draughts)--but yet, he expected to have present one trusty friend of his
own, for his better satisfaction'--

Here I stopt, with a design to be angry--but she desiring me to read on,
I obeyed.

'--But that it should pass to every one living, except to that trusty
person, to himself, and to the Captain, that we were married from the
time that we had lived together in one house; and that this time should
be made to agree with that of Mr. Hickman's application to him from Miss
Howe.'

This, my dearest life, said I, is a very considerate proposal. We have
nothing to do but to caution the people below properly on this head. I
did not think your uncle Harlowe capable of hitting upon such a charming
expedient as this. But you see how much his heart is in the
reconciliation.

This was the return I met with--You have always, as a mark of your
politeness, let me know how meanly you think of every one in my family.

Yet thou wilt think, Belford, that I could forgive her for the reproach.

'The Captain does not know, says he, how this proposal will be relished
by us. But for his part, he thinks it an expedient that will obviate
many difficulties, and may possibly put an end to Mr. James Harlowe's
further designs: and on this account he has, by the uncle's advice,
already declared to two several persons, by whose means it may come to
that young gentleman's, that he [Captain Tomlinson] has very great reason
to believe that we were married soon after Mr. Hickman's application was