wife, I have no business here.
But, Sir, by her concern at seeing you--

Pray, Sir, none of your if's and but's, I beseech you: nor your concern
about the lady's concern. You are a very unqualified judge in this
cause; and I beg of you, Sir, to oblige me with your absence. The women
only are proper to be present on this occasion, added I; and I think
myself obliged to them for their care and kind assistance.

'Tis well he made not another word: for I found my choler begin to rise.
I could not bear, that the finest neck, and arms, and foot, in the world,
should be exposed to the eyes of any man living but mine.

I withdrew once more from the closet, finding her beginning to recover,
lest the sight of me too soon should throw her back again.

The first words she said, looking round her with great emotion, were, Oh!
hide me, hide me! Is he gone?--Oh! hide me!--Is he gone?

Sir, said Miss Rawlins, coming to me with an air both peremptory and
assured, This is some surprising case. The lady cannot bear the sight of
you. What you have done is best known to yourself. But another such fit
will probably be her last. It would be but kind therefore for you to
retire.

It behoved me to have so notable a person of my party; and the rather as
I had disobliged her impertinent brother.

The dear creature, said I, may well, be concerned to see me. If you,
Madam, had a husband who loved you as I love her, you would not, I am
confident, fly from him, and expose yourself to hazards, as she does
whenever she has not all her way--and yet with a mind not capable of
intentional evil--but mother-spoilt!--This is her fault, and all her
fault: and the more inexcusable it is, as I am the man of her choice, and
have reason to think she loves me above all the men in the world.

Here, Jack, was a story to support to the lady; face to face too!*

* And here, Belford, lest thou, through inattention, should be surprised
at my assurance, let me remind thee (and that, thus, by way of marginal
observation, that I may not break in upon my narrative) that this my
intrepidity concerted (as I have from time to time acquainted thee) in
apprehension of such an event as has fallen out. For had not the dear
creature already passed for my wife before no less than four worthy
gentlemen of family and fortune?** and before Mrs. Sinclair, and her
household, and Miss Partington? And had she not agreed to her uncle's
expedient, that she should pass fo