Amelia -- Volume 2

will find matter wor

with some engagement abroad, and sat down to her meal with her children; which, as it was always uncomfortable in the

long it was to dinner? "To dinner, my dear!" answered Amelia; "sure you have dined, I hope?" Booth replied in the negative; upon which his wife started from her chair, and be

ce of any such fault when, upon Booth's having so long overstayed his time, and so greatly mistaken the hour of the day, and upon some other circumstances of his behaviour (for he was too honest

an he expected. In short, he made many shuffling and evasive answers, not boldly lying out, which, perhaps, would have succeeded, but

his liberty. Booth at last perceived her to be so uneasy, that, as he saw no hopes of contriving any fiction to satisfy her, he thought himself obliged to tell her the truth, or at least part of the truth, and confessed that he had had a little skirmish with Colonel Bath, in which, he said, the colonel had received a slight wound, not at all dangerous; "and this," says he, "is all the whole matter." "If it be so," cries Amelia, "I thank Heaven no worse hath happened; but why, my dear, will you ever converse with that madman, who can embrace a friend one moment, and fight with him the next?" "Nay, my dear," answered Booth, "you yours

a little enlargement, which pretty well satisfied Amelia; and instead of blaming her husband fo

ies, endeavoured to dissuade her husband from continuing an acquaintance in which, she said, she should always foresee much danger for the future.

introduce to him as brave and as fortitudinous a man as any in the king's dominions. He then took Booth with him into the next room, and desired him not to mention a word of what had happened in the morning; saying, "I am ve

any considerable advantage, they neither of them insisted on continuing it; and n

im with the real cause of his anger; "for may I perish," cries Booth, "if I can eve

lonel, after some hesitation, with a tremendous oath, cried out, "I do not think myself at liberty to refuse you after the indignity I offered you; so, since you demand it of me, I will inform you. My brother told me you had used him dishonourably, and had divellicated his character behind his back. He gave me his word, too, that he was well assured of what he said. What could I hav

his affair brought to an eclaircissement, and to satisfy him that he is in an error; for, though his assertions are cruelly injurious, and I have never deserved them, yet I am convinced

u please; but, by the eternal dignity of man, if any man breathing had taken a liberty with my character-Here, here-Mr. Booth

d against you can hardly be supposed to fear any other person; but I repeat to you again that I love Colonel James so well, and

s I know thou hast some obligations to my brother, I do not discommend thee; for nothing more becomes the dignity of a man than gratitude. Besides, as I am satisfied my brother can produce the author of the slander-I say, I am satisfied of that- d-n me, if any man alive dares assert the contrary; for that would be to make my brother himself a liar-I will make hi

t scandalous report which had incensed his friend against him, not Bath himself was ever more ready, on such an occasion, than Booth to execute it. He soon after took his l

oth's affairs, his usual good- nature brought him immediately to acquaint Mr. Booth with it. As he did not therefore find him at home, and as he met with the two ladies together,

r, as he was now in Mrs. Ellison's apartment, though she was his relation and an old acquaintance, he applied his conversation rather more to her than to Amelia. His eyes, indeed, were now and then guilty of the contrary distinction, but this was only by stealth; for they constantly withdrew the moment they were discovered. In short, he treated Amelia with the greate