together.

I did not return till pretty late in the Evening, with Intent to give
him Time enough to think his own Visit tedious; but to my great
Surprize, I found my _Irish_ Missionary still on the Spot, ready to dare
me to the Encounter, and resolv'd, like a true Son of the Church
militant, to keep last on the Field of Battle. As soon as I had seated
my self, he began again to tell me, how good a Character my Landlady had
given me, which had prodigiously increased his Ardour of saving my Soul;
that he could not answer it to his own Character, as well as mine, to be
negligent; and therefore he had enter'd into a Resolution to stay my
Coming, though it had been later. To all which, I return'd him Abundance
of Thanks for his good Will, but pleading Indisposition and want of
Rest, after a good deal of civil Impertinence, I once more got rid of
him; at least, I took my Leave, and went to Bed, leaving him again
Master of the Field; for I understood next Morning, that he stay'd some
Time after I was gone, with my good Landlady.

Next Morning the Nuns of the Nunnery opposite, having taken Notice of
the _Clerico's_ Ingress, long Visit, and late Egress, sent to know
whether he was my Countryman; with many other Questions, which I was not
then let into the Secret of. To all which I return'd, that he was no
Countryman of mine, but an _Irish-man_, and so perfectly a Stranger to
me, that I knew no more of him than what I had from his own Mouth, that
he was going into _Murcia_. What the Meaning of this Enquiry was, I
could never learn; but I could not doubt, but it proceeded from their
great Care of their _Vicino_, as they call'd me; a Mark of their Esteem,
and of which I was not a little proud.

As was my usual Custom, I had been taking my Morning Walk, and had not
been long come home in order to Dinner, when in again drops my _Irish
Clerico_; I was confounded, and vexed, and he could not avoid taking
Notice of it; nevertheless, without the least Alteration of Countenance,
he took his Seat; and on my saying, in a cold and indifferent Tone, that
I imagin'd he had been got to _Murcia_ before this; he reply'd, with a
natural Fleer, that truely he was going to _Murcia_, but his Conscience
pricked him, and he did find that he could not go away with any
Satisfaction, or Peace of Mind, without making me a perfect Convert;
that he had plainly discovered in me a good Disposition, and had, for
that very Reason, put himself to the Charge of