Summary
Lovelace complains of Clarissa’s chilly attitude toward
him. Anna has repeatedly advised Clarissa to act more warmly toward
Lovelace, for diplomacy’s sake, but Clarissa says his behavior forces
her to keep him at a distance. Cousin Morden writes to Clarissa.
He advocates for Solmes, stressing the importance of morality in
a husband and warning her about the wicked sensuousness and profligacy
of the libertine character, apparently having firsthand knowledge
of it. Clarissa bemoans her lot and suggests that Anna ask Hickman
to intercede for her with her uncle. She will not take any step
until she hears from him.
In order to convince Clarissa that negotiations on a house
are indeed underway, Lovelace assigns a friend of his, “Captain
Mennell,” to play the part of house broker. Mennell meets Clarissa
and has qualms about deceiving her, but Lovelace convinces him to
continue. Lovelace is nervous about Clarissa’s correspondence with Anna
and wishes he could see the letters. One evening Clarissa drops
a letter without noticing, and Lovelace sneakily picks it up. She
catches him trying to hide it, seizes it back, and locks herself
in her room. She resolves to leave Lovelace if she gets any encouragement
from her uncle. Anna approves and comforts Clarissa by saying her
story will be not only a warning but an example to women who hear
it.
Anna writes to Mrs. Norton and asks her to intervene with
Mrs. Harlowe. Norton replies that as much as Mrs. Harlowe’s heart bleeds,
she can do nothing for Clarissa. The request to Uncle Harlowe also
fails. Anna advises Clarissa to marry Lovelace as quickly as she
can. Clarissa agrees to see him the following morning. She tells
him that her application to her family has failed. Lovelace is offended
that she is willing to give him up and he frightens her with a violent
declaration that she must be his. He apologizes and offers to draw
up marriage settlements. Clarissa conveys these to Anna for consideration.
They are very generous, but the conclusion is cold and makes no
mention of a wedding day. Lovelace later presses for an immediate
wedding but at the same time suggests reasons for delay. They will
wait for the approval of Lord M., Lovelace’s uncle.
As usual, Lovelace exults in his cruelty but mentions
that he has been sincerely affected by Clarissa’s virtue and distress.
Belford criticizes Lovelace’s lack of feeling and respect for virtue.
Lord M. writes to Belford, asking him to persuade Lovelace to marry
Clarissa. Lovelace ridicules Belford’s arguments and ridicules Lord
M. for his use of proverbs.
Belford tells Lovelace about the sad situation of their
friend Belton: Belton is very ill and has just found out that his
longtime mistress has been diverting all of his money to a lover
for many years. Belton cannot get rid of her, because she has passed
for his wife for a long time, and he does not know what to do about
the two boys he had thought were his sons. Belford reflects that
“keeping” a mistress is a worse idea than marrying one, because
the mistress has no good reason to be faithful, with neither a reputation
to lose nor legal consequences to fear. Lovelace refuses to take
a lesson from this. He decides to get Clarissa to a play so Dorcas
can search for her letters.
Anna has formed a plan with a trader named Mrs. Townsend
to free and hide Clarissa. Anna is convinced that the Singleton
plot is still in effect because a mysterious sailor has been hanging
about.
