exclaimed with incredible
volubility against the author of this uproar, who, she did not doubt,
had concealed himself in the apartment with a view of perpetuating some
wicked attempt upon her precious virtue, and was punished and prevented
by the immediate interposition of heaven. At her desire, therefore, and
at the earnest solicitation of the other lady, he was conducted to his
own bed; and the chamber being evacuated, they locked their door, fully
resolved to admit no more visitants for that night: while Peregrine,
mad with seeing the delicious morsel snatched, as it were, from his very
lip, stalked through the passage like a ghost, in hope of finding some
opportunity of re-entering; till the day beginning to break, he was
obliged to retire, cursing the idiotical conduct of the painter, which
had so unluckily interfered with his delight.

CHAPTER LV.

They depart from Ghent--Our Hero engages in a Political Dispute with his
Mistress, whom he offends, and pacifies with Submission--He practises
an Expedient to detain the Carriage at Alost, and confirms the Priest in
his Interest.

Next day, about one o'clock, after having seen everything remarkable in
town, and been present at the execution of two youths, who were hanged
for ravishing a w--, they took their departure from Ghent in the same
carriage which had brought them thither; and the conversation turning
upon the punishment they had seen inflicted, the Flemish beauty
expressed great sympathy and compassion for the unhappy sufferers,
who, as she had been informed, had fallen victims to the malice of the
accuser. Her sentiments were espoused by all the company, except the
French lady of pleasure, who, thinking the credit of the sisterhood
concerned in the affair, bitterly inveighed against the profligacy of
the age, and particularly the base and villainous attempts of man upon
the chastity of the weaker sex; saying, with a look of indignation
directed to the painter, that for her own part she should never be
able to manifest the acknowledgment she owed to Providence, for having
protected her last night from the wicked aims of unbridled lust. This
observation introduced a series of jokes at the expense of Pallet, who
hung his ears, and sat with a silent air of dejection, fearing that,
through the malevolence of the physician, his adventure might reach the
ears of his wife. Indeed, though we have made shift to explain the
whole transaction to the reader, it