tered a loud shriek, that brought her father instantly into
the apartment, where he found his daughter tossing about her clothes and
trinkets with violent demonstrations of disorder and affright, and heard
her, in a lamentable strain, declare that she was robbed of her chain,
and for ever undone. This was so far from being an agreeable intimation
to the jeweller, that he was struck dumb with astonishment and vexation,
and it was not till after a long pause that he pronounced the word
Sacrament! with an emphasis denoting the most mortifying surprise.

Soon as that exclamation escaped from his lips, he flew to the escritoire
as if instinctively, and, joining Wilhelmina in her occupation, tumbled
its whole contents upon the floor in a trice.

While he was thus employed, in the most expressive silence, the wife of
his bosom chanced to pass that way, and seeing them both occupied with
such violence and trepidation, believed at first that they were certainly
actuated by the spirit of frenzy; but, when she interposed, by asking,
with great earnestness, the cause of such transports and distracted
behaviour, and heard her husband reply, with an accent of despair, "The
chain! the chain of my forefathers is no more!" she immediately justified
his emotion, by undergoing the same alarm, and, without further
hesitation, engaged herself in the search, beginning with a song, which
might be compared to the hymn of battle among the Greeks, or rather more
aptly to that which the Spartan females sung round the altar of Diana,
surnamed Orthian; for it was attended with strange gesticulations, and,
in the course of utterance, became so loud and shrill, that the guests,
who were by this time partly assembled, being confounded at the clamour,
rushed towards the place from whence it seemed to proceed, and found
their landlord, with his wife and daughter, in the attitudes of
distraction and despair.

When they understood the nature of the case, they condoled the family on
their misfortune, and would have retired, on the supposition that it
would defeat the mirthful intent of their meeting; but the jeweller,
mustering up his whole temper and hospitality, entreated them to excuse
his disorder, and favour him with their company, which, he observed, was
now more than ever wanted, to dispel the melancholy ideas inspired by his
loss. Notwithstanding this apology, and the efforts he made in the
sequel to entertain his friends with jollity and good-h