Compassion in the Shop — Evelina, Or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World

Evelina continues on June 21st. The last three evenings passed quietly; Vauxhall gave Madame Duval a surfeit of public places, but home soon bored her, so tonight they planned to call on the Branghtons and proceed to Marybone Gardens. Rain caught them before Snow Hill; they hurried into the shop where Macartney sat reading, more wretched than before, thin faced and hollow eyed. Evelina courtesied first; he rose in confusion. The family arrived, except Smith, and treated the shower as if national prosperity depended on the sky.

Young Branghton invaded Polly's room for sport while Duval climbed stairs she could not bear to miss. Evelina, seeing Macartney watch her, turned back to meet him halfway, but his disorder made him retreat. His agitation grew until he called Madam, for Heaven's sake, then could not speak. When she asked if he wished to address her, he cried that he looked forward only to misery, demanded who she was and by what means she seemed arbitress of his destiny, and claimed she had deprived him of his only resource.

She put her hand in her pocket as young Branghton shouted from above. Macartney praised her voice as compassion itself; she fled upstairs, let her purse fall, said Heaven protect and comfort you, and ran. She assures Villars he will not disapprove and needs no fresh supply in town. The Branghtons mocked her time with the Scotch mope. Marybone was deferred by another shower; the evening ended in Polly and Tom's quarrel over her discovered room.

She rejoices that she could relieve Macartney and hopes it pays his debt to this pitiless family. Only a fortnight remains of the long month Duval imposed, yet it feels endless.