but better consider
the matter afterwards. And he desired my advice how to act in it. He
told me that no father ever loved a daughter as he loved this niece of
his; whom, indeed, he used to call his daughter-niece. He said, she had
really been unkindly treated by her brother and sister: and as your
alliance, Sir, was far from being a discredit to their family, he would
do his endeavour to reconcile all parties, if he could be sure that ye
were actually man and wife.'

Lovel. And what, pray, Captain, was your advice?

Capt. 'I gave it as my opinion, that if his niece were unworthily
treated, and in distress, (as he apprehended from the application to
him,) he would soon hear of her again: but that it was likely, that this
application was made without expecting it would succeed; and as a salvo
only, to herself, for marrying without their consent. And the rather
thought I so, as he had told me, that it came from a young lady her
friend, and not in a direct way from herself; which young lady was no
favourite of the family; and therefore would hardly have been employed,
had success been expected.'

Lovel. Very well, Captain Tomlinson--pray proceed.

Capt. 'Here the matter rested till last Sunday evening, when Mr. John
Harlowe came to me with the man who had seen you and your lady (as I
presume she is) at the play; and who had assured him, that you both
lodged in the same house.--And then the application having been so lately
made, which implied that you were not then married, he was so uneasy for
his niece's honour, that I advised him to dispatch to town some one in
whom he could confide, to make proper inquiries.'

Lovel. Very well, Captain--And was such a person employed on such an
errand by her uncle?

Capt. 'A trusty and discreet person was accordingly sent; and last
Tuesday, I think it was, (for he returned to us on the Wednesday,) he
made the inquiries among the neighbours first.' [The very inquiry, Jack,
that gave us all so much uneasiness.*] 'But finding that none of them
could give any satisfactory account, the lady's woman was come at, who
declared, that you were actually married. But the inquirist keeping
himself on the reserve as to his employers, the girl refused to tell the
day, or to give him other particulars.'

* See Vol. IV. Letter L.

Lovel. You give a very clear account of every thing, Captain Tomlinson.
Pray proceed.

Capt. 'The gentleman returned; and, on his report