13. CHAP. XIII.
THE WOMAN OF HONOUR.
When Sir George left the parlour, he retired to
his own apartment, and calling for pen and ink,
addressed the following letter to Rebecca:
“With a heart fully sensible of the merit of the object
I presume to address, how is it possible but I must also
be sensible of the fear of offending her? pardon me,
dear young Lady, if almost unacquainted with the
thousand little delicacies expected by your sex from
those of ours, who venture to offer their friendship and
assistance to innocence and beauty; pardon me, I say,
if my expressions are not sufficiently denotive of my respect
and esteem, while I venture to ask if the situation
my sister offers you is perfectly consonant with your
expectations and wishes; yet I ought to know the modesty,
the humility of your mind, will lead you to tell
me it is.
“But, alas! I too well know the disposition of
Lady Ossiter to imagine a heart, like your's, replete
with sensibility, can enjoy any tolerable degree of tranquillity,
when subject to her caprice and ill humour: I
must therefore entreat my lovely friend to accept not
from me, but as a legacy from my mother (for I am
sensible she designed it, though the sudden stroke that
deprived us of her prevented her putting her designs in
execution) the enclosed two thousand pounds, which
will, at least, place you above dependance on the weak
and unworthy.
“Permit me also to assure you, dear amiable Miss
Littleton, that, in every future period of my life, I
shall be happy to convince you how much I am interested
in your welfare, and that nothing would give me more
sincere pleasure, than being allowed to devote my life
and fortune to the promotion of your felicity.
“I am, with every token of esteem and respect,
your friend,
Rebecca could not read this letter without emotion;
yet did she not hesitate what answer to return; the letter
itself she carefully locked up in her cabinet, but
the bank-bills she sealed up in the following note:
“Rebecca Littleton returns her most grateful acknowledgments
to Sir George Worthy for the kind solicitude
he evinces for her happiness. She begs leave
to return his noble present, which she cannot think of
accepting, as it would lay her under an obligation too
oppressive to a spirit which Sir George is mistaken in
thinking humble. Rebecca feels herself highly satisfied
in the protection of Lady Ossiter, and, though
she feels grateful for the offered friendship of the son
of her ever-lamented benefactress, she must beg leave
to decline it, as the vast distance fortune has placed between
them renders it impossible to cultivate true friendship,
which can only subsist between persons on an
equality with each other. Rebecca wishes to be retained
in the memory of Sir George only as the servant
of his sister, and, at the same time, assures him, the
son of Lady Mary Worthy will ever be retained in her
mind with servent wishes for his happiness.”
When she had sent away this note, she again read
over Sir George's letter; a tear, almost unknown to
herself, fell on it as she perused with attention his offers
of friendship: but she soon recollected herself, hastily
brushed away the token of her weakness, and, returning
the letter to her cabinet, began to prepare for her
removal to town, whither Lady Ossiter intended returning
the next day.
