and regular. She appeared to be about
thirty years of age, and was studiously neat and clean in her person.
Her Quaker's dress was not without some little departure from the strict
fashion and form, sufficient to assist, without deviating from, its
simplicity. If I might use the term, it was a little coquettish, and
evinced that the wearer, had she not belonged to that sect, would have
shown great taste in the adornment of her person.

Mr Cophagus, although he did not think so himself, as I afterwards found
out, was certainly much improved by his change of costume. His
spindle-shanks, which, as I have before observed, were peculiarly at
variance with his little orbicular, orange-shaped stomach, were now
concealed in loose trousers, which took off from the protuberance of the
latter, and added dignity to the former, blending the two together, so
that his roundness became fine by degrees, and beautifully less as it
descended. Altogether, the Quaker dress added very much to the
substantiability of his appearance, and was a manifest improvement,
especially when he wore his broad-brimmed hat. Having satisfied my
curiosity, I moved the curtain so as to attract their attention, and
Cophagus came to my bedside, and felt my pulse. "Good--very good--all
right--little broth--throw in bark--on his legs--well as ever--and so on."

"I am indeed much better this afternoon," replied I; "indeed, so well,
that I feel as if I could get up."

"Pooh:--tumble down--never do--lie a bed--get strong--wife--Mrs
Cophagus--Japhet--old friend."

Mrs Cophagus had risen from her chair, and come towards the bed, when
her husband introduced her in his own fashion. "I am afraid that I have
been a great trouble, madam," said I.

"Japhet Newland, we have done but our duty, even if thou wert not, as
it appears that thou art, a friend of my husband. Consider me, therefore,
as thy sister, and I will regard thee as a brother; and if thou wouldst
wish it, thou shalt sojourn with us, for so hath my husband communicated
his wishes unto me."

I thanked her for her kind expressions, and took the fair hand which was
offered in such amity. Cophagus then asked me if I was well enough to
inform him of what had passed since our last meeting, and telling me that
his wife knew my whole history, and that I might speak before her, he took
his seat by the side of the bed, his wife also drew her chair nearer, and
I commenced the narrative of what had passed since we pa