The women looked upon one another, and upon me, by turns, to see how I bore it.  I had such dartings in my head at the instant, that I thought I should have gone distracted.  My brain seemed on fire.  What would I have given to have had her alone with me!—­I traversed the room; my clenched fist to my forehead.  O that I had any body here, thought I, that, Hercules-lie, when flaming in the tortures of Dejanira’s poisoned shirt, I could tear in pieces!

Capt.  Dear Lady! see you not how the poor gentleman—­Lord, how have I imposed upon your uncle, at this rate!  How happy did I tell him I saw you!  How happy I was sure you would be in each other!

Cl.  O Sir, you don’t know how many premeditated offences I had forgiven when I saw you last, before I could appear to you what I hoped then I might for the future be!—­But now you may tell my uncle, if you please, that I cannot hope for his mediation.  Tell him, that my guilt, in giving this man an opportunity to spirit me away from my tried, my experienced, my natural friends, (harshly as they treated me,) stares me every day more and more in the face; and still the more, as my fate seems to be drawing to a crisis, according to the malediction of my offended father!

And then she burst into tears, which even affected that dog, who, brought to abet me, was himself all Belforded over.

The women, so used to cry without grief, as they are to laugh without reason, by mere force of example, [confound their promptitudes;] must needs pull out their handkerchiefs.  The less wonder, however, as I myself, between confusion, surprise, and concern, could hardly stand it.

What’s a tender heart good for?—­Who can be happy that has a feeling heart?—­And yet, thou’lt say, that he who has it not, must be a tiger, and no man.

Capt.  Let me beg the favour of one word with you, Madam, in private; and that on my own account.

The women hereupon offered to retire.  She insisted that, if they went, I should not stay.

Capt.  Sir, bowing to me, shall I beg—­

I hope, thought I, that I may trust this solemn dog, instructed as he is.  She does not doubt him.  I’ll stay out no longer than to give her time to spend her first fire.

I then passively withdrew with the women.—­But with such a bow to my goddess, that it won for me every heart but that I wanted most to win; for the haughty maid bent not her knee in return.

The conversation between the Captain and the lady, when we were retired, was to the following effect:—­They both talked loud enough for me to hear them—­the lady from anger, the Captain with design; and thou mayest be sure there was no listener but myself.  What I was imperfect in was supplied afterwards; for I had my vellum-leaved book to note all down.  If she had known this, perhaps she would have been more sparing of her invectives—­and but perhaps neither.