Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 8 by Samuel Richardson
page 125 of 397 (31%)
page 125 of 397 (31%)
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before he could reveal it; and in it he lies struggling between life and
death--but I'll go in again. ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. All now must soon be over with him: Poor, poor fellow! He has given me some hints of what he wanted to say; but all incoherent, interrupted by dying hiccoughs and convulsions. Bad enough it must be, Heaven knows, by what I can gather!--Alas! Lovelace, I fear, I fear, he came too soon into his uncle's estate. If a man were to live always, he might have some temptation to do base things, in order to procure to himself, as it would then be, everlasting ease, plenty, or affluence; but, for the sake of ten, twenty, thirty years of poor life to be a villain--Can that be worth while? with a conscience stinging him all the time too! And when he comes to wind up all, such agonizing reflections upon his past guilt! All then appearing as nothing! What he most valued, most disgustful! and not one thing to think of, as the poor fellow says twenty and twenty times over, but what is attended with anguish and reproach!-- To hear the poor man wish he had never been born!--To hear him pray to be nothing after death! Good God! how shocking! By his incoherent hints, I am afraid 'tis very bad with him. No pardon, no mercy, he repeats, can lie for him! I hope I shall make a proper use of this lesson. Laugh at me if thou |
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