I’ll teach the dear, charming creature to emulate me in contrivance; I’ll teach her to weave webs and plots against her conqueror!  I’ll show her, that in her smuggling schemes she is but a spider compared to me, and that she has all this time been spinning only a cobweb!

***

What shall we do now! we are immersed in the depth of grief and apprehension!  How ill do women bear disappointment!—­Set upon going to Hampstead, and upon quitting for ever a house she re-entered with infinite reluctance; what things she intended to take with her ready packed up, herself on tiptoe to be gone, and I prepared to attend her thither; she begins to be afraid that she shall not go this night; and in grief and despair has flung herself into her old apartment; locked herself in; and through the key-hole Dorcas sees her on her knees, praying, I suppose, for a safe deliverance.

And from what? and wherefore these agonizing apprehensions?

Why, here, this unkind Lady Betty, with the dear creature’s knowledge, though to her concern, and this mad-headed cousin Montague without it, while she was employed in directing her package, have hurried away in the coach to their own lodgings, [only, indeed, to put up some night-clothes, and so forth, in order to attend their sweet cousin to Hampstead;] and, no less to my surprise than her’s, are not yet returned.

I have sent to know the meaning of it.

In a great hurry of spirits, she would have had me to go myself.  Hardly any pacifying her!  The girl, God bless her! is wild with her own idle apprehensions!  What is she afraid of?

I curse them both for their delay.  My tardy villain, how he stays!  Devil fetch them! let them send their coach, and we’ll go without them.  In her hearing I bid the fellow tell them so.  Perhaps he stays to bring the coach, if any thing happens to hinder the ladies from attending my beloved this night.

***

Devil take them, again say I!  They promised too they would not stay, because it was but two nights ago that a chariot was robbed at the foot of Hampstead-hill, which alarmed my fair-one when told of it!

Oh! here’s Lady Betty’s servant, with a billet.

TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.  MONDAY NIGHT.

Excuse us, my dear Nephew, I beseech you, to my dearest kinswoman.  One night cannot break squares:  for here Miss Montague has been taken violently ill with three fainting fits, one after another.  The hurry of her joy, I believe, to find your dear lady so much surpass all expectations, [never did family love, you know, reign so strong as among us,] and the too eager desire she had to attend her, have occasioned it!  For she has but weak spirits, poor girl! well as she looks.

If she be better, we will certainly go with you tomorrow morning, after we have breakfasted with her, at your lodgings.  But whether she be, or not, I will do myself the pleasure to attend your lady to Hampstead; and will be with you for that purpose about nine in the morning.  With due compliments to your most worthily beloved, I am