conduct my

generous

I am

offer you

anfwered with fome fpirit, My Lord, I fhall not be ac countable to you for the reasons of obliged to your Lordship for the have made; I own it is beyond either my deferts or expectations; yet I hope, my Lord, you will not infist ⚫ on my reafons, when I declare I cannot accept it.' Lord Fellamar returned much to this, which we do not perfectly understand, and perhaps it could not all be strictly reconciled either to fenfe or grammar; but he concluded his ranting fpeech with faying, That if fhe had preengaged herself to any gentleman, however unhappy it would make him, he fhould think himself bound in honour to defift.' Perhaps my Lord laid too much emphafis on the word gentleman; for we cannot elfe well account for the indignation with which he infpired Sophia, who, in her anfwer, feemed greatly to refent fome affront he had given her.

While he was fpeaking, with her voice more raised than ufual, Mrs Weftern came into the room, the fire glaring in her cheeks, and the flames burfting from her eyes. I am ashamed,' fays fhe, my Lord, of the reception which you have met with. I affure your Lordfhip we are all fenfible of the honour done us; and I muft tell you Mifs Western, the family expects a different behaviour from you.' Here my Lord interpofed on behalf of the young lady, but to no purpofe; the aunt proceeded till Sophia pulled out her handkerchief, threw herself into a chair, and burst into a violent fit of

tears.

The remainder of the conversation between Mrs Weftern and his Lordship till the latter withdrew, confifted of bitter lamentations on his fide, and on hers of the ftrongest affurances that her niece should and would confent to all he wished. Indeed, my Lord,' fays fhe, the girl hath had a foolish education, neither adapted to her fortune nor her family. Her father, I'm forry to fay it, is to blame for every thing. The girl hath filly country notions of bashfulness. Nothing elfe, my Lord, upon my honour; I am convinced the hath a good understanding at the bottom, and will be brought to ' reafon.'

This laft fpeech was made in the abfence of Sophia;

for the had fometime before left the room, with fent.' appearance of paffion than the bad ever fhewn on any occafion; and now his Lordfhip, after many expreffions of thanks to Mrs Western, many ardent profeffions of paffion which nothing could conquer, and many affurances of perfeverance, which Mrs Western highly encouraged, took his leave for this time.

Before we relate what now paffed between Mrs Weftern and Sophia, it may be proper to mention an unfortunate accident which had happened, and which had occafioned the return of Mrs Western with so much fury, as we have seen.

The reader then must know, that the maid who at prefent attended on Sophia, was recommended by Lady Bellafton, with whom he had lived for fome time, in the capacity of a comb-brush; fhe was a very fenfible girl, and had received the ftricteft inftructions to watch her young lady very carefully. These inftructions, we are forry to fay, were communicated to her by Mrs Honour, into whofe favour Lady Bellafton had now fo ingratiated herself, that the violent affection which the good waiting-woman had formerly borne to Sophia, was entirely obliterated by the great attachment which she had to her new mistress.

Now when Mrs Miller was departed, Betty, (for that was the name of the girl) returning to her young lady, found her very attentively engaged in reading a long letter; and the vifible emotions which the betrayed on that occafion, might have well accounted for fome fufpicions which the girl entertained; but indeed they had yet a ftronger foundation; for fhe had overheard the whole fcene which paffed between Sophia and Mrs Miller.

Mrs Western was acquainted with all this matter by Betty, who, after receiving many commendations, and fome rewards for her fidelity, was ordered, that if the woman who brought the letter, came again, the should introduce her to Mrs Western herself.

Unluckily Mrs Miller returned at the very time when, Sophia was engaged with his Lordship. Betty, according to order, fent her directly to the aunt; who being mitrefs of fo many circumftances relating to what had

area the day before, eafily impofed upon the poor wo man to believe that Sophia had communicated the whole affair; and fo pumped every thing out of her which the knew, relating to the letter, and relating to Jones.

This poor creature might indeed be called Simplicity itself. She was one of that order of mortals, who are apt to believe every thing which is faid to them; to whom nature hath neither indulged the offenfive nor defenfive weapons of deceit, and who are confequently liable to be imposed upon by any one, who will only be at the expence of a little falfehood for that purpose. Mrs Western having drained Mrs Miller of all the knew which indeed was but little, but which was fufficient to make the aunt fufpect a great deal, difmiffed her with affurances that Sophia would not see her, that she would fend no answer to the letter, nor ever receive another; nor did the fuffer her to depart without a handsome lecture on the merits of an office, to which fhe could afford no better name than that of procurefs. This discovery had greatly discompofed her temper, when coming into the apartment next to that in which the lovers were, fhe overheard Sophia very warmly protefting against his Lordship's addreffes. At which the rage already kindled, burst forth, and the rushed in upon her niece in a moft furious manner, as we have already defcribed, together with what paffed at that time till his Lordship's departure.

No fooner was Lord Fellamar gone, than Mrs Weftern returned to Sophia, whom the upbraided in the most bitter terms, for the ill ufe fhe had made of the confidence repofed in her; and for her treachery in converfing with a man with whom fhe had offered but the day before to bind herfelf in the moft folemn oath, never more to have any converfation. Sophia protefted fhe had maintained no fuch converfation. How, how! • Mifs Western,' faid the aunt, will you deny your re ceiving a letter from him yesterday? A letter, Madam anfwered Sophia, fomewhat furprised. • It is not very well bred, Mifs,' replies the aunt, to repeat my words. I fay a letter, and infift upon your fhewing it me immediately.' I fcorn a lie, Madam,' faid Sophia; I did receive a letter, but it was without

my defire, and indeed I may fay, against my confent.' Indeed, indeed, Mifs,' cries the aunt, you ought to be afhamed of owning you had received it at all; but where is the letter? for I will fee it.'

To this peremptory demand, Sophia paufed fome time before the returned an anfwer; and at last only excufed herself by declaring she had not the letter in her pocket, which was indeed true; upon which her aunt lofing all manner of patience, asked her niece this fhort question, whether fhe would refolve to marry Lord Fellamar or no? to which the received the strongest negative. Mrs Western then replied with an oath, or fomething very like one, that she would early the next morning deliver her back into her father's hand.

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Sophia then began to reafon with her aunt in the following manner: Why Madam, muft I of neceffity be forced to marry at all? confider how cruel you would have thought it in your own cafe, and how much kinder your parents were in leaving you to your liberty. • What have I done to forfeit this liberty? I will never marry contrary to my father's confent, nor without asking yours and when I afk the confent of either improperly, it will be then time, enough to force fome other marriage upon me.' Can I bear to hear this,' cries Mrs Weltern, from a girl who hath now a letter from a murderer in her pocket? I have no fuch letter I promife you,' anfwered Sophia; and if he be a murderer, he will foon be in no condition to give you any further difturbance.' How, Mifs Weltern,' faid the aunt, have you the affurance to speak of him in this manner, to own your affection for fuch a villain to my face! Sure, Madam,' faid Sophia, you put a very ftrange conftruction on my words.' Indeed, Mits Wellern,' cries the lady, I fhall not bear this ufage; < you have learnt of your father this manner of treating me; he hath taught you to give me the lie. He hath totally ruined you by his falfe fyflem of education; and, pleafe Heaven, he fhall have the comfort of its fruits for once more I declare to you, that to-morrow morning I will carry you back. I will withdraw all my forces from the field, and remain henceforth, like the wife king of Pruffia, in a flate of perfect neutraliVOL. III.

U

deaf to all fhe faid. In this refolution therefore we must at prefent leave her, as there feems to be no hopes of bringing her to change it.

M

CHA P. IX.

What happened to Mr Jones in the prifon.

R Jones paft above twenty-four melancholy hours by himself, unless when relieved by the company of Partridge, before Mr Nightingale returned: not that this worthy young man had deferted or forgot his friend; for indeed he had been much the greatest part of the time employed in his fervice.

He had heard, upon inquiry, that the only perfons who had feen the the beginning of the unfortunate rencounter, were a crew belonging to a man of war, which then lay at Deptford. To Deptford, therefore, he went in fearch of this crew, where he was informed, that the men he fought after were all gone afhore. He then traced them from place to place, till at laft he found two of them drinking together with a third person, at a hedge-tavern, near Alderigate.

Nightingale defired to speak with Jones by himfelf, (for Partridge was in the room when he came in). As foon as they were alone, Nightingale taking Jones by the hand, cried, Come, my brave friend, be not too • much dejected at what I am going to tell you. I am forry I am the meffenger of bad news; but I think it my duty to tell you.' I guefs already what the bad news is,' cries Jones. The poor gentleman then is dead.' I hope not,' anfwered Nightingale. He was alive this morning; though I will not flatter you, I fear, from the accounts I could get, that his wound is mortal. But if the affair be exactly as you told it, your own remorfe would be all you would have reafon to apprehend let what would happen; but forgive me, , my dear Tom, if I intreat you to make the worll of your