 about five hundred Pounds, which they held, in joint Stock, and had, hitherto, rather increased than diminished.
As I scarce remembered my Mother, and had now, as it were no Father, Relation, nor Friend upon Earth, I felt a Vacuity in my Soul, somewhat like that of an empty Stomach, desirous of seizing on the first Food that should present itself to my Cravings. Delightful Sensibilities! Sweet Hungerings of Nature after its Kind! This good Woman and her Niece became all the World to me. The one had conceived, for me, all the Passion of a Parent; the other, that of the fondest and tenderest of Sisters. On the other Hand, I had, for Mrs.
Graves,
all the Feelings of a Child who conceives himself a Part of the Existence of her who bore him; and my Eyes and Actions could not forbear to discover, to
Arabella,
that my Heart was that of the most affectionate of Brothers, though too delicate to indulge itself in those familiar Endearments which the Nearness of Kindred might venture to claim.
When I was up and about the House, I requested Mrs.
Graves
to make out her Bill for my Board, and for Physician, Surgeon, Drugs,
&c.
during my long Illness. Hereupon, she looked eagergly and tenderly at me. Mr.
Clement,
says she, I think you are too generous, designedly, to reproach us with what we owe you. But, for what is it, my Child, that you desire us to charge you? Is it for rescuing me from Death, or a Shame worse than Death, probably, from both? or, is it for delivering this my Darling from the bitter Grief and Distress that my Loss must have brought upon her? Or, do you, rather, desire to pay us for the fearful Pains and Sickness which you suffered on our Account, and for having, nearly, forfeited your Life in our Defence? No, Mr.
Clement,
you must not think of paying us the very Debts that we owe you; more indeed, Mr.
Clement,
than all our little Fortune, than the Product of the Industry of our Lives can ever repay.
Here, I was silenced, for the present, but, in no Degree convinced. And I felt, in a sort, the Disgust of an injured Person, uneasy and studious, till some Revenge might be had.
In two Days after, while Mrs.
Graves
was at Market, and
Arabella
gone, with a Brussels Head and Ruffles, to a young Lady of Distinction
