she kindly inquired after the state of his master's
health, and asked if he was in a condition to be seen. Tom, who could
not suppose that the visit of a fine lady would be unacceptable to a
youth of Peregrine's complexion, made no verbal reply to the question;
but beckoning her ladyship with an arch significance of feature, at
which she could not forbear smiling, walked softly up-stairs; and she,
in obedience to the signal, followed her guide into the apartment of our
hero, whom she found at a writing-table, in the very act of composing
a eulogium upon his good friend Sir Steady. The nature of his work had
animated his countenance with an uncommon degree of vivacity; and being
dressed in a neat deshabille, his figure could not have appeared to more
advantage in the eye of a person who despised the tinsel of unnecessary
ornament. She was extremely well pleased to see her expectations so
agreeably disappointed; for, instead of the squalid circumstances and
wretched looks attending indigence and distraction, everything was
decent and genteel; and the patient's aspect such as betokened internal
satisfaction. Hearing the rustling of silk in his room, he lifted up
his eyes from the paper, and, seeing her ladyship, was struck
with astonishment and awe, as at the unexpected apparition of some
supernatural being.

Before he could recollect himself from his confusion, which called
the blood into his cheeks, she told him that, on the strength of old
acquaintance, she was come to visit him, though it was a long time since
he had given her good reason to believe he had absolutely forgot that
there was such a person as she in being. After having made the most warm
acknowledgments for this unforeseen honour, he assured her ladyship that
the subject of her reproach was not his fault, but rather his very
great misfortune; and that, if it had been in his power to forget her so
easily as she seemed to imagine, he should never have given her cause to
tax him with want of duty and respect.

Still dubious of his situation, she began to converse with him
on different subjects; and he acquitted himself so well in every
particular, that she no longer doubted his having been misrepresented by
the malice of his enemies, and candidly told him the cause and intent
of her coming. He was not deficient in expressions of gratitude for this
instance of her generosity and friendship, which even drew tears from
his eyes. As to the imputation of madness,