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fity, Madam, I can steal foftly into his Room, and fee whether he be in his own Bed or no. She accordingly did this by Sophia's Defire, and returned with an Anfwer in the Negative.

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Sophia now trembled and turned pale. Mrs. Honour begged her to be comforted, and not to think more of fo worthlefs a Fellow. " any Why there,' fays Sufan, I hope, Madam, your Ladyfhip won't be offended; but pray, Madam, is not your Ladyfhip's Name Madam Sophia Western? How is it poffible you thould know me?' anfwered Sophia. Why that Man that the Gentlewoman fpoke of, who is in the Kitchin, told about you laft Night. But I hope your Ladyfhip is not angry with Indeed, Child,' faid fhe, I am not; pray tell me all, and I promife you I'll reward you.' Why, Madam,' continued Sufan, that Man told us all in the Kitchin, that Madam • Sophia Western-Indeed I don't know how to bring it out.'-Here the ftopt, till having received Encouragement from Sophia, and being vehemently preffed by Mrs. Honour, the proceeded thus: He told us, Madam, tho' to be fure it is all a Lie, that your Ladyfhip was dying for Love of the young Squire, and that he was going to the Wars to get rid of you. 1 < thought to myself then he was a falfe-hearted Wretch; but now to fee fuch a fine, rich, beautiful Lady as you be, forfaken for fuch air ordinary Woman; for to be fure fo fhe is, and another Man's Wife into the Bargain. It is fuch a ftrange unnatural Thing, in a Manner. Sophia gave her a third Guinea, and telling her fhe would certainly be her Friend, if the mentioned nothing of what had paffed, nor informed

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any one who fhe was, difmiffed the G Orders to the Poft-Boy to get the Horf immediately.

Being now left alone with her Maid, her trufty Waiting-Woman, That th was more eafy than at prefent. I am no vinced,' faid the, he is not only a Vill a low defpicable Wretch. I can for rather than his expofing my Name in barous a Manner. That renders him t ⚫ject of my Contempt. Yes, Honour, I a eafy. I am indeed. I am very eafy;' a fhe burst into a violent Flood of Tears.

After a fhort Interval, fpent by Sophia, in crying, and affuring her Maid that the w fectly eafy, Sufan arrived with an Accou the Horfes were ready, when a very ext nary Thought fuggefted itself to our you roine, by which Mr. Jones would be acq with her having been at the Inn, in a which, if any Sparks of Affection for mained in him, would be at least fome I ment for his Faults.

The Reader will be pleased to rememb tle Muff, which hath had the Honour of more than once remembered already in th tory. This Muff, ever fince the Depar Mr. Jones, had been the conftant Compar Sophia by Day, and her Bedfellow by Nigh this Muff the had at this very Inftant up Arm; whence fhe took it off with great nation, and having writ her Name with he cil upon a Piece of Paper which the pinned the bribed the Maid to convey it into the Bed of Mr. Jones, in which, if he did n

it, fhe charged her to take fome Method of conveying it before his Eyes in the Morning.

Then having paid for what Mrs. Honour had eaten, in which Bill was included an Account for what the herself might have eaten, fhe mounted her Horfe, and once more affuring her Companion that she was perfectly easy, continued her Journey.

CHAP. VI.

Containing, among other Things, the Ingenuity of Partridge, the Madness of Jones, and the Folly of Fitzpatrick.

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T was now paft Five in the Morning, and other Company began to rife and come to the Kitchin, among whom were the Serjeant and the Coachman, who being thoroughly reconciled, made a Libation, or, in the English Phrafe, drank a hearty Cup together.,

In this Drinking nothing more remarkable happened than the Behaviour of Partridge, who, when the Serjeant drank a Health to King George, repeated only the Word King: Nor could he be brought to utter more; for tho' he was going to fight against his own Caufe, yet he could not be prevailed upon to drink against it.

Mr. Jones being now returned to his own Bed, (but from whence he returned we muft beg to be excufed from relating) fummoned Partridge from this agreeable Company, who, after a ceremonious Preface, having obtained Leave to offer his Advice, delivered himself as follows:

It is, Sir, an old Saying, and a true one, that a wife Man may fometimes learn Counsel from

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a Fool; I wish therefore I might be fo bold as to offer you my Advice, which is to return home again, and leave thefe Horrida Bella, thefe bloody Wars, two Fellows who are contented to fwallow Gunpowder, because they have nothing elfe to eat. Now every body knows your Honour wants for nothing at 'home; when that's the Cafe, why fhould any • Man travel abroad?'

• Partridge,' cries Jones, thou art certainly a Coward; I wish therefore thou would't return home thyfelf, and trouble me no more.'

I afk your Honour's Pardon,' cries Partridge, I spoke on your Account more than my own; for as to me, Heaven knows my Circumstances are bad enough, and I am fo far from being afraid, that I value a Piftol, or a Blunderbuss, or any fuch Thing, no more than a Pop-gun. Every Man muft die once, and what fignifies the Manner how; befides, perhaps, I may come off with the Lofs only of an Arm or á Leg. I affure you, Sir, I was never lefs afraid in my Life; and fo if your Honour is refolved to go on, I am refolved to follow you. But, in that Cafe, I wish I might give my Opinion. To be fure it is a fcandalous Way of travelling, for a great Gentleman like you to walk afoot. "Now here are two or three good Horfes in the Stable, which the Landlord will certainly make no Scruple of trufting you with; but if he 'fhould, I can easily contrive to take them; and let the worft come to the worst, the King would certainly pardon you, as you are going to fight, in his Caufe.'

Now as the Honefty of Partridge was equal to his Understanding, and both dealt only in

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fmall Matters, he would never have attempted a Roguery of this Kind, had he not imagined it altogether fafe; for he was one of those who have more Confideration of the Gallows than of the Fitness of Things; but, in Reality, he thought he might have committed this Felony without any Danger: For, befides that he doubted not but the Name of Mr. Allworthy would fufficiently quiet the Landlord, he conceived they should be altogether fafe, whatever Turn Affairs might take; as Jones, he imagined, would have Friends. enough on one Side, and as his Friends would as well fecure him on the other...

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When Mr. Jones found that Partridge was in earnest in this Propofal, he very feverely rebuked him, and that in fuch bitter Terms, that the other attempted to laugh it off, and prefently turned the Difcourfe to other Matters, faying, he believed they were then in a Bawdy-Houfe, and that he had with much ado prevented two Wenches from disturbing his Honour in the Middle of the Night. Heyday!' fays he, I believe they got into your Chamber whether I would or no; for here lies the Muff of one of them ' on the Ground.' Indeed, as Jones returned to his Bed in the Dark, he had never perceived the Muff on the Quilt, and in leaping into his Bed he had tumbled it on the Floor. This Partridge now took up, and was going to put into his Pocket, when Jones defired to fee it. The Muff was fo very remarkable, that our Heroe might poffibly have recollected it without the Informa--tion annexed. But his Memory was not put to that hard Office; for at the fame Inftant he faw and read the Words Sophia Western upon the Paper which was pinned to it. His Looks now grew

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