I had scarcely time to breathe, before she returned, leading in Clarice. I did not yet comprehend the meaning of this ceremony. The lady was
overwhelmed with sweet confusion. Averted eyes and reluctant steps might
have explained to me the purpose of this meeting, if I had believed that
purpose to be possible. I felt the necessity of new fortitude, and
struggled to recollect the motives that had hitherto sustained me. "There!" said my patroness; "I have been endeavouring to persuade this
young man to live with us a little longer. He is determined, it seems,
to change his abode. He will not tell why, and I do not care to know,
unless I could show his reasons to be groundless. I have merely
remonstrated with him on the folly of his scheme, but he has proved
refractory to all I can say. Perhaps your efforts may meet with better
success." Clarice said not a word. My own embarrassment equally disabled me from
speaking. Regarding us both, for some time, with a benign aspect, Mrs.
Lorimer resumed, taking a hand of each and joining them together:--

"I very well know what it was that suggested this scheme. It is strange
that you should suppose me so careless an observer as not to note, or
not to understand, your situation. I am as well acquainted with what is
passing in your heart as you yourself are: but why are you so anxious to
conceal it? You know less of the adventurousness of love than I should
have suspected. But I will not trifle with your feelings. "You, Clithero, know the wishes that I once cherished. I had hoped that
my son would have found, in this darling child, an object worthy of his
choice, and that my girl would have preferred him to all others. But I
have long since discovered that this could not be. They are nowise
suited to each other. There is one thing in the next place desirable,
and now my wishes are accomplished. I see that you love each other; and
never, in my opinion, was a passion more rational and just. I should
think myself the worst of beings if I did not contribute all in my power
to your happiness. There is not the shadow of objection to your union. I
know your scruples, Clithero, and am sorry to see that you harbour them
for a moment. Nothing is more unworthy of your good sense. "I found out this girl long ago. Take my word for it, young man, she
does not fall short of you in the purity and tenderness of her
attachment. What need is there of tedious preliminaries? I will leave
you together, and hope you will not be long in coming to a mutual
understanding. Your union cannot be completed too soon for my wishes. Clarice is my only and darling daughter. As to you, Clithero, expect
henceforth that treatment from me, not only to which your own merit
entitles you, but which is due to the husband of my daughter." --With
these words she retired, and left us together. Great God! deliver me from the torments of this remembrance. That a
being by whom I was snatched from penury and brutal ignorance, exalted
to some rank in the intelligent creation, reared to affluence and
honour, and thus, at last, spontaneously endowed with all that remained
to complete the sum of my felicity, that a being like this-But such
thoughts must not yet be: I must shut them out, or I shall never arrive
at the end of my tale. My efforts have been thus far successful. I have
hitherto been able to deliver a coherent narrative. Let the last words
that I shall speak afford some glimmering of my better days. Let me
execute without faltering the only task that remains for me. Chapter VI. How propitious, how incredible, was this event! I could scarcely confide
in the testimony of my senses. Was it true that Clarice was before me,
that she was prepared to countenance my presumption, that she had
slighted obstacles which I had deemed insurmountable, that I was fondly
beloved by her, and should shortly be admitted to the possession of so
inestimable a good? I will not repeat the terms in which I poured forth,
at her feet, the raptures of my gratitude. My impetuosity soon extorted
from Clarice a confirmation of her mother's declaration. An unrestrained
intercourse was thenceforth established between us. Dejection and
languor gave place, in my bosom, to the irradiations of joy and hope. My
flowing fortunes seemed to have attained their utmost and immutable
height. Alas! They were destined to ebb with unspeakably-greater rapidity, and
to leave me, in a moment, stranded and wrecked. Our nuptials would have been solemnized without delay, had not a
melancholy duty interfered. Clarice had a friend in a distant part of
the kingdom. Her health had long been the prey of a consumption. She was
now evidently tending to dissolution. In this extremity she entreated
her friend to afford her the consolation of her presence. The only wish
that remained was to die in her arms. This request could not but be willingly complied with. It became me
patiently to endure the delay that would thence arise to the completion
of my wishes. Considering the urgency and mournfulness of the occasion,
it was impossible for me to murmur, and the affectionate Clarice would
suffer nothing to interfere with the duty which she owed to her dying
friend. I accompanied her on this journey, remained with her a few days,
and then parted from her to return to the metropolis. It was not
imagined that it would be necessary to prolong her absence beyond a
month. When I bade her farewell, and informed her on what day I proposed
to return for her, I felt no decay of my satisfaction. My thoughts were
bright and full of exultation. Why was not some intimation afforded me
of the snares that lay in my path? In the train laid for my destruction,
the agent had so skilfully contrived that my security was not molested
by the faintest omen. I hasten to the crisis of my tale. I am almost dubious of my strength. The nearer I approach to it, the stronger is my aversion. My courage,
instead of gathering force as I proceed, decays. I am willing to dwell
still longer on preliminary circumstances. There are other incidents
without which my story would be lame. I retail them because they afford
me a kind of respite from horrors at the thought of which every joint in
my frame trembles. They must be endured, but that infirmity may be
forgiven which makes me inclined to procrastinate my suffering. I mentioned the lover whom my patroness was compelled, by the
machinations of her brother, to discard. More than twenty years had
passed since their separation. His birth was mean and he was without
fortune. His profession was that of a surgeon. My lady not only
prevailed upon him to abandon his country, but enabled him to do this by
supplying his necessities from her own purse. His excellent
understanding was, for a time, obscured by passion; but it was not
difficult for my lady ultimately to obtain his concurrence to all her
schemes.