above. I must and will see her. I have authority for it. I am a justice of peace. I have a search warrant. And up I went; they following me, muttering, and in a plaguy flutter. The first door I came to was locked. I tapped at it. The lady, Sir, has the key of her own apartment. On the inside, I question not, my honest friend; tapping again. And being assured, if she heard my voice, that her timorous and soft temper would make her betray herself, by some flutters, to my listning ear, I said aloud, I am confident Miss Harlowe is here: dearest Madam, open the door: admit me but for one moment to your presence. But neither answer nor fluttering saluted my ear; and, the people being very quiet, I led on to the next apartment; and, the key being on the outside, I opened it, and looked all round it, and into the closet. The man said he never saw so uncivil a gentleman in his life. Hark thee, friend, said I; let me advise thee to be a little decent; or I shall teach thee a lesson thou never learnedst in all thy life. Sir, said he, 'tis not like a gentleman, to affront a man in his own house. Then prythee, man, replied I, 'don't crow upon thine own dunghil. I stepped back to the locked door: My dear Miss Har lowe, I beg of you to open the door, or I'll break it open ; -pushing hard against it, that it cracked again. The man looked pale; and, trembling with his fright, made a plaguy long face; and called to one of his bodicemakers above, Joseph, come down quickly. Joseph came down a lion's-face grinning fellow; : thick, and short, and bushy-headed, like an old oak-pol. lard. Then did master John put on a sturdier look. But I only hummed a tune, traversed all the other apartments, sounded the passages with my knuckles, to find whether there were private doors, and walked up the next pair of stairs, singing all the way; John and Joseph, and Mrs. Smith, following me, trembling. I looked round me there, and went into two open-door bed-chambers; searched the closets, the passages, and peeped through the key-hole of another: no Miss Harlowe, by Jupiter! What shall I do!-what shall I do! as the girls say.-Now will she be grieved that she is out of the way. I said this on purpose to find out whether these people knew the lady's story; and had the answer I expected from Mrs. Smith-I believe not, Sir. Why so, Mrs. Smith? Do you know who I am? Whom do you guess me to be? Your name is Mr. Lovelace, Sir, I make no doubt. The very same. But how came you to guess so well, dame Smith! You never saw me before, did you? Here, Jack, I laid out for a compliment, and missed it. 'Tis easy to guess, Sir; for there cannot be two such gentlemen as you. Well said, dame Smith-but mean you good or bad? -Handsome was the least I thought she would have said. I leave you to guess, Sir. Condemned, thought I, by myself, on this appeal. Why, father Smith, thy wife is a wit, man!-Didst thou ever find that out before? But where is widow Lovick, dame Smith? My cousin John Belford says she is a very good woman. with Miss Harlowe too? Is she within? or is she gone She will be within by-and-by, Sir. She is not with the lady. Well, but my good dear Mrs. Smith, where is the lady gone? and when will she return? I can't tell, Sir. Don't tell fibs, dame Smith; don't tell fibs, chucking her under the chin: which made John's upper-lip, with chin shortened, rise to his nose.-I am sure you know! But here's another pair of stairs: let us see: Who lives up there?—but hold, here's another room locked up, tapping at the door-Who's at home? cried I. That's Mrs. Lovick's apartment. She is gone out, and has the key with her. Widow Lovick! rapping again, I believe you are at home pray open the door. John and Joseph muttered and whispered together. No whispering, honest friends: 'tis not manners to whis per. Joseph, what said John to thee? JOIN! Sir, disdainfully repeated the good woman. I beg pardon, Mrs. Smith: but you see the force of example. Had you showed your honest man more respect, I should. Let me give you a piece of advice-women who treat their husbands irreverently, teach strangers to use them with contempt. There, honest master John; why dost not pull off thy hat to me?-Oh! so thou wouldst, if thou hadst it on but thou never wearest thy hat in thy wife's presence, I believe; dost thou ? None of your fleers and your jeers, Sir, cried John. I wish every married pair lived as happily as we do. I wish so too, honest friend. But I'll be hanged if thou hast any children. Why so, Sir? Hast thou?-Answer me, mau: Hast thou, or not?, Perhaps not, Sir. But what of that? What of that?-Why I'll tell thee: The man who has no children by his wife must put up with plain John. Hadst thou a child or too, thou'dst be called Mr. Smith, with a courtesy, or a smile at least, at every word. You are very pleasant, Sir, replied my dame. I fancy, if either my husband or I had as much to answer for as I know whom, we should not be so merry. Why then, dame Smith, so much the worse for those who were obliged to keep you company. But I am not merry-I am sad!Hey-ho!-Where shall I find my dear Miss Harlowe ? My beloved Miss Harlowe! [calling at the foot of the third pair of stairs,] if you are above, for Heaven's sake answer me. I am coming up. Sir, said the good man, I wish you'd walk down. The servants' rooms, and the working-rooms, are up those stairs, and another pair; and nobody's there that you want. Shall I go up, and see if Miss Harlowe be there, Mrs. Smith ? You may, Sir, if you please. Then I won't; for, if she was, you would not be so obliging. I am ashamed to give you all this attendance: you are the politest traders I ever knew. Honest Joseph, slapping him upon the shoulders on a sudden, which made him jump, didst ever grin for a wager, man ?-for the rascal seemed not displeased with me; and, cracking his flat face from ear to ear, with a distended mouth, showed his teeth, as VOL. VII. broad and as black as his thumb-nails.-But don't I hinder thee? What canst earn a-day, man? Half-a-crown I can earn a-day; with an air of pride and petulance, at being startled. There then is a day's wages for thee. But thou needest not attend me farther. Come, Mrs. Smith, come John, (Master Smith I should say,) let's walk down, and give me an account where the lady is gone, and when she will return. So down stairs led I. John and Joseph (though I had discharged the latter,) and my dame, following me, to show their complaisance to a stranger. I re-entered one of the first-floor rooms. I have a great mind to be your lodger: for I never saw such obliging folks in my life. What rooms have you to let ? None at all, Sir. I am sorry for that. But whose is this? Mine, Sir, chuffily said John. Thine, man! why then I will take it of thee. This, and a bed-chamber, and a garret for one servant, will con. tent me. I will give thee thine own price, and half a guinea a day over, for those conveniencies. For ten guineas a day, Sir Hold, John! (Master Smith I should say)-Before thou speakest, consider-I won't be affronted, man. Sir, I wish you'd walk down, said the good woman. Really, Sir, you take Great liberties I hope you would not say, Mrs. Smith? Indeed, Sir, I was going to say something like it. Well, then, I am glad I prevented you; for such words better become my mouth than your's. But I must lodge with you till the lady returns. I believe I must. How. |