h cards, and I even received two dinner
invitations from Lady Maelstrom, who told me how her dear nieces had
wondered what had become of me, and that they were afraid that Louisa
would have fallen into a decline. And during these three months Cecilia
and Susannah had been introduced, and had become as inseparable as most
young ladies are, who have a lover a-piece, and no cause for jealousy. Mr
Cophagus had so far recovered as to be able to go down into the country,
vowing, much to the chagrin of his wife, that he never would put his foot
in London again. He asked me whether I knew any place where there were no
mad bulls, and I took some trouble to find out, but I could not; for even
if he went to the North Pole, although there were no bulls, yet there
were bull bisons and musk bulls, which were even more savage. Upon which
he declared that this was not a world to live in, and to prove that he
was sincere in his opinion, poor fellow, about three months after his
retirement into the country, he died from a general decay, arising from
the shock produced on his system. But before these three months had
passed, it had been finally arranged that Harcourt and I were to be
united on the same day; and having renewed my acquaintance with the good
bishop, whom I had taxed with being my father, he united us both to our
respective partners. My father made over to me the sum which he had
mentioned. Mr Masterton gave Susannah ten thousand pounds, and her own
fortune amounted to as much more, with the reversion of Mr Cophagus's
property at the decease of his widow. Timothy came up to the wedding,
and I formally put him in the possession of my shop and stock in trade,
and he has now a flourishing business. Although he has not yet found
his mother, he has found a very pretty wife, which he says does quite
as well, if not better.

Let it not be supposed that I forgot the good services of Kathleen--who
was soon after married to Corny. A small farm on Fleta's estate was
appropriated to them, at so low a rent, that in a few years they were
able to purchase the property, and Corny, from a leveller, as soon as
he was comfortable, became one of the government's firmest supporters.

I am now living in the same house with my father, who is very happy,
and behaves pretty well. He is seldom in a passion more than twice
a-week, which we consider as miraculous. Now that I am writing this,
he has his two grandchildren on his knees. Mrs Cophagus has ma