’The fellow, after waiting about an hour, and not seeing her come out, returned, concluding that she had taken lodgings there.’

And here, supposing my narrative of the dramatic kind, ends Act the first.  And now begins

Act II
scene.—­Hampstead Heath continued. 
Enter my rascal.

Will. having got at all these particulars, by exchanging others as frankly against them, with which I had formerly prepared him both verbally and in writing.—­I found the people already of my party, and full of good wishes for my success, repeating to me all they told him.

But he had first acquainted me with the accounts he had given them of his lady and me.  It is necessary that I give thee the particulars of his tale, and I have a little time upon my hands:  for the maid of the house, who had been out of an errand, tells us, that she saw Mrs. Moore, [with whom must be my first business,] go into the house of a young gentleman, within a few doors of her, who has a maiden sister, Miss Rawlins by name, so notified for prudence, that none of her acquaintance undertake any thing of consequence without consulting her.

Meanwhile my honest coachman is walking about Miss Rawlin’s door, in order to bring me notice of Mrs. Moore’s return to her own house.  I hope her gossip’s-tale will be as soon told as mine—­which take as follows:—­

Will. told them, before I came, ’That his lady was but lately married to one of the finest gentlemen in the world.  But that he, being very gay and lively, she was mortal jealous of him; and, in a fit of that sort, had eloped from him.  For although she loved him dearly, and he doated upon her, (as well he might, since, as they had seen, she was the finest creature that ever the sun shone upon,) yet she was apt to be very wilful and sullen, if he might take liberty to say so—­but truth was truth;—­and if she could not have her own way in every thing, would be for leaving him.  That she had three or four times played his master such tricks; but with all the virtue and innocence in the world; running away to an intimate friend of her’s, who, though a young lady of honour, was but too indulgent to her in this only failing; for which reason his master has brought her to London lodgings; their usual residence being in the country:  and that, on his refusing to satisfy her about a lady he had been seen with in St. James’s Park, she had, for the first time since she came to town, served his master thus, whom he had left half-distracted on this account.’

And truly well he might, poor gentleman! cried the honest folks, pitying me before they saw me.

’He told them how he came by his intelligence of her; and made himself such an interest with them, that they helped him to a change of clothes for himself; and the landlord, at his request, privately inquired, if the lady actually remained at Mrs. Moore’s, and for how long she had taken the lodgings?—­which he found only to be for a week certain; but she had said, that she believed she should hardly stay so long.  And then it was that he wrote his letter, and sent it by honest Peter Patrick, as thou hast heard.’