failed in my design; and as certainly would
have accompanied her in, without thee and thy brethren: and who knows
what might have been the consequence?

But my honest agent answering my signal, though not quite so soon as I
expected, in the manner thou knowest I had prescribed, They are coming!
They are coming!--Fly, fly, my beloved creature, cried I, drawing my
sword with a flourish, as if I would have slain half an hundred of the
supposed intruders; and, seizing her trembling hands, I drew her after
me so swiftly, that my feet, winged by love, could hardly keep pace with
her feet, agitated by fear.--And so I became her emperor.

I'll tell thee all, when I see thee: and thou shalt then judge of my
difficulties, and of her perverseness. And thou wilt rejoice with me at
my conquest over such a watchful and open-eyed charmer.

But seest thou not now (as I think I do) the wind outstripping fair one
flying from her love to her love? Is there not such a game?--Nay, flying
from her friends she was resolved not to abandon, to the man she was
determined not to go off with?--The sex! the sex, all over!--Charming
contradiction!--Hah, hah, hah, hah!--I must here--I must here, lay down
my pen, to hold my sides; for I must have my laugh out now the fit is
upon me.

*****

I believe--I believe--Hah, hah, hah! I believe, Jack, my dogs conclude
me mad: for here has one of them popt in, as if to see what ailed me, or
whom I had with me. Hah, hah, hah! An impudent dog! O Jack, knewest thou
my conceit, and were but thy laugh joined to mine, I believe it would
hold me for an hour longer.

But, O my best beloved fair one, repine not thou at the arts by which
thou suspectest thy fruitless vigilence has been over watched. Take
care, that thou provokest not new ones, that may be still more worthy
of thee. If once thy emperor decrees thy fall, thou shalt greatly fall.
Thou shalt have cause, if that come to pass, which may come to pass (for
why wouldst thou put off marriage to so long a day, as till thou hadst
reason to be convinced of my reformation, dearest?) thou shalt have
cause, never fear, to sit down more dissatisfied with the stars, than
with thyself. And come the worst to the worst, glorious terms will I
give thee. Thy garrison, with general Prudence at the head, and governor
Watchfulness bringing up the rear, shall be allowed to march out with
all the honours due to so brave a resistance. And all thy sex, and all
mine, that