LETTER LXXXI - EVELINA IN CONTINUATION. Clifton, Oct. 12th.
THIS morning, early, I received the following letter from Sir Clement
Willoughby:
“To Miss Anville.
“I HAVE this moment received intelligence that preparations
are actually making for your marriage with Lord Orville.
“Imagine not that I write with the imbecile idea of
rendering those
preparations abortive. No, I am not so mad. My sole view is
to explain the motive of my conduct in a particular instance,
and to obviate the accusation of treachery which may be laid
to my charge.
“My unguarded behaviour, when I last saw you, has, probably,
already
acquainted you, that the letter I then saw you reading was
written by myself. For your further satisfaction, let me have
the honour of informing you, that the letter you had designed
for Lord Orville, had fallen into my hands.
“However I may have been urged on by a passion the most
violent that
ever warmed the heart of man, I can by no means calmly submit
to be stigmatized for an action seemingly so dishonourable;
and it is for this reason that I trouble you with this
justification.
“Lord Orville,-the happy Orville, whom you are so ready to
bless,-had made me believe he loved you not;-nay, that he
held you in contempt.
“Such were my thoughts of his sentiments of you, when I got
possession of the letter you meant to send him. I pretend
not to vindicate either the means I used to obtain it, or
the action of breaking the seal; but I was impelled, by an
impetuous curiosity, to discover the terms upon which you
wrote to him.