From what? Let me beseech you, Madam, to be the guardian of my
reputation! Let not your Clarissa be precipitated into a state she
wishes not to enter into with any man! And this upon a supposition
that otherwise she shall marry herself, and disgrace her whole family.

Well then, Clary [passing over the force of my plea] if your heart be
free--

O my beloved Mamma, let the usual generosity of your dear heart
operate in my favour. Urge not upon me the inference that made me
hesitate.

I won't be interrupted, Clary--You have seen in my behaviour to you,
on this occasion, a truly maternal tenderness; you have observed that
I have undertaken the task with some reluctance, because the man is
not every thing; and because I know you carry your notions of
perfection in a man too high--

Dearest Madam, this one time excuse me!--Is there then any danger that
I should be guilty of an imprudent thing for the man's sake you hint
at?

Again interrupted!--Am I to be questioned, and argued with? You know
this won't do somewhere else. You know it won't. What reason then,
ungenerous girl, can you have for arguing with me thus, but because
you think from my indulgence to you, you may?

What can I say? What can I do? What must that cause be that will not
bear being argued upon?