 first incapable of Utterance; but Streams of Fire darted
from her Eyes, and well indeed they might, for her Heart was all in a Flame. And
now as soon as her Voice found Way, instead of expressing any Indignation
against Honour, or her own Servants, she began to attack poor Jones. »You see,«
said she, »what I have sacrificed to you, my Reputation, my Honour, - gone for
ever! And what Return have I found? Neglected, slighted for a Country Girl, for
an Idiot.« - »What Neglect, Madam, or what Slight,« cries Jones, »have I been
guilty of?« - »Mr. Jones,« said she, »it is in vain to dissemble, if you will
make me easy, you must entirely give her up; and as a Proof of your Intention,
shew me the Letter.« - »What Letter, Madam?« said Jones. »Nay, surely,« said
she, »you cannot have the Confidence to deny your having received a Letter by
the Hands of that Trollop.« »And can your Ladyship,« cries he, »ask of me what I
must part with my Honour before I grant? Have I acted in such a Manner by your
Ladyship? Could I be guilty of betraying this poor innocent Girl to you, what
Security could you have, that I should not act the same Part by yourself? A
Moment's Reflection will, I am sure, convince you, that a Man with whom the
Secrets of a Lady are not safe, must be the most contemptible of Wretches.«
»Very well,« said she - »I need not insist on your becoming this contemptible
Wretch in your own Opinion; for the Inside of the Letter could inform me of
nothing more than I know already. I see the Footing you are upon.« - Here ensued
a long Conversation, which the Reader, who is not too curious, will thank me for
not inserting at length. It shall suffice therefore to inform him, that Lady
Bellaston grew more and more pacified, and at length believed, or affected to
believe, his Protestations, that his meeting with Sophia that Evening was merely
accidental, and every other Matter which the Reader already knows, and which as
Jones set before her in the strongest Light, it is plain that she had in Reality
no Reason to be angry with him.
    She was not however in her Heart perfectly satisfied with his Refusal to
shew her the Letter, so deaf are we to the clearest Reason
