XXII

LadySusantoMrs.Johnson. Churchhill. Thisisinsufferable!Mydearestfriend,Iwasneversoenragedbefore,andmustrelievemyselfbywritingtoyou,whoIknowwillenterintoallmyfeelings.WhoshouldcomeonTuesdaybutSirJamesMartin!Guessmyastonishment,andvexation—for,asyouwellknow,IneverwishedhimtobeseenatChurchhill.Whatapitythatyoushouldnothaveknownhisintentions!Notcontentwithcoming,heactuallyinvitedhimselftoremainhereafewdays.Icouldhavepoisonedhim!Imadethebestofit,however,andtoldmystorywithgreatsuccesstoMrs.Vernon,who,whatevermightbeherrealsentiments,saidnothinginoppositiontomine.ImadeapointalsoofFrederica’sbehavingcivillytoSirJames,andgavehertounderstandthatIwasabsolutelydeterminedonhermarryinghim.Shesaidsomethingofhermisery,butthatwasall.IhaveforsometimebeenmoreparticularlyresolvedonthematchfromseeingtherapidincreaseofheraffectionforReginald,andfromnotfeelingsecurethataknowledgeofsuchaffectionmightnotintheendawakenareturn.Contemptibleasaregardfoundedonlyoncompassionmustmakethembothinmyeyes,Ifeltbynomeansassuredthatsuchmightnotbetheconsequence.ItistruethatReginaldhadnotinanydegreegrowncooltowardsmebutyethehaslatelymentionedFredericaspontaneouslyandunnecessarily,andoncesaidsomethinginpraiseofherperson.Hewasallastonishmentattheappearanceofmyvisitor,andatfirstobservedSirJameswithanattentionwhichIwaspleasedtoseenotunmixedwithjealousybutunluckilyitwasimpossibleformereallytotormenthim,asSirJames,thoughextremelygallanttome,verysoonmadethewholepartyunderstandthathisheartwasdevotedtomydaughter.IhadnogreatdifficultyinconvincingDeCourcy,whenwewerealone,thatIwasperfectlyjustified,allthingsconsidered,indesiring