this fair Enchantress. He
therefore, as I said, resolved to keep this great Secret to himself; and
taking a Pistol, charged well with two Bullets, he watch'd an
Opportunity to shoot her as she should go out or into her House, or
Coach, some Evening.

To this End he waited several Nights near her Lodgings, but still,
either she went not out, or when she return'd, she was so guarded with
Friends, her Lover, and Flambeaux, that he could not aim at her without
endangering the Life of some other. But one Night above the rest, upon a
_Sunday_, when he knew she would be at the Theatre, for she never missed
that Day seeing the Play, he waited at the Corner of the Stadt-House,
near the Theatre, with his Cloak cast over his Face, and a black
Periwig, all alone, with his Pistol ready cock'd; and remain'd not very
long but he saw her Kinsman's Coach come along; 'twas almost dark, Day
was just shutting up her Beauties, and left such a Light to govern the
World, as serv'd only just to distinguish one Object from another, and a
convenient Help to Mischief. He saw alight out of the Coach only one
young Lady, the Lover, and then the destin'd Victim; which he (drawing
near) knew rather by her Tongue than Shape. The Lady ran into the
Play-House, and left _Alcidiana_ to be conducted by her Lover into it:
Who led her to the Door, and went to give some Order to the Coachman; so
that the Lover was about twenty Yards from _Alcidiana_; when she stood
the fairest Mark in the World, on the Threshold of the Entrance of the
Theatre, there being many Coaches about the Door, so that hers could not
come so near. _Tarquin_ was resolved not to lose so fair an Opportunity,
and advanc'd, but went behind the Coaches; and when he came over-against
the Door, through a great booted Velvet Coach, that stood between him
and her, he shot; and she having the Train of her Gown and Petticoat on
her Arm, in great Quantity, he missed her Body, and shot through her
Clothes, between her Arm and her Body. She, frighten'd to find something
hit her, and to see the Smoke, and hear the Report of the Pistol;
running in, cried, _I am shot, I am dead._

This Noise quickly alarm'd her Lover; and all the Coachmen and Footmen
immediately ran, some one Way, and some another. One of 'em seeing a Man
haste away in a Cloak; he being a lusty, bold _German_, stopped him; and
drawing upon him, bad him stand, and deliver his Pistol, or he would run
him through.

_Tarquin_ being surpri