How the devil could I bring her to this?...

How the devil could I bring her to this? It is too much—too much—I can't bear it—I muſt give way to this amiable weakneſs—[wipes his eyes.] My heart overflows with ſympathy, and I feel every tenderneſs I have inſpired—[ſtifles the tear.] How blind have I been to the deſolation I have made!—How could I poſſibly imagine that a little partial attention and tender civilities to this young creature ſhould have gathered to this burſt of paſſion! Can I be a man and withſtand it? No—I'll ſacrifice the whole ſex to her.—But here comes the father, quite apropos. I'll open the matter immediately, ſettle the buſineſs with him, and take the ſweet girl down to Ogleby-houſe to-morrow morning—But what the devil! Miſs Sterling too! What miſchief's in the wind now?

[For full play text, see: The Clandestine Marriage]