Ladies, you are exceedingly good to us both.  I should have some hopes, if my unhappily nice spouse could be brought to dispense with the unnatural oath she has laid me under.  You see what my case is.  Do you think I may not insist upon her absolving me from this abominable oath?  Will you be so good as to give your advice, that one apartment may serve for a man and his wife at the hour of retirement?—­[Modestly put, Belford!—­And let me here observe, that few rakes would find a language so decent as to engage modest women to talk with him in, upon such subjects.]

They both simpered, and looked upon one another.

These subjects always make women simper, at least.  No need but of the most delicate hints to them.  A man who is gross in a woman’s company, ought to be knocked down with a club:  for, like so many musical instruments, touch but a single wire, and the dear souls are sensible all over.

To be sure, Miss Rawlins learnedly said, playing with her fan, a casuist would give it, that the matrimonial vow ought to supercede any other obligation.

Mrs. Moore, for her part, was of opinion, that, if the lady owned herself to be a wife, she ought to behave like one.

Whatever be my luck, thought I, with this all-eyed fair-one, any other woman in the world, from fifteen to five-and-twenty, would be mine upon my own terms before the morning.

And now, that I may be at hand to take all advantages, I will endeavour, said I to myself, to make sure of good quarters.

I am your lodger, Mrs. Moore, in virtue of the earnest I have given you for these apartments, and for any one you can spare above for my servants.  Indeed for all you have to spare—­For who knows what my spouse’s brother may attempt?  I will pay you to your own demand; and that for a month or two certain, (board included,) as I shall or shall not be your hindrance.  Take that as a pledge; or in part of payment—­ offering her a thirty pound bank note.

She declined taking it; desiring she might consult the lady first; adding, that she doubted not my honour; and that she would not let her apartments to any other person, whom she knew not something of, while I and the lady were here.

The Lady!  The Lady! from both women’s mouth’s continually (which still implied a doubt in their hearts):  and not Your Spouse, and Your Lady, Sir.

I never met with such women, thought I:—­so thoroughly convinced but this moment, yet already doubting—­I am afraid I have a couple of skeptics to deal with.

I knew no reason, I said, for my wife to object to my lodging in the same house with her here, any more than in town, at Mrs. Sinclair’s.  But were she to make such objection, I would not quit possession since it was not unlikely that the same freakish disorder which brought her to Hampstead, might carry her absolutely out of my knowledge.

They both seemed embarrassed; and looked upon one another; yet with such an air, as if they thought there was reason in what I said.  And I declared myself her boarder, as well as lodger; and dinner-time approaching, was not denied to be the former.