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maid. At laft, however, fhe interrupted her, faying, "I never can believe this; fome villain has belied him. You fay you had it from his friend; but furely it is not the office of a friend to betray fuch fecrets. "I suppose," cries Honor, the fellow is his pimp, for I never faw fo illlooked a villain. Befides, fuch profligate rakes as Mr. Jones are never afhamed of thefe matters.

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To fay the truth, this behaviour of Partridge was a little inexcufable; but he had not flept off the effect of the dofe which he fwallowed the evening before; which had, in the morning, received the addition of above a pint of wine, or indeed rather of malt fpirits; for the perry was by no means pure. Now that part of his head which nature defigned for the refervoir of drink, being very shallow, a fmall quantity of liquor overflowed it, and opened the fluices of his heart; fo that all the fecrets there depofited run out. These fluices were indeed naturally very ill fecured. To give the bestnatured turn we can to his difpofition, he was a very honeft man; for as he was the moft inquifitive of mortals, and eternally prying into the fecrets of others; fo he very faithfully paid them by communicating, in return, every thing within his knowledge.

While Sophia, tormented with anxiety, knew not what to believe, nor what refolution to take, Sufan arrived with the fack-whey. Mrs. Honor immediately advised her Mistress, in a whisper, to pump this wench, who probably could inform

1

her of the truth. Sophia approved it, and began as follows: "Come hither, child, now anfwer ,, me truly what I am going to ask you, and I promise you I will very well reward you. Is there » a young gentleman in this houfe, a handfome "young gentleman that "Here Sophia blufhed and was confounded "A young gentleman, cries Honor," that came hither in company with that faucy rafcal who is now in the kitchen?" Sufan answered, "there was. "Do you know „, any thing of any Lady? continues Sophia, „, any Lady? I don't ask you whether she is handfome or no; perhaps fhe is not, that's nothing ,, to the purpose; but do you know of any Lady?

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La, Madam," cries Honor, "you will make a ,, very bad examiner. Harkee, child," fays fhe, ,, is not that very young gentleman now in bed

with fome nafty trull or other?" Here Sufan fmiled, and was filent. "Anfwer the question, child," fays Sophia, and here's a guinea for you." A guinea! Madam," cries Sufan; "La, what's a guinea? If my Mistress should know it, I fhall certainly lofe my place that very inftant." "Here's another for you, fays Sophia, " and I promise you faithfully your Mistress shall never, know it. Sufan, after a very short hesitation, took the money, and told the whole ftory, concluding with faying, " If you have any great cu

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riofity, 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 answer in the negative.

Sophia

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» your Ladyfhip is not angry with me.

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"

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Sophia now trembled and turned pale. Mrs. Honor begged her to be comforted, and not to think any more of fo worthlefs a fellow. "Why there," fays Sufan, "I hope, Madam, your Ladyship won't be offended; but pray, Madam, is not your Ladyfhip's name Madam Sophia » Western?" "How is it poffible you should know me?" anfwered Sophia. "Why that man that the gentlewoman spoke of, who is in the kitch», en, told about you laft night. But I hope "Indeed, child," faid fhe, "I am not; pray tell me all, and I promise you I'll reward you. Why, ,, Madam," continued Sufan, "that man told us all in the kitchen, that Madam Sophia Western indeed I don't know how to bring it out."Here fhe ftopt, till having received encouragement from Sophia, and being vehemently preffed by Mrs. Honor, fhe proceeded thus: "He told us, Madam, though to be fure it is all a lie, that » your Ladyship was dying for love of the young Squire, and that he was going to the wars to » get rid of you. I 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 an ordinary woman; for to be fure fo she is, and another man's wife into the bargain. It is such a strange unnatural thing, in a manner."

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Sophia gave her a third guinea, and telling her fhe would certainly be her friend, if fhe mentioned nothing of what had paffed, nor informed any VOL. III.

C

one who fhe was, difmiffed the girl with orders to the post-boy to get the horses ready immediately.

Being now left alone with her maid, she told her trufty waiting-woman, that she never was more easy than at prefent. "I am now convinced," faid fhe, "he is not only a villain, but a low, defpicable wretch. I can forgive all rather than his expofing my name in fo barbarous a manner. That renders him the object of my contempt. "Yes, Honor, I am now eafy. I am indeed. I » am very eafy;" and then fhe burst into a violent flood of tears.

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After a fhort interval, fpent chiefly by Sophia, in crying and affuring her maid that she was perfectly eafy, Susan arrived with an account that the horses were ready, when a very extraordinary thought fuggefted itself to our young Heroine, by which Mr. Jones would be acquainted with her having been at the inn, in a way, which, if any fparks of affection for her remained in him, would be fome punishment, at least, for his faults.

The Reader will be pleased to remember a little muff, which has had the honor, of being more than once remembered already in this Hiftory. This muff, ever fince the departure of Mr. Jones, had been the conftant companion of Sophia by day, and her bedfellow by night; and this muff she had at this very inftant upon her arm; whence fhe took it off with great indignation, and having writ

her name with her pencil upon a piece of paper which the pinned to it, fhe bribed the maid to convey it into the empty bed of Mr. Jones, in which, if he did not find it, fhe charged her to take fome method of conveying it before his eyes in the morning.

Then having paid for what Mrs. Honor had eaten, in which bill was included an account for what she herself might have eaten, fhe mounted her horse, and once more affuring her companion that fhe was perfectly eafy, continued her journey.

CHA P. V I.

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

It was now past five in the morning, and other

company began to rife and come to the kitchen, among whom were the ferjeant and the coachman, who being thoroughly reconciled, made a libation, in the English phrase, drank a hearty cup together.

or,

In this drinking nothing more remarkable hap pened than the behaviour of Partridge, who, when the ferjeant drank a health to King George, repeated only the word King, nor could he be brought to utter more; for though he was going to fight against his own caufe, yet he could not be prevailed upon to drink against it.