CHAP. II.-The adventures which Sophia met with after her leaving Upton.

OUR history, just before it was obliged to turn about and travel backwards, had mentioned the departure of Sophia and her maid from the inn: we shall now, therefore, pursue the steps of that lovely creature, and leave her unworthy lover a little longer to bemoan his ill luck, or rather his ill conduct. Sophia having directed her guide to travel through by-roads across the country, they now passed the Severn, and had scarce got a mile from the inn, when the young lady, looking behind her, saw several horses coming after on full speed: this greatly alarmed her fears, and she called to the guide to put on as fast as possible. He immediately obeyed her, and away they rode at full gallop; but the faster they went the faster were they followed; and as the horses behind were somewhat swifter than those before, so the former were at length overtaken; a happy circumstance for poor Sophia, whose fears, joined to her fatigue, had almost overpowered her spirits; but she was now instantly relieved by a female voice, that greeted her in the softest manner, and with the utmost civility. This greeting, Sophia, as soon as she could recover her breath, with like civility, and with the highest satisfaction to herself, returned. The travellers who joined Sophia, and who had given her such terror, consisted, like, her own company, of two females and a guide. The two parties proceeded three full miles together before any one offered again to open their mouths; when our heroine, having pretty well got the better of her fear (but yet being somewhat surprised that the other still continued to attend her, as she pursued no great road, and had already passed through several turnings), accosted the strange lady in a most obliging tone, and said, she was very happy to find they were both travelling the same way. The other, who, like a ghost, only wanted to be spoken to, readily answered, that the happiness was entirely hers; that she was a perfect stranger in that country, and was overjoyed at meeting a companion of her own sex; that she had, perhaps, been guilty of an impertinence, which required great apology, in keeping pace with her. More civilities passed between these two ladies; for Mrs. Honour had now given place to the

fine habit of the stranger, and had fallen into the rear. But though Sophia had great curiosity to know why the other lady continued to travel on through the same by-roads with herself, nay, though this gave her some uneasiness, yet fear, or modesty, or some other consideration, restrained her from asking the question. The strange lady now laboured under a difficulty which appears almost below the dignity of history to mention. Her bonnet had been blown from her head not less than five times within the last mile; nor could she come at any riband or handkerchief to tie under her chin. When Sophia was informed of this, she immediately supplied her with a handkerchief for this purpose; which, while she was pulling from her pocket, she perhaps too much neglected the management of her horse; for the beast, now unluckily making a false step, fell upon his forelegs, and threw his fair rider from his back. Though Sophia came head foremost to the ground, she happily received not the least damage; and the same circumstance which had perhaps contributed to her fall, now preserved her from confusion; for the lane which they were then passing was narrow, and very much overgrown with trees; so that the moon could here afford very little light, and was, moreover, at present so obscured in a cloud, that it was almost perfectly dark. By these means the young lady's modesty, which was extremely delicate, escaped as free from injury as her limbs, and she was once more reinstated in her saddle, having received no other harm than a little fright by her fall. Daylight at length appeared in its full lustre; and now the two ladies, who were riding over a common side by side, looking steadfastly at each other, at the same moment both their eyes became fixed, both their horses stopped, and both speaking together, with equal joy pronounced, the one the name of Sophia, the other that of Harriet. This unexpected encounter surprised the ladies much more than I believe it will the sagacious reader, who must have imagined that the strange lady could be no other than Mrs. Fitzpatrick, the cousin of Miss Western, whom we before mentioned to have sallied from the inn a few minutes after her. So great was the surprise and joy which these two cousins conceived at this meeting (for they had formerly been most intimate acquaintance and friends, and had long lived together with their aunt

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Western), that it is impossible to recount half the congratulations which passed between them, before either asked a very natural question of the other, namely, whither she was going. This at last, however, came from Mrs. Fitzpatrick; but, easy and natural as the question may seem, Sophia found it difficult to give it a very ready and certain answer. She begged her cousin, therefore, to suspend all curiosity till they arrived at some inn," which I suppose," says she, can hardly be far distant; and, believe me, Harriet, I suspend as much curiosity on my side; for, indeed, 1 believe our astonishment is pretty equal." The conversation which passed between these ladies on the road was, I apprehend, little worth relating; and less certainly was that between the two waiting-women, for they likewise began to pay their compliments to each other. As for the guides, they were debarred from the pleasure of discourse, the one being placed in the van, and the other obliged to bring up the rear. In this posture they travelled many hours, till they came into a wide, well-beaten road, which, as they turned to the right, soon brought them to a very fair-promising inn, where they all alighted; but so fatigued was Sophia, that as she had sat her horse during the last five or six miles with great difficulty, so was she now incapable of dismounting from him without assistance. This the landlord, who had laid hold of her horse, presently perceiving, offered to lift her in his arms from the saddle; and she too readily accepted the tender of his service. Indeed, fortune seems to have resolved to put Sophia to the blush that day, and the second malicious attempt succeeded better than the first; for my landlord had no sooner received the young lady in his arms, than his feet, which the gout had lately very severely handled, gave way, and down he tumbled; but, at the same time, with no less dexterity than gallantry, contrived to throw himself under his charming burden, so that he alone received any bruise from the fall; for the great injury which happened to Sophia was a violent shock given to her modesty, by an immoderate grin, which, at her rising from the ground, she observed in the countenance of most of the by-standers. This made her suspect what had really happened, and what we shall not here relate for the indulgence of those readers who are capable of laughing at the offence given to a young lady's

delicacy. Accidents of this kind we have never regarded in a comical light; nor will we scruple to say that he must have a very inadequate idea of the modesty of a beautiful young woman, who would wish to sacrifice it to so paltry a satisfaction as can arise from laughter. This fright and shock, joined to the violent fatigue which both her mind and body had undergone, almost overcame the excellent constitution of Sophia, and she had scarce strength sufficient to tolter into the inn, leaning on the arm of her maid. Here she was no sooner seated than she called for a glass of water; but Mrs. Honour, very judiciously in my opinion, changed it into a glass of wine.

Mrs. Fitzpatrick, hearing from Mrs. Honour that Sophia had not been in bed during the last two nights, and observing her to look very pale and wan with her fatigue, earnestly entreated her to refresh herself with some sleep. She was yet a stranger to her history or her apprehensions; but had she known both, she would have given the same advice; for rest was visibly necessary for her, and their long journey through by-roads so entirely removed all danger of pursuit, that she was herself perfectly easy on that account. Sophia was easily prevailed on to follow the counsel of her friend, which was heartily seconded by her maid. Mrs. Fitzpatrick likewise offered to bear her cousin company, which Sophia, with much complaisance, accepted. The mistress was no sooner in bed than the maid prepared to follow her example. She began to make many apologies to her sister Abigail for leaving her alone in so horrid a place as an inn; but the other stopped her short, being as well inclined to a nap as herself, and desired the honour of being her bedfellow. Sophia's maid agreed to give her a share of her bed, but put in her claim to all the honour: so, after many courtesies and compliments, to bed together went the waiting-women, as their mistresses had done before them.

It was usual with my landlord, as indeed it is with the whole fraternity, to inquire particularly of all coachmen, footmen, postboys, and others, into the names of all his guests; what their estate was, and where it lay. It cannot therefore be wondered at that the many particular circumstances which attended our travellers, and especially their retiring all to sleep at so extraordinary and unusual an hour as ten in the morning, should ex

cite his curiosity. As soon, therefore, as the guides entered the kitchen, he began to examine who the ladies were, and whence they came; but the guides, though they faithfully related all they knew, gave him very little satisfaction: on the contrary, they rather inflamed his curiosity than extinguished it. This landlord had the character, among all his neighbours, of being a very sagacious fellow; he was thought to see farther and deeper into things than any man in the parish, the parson himself not excepted. Perhaps his look had contributed not a little to procure him this reputation; for there was in this something wonderfully wise and significant, especially when he had a pipe in his mouth; which, indeed, he seldom was without. His behaviour, likewise, greatly assisted in promoting the opinion of his wisdom. In his deportment he was solemn, if not sullen; and when he spoke, which was seldom, he always delivered himself in a slow voice: and though his sentences were short, they were still interrupted with many hums and has, ay ays, and other expletives so that though he accompanied his words with certain explanatory gestures, such as shaking or nodding the head, or pointing with his forefinger, he gen erally left his hearers to understand more than he expressed; nay, he commonly gave them the hint that he knew much more than he thought proper to disclose. This last circumstance alone may, indeed, very well account for his character of wisdom; since men are strangely inclined to worship what they do not understand; a grand secret, upon which several imposers on mankind have totally relied for the success of their frauds. This politic person, now taking his wife aside, asked her what she thought of the ladies lately arrived, "Think of them ?" said the wife, "why, what should I think of them?"-"I know," answered he, "what I think. The guides tell strange stories. One pretends to be come from Gloucester, and the other from Upton ; and neither of them, for what I can find, can tell whither they are going. But what people ever travel across the country from Upton hither, especially to London? And one of the maid-servants, before she alighted from her horse, asked if this were not the London road. Now I have put all these circumstances together, and whom do you think I have found them out to be?"Nay," answered she, "you know I never pretend to VOL. II.-C

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