ances, however, were very vain; no means were at hand, and between five and fix the bar-woman herfelf tapped at my door, and faid, 'The Captain, Ma'am, gives his compliments, and defires me to let you know that he waits breakfast for you.'

" I answered, that I had nothing to do with the Captain, and meant to stay where I was. To the arguments she thought proper to ufe I gave no answer; but she had at length the infolence to tell me the door muft then be broke open, for nobody should shut themfelves up fo in her master's houfe. As I thought her not unlikely to execute this or any other piece of brutality fhe was paid for, I opened the door, rather I own in a tranfport of indignation than of fear. Darnell, who had heard of the contest, by this time appeared, and again put on his creeping humility, and began to talk of his paffion. I told him that my refolution was unalterable, and that unless he refolved to return to London, nothing but direct force fhould compel me to

enter

enter a carriage with him. He endeavoured by half fentences and vague profeffions to perfuade me that my will should be his; and I in my turn diffimulated a little, and affected to believe him, for at that moment it occurred to me, that as there were foldiers in the house, there were certainly officers, and if I could fee any one of them, I determined to appeal to him for protection against Darnell, who I was fure was perfonally a coward. I was aware that there was fome hazard in doing this, but I had not fo contemptible an opinion of mankind as to fuppofe it probable I fhould fall into worfe or as bad hands as thofe of this stupid, obftinate, and worthlefs pretender to the character of a gentleman. The mere chivalric turn of a military man would, I hoped, be in my favour, and at all events my refolution was taken to risk it; but Mr. Darnell, who perhaps forefaw fome fuch attempt on my part, thought he fhould do wifely not to put it in my power; and as foon as he had himfelf fwal

lowed an hafty though a very plentiful breakfast, the chaife was announced, and he defired me to get in. It was in vain I made every excufe, and then peremptorily infifted on delay. The bar-woman feemed to have enlifted in the fervice of the Captain with a zeal which I believe no more worthy caufe would have excited; this wretched woman rather encouraged the man than checked him. She had no notion, the faid, of fuch childish airs; the Captain would be very much to blame indeed if he minded them. I had more fear of remaining where this woman could inftigate the foolish animal to perfift in or to aggravate his atrocity, than of being left to his mercy, which I knew would be tempered according to his fears. I had heard, that when women are thoroughly bad and abandoned, they are more determined and inveterate in wickedness than men ; I therefore refolved to entrust myself once more to the noble Captain, and was once more feated in a postchaife by him,

M

7

moft

most reluctantly Lown; but though I had hitherto been fo unsuccessful in my attempts to escape, my contempt of him had increased, and I thought I should hardly fail of meeting at another inn a more womanly and humane governess of it than Mifs Jane Our converfa

tion, however, as we proceeded, was for fome time carried on with increased afperity on both fides. The Captain feemed to hope to frighten me; I was not without the fame hope in regard to him. We arrived at a late hour at Skipton; I there, you al know, put myself into the protection of the landlady. You have told me, Delmont, that you know great part of what paffed the first time of my being there. Darnell moft folemnly promised that he would forthwith return to London, and on the strength of that promife, and becaufe in fact I knew not what else to do, I once more confented to travel with him, The horfes heads were undoubtedly, this time at least, turned towards London. I faw by the mile-ftones on the road M 3

that

that we were actually going fouthward, and I hoped that Darnell, repenting of an exploit which must be fruitless and dangerous in the extreme, had determined to give it up. I spoke to him, as if I were in this perfuafion, with lefs acrimony than I had ever done fince the beginning of the expedition. He was fullen, however, and the natural malignity of his temper began to fhew itself. I imputed it to his finding himself completely baffled, and to the gloomy halfftifled refentment of mortified pride. I was mistaken.

"About two miles before we got to the next stage fouthward from Skipton, on a wide and dreary moor, an old-fashioned poftchaife, that feemed an ancient country apothecary's vifiting tub, compelled into a fomewhat more active fervice, ftood waiting in the road. Darnell gave a fignal, which had, I fuppofe, been agreed upon between him and the boy who drove us, for he drew up close to