r Heaven's sake to
let me out, and out I jumped. But O waes me! that deevil thought I was
taken ill, and as I was a stranger, the moment I was out and in the
house, out came she likewise, and came talking into the kitchen, into
which I had ran, perspiring with vexation.

"At the sight, I ran back to the door, determined to prefer the wet and
wind on the outside of the coach to the clatter within. But the coach
was off, and far beyond call. I could have had the heart, I verily
believe, to have quenched the breath of life in that wearyful woman; for
when she found the coach was off without us, her alarm was a perfect
frenzy, and she fastened on me worse than ever--I thought my heart would
have broken.

"By-and-by came another coach, and we got into it. Fortunately twa young
London lads, clerks or siclike, were within. They endured her tongue for
a time, but at last they whispered each other, and one of them giving me
a nodge or sign, taught me to expect they would try to silence her.
Accordingly the other broke suddenly out into an immoderate doff-like
laugh that was really awful. The mistress paused for a minute, wondering
what it could be at; anon, however, her tongue got under way, and off
she went; presently again the younker gave another gaffaw, still more
dreadful than the first. His companion, seeing the effect it produced on
Madam, said, 'Don't be apprehensive; he has only been for some time in a
sort of deranged state; he is quite harmless, I can assure you.' This
had the desired effect, and from that moment till I got her safe off
in a hackney-coach from where the stage stoppit, there was nae word
out of her head; she was as quiet as pussy, and cowered in to me in
terrification o' the madman breaking out. I thought it a souple trick o'
the Londoners. In short," said Mr M'Waft, "though my adventures with the
wearyful woman is a story now to laugh at, it was in its time nothing
short of a calamity."

PRINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters' errors; otherwise,
every effort has been made to remain true to the authors' words and
intent.

End of Project Gutenberg's Tales from Blackwood, Volume 3, by Various

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