can hardly be far diftant; and believe me, Harriet, I fufpend as much Curiofity on my Side; for indeed I believe our Aftonishment is pretty equal.'

The Converfation which paffed between thefe Ladies on the Road, was, I apprehend," little worth relating; and lefs certainly was that between the two Waiting-women: For they likewife began to pay their Compliments to each other. As for the Guides, they were debarred from the Pleasure of Difcourfe, the one being placed in the Van, and the other obliged to bring up the Rear.

In this Pofture they travelled many Hours, till they came into a wide and well-beaten Road, which, as they turned to the Right, foon brought them to a very fair promifing Inn; where they all alighted: But fo fatigued was Sophia, that, as fhe had fat her Horfe during the laft five or fix ¦ Miles with great Difficulty, fo was the now incapable of difmounting from him without Affift-". ance. This the Landlord, who had hold of her Horfe, prefently perceiving, offered to lift her in his Arms from her Saddle; and fhe too readily accepted the Tender of his Service. Indeed Fortune feems to have refolved to put Sophia to the Blufh that Day, and the fecond malicious Attempt fucceeded better than the firft; for my Landlord had no fooner received the young Lady in his Arms, than his Feet, which the Gout had lately very feverely handled, gave way, and down he tumbled; but at the fame Time, with no lefs Dexterity than Gallantry, contrived to throw himself under his charming Burthen, fo that he alone received any Bruife from the Fall; for the great Injury which happened to Sophia, was a

violent

violent Shock given to her Modefty, by an immoderate Grin, which, at her rifing from the Ground, the obferved in the Countenances of most of the Bye-Standers. This made her fufpect 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 fcruple to fay, that he must have a very inadequate Idea of the Modefty of a beautiful young Woman, who would wish to facrifice it to fo paultry a Satisfaction as can arife from Laughter.

This Fright and Shock, joined to the violent Fatigue which both her Mind and Body had undergone, almoft overcame the excellent Conftitution of Sophia, and fhe had scarce Strength fufficient to totter into the Inn, leaning on the Arm of her Maid. Here he was no fooner feated than fhe called for a Glass of Water; but Mrs. Honour, very judicioufly, in my Opinion, changed it into a Glafs of Wine.

Mrs. Fitzpatrick hearing from Mrs. Honour, that Sophia had not been in Bed during the two laft Nights, and obferving her to look very pale and wan with her Fatigue, earneftly entreated her to refresh herfelf with fome Sleep. She was yet a Stranger to her Hiftory, or her Apprehenfions; but had the known both, fhe would have given the fame Advice; for Reft was vifibly neceffary for her; and their long Journey through Bye-Roads fo entirely removed all Danger of Purfuit, that she was herfelf perfectly eafy on that Account.

Sophia

Sophia was eafily prevailed on to follow the Counsel of her Friend, which was heartily feconded by her Maid. Mrs. Fitzpatrick likewise offered to bear her Coufin Company, which Sophia, with much Complaifance, accepted.

The Mistress was no fooner in Bed, than the Maid prepared to follow her Example. She began to make many Apologies to her Sifter Abigail for leaving her alone in fo horrid a Place as an Inn; but the other stopped her fhort, being as well inclined to a Nap as herself, and defired 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 Court'fies and Compliments, to Bed together went the Waiting-women, as their Miftreffes had done before them.

It was usual with my Landlord (as indeed it is with the whole Fraternity) to enquire particularly of all Coachmen, Footmen, Poftboys, and others, into the Names of all his Guefts; what their Eftate 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 fo extraordinary and unusual an Hour as ten in the Morning, fhould excite his Curiofity. As foon therefore as the Guides entered the Kitchin, he began to examine who the Ladies were, and whence they came; but the Guides, tho' they faithfully related all they knew, gave him very little Satisfaction. On the contrary, they rather enflamed his Curiofity than extinguished it.

This Landlord had the Character, among all his Neighbours, of being a very fagacious Fellow. He was thought to fee farther and deeper

into Things than any Man in the Parish, the Parfon himself not excepted. Perhaps his Look had contributed not a little to procure him this Reputation; for there was in this fomething wonderfully wife and fignificant, especially when he had a Pipe in his Mouth; which, indeed, he feldom was without. His Behaviour, likewife, greatly affifted in promoting the Opinion of his Wifdom. In his Deportment he was folemn, if not fullen; and when he spoke, which was feldom, he always delivered himself in a flow Voice; and though his Sentences were fhort, they were ftill interrupted with many Hums and Ha's, Ay, Ays, and other Expletives: So that though he accompanied his Words with certain explanatory Geftures, fuch as fhaking, or nodding the Head, or pointing with his Forefinger, he generally left his Hearers to understand more than he exprefled; nay, he commonly gave them a Hint, that he knew much more than he thought proper to difclofe. This laft Circumftance alone, may, indeed, very. well account for his Character of Wisdom ; fince Men are strangely inclined to worship what they do not understand. A grand Secret, upon which feveral Impofers on Mankind have totally relied for the Succefs of their Frauds.

This polite Perfon now taking his Wife afide, afked her, What fhe thought of the Ladies lately arrived?' Think of them?' faid the Wife, why what should I think of them?' I know, anfwered he, 'what I think. The Guides 'tell ftrange 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

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efpecially to London? And one of the MaidServants, before the alighted from her Horse, afked, if this was not the London Road? Now I have put all these Circumftances together, and whom do you think I have found them out to be? Nay,' answered fhe, you know I never pretend to guefs at your Difcoveries.

It is a good Girl," replied he, chucking her under the Chin; 1 muft own you have always fubmitted to my Knowledge of thefe Matters. Why then, depend upon it; mind what I' fay, -depend upon it, they are certainly fome of the Rebel Ladies, who, they say, travel with the young Chevalier; and have taken a roundabout Way to escape the Duke's Army.'

Hufband,' quoth the Wife, you have certainly hit it; for one of them is dreft as fine as any Princefs; and, to be fure, fhe looks for all the World like one.-But yet, when I confider one Thing.'-When you confider,' cries the Landlord contemptuoufly Come, pray let's • hear what you confider. Why it is,' anfwered the Wife, that the is too humble to be any very great Lady; for while our Betty was warming the Bed, the called her nothing but Child, and my Dear, and Sweetheart; and when Betty offered to pull off her Shoes and Stockings, fhe would not fuffer her, faying, fhe would not give her the Trouble.'

Pugh! anfwered the Hufband, That is nothing. Doft think, because you have feen fome great Ladies rude and uncivil to Perfons below them, that none of them know how to behave themselves when they come before their Inferiors? I think I know People of Fafhion when I fee them. I think I do. Did not the - VOL. III. E • call