Page:Edgar Huntly, or The Sleep Walker.djvu/62

 has more power over you than I have. Whom shall I call in to aid me in this arduous task?'

Nay, dear madam, if I can resist your entreaties, surely no other can hope to succeed.'

I am not sure of that,' said my friend, archly: 'there is one person in the world whose supplications, I greatly suspect, you would not withstand.'

Whom do you mean?' said I, in some trepidation.

You will know presently: unless I can prevail upon you, I shall be obliged to call for assistance.'

Spare me the pain of repeating that no power on earth can change my resolution.'

That's a fib!' she rejoined, with increased archness; 'you know it is: if a certain person entreat you to stay, you will easily comply. I see I cannot hope to prevail by my own strength: that is a mortifying consideration; but we must not part—that is a point settled. If nothing else will do, I must go and fetch my advocate. Stay here a moment.'

"I had scarcely time to breathe before she returned, leading in Clarice. I did not yet comprehend the meaning of this ceremony. The lady was overwhelmed with sweet confusion. Averted eyes and reluctant steps might have explained to me the purpose of this meeting, if I had believed that purpose to be possible. I felt the necessity of new fortitude, and struggled to recollect the motives that had hitherto sustained me.

There,' said my patroness, 'I have been endeavouring to persuade this young man to live with us a little longer: he is determined, it seems, to change his abode; he will not tell why, and I do not care to know, unless I could show his reasons to be groundless. I have merely remonstrated with him on the folly of his scheme; but he has proved refractory to all I can say. Perhaps your efforts may meet with better success.'

"Clarice said not a word: my own embarrassment equally disabled me from speaking. Regarding us both, for some time, with a benign aspect, Mrs. Lorimer resumed, taking a hand of each, and joining them together—

I very well know what it was that suggested this