I then stept to the closet to Mr. Rawlins, whom, in the general confusion, I had not much minded before.—­Sir, said I, you have an uncommon scene before you.  The lady is my wife, and no gentleman’s presence is necessary here but my own.

I beg pardon, Sir; if the lady be your wife, I have no business here.  But, Sir, by her concern at seeing you—­

Pray, Sir, none of your if’s and but’s, I beseech you:  nor your concern about the lady’s concern.  You are a very unqualified judge in this cause; and I beg of you, Sir, to oblige me with your absence.  The women only are proper to be present on this occasion, added I; and I think myself obliged to them for their care and kind assistance.

’Tis well he made not another word:  for I found my choler begin to rise.  I could not bear, that the finest neck, and arms, and foot, in the world, should be exposed to the eyes of any man living but mine.

I withdrew once more from the closet, finding her beginning to recover, lest the sight of me too soon should throw her back again.

The first words she said, looking round her with great emotion, were, Oh! hide me, hide me!  Is he gone?—­Oh! hide me!—­Is he gone?

Sir, said Miss Rawlins, coming to me with an air both peremptory and assured, This is some surprising case.  The lady cannot bear the sight of you.  What you have done is best known to yourself.  But another such fit will probably be her last.  It would be but kind therefore for you to retire.

It behoved me to have so notable a person of my party; and the rather as I had disobliged her impertinent brother.

The dear creature, said I, may well, be concerned to see me.  If you, Madam, had a husband who loved you as I love her, you would not, I am confident, fly from him, and expose yourself to hazards, as she does whenever she has not all her way—­and yet with a mind not capable of intentional evil—­but mother-spoilt!—­This is her fault, and all her fault:  and the more inexcusable it is, as I am the man of her choice, and have reason to think she loves me above all the men in the world.

Here, Jack, was a story to support to the lady; face to face too!*

* And here, Belford, lest thou, through inattention, should be surprised at my assurance, let me remind thee (and that, thus, by way of marginal observation, that I may not break in upon my narrative) that this my intrepidity concerted (as I have from time to time acquainted thee) in apprehension of such an event as has fallen out.  For had not the dear creature already passed for my wife before no less than four worthy gentlemen of family and fortune?** and before Mrs. Sinclair, and her household, and Miss Partington?  And had she not agreed to her uncle’s expedient, that she should pass for such, from the time of Mr. Hickman’s application to that uncle;*** and that the worthy Capt.  Tomlinson should be allowed to propagate that belief:  as he had actually reported to two families (they possibly to more); purposely that it might come to the ears of James Harlowe; and serve for a foundation for uncle John to build his reconciliation-scheme upon?  And canst thou think that nothing was meant by all this contrivance? and that I am not still further prepared to support my story?