'fhe would scarce have appointed you to meet her at ' a masquerade.'

Jones had never lefs inclination to an amour than at prefent; but gallantry to the ladies was among his principles of honour; and he held it as much incumbent on him to accept a challenge to love, as if it had been a challenge to fight. Nay, his very love to Sophia made it neceflary for him to keep well with the lady, as he made no doubt but fhe was capable of bringing him into the prefence of the other.

He began therefore to make a very warm answer to her laft fpeech, when a mask, in the character of an old woman, joined them. This mask was one of thofe ladies who go to a masquerade only to vent illnature, by telling people rude truths, and by endeavouring, as the phrafe is, to spoil as much sport as they are able. This good lady, therefore, having obferved Jones, and his friend, whom the well knew, in clofe confultation together in a corner of the room, concluded fhe could no where fatisfy her fpleen better than by interrupting them. She attacked them there. fore, and foon drove them from their retirement; nor was fhe contented with this, but pursued them to every place which they fhifted to avoid her; till Mr. Nightingale feeing the diftrefs of his friend, at laft relieved him, and engaged the old woman in another púrfuit

While Jones and his mafk were walking together about the room, to rid themfelves of the teafer, he obferved his lady speak to feveral mafks, with the fame freedom of acquaintance, as if they had been barefaced. He could not help expreffing his furprize at this, faying, Sure, Madam, you must have infi. 'nite difcernment to know people in all disguises.' To which the lady anfwered, You cannot conceive any thing more infipid and childish than a mafque'rade to the people of fashion, who in general know` one another as well here, as when they meet in an affembly or a drawing-room; nor will any woman ' of condition converfe with a person with whom fhe is not acquainted. In fhort, the generality of per'fons whom you fee here, may more properly be faid VOL. VIII.

་

F f

'to

to kill time in this place than in any other; and generally retire from hence more tired than from the longest fermon. To fay the truth, I begin to be in that fituation myself; and if I have any fa culty at gueffing, you are not much better pleased. I protest it would be almost charity in me to go home for your fake.' I know but one charity equal to it, cries Jones, and that is to fuffer me to wait on you home.' Sure,' answered the lady, you have a ftrange opinion of me, to imagine, that upon fuck an acquaintance, I would let you into my doors at this time o'night. I fancy you impute the friendship I have fhewn my coufin, to fome other motive Confefs honestly; don't you confider this contrived interview as little better than a down. right affignation? Are you used, Mr Jones, to make thefe fudden conquefts?' I am not used, Madam,' faid Jones, to fubmit to fuch fudden conquefts; but as you have taken my heart by furprize, the rest of my body hath a right to follow; fo you muft pardon me if I refolve to attend you wherever you go.' He accompanied thefe words with fome proper actions; upon which the lady, after a gentle rebuke and faying their familiarity would be observ. ed, told him, she was going to fup with an ac quaintance, whither fhe hoped he would not follow her; for if you fhould,' faid fhe, I fhall be thought an unaccountable creature, though my friend indeed is not cenforious, yet I hope you won't follow me: I proteft I fhall not know what to say, • if you do.'

་

The lady prefently after quitted the masquerade, and Jones, notwithstanding the fevere prohibition he had received, prefumed to attend her. He was now reduced to the fame dilemma we have mentioned before, namely, the want of a fhilling, and could not relieve it by borrowing as before. He therefore walked boldly on after the chair in which his lady rode, purfued by a grand huzza, from all the chair. men prefent, who wifely take the best care they can to discountenance all walking a-foot by their betters. Luckily, however, the gentry who attend at the opera

houfe,

houfe, were too busy to quit their ftations, and as the latenefs of the hour prevented him from meeting many of their brethren in the ftreet, he proceeded without moleftation, in a drefs, which, at another feafon, would have certainly raised a mob at his heels.

The lady was fet down in a street, not far from Hanover-fquare, where the door being prefently opened, fhe was carried in; and the gentleman, without any ceremony, walked in after her.

Jones and his companion were now together in a very well furnished and well-warm'd room, when the female ftill fpeaking in her masquerade voice, faid, he was furprized at her friend, who muft abfolutely have forgot her appointment; at which, after venting much refentment, the fuddenly expreft fome apprehenfion from Jones, and asked him what the world would think of their having been alone together in a house at that time of night? But instead of a direct anfwer to fo important à queftion, Jones began to be very importunate with the lady to unmask; and at length having prevailed, there appeared not Mrs. Fitzpatrick, but the lady Bellafton herself.

It would be tedious to give the particular converfation, which confifted of very common and ordinary occurrences, and which lafted from two till fix o'clock. in the morning. It is fufficient to mention all of it that is any wife material to this hiftory. And this was a promise that the lady would endeavour to find out Sophia, and in a few days bring him to an interview with her, on condition that he would then take his leave of her. When this was thoroughly fettled, and a fecond meeting in the evening appointed at the fame place, they feparated; the lady returned to her houfe, and Jones to his lodgings.

CHAP. VIII.

Containing a fcene of diftrefs, which will appear very extraordinary to most of our readers.

J

ONES having refreshed himself with a few hours fleep, fummoned Partridge to his prefence; and delivering him a bank-note of fifty pounds, ordered him to go and change it. Partridge received this with fparkling eyes, though when he came to reflect farther, it railed in him fome fufpicions not very advantageous to the honour of his master; to these the dreadful idea he had of the masquerade, the disguise in which his mafter had gone out and returned, and his having been abroad all night, contributed. In plaiņ language, the only way he could poffibly find to account for the poffeffion of this note was by robbery: and, to confefs the truth, the reader, unless he should fufpect it was owing to the generofity of lady Bellaston, can hardly imagine any other.

To clear therefore the honour of Mr. Jones, and to dojuftice to the liberality of the lady, he had really received this prefent from her, who, though fhe did not give much into the hackney charities of the age, such as building hofpitals, &c. was not, however, entirely void of that chriftian virtue, and conceived, (very rightly I think), that a young fellow of merit, without a fhilling in the world, was no improper object of this virtue.

Mr. Jones and Mr. Nightingale had been invited to dine this day with Mrs. Miller. At the appointed hour therefore the two young gentlemen, with the two girls, attended in the parlour, where they waited from three till almost five before the good woman ap peared. She had been out of town to vifit a relation, of whom, at her return, she gave the following ac

count.

I hope, gentlemen, you will pardon my making you wait; I am fure if you knew the occafion.-I have been to fee a coufin of mine, about fix miles off, who now lies in.-It fhould be a warning to all perfons (fays fhe, looking at her daughters), how

they

they marry indifcreetly. There is no happiness in this world without a competency. O Nancy! how ⚫ fhall I defcribe the wretched condition in which I ⚫ found your poor coufin; fhe hath fcarce lain in a week, and there was fhe, this dreadful weather, in a cold room, without any curtains to her bed, and not a bufhel of coals in her house to fupply her with fire: her second son, that sweet little fellow, lies ill of a quinzy in the fame bed with his mother; for there is no other bed in the house. Poor little • Tomy! I believe, Nancy, you will never see your favourite any more; for he is really very ill. The reft of the children are in pretty good health; but Molly, I am afraid, will do herfelf an injury: the is but thirteen years old, Mr. Nightingale, and yet in my life, I never faw a better nurfe; fhe tends both her mother and her brother; and, what is won⚫derful in a creature fo young, fhe fhews all the chearfulness in the world to her mother; and yet I faw her-1 faw the poor child, Mr. Nightingale, turn about, and privately wipe the tears from her eyes,' Here Mrs. Miller was prevented, by her own tears, from going on, and there was not, I believe, a perfon prefent, who did not accompany in them; at Jength fhe a little recovered herfelf, and proceeded thus: In all this diftrefs the mother supports her fpirits in a surprising manner. The danger of her fon 'fits heaviest upon her, and yet fhe endeavours as much as poffible to conceal even this concern, on her husband's account. Her grief, however, fometimes gets the better of all her endeavours; for the 'was always extravagantly fond of this boy, and a moft fenfible, fweet-tempered creature it is. I protest I was never more affected in my life than when I heard the little wretch, who is hardly yet feven 6 years old, while his mother was wetting him with her tears, beg her to be comforted. Indeed,

6

6

• mamma,' cried the child, I fhan't die; God Almighty, I'm fure, won't take Tommy away; let ⚫ heaven be ever fo fine a place, I had rather stay here and ftarve with you and my papa, than go to it.Pardon me, gentlemen, I can't help it,' (fays the,

Ff3

wiping