THE next morning the sun arose with peculiar warmth for the season; so that we agreed to breakfast together on the
honeysuckle bank; where, while we sat, my youngest daughter, at my request, joined her voice to the concert on the trees
about us. It was in this place my poor Olivia first met her seducer, and every object served to recall her sadness. But that
melancholy which is excited by objects of pleasure, or inspired by sounds of harmony, soothes the heart instead of corroding it.
Her mother, too, upon this occasion, felt a pleasing distress, and wept, and loved her daughter as before. "Do, my pretty
Olivia," cried she, "let us have that little melancholy air your papa was so fond of; your sister Sophy has already obliged us. Do,
child; it will please your old father." She complied in a manner so exquisitely pathetic as moved me.
 
 

1: When lovely woman stoops to folly,
2: And finds too late that men betray,
3: What charm can soothe her melancholy?
4: What art can wash her guilt away?

5: The only art her guilt to cover,
6: To hide her shame from every eye,
7: To give repentance to her lover,
8: And wring his bosom, is-to die.

   As she was concluding the last stanza, to which an interruption in her voice from sorrow gave peculiar softness, the
appearance of Mr. Thornhill's equipage at a distance alarmed us all, but particularly increased the uneasiness of my eldest
daughter, who, desirous of shunning her betrayer, returned to the house with her sister. In a few minutes he was alighted from
his chariot, and making up to the place where I was still sitting, inquired after my health with his usual air of familiarity. "Sir,"
replied I, "your present assurance only serves to aggravate the baseness of your character; and there was a time when I would
have chastised your insolence for presuming thus to appear before me. But now you are safe; for age has cooled my passions,
and my calling restrains me."

   "I vow, my dear sir," returned he, "I am amazed at all this; nor can I understand what it means; I hope you don't think your
daughter's late excursion with me had anything criminal in it."

   "Go," cried I, "thou art a wretch, a poor, pitiful wretch, and every way a liar; but your meanness secures you from my anger.
Yet, sir, I am descended from a family that would not have borne this! And so, thou vile thing! to gratify a momentary passion,

thou hast made one poor creature wretched for life, and polluted a family that had nothing but honor for their portion."

   "If she or you," returned he, "are resolved to be miserable, I cannot help it. But you may still be happy; and whatever opinion
you may have formed of me, you shall ever find me ready to contribute to it. We can marry her to another in a short time, and
what is more, she may keep her lover beside; for I protest I shall ever continue to have a true regard for her."

   I found all my passions alarmed at this new degrading proposal; for although the mind may often be calm under great injuries,
little villainy can at any time get within the soul and sting it into rage. "Avoid my sight, thou reptile," cried I, "nor continue to insult
me with thy presence. Were my brave son at home he would not suffer this; but I am old and disabled, and every way undone."

   "I find," cried he, "you are bent upon obliging me to talk in a harsher manner than I intended. But as I have shown you what
may be hoped from my friendship, it may not be improper to represent what may be the consequences of my resentment. My
attorney, to whom your late bond has been transferred, threatens hard, nor do I know how to prevent the course of justice,
except by paying the money myself, which, as I have been at some expenses lately, previous to my intended marriage, is not so
easy to be done, And then

my steward talks of driving for the rent: it is certain he knows his duty, for I never trouble myself with affairs of that nature. Yet
still I could wish to serve you, and even to have you and your daughter present at my marriage, which is shortly to be
solemnized with Miss Wilmot; it is even the request of my charming Arabella herself, whom I hope you will not refuse."

   "Mr. Thornhill," replied I, "hear me once for all; as to your marriage with any but my daughter, that I never will consent to;
and though your friendship could raise me to a throne, or your resentment sink me to the grave, yet would I despise both. Thou
hast once woefully, irreparably deceived me. I reposed my heart upon thine honor, and have found its baseness. Never more,
therefore, expect friendship from me. Go, and possess what fortune has given thee-beauty, riches, health, and pleasure. Go and
leave me to want, infamy, disease, and sorrow. Yet humbled as I am, shall my heart still vindicate its dignity, and though thou
hast my forgiveness, thou shalt ever have my contempt."

   "If so," returned he, "depend upon it you shall feel the effects of this insolence, and we shall shortly see which is the fittest
object of scorn, you or me." Upon which he departed abruptly.

   My wife and son, who were present at this interview, seemed terrified with apprehension. My daughters also, finding that he
was gone, came out to be informed of the result of our conference, which, when known,

alarmed them not less than the rest. But as to myself I disregarded the utmost stretch of his malevolence: he had already struck
the blow, and now I stood prepared to repel every new effort; like one of those instruments used in the art of war which,
however thrown, still presents a point to receive the enemy.

   We soon, however, found that he had not threatened in vain; for the very next morning his steward came to demand my
annual rent, which, by the train of accidents already related, I was unable to pay. The consequence of my incapacity was his
driving my cattle that evening, and their being appraised and sold the next day for less than half their value. My wife and
children now, therefore, entreated me to comply upon any terms rather than incur certain destruction. They even begged of me
to admit his visits once more, and used all their little eloquence to paint the calamities I was going to endure: the terrors of a
prison in so rigorous a season as the present, with the danger that threatened my health from the late accident that happened by
the fire. But I continued inflexible. "Why, my treasures," cried I, "why will you thus attempt to persuade me to the thing that is
not right! My duty has taught me to forgive him; but my conscience will not permit me to approve. Would you have me applaud
to the world what my heart must internally condemn? Would you have me tamely sit down and flatter our infamous betrayer;
and, to avoid a prison, continually

suffer the more galling bonds of mental confinement? No, never! If we are to be taken from this abode, only let us hold to the
right; and wherever we are thrown, we can still retire to a charming apartment, when we can look round our own hearts with
intrepidity and with pleasure!"

   In this manner we spent that evening. Early the next morning, as the snow had fallen in great abundance in the night, my son
was employed in clearing it away, and opening a passage before the door. He had not been thus engaged long when he came
running in, with looks all pale, to tell us that two strangers, whom he knew to be officers of justice, were making towards the
house.

   just as he spoke they came in, and approaching the bed where I lay, after previously informing me of their employment and
business, made me their prisoner, bidding me prepare to go with them to the county gaol, which was eleven miles off.

   "My friends," said I, "this is severe weather on which you have come to take me to a prison; and it is particularly unfortunate
at this time, as one of my arms has lately been burned in a terrible manner, and it has thrown me into a slight fever, and I want
clothes to cover me, and I am now too weak and old to walk far in such deep snow; but if it must be so-"

   I then turned to my wife and children, and directed them to get together what few things were left us.,

and to prepare immediately for leaving this place. I entreated them to be expeditious, and desired my son to assist his eldest
sister, who, from a consciousness that she was the cause of all our calamities, was fallen, and had lost anguish in insensibility. I
encouraged my wife, who, pale and trembling, clasped our affrighted little ones in her arms, that clung to her bosom in silence,
dreading to look round at the strangers. In the meantime my youngest daughter prepared for our departure, and as she received
several hints to use dispatch, in about an hour we were ready to depart.