
being obtained, he waited upon her with the instrument whereby she had made the
conveyance of her fortune to him; and all his remonstrances being insufficient
to persuade her to take it back, he cancelled it in her presence, and placed it
in that state, upon her toilet, while she was dressing; whereupon she shed a
torrent of tears, saying she now plainly perceived that he wanted to tear
himself from her, and that his affections were settled upon another. He was
sensibly affected by this proof of her concern; and endeavoured to calm the
perturbation of her mind, by vowing eternal fidelity, and pressing her to accept
of his hand in due form, before his departure. By these means her transports
were quieted for the present, and the marriage deferred, for the same prudential
reasons which had hitherto prevented it.
    Matters being thus compromised, and the day fixed for his departure, she,
together with her faithful maid, one morning visited him for the first time at
his own lodgings; and after breakfast, desiring to speak with him in private, he
conducted her into another room, where assuming an unusual gravity of aspect, My
dear M--, (said she) you are now going to leave me, and God alone knows if ever
we shall meet again: therefore, if you really love me with that tenderness which
you profess, you will accept of this mark of my friendship and unalterable
affection: it will at least be a provision for your journey; and if any accident
should befal me, before I have the happiness of receiving you again into my
arms, I shall have the satisfaction of knowing that you are not altogether
without resource. So saying, she put an embroidered pocket-book into his hand.
He expressed the high sense he had of her generosity and affection in the most
pathetic terms, and begg'd leave to suspend his acceptance, until he should know
the contents of her present, which was so extraordinary, that he absolutely
refused to receive it: he was, however, by her repeated intreaties, in a manner
compelled to receive about one half, and she afterwards insisted upon his taking
a reinforcement of a considerable sum for the expence of his journey.
    Having stayed with her ten days beyond the time he had fixed for his
departure, and settled the method of their correspondence, he took his leave
with an heart full of sorrow, anxiety and distraction, produced from the
different suggestions of his duty and love. He then set out for France, and
after a short stay at Paris, proceeded for Aix in Provence, and
