In the midst of these terrors, he heard the voices of a great deal of company in his landlady’s parlour.  The hopes of being a little easy where he had not so much opportunity of affrighting himself with his own thoughts, occasioned his going downstairs, and without well knowing what he did, he knocked at the parlour door, which when opened, the first thing which struck his eyes was the gentleman whom he had robbed, drinking a glass of water.  This gave him such a shock that he had much ado to collect spirits enough to tell the gentlewoman of the house that he perceived she had company, and therefore would not intrude.  But she, laying her hand upon his arm, said, Pray, Mr. Benson, walk in; here’s nobody but a gentleman who has had the misfortune to be robbed in the field, the fright of which has put him into such a disorder that he desired to step in here that he might have leisure to come a little to himself. Tim saw it was impossible for him to retreat, and so putting on the best face he was able, he came in and sat down.

The landlady began then to enquire the circumstances of the robbery. Why, madam, replied he, I was walking there, as I generally do of a fine afternoon, in order to get a little fresh air, when a man came up all of a sudden to me, close muffled up in a green or blue great-coat, in truth I cannot say which.  He clapped a pistol to my breast, and I gave him my purse, and my niece’s two rings, one of which cost me fourscore guineas, but three weeks ago.  And as I was afraid he would murder me, I was going to give him this off my finger, and my watch out of my pocket, but that the fellow said he had enough, and his leaving these, surprised me almost as much as taking the rest.  But what sort of a man was he? said she. Why, I think he was about that gentleman’s height, added he; but I am so short-sighted that I question whether I should have known his face, even had it not been covered with his hat.  Besides I am so much taken with the rogue’s generosity that I would not prosecute him if I had him in the room.

This set Tim’s heart so much at rest that he began to come to himself a little, and asked the strange gentleman if he would not be so good as to drink a glass of wine.  A bottle was sent for, and during the time they were drinking it, Jenny came in, and it being quite dark before they had finished it, a coach was called, and Mr. Benson offered to see the gentleman home, in order to which he was going upstairs to put on his clothes.  But this the stranger would not permit, begging him to go as he was, upon which Jenny said, Then, my dear, I’ll fetch your great-coat. He had much ado to desire the gentleman to walk to the coach and he’d go as he was, which he did accordingly, and after drinking a glass of citron water with the lady whose rings he had stolen, he came home again as fast as the coach could carry him.