ned their next men, who communicated the
impulse to those that stood behind them, and these again to others; so
that the whole passage was strewed with a long file of people, that lay
in a line, like the sequel and dependence of a pack of cards.

In the midst of this havoc, our hero returned from his own room with
an air of astonishment, asking the cause of this uproar. Receiving such
hints of intelligence as Jolter's consternation would permit him to
give, he snatched the candle out of his hand, and advanced into the
haunted chamber without hesitation, being followed by all present, who
broke forth into a long and loud peal of laughter, when they perceived
the ludicrous source of their disquiet. The painter himself made an
effort to join their mirth; but he had been so harrowed by fear, and
smarted so much with the pain of the discipline he had received from
Pickle, that he could not, with all his endeavours, vanquish the
ruefulness of his countenance. His attempt served only to increase
the awkwardness of his situation, which was not at all mended by the
behaviour of the coquette, who, furious with her disappointment, slipped
on a petticoat and bedgown, and springing upon him, like mother Hecuba,
with her nails deprived all one side of his nose of the skin; and would
not have left him an eye to see through, if some of the company had not
rescued him from her unmerciful talons. Provoked at this outrage, as
well as by her behaviour to him in the diligence, he publicly explained
his intention in entering her chamber in this equipage; and missing the
Hebrew among the spectators, assured them that he must have absconded
somewhere in the apartment. In pursuance of this intimation, the room
was immediately searched, and the mortified Levite pulled up by the
heels from his lurking-place; so that Pallet had the good fortune, at
last, to transfer the laugh from himself to his rival and the French
inamorata, who accordingly underwent the ridicule of the whole audience.

CHAPTER LVII.

Pallet endeavouring to unravel the Mystery of the Treatment he had
received, falls out of the Frying-pan into the Fire.

Nevertheless, Pallet was still confounded and chagrined by one
consideration, which was no other than that of his having been so
roughly handled in the chamber, belonging, as he found upon inquiry,
to the handsome young lady who was under the Capuchin's direction. He
recollected that the door was fast locked when his