her come up. Why this," continued, he, turning to the Duke of.
Portland, who was sitting by him, "is the woman who is ordered to be
arrested this night, upon the evidence of Lieutenant Vanslyperken; we
shall learn something now, depend upon it."

The Frau Vandersloosh made her appearance, sailing into the room like a
Dutch man-of-war of that period, under full sail, high-pooped and
broad-sterned. Never having stood in the presence of great men, she was
not a little confused, so she fanned herself most furiously.

"You wish to speak with me?" said Lord Albemarle.

"Yes, your honour's honour, I've come to expose a snivelling traitor to
his majesty's crown. Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see now,"
continued the widow, talking to herself, and fanning away.

"We are all attentive, madam."

Mistress Vandersloosh then began, out of breath, and continued out of
breath till she had told the whole of her story, which, as the reader
must be aware, only corroborated all Vanslyperken had already stated,
with the exception that he had denounced the widow. Lord Albemarle
allowed her to proceed without interruption; he had a great insight into
character, and the story of the widow confirmed him in his opinion of
Vanslyperken.

"But, my good woman," said Lord Albemarle, "are you aware that Mr
Vanslyperken has already been here?"

"Yes, your honour, I met him going back, and he turned his nose up at
me, and then I said, `Well, well, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see; wait a
little, Mr Vanslyperken.'"

"And," continued Lord Albemarle, "that he has denounced you as being a
party to all these treasonable practices?"

"Me--denounced me--he--O Lord, O Lord, only let me meet him face to
face--let him say it then, if he dares, the snivelling--cowardly--
murdering wretch."

Thereupon Mrs Vandersloosh commenced the history of Vanslyperken's
wooing, of his cur Snarleyyow, of her fancy for the corporal, of his
finding her with the corporal the day before, of her beating him off
with the brooms, and of her threats to expose his treason. "And so,
now, when he finds that he was to be exposed, he comes up first himself;
that's now the truth of it, or my name's not Vandersloosh, your honour;"
and the widow walked up and down with the march of an elephant, fanning
herself violently, her bosom heaving with agitation, and her face as red
as a boiled lobster.

"Mistress Vandersloosh," said Lord Albemarle, "let the affair rest as it
is fo