Lady Mansfield came out to me, and said, I presume, sir, as we are a
family which misfortune as well as love, has closely bound together, you
will allow it to be mentioned--
To the whole family, madam!--By all means. I wanted only first to know,
whether Miss Mansfield's affections were disengaged: and now you shall
give me leave to attend Miss Mansfield. I am a party for my Lord W----:
Miss Mansfield is a party: your debates will be the more free in our
absence. If I find her averse, believe me, madam, I will not endeavour
to persuade her. On the contrary, if she declare against accepting the
proposal, I will be her advocate, though every one else should vote in
its favour.
The brothers and sister looked upon one another: I left the mother to
propose it to them; and stept into the inner parlour to Miss Mansfield.
She was sitting with her back to the door, in a meditating posture. She
started at my entrance.
I talked of indifferent subjects, in order to divert her from the
important one, that had taken up her whole attention.
It would have been a degree of oppression to her to have entered with her
upon a subject of so much consequence to her while we were alone; and
when her not having given a negative, was to be taken as a modest
affirmative.
Lady Mansfield soon joined us--My dear daughter, said she, we are all
unanimous.
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