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"I grieve, indeed," he answered, "that your goodness should so severely be tried; yet did you not condescend to coht her approbation would secure my peace of mind; but how could I have expected Mrs Delvile's consent to such a scheme!"

"She has merely accorded it from a certainty there is no other resource Believe me, therefore, my whole hope rests upon your present compliance My father, I am certain, by his letter, will now hear neither petition nor defence; on the contrary, he will only enrage at the te to confute hihter, his honour will then be concerned in yours, and it will be as much his desire to have it cleared, as it is now to have it censured"

"Wait at least your return, and let us try what can be done with him"

"Oh why," cried Delvile, with er out month after month in this wretched uncertainty! If I wait I am undone! my father, by the orders Iwithout his consent, and he ork upon you in ive , "he would have so much power?"

"I am but too sure, that the least inti him of my intentions, wouldsome malediction upon my disobedience that neither of us, I ument that cah silent, was evidently not unfavourable

He then told her that with respect to settlements, he would instantly have a bond drawn up, similar to that prepared for their forned and sealed, and by which he would engage hi to his estate, the same settlement upon her that wasup three houses," he continued, "in the manner my father does at present, I mean to put my whole estate out to nurse, while we reside for a while abroad, or in the country, I doubt not but in a very few years we shall be as rich and as easy as we shall desire"

He told her, also, of his well-founded expectations from the Relations already mentioned; which the concurrence of his e would thence forward secure to hie He purposed, without losing a moment, to return to London; he conjured her, in the name of his mother, to set out herself early the next day, that the following evening h her intercession heon the - desired ceremony over, he would instantly ride post to his father, and pay hi the first to communicate it He would then attend his ele man," he continued, "I mean to make the journey, and I shall take care, by the ti my sweet Bride Tell me, then, now, if you can reasonably oppose this plan?"