eliberation, it was
agreed, that he and his two companions who went over with him, should
take a trip to Paris; and in order to secure a place of retreat, upon
any Emergency, Mrs. Ross should go to Furnes, a town in Flanders, in
the Jurisdiction of the Queen of Hungary, where they would come to her
on their return.

Accordingly the next Morning before Day, they set out on their
Journey, not in a Postchaise, or any Publick Vehicle, for fear of a
Discovery, but on Foot; and lodging every Night at some obscure
Village, till their Arrival at Paris.

The Subject of their Conversation on the Road generally turned upon
the Captain's Amours and the Intrigues he had been engaged in with the
Fair Sex, but more particularly his affair with Miss Blandy. They
expressed their surprize that he should make his addresses to a young
Lady of her Character and Fortune, with a view of marrying her, when
the Conjugal Obligations he was already under, rendered the
Accomplishment impossible:

Nothing, answered the Captain, seems impossible to Men of undaunted
Courage and heroic Spirits.... Now, as to Miss Blandy, with whom you
are surprized I should enter into such deep engagements, attend to my
Reasons, and your Wonder I believe will soon cease. I am, you know,
the Son of a Nobleman, and, consequently have those high Thoughts and
ambitious Desires which are inherent to those of a noble Extraction.
As a younger Son, my Patrimony was too small to gratify my Passion for
those Pleasures enjoyed by my Equals. This put me on contriving
Schemes to answer the Extent of my Ambition.

On my coming to Henley, my first Enquiry was, what Ladies were the
Toasts among the Men of Pleasure & Gaiety. Miss Blandy was named as
the chief of them, and famed for a great Fortune. Accident soon gave
me an Interview with her; I visited, and was well received by the
whole Family, and soon insinuated myself into her good Graces, and I
quickly perceived that she had swallowed the Bait. The Father
entertained me at Bed and Board, and the Daughter obliged me with her
Company, and supplyed my Wants of Money upon every Emergency, nor was
the Mother less fond of me than the Daughter.

But no human Bliss is permanent; it was not long before a Discovery
was made that I was a married Man. Here I had Occasion for the
Exercise of all my Cunning. To deny it, I knew was to no purpose,
because it would be proved; and to own it, might be the means of
ruining my Design. Now, in