But before concluding my letter concerning the affair of Morris, I failed not to express my earnest hope and wish that my father would honour me with a few lines, were it but to express his advice and commands in an affair of some difficulty, and where my knowledge of life could not be supposed adequate to my own guidance.

I found it impossible to prevail on myself to urge my actual return to London as a place of residence, and I disguised my unwillingness to do so under apparent submission to my father's will, which, as I imposed it on myself as a sufficient reason for not urging my final departure from Osbaldistone Hall, would, I doubted not, be received as such by my parent.

But I begged permission to come to London, for a short time at least, to meet and refute the infamous calumnies which had been circulated concerning me in so public a manner.

Having made up my packet, in which my earnest desire to vindicate my character was strangely blended with reluctance to quit my present place of residence, I rode over to the post-town, and deposited my letter in the office.

By doing so, I obtained possession, somewhat earlier than I should otherwise have done, of the following letter from my friend Mr.
Owen:-- "Dear Mr.Francis, "Yours received per favour of Mr.R.Osbaldistone, and note the contents.
Shall do Mr.R.O.such civilities as are in my power, and have taken him to see the Bank and Custom-house.