart cried pardon, when I held even in
my hand the supplicating letter he had brought me from his father?—
To grant it would be to resist my own self-love: to refuse it was repugnant
to another love! A capitulation was necessary! — and a singular
idea suddenly flashed ugon my mind.

`Mr. Howard,' I said to Harry, `after what has occurred it is impossible
for me to preserve the least relation with you. I have receieved
an affront, and while it remains uneffaced —.'

`My repentance—my excuses—'

`It is not sufficient. You have outraged my feelings by indignantly
responding `No,' before the clergymen and the witnesses present. I
wish to stand in a precisely equal position. Consent to return with
me to the church once more: there you shall respond `Yes,' and I
publicly before the same minister and the same witnesses will return a
round `No!' Then the affront will be reciprocal, the revenge equal to
the injury, and, as you men say, honor will be satisfied! Afterwards
we can, if you desire it, meet accordingly as our relatives may consent.
And since, then, nothing requires we should be husband and wife, at
least nothing shall impede our being good friends.'

Now know, my dear Florence, that this proposition, although made
in a serious tone of voice, was irresistably accompanied by a certain
smiling air; my smile encouraged Harry, he accepted also smiling,
and made the contract in the presence of my aunt.

To-morrow morning this odd affair will be arranged, unless something
intervenes now unforseen. I will astonish you, certainly; but I
mean to carry out to the end my idea.

Adieu, as ever,