Why We Read Fiction_ Theory of Mind and the Novel - Lisa Zunshine [59]
Obeying Lovelace's urgent summons, MacDonald, a.k.a. Captain Tomlinson, hastens to Mrs. Sinclair's house ready to accompany Lovelace on his trip to Hampstead. Lovelace's description of Captain Tomlinson's arrival and their subsequent conversation emerges as downright surreal if we keep in mind that every person in the house knows who MacDonald really is and what he is doing here, and the only "spectator" who would have benefited from keeping up the pretence is Clarissa, and she is gone. In the long quote below, I have interspersed Lovelace's full account of the Captain's entrance and their subsequent trip to Hampstead with my comments in italics:
A gentleman to speak with me, Dorcas?—Who can want me thus early?
[Dorcas is one of Lovelace's "agents" employed to keep an eye on Clarissa and posing, for Clarissa's benefit, as a poor relative of Mrs. Sinclair. She certainly knows who the "gentleman" is, and Lovelace knows that she knows. Why then does he keep up the pretence in front of her?]
Captain Tomlinson, sayest thou! Surely he must have traveled all night!—Early riser as I am, how could he think to find me up thus early? [MacDonald certainly did not travel all night, for he resides nearby to be on hand when Lovelace needs him to play his role in front of Clarissa, and he is here "thus early" because Lovelace woidd have destroyed him had he not obeyed his summons immediately. Again, Dorcas knows all this, and Lovelace knows that she knows, and yet the role-playing goes on.]
. . . Dear captain, I rejoice to see you: just in the nick of time . . . Strange news since I saw you, captain! Poor mistaken lady!—But you have too much goodness, I know, to reveal to her uncle Harlowe the errors of this capricious beauty. It will all turn out for the best. You must accompany me part of the way. I know the delight you take in composing differences. But 'tis the task of the prudent to heal the breeches made by the rashness and folly of the impudent.
10: Richardon's Clarissa
[Lovelaces pretence in front ofMacDonald does have one logical explanation: he needs to "instruct"him on how to view what has happened between Lovelace and Clarissa, that is, on how the real Captain Tomlinson, had such a person existed, might have perceived the situation, without knowing what is really going on. We may say, thus, that Lovelace performs the role of the bridegroom injured by his capricious bride in fivnt ofMacDonald to make it psychologically easier for the latter to later perform his role of a respectable peace?naker in
front of Clarissa. Still, when we read this passage—for I am concerned here primarily with the effect that Lovelace's deep play has on the reader—we cannot help feeling that on some level Lovelace believes in what he is saying.]
And now (all around me so still, and so silent) the rattling of the
chariot-wheels at a street's distance do I hear!—And to this angel of a lady
I fly!
Reward, oh God of Love (the cause is thy own); reward thou, as it
deserves, my suffering perseverance!—Succeed my endeavors to bring
back to thy obedience, this charming fugitive!—Make her acknowledge
her rashness; repent her insults; implore my forgiveness; beg to be rein
stated in my favour, and that I will bury in oblivion the remembrance of
her heinous offence against thee, and against me, thy faithful votary.
[This is Lovelace's "prayer" as he is ready to board his chariot to go to Hampstead. This part is particularly unsettling because here Lovelace is presumably speaking to himself and thus truly has no reason to pretend that Clarissa is the one who was rash, insulted him, and needs to implore his forgiveness, and not the other way around. It is possible that, as in the earlier episode with the fake fire, Lovelace is nervous about his forthcoming meeting