If you will condescend to grant this request, I shall obtain the two wishes at present most material to my peace; the one to secure to the lady a compassionate friend, already inclined to espouse her cause; the other, to put it in your power to be satisfied from the lady's own mouth, of the truth of what I have asserted. I trust to her generosity to deal openly on this occasion. I wish you and Miss Bidulph every blessing that Heaven can bestow, and am, with great respect, Madam, Your ladyship's Most obedient humble Servant, ORLANDO FAULKLAND. P.S. The lady will go by the name of Mrs Jefferis: you will pardon me for not having mentioned her _real name_. I never yet told it even to Sir George; but I presume she will make no secret of it to you, if you honour her with a visit. Poor Orlando! unhappy Miss B! I could name a third person, that is not _happy_ neither. What a pity it is, that so many good qualities, should be blotted by imperfections! how tender is his compassion for this poor girl! how ingenuous his conduct! but still he flies from her. I fear she can never hope to recover him. There is but _one_ thing, he says, which _he would not do; the only act, perhaps, by which he could make himself appear worthy of my mother's esteem_. The meaning of this but too plainly shews him determined against marrying Miss B. I don't know any thing else which would reconcile my mother to him. I make no doubt of her complying with Mr Faulkland's request in seeing the lady; she is very compassionate, particularly to her own sex. What a _strange resource_ indeed is this of Mr Faulkland's, to appeal to the lady herself! What am I to judge from it, but that the unfortunate victim, ignorant of the treachery that was practised against her by her wicked aunt, and that her destroyer paid a _price_ for her dishonour, exculpates him from the worst part of the guilt, and perhaps, poor easy creature, blames her own weakness only for the error which a concealed train of cunning and perfidy might have led her into? But even supposing Miss B. were generous and candid enough (and great indeed must be her candour and generosity) to justify this guilty man, What would it avail? Did not my mother tell me she conceived a _sort of horror at the bare idea of an union between Mr Faulkland and me_? This arises from the strong impression made on her by the unlucky event which blasted her own early love. Strong and early prejudices are almost insurmountable.