hat he shall see, for the
cheats and abuses I put upon him, which he does not see.'

He was impatient for my coming out of my chamber, but finding me long,
he went downstairs and talked with my landlord about the parson.

My landlord, an officious though well-meaning fellow, had sent away for
the neighbouring clergyman; and when my gentleman began to speak of it
to him, and talk of sending for him, 'Sir,' says he to him, 'my friend
is in the house'; so without any more words he brought them together.
When he came to the minister, he asked him if he would venture to marry
a couple of strangers that were both willing. The parson said that Mr.
---- had said something to him of it; that he hoped it was no
clandestine business; that he seemed to be a grave gentleman, and he
supposed madam was not a girl, so that the consent of friends should be
wanted. 'To put you out of doubt of that,' says my gentleman, 'read
this paper'; and out he pulls the license. 'I am satisfied,' says the
minister; 'where is the lady?' 'You shall see her presently,' says my
gentleman.

When he had said thus he comes upstairs, and I was by that time come
out of my room; so he tells me the minister was below, and that he had
talked with him, and that upon showing him the license, he was free to
marry us with all his heart, 'but he asks to see you'; so he asked if I
would let him come up.

''Tis time enough,' said I, 'in the morning, is it not?' 'Why,' said
he, 'my dear, he seemed to scruple whether it was not some young girl
stolen from her parents, and I assured him we were both of age to
command our own consent; and that made him ask to see you.' 'Well,'
said I, 'do as you please'; so up they brings the parson, and a merry,
good sort of gentleman he was. He had been told, it seems, that we had
met there by accident, that I came in the Chester coach, and my
gentleman in his own coach to meet me; that we were to have met last
night at Stony-Stratford, but that he could not reach so far. 'Well,
sir,' says the parson, 'every ill turn has some good in it. The
disappointment, sir,' says he to my gentleman, 'was yours, and the good
turn is mine, for if you had met at Stony-Stratford I had not had the
honour to marry you. Landlord, have you a Common Prayer Book?'

I started as if I had been frightened. 'Lord, sir,' says I, 'what do
you mean? What, to marry in an inn, and at night too?' 'Madam,' says
the minister, 'if you will have it be in t