ion of his arm, she accordingly did.

He made some very gallant speeches to her as she stepped out; and
she must have been very much occupied by them, or wrapt up in her own
thoughts, or stupefied by sleep, fever, and opium, for she did not take
any heed of the place into which she was going: which, had she done,
she would probably have preferred remaining in the coach, dinnerless and
ill. Indeed, the inn into which she was about to make her entrance was
no other than the "Bugle," from which she set forth at the commencement
of this history; and which then, as now, was kept by her relative, the
thrifty Mrs. Score. That good landlady, seeing a lady, in a smart hood
and cloak, leaning, as if faint, upon the arm of a gentleman of good
appearance, concluded them to be man and wife, and folks of quality too;
and with much discrimination, as well as sympathy, led them through the
public kitchen to her own private parlour, or bar, where she handed the
lady an armchair, and asked what she would like to drink. By this time,
and indeed at the very moment she heard her aunt's voice, Mrs. Catherine
was aware of her situation; and when her companion retired, and the
landlady, with much officiousness, insisted on removing her hood, she
was quite prepared for the screech of surprise which Mrs. Score gave on
dropping it, exclaiming, "Why, law bless us, it's our Catherine!"

"I'm very ill, and tired, aunt," said Cat; "and would give the world for
a few hours' sleep."

"A few hours and welcome, my love, and a sack-posset too. You do look
sadly tired and poorly, sure enough. Ah, Cat, Cat! you great ladies
are sad rakes, I do believe. I wager now, that with all your balls, and
carriages, and fine clothes, you are neither so happy nor so well as
when you lived with your poor old aunt, who used to love you so." And
with these gentle words, and an embrace or two, which Mrs. Catherine
wondered at, and permitted, she was conducted to that very bed which the
Count had occupied a year previously, and undressed, and laid in it, and
affectionately tucked up by her aunt, who marvelled at the fineness of
her clothes, as she removed them piece by piece; and when she saw
that in Mrs. Catherine's pocket there was only the sum of three and
fourpence, said, archly, "There was no need of money, for the Captain
took care of that."

Mrs. Cat did not undeceive her; and deceived Mrs. Score certainly
was,--for she imagined the well-dressed gentleman who led