CHAP. XX.

An Accident, which may possibly be imagined somewhat more than accidental.

THOUGH the thoughts of Annesly's future situation could not but be distressful to his sister and him, yet the deliverance from greater evils which they had experienced, served to enlighten the prospect of those they feared. His father, whose consolation always attended the calamity he could neither prevent nor cure, exhorted his son, (in an answer to the account his sister and he had transmitted him of the events contained in the preceding chapter,) to have a proper sense of the mercy of his God and his king, and to bear what was a mitigation of his punishment, with a fortitude and resignation becoming the subject of both. The same letter informed his children, that though he was not well enough recovered to be able to travel, yet he was gaining ground on his distemper, and hoped, as the season advanced, to get the better of it altogether. He sent that blessing to his son, which he was prevented from bestowing personally, with a credit for any sum which he might have occasion for against his approaching departure.

His children received additional comfort from the good accounts of their father, which this letter contained; and even in Annesly's prison there were some intervals in which they forgct the fears of parting, and indulged themselves in temporary happiness.

It was during one of these that Sindall observed to Harriet how little she possessed the curiosity her sex was charged with, who had never once thought of seeing any thing in London, that strangers were most solicitous to see; and proposed that very night to conduct her to the play-house, where the royal family were to be present, at the representation of a new comedy.

Harriet turned a melancholy look towards her brother, and made answer, "that she could not think of any amusement that should subject him to hours of solitude in a prison."

Upon this, Annesly was earnest in pressing her to accept Sir Thomas's invitation; he said, "she knew how often he chose to be alone, at times when he could most command society; and that he should find an additional pleasure in theirs, when they returned to him fraught with the intelligence of the play."

"But there is something unbecoming in it," said Harriet, "in the eyes of others.'

"

"That objection," replied Sindall," will be easily removed; we shall go, accompanied by Mrs Eldridge, to the gallery, where even those who have many acquaintances in town, are dressed so much in the incognito way, as never to be discovered."

Annesly repeated his entreaties, Mrs Eldridge seconded, Sindall enforced them; and all three urged so many arguments, that Harriet was at last overcome, and to the play they accordingly went.

Though this was the first entertainment of the sort at which Harriet had ever been present, yet the thoughts of her absent brother, in whose company all her former amusements had been enjoyed, so much damped the pleasure she should have felt from this, that as soon as the play was over, she begged of her conductor to return, much against the desire of Mrs Eldridge, who entreated them to indulge her by staying the farce. But Harriet seemed so uneasy at the thoughts of a longer absence from her brother, that the other's solicitations were at last overruled; and making shift to get through the crowd, they left the house, and set out in a hackney coach in their return.

They had got the length of two or three streets on their way, when the coachman, who indeed had the appearance of being exceedingly drunk, drove them against a post, by which accident one of the wheels was broken to pieces, and the carriage itself immediately overturned. Sindall had luckily put down the glass on that side but a moment before, to look at some object in the street, so that they escaped any mischief which might have ensued from the breaking of it; and, except the ladies being extremely frightened, no bad consequences followed. This disaster happened just at the door of a tavern; the mistress of which, seeing the discomposure of the ladies, very politely begged them to step into her own room, till they could readjust themselves, and procure another coach from a neighbouring stand, for which she promised immediately to despatch one of her servants. All this while Sir Thomas was venting his wrath against the coachman, continuing to cane him most unmercifully, till stopped by the intercession of Harriet and Mrs Eldridge, and prevailed upon to accompany them into the house at the obliging request of its mistress. He asked pardon for giving way to his passion, which apprehension for their safety, he said, had occasioned; and taking Harriet's hand with a look of the utmost tenderness, inquired if she felt no hurt from the fall; upon her answering, that, except the fright, she was perfectly well, "Then all is well," said he, pressing her hand to his bosom, which rose to meet it with a sigh.

He then called for a bottle of Madeira, of which his companions drank each a glass; but upon his presenting another, Mrs Eldridge declared she never tasted any thing between meals; and Harriet said, that her head was already affected by the glass she had taken this, however, he attributed to the effects of the overturn, for which another bumper was an infallible remedy; and, on Mrs Eldridge setting the

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example, though with the utmost reluctance, Harriet was prevailed upon to follow it.

She was seated on a settee at the upper end of the room, Sindall sat on a chair by her, and Mrs Eldridge, from choice, was walking about the room: it somehow happened, that, in a few minutes, the last-mentioned lady left her companions by themselves.

Sindall, whose eyes had not been idle before, cast them now to the ground with a look of the most feeling discomposure; and gently lifting them again, "I know not," said he," most lovely of women, whether I should venture to express the sensations of my heart at this moment: that respect, which ever attends a love so sincere as mine, has hitherto kept me silent; but the late accident, in which all that I hold dear was endangered, has opened every sluice of tenderness in my soul, and I were more or less than man, did I resist the impulse of declaring it."-" This is no place, sir," said Harriet, trembling and covered with blushes." Every place," cried Sindall," is sacred to love, where my Harriet is." At the same time he threw himself on his knees before her, and imprinted a thousand burning kisses on her hand." Let go my hand, Sir Thomas," she cried, her voice faltering, and her cheek overspread with a still higher glow. "Never, thou cruel one," said he, (raising himself gently till he had gained a place on the settee by her side,) "never, till you listen to the dictates of a passion too violent to be longer resisted."-At that instant some bustle was heard at the door, and presently after a voice in a country accent vociferating, "It is my neighbour's own daughter, and I must see her immediately."-The door burst open, and discovered Jack Ryland, Mrs Eldridge following him, with a countenance not the most expressive of good-humour.

"Ryland!" exclaimed the Baronet, "what is the meaning of this?" advancing towards him with an air of fierceness and indignation, which the other returned with a hearty shake by the hand, saying he was rejoiced to find Miss Harriet in so good company.-" Dear Mr Ryland," said she, a little confusedly, "I am happy to see you; but it is odd-I cannot conceive tell us, as Sir Thomas was just now asking, how you came to find us out here?"

"Why, you must understand, Miss," returned Jack," that I have got a little bit of a legacy left me by a relation here in London; as I was coming up on that business, I thought I could do no less than ask your worthy father's commands for you and Mr William. So we settled matters, that, as our times, I believe, will agree well enough, I should have the pleasure, if you are not otherwise engaged, of conducting you home again. I came to town only this day, and after having eat a mutton-chop at the inn where I lighted, and got myself into a little decent trim, I set out from a place they call Pic

cadilly, I think, asking every body, I met which was the shortest way to Newgate, where I understood your brother was to be found. But I was like to make a marvellous long journey on't; for besides that it is a huge long way, as I was told, I hardly met with one person that would give a mannerly answer to my questions; to be sure they are the most humoursome people, here in London, that I ever saw in my life; when I asked the road to Newgate, one told me, I was not likely to be long in finding it; another bade me cut the first throat I met, and it would shew me; and a deal of such out-of-theway jokes. At last, while I was looking round for some civil-like body to inquire of, who should I see whip past me in a coach but yourself with that lady, as I take it; upon which I hallooed out to the coachman to stop, but he did not hear me, as I suppose, and drove on as hard as ever. I followed him close at the heels for some time, till the street he turned into being much darker than where I saw you first, by reason there were none of your torches blazing there, I fell headlong into a rut in the middle of it, and lost sight of the carriage before I could recover myself: however, I ran down a right-hand road, which I guessed you had taken, asking any body I thought would give me an answer, if they had seen a coach with a handsome young woman in't, drawn by a pair of dark bays; but I was only laught at for my pains, till I fell in by chance with a simple countryman like myself, who informed me, that he had seen such a one overturned just before this here large house; and, the door being open, I stept in without more ado, till I happened to hear this lady whispering something to another about Sir Tho mas Sindall, when I guessed that you might be with him, as acquaintances will find one another out, you know; and so here I am, at your service and Sir Thomas's.'

This history afforded as little entertainment to its hearers as it may have done to the greatest part of my readers; but it gave Sir Thomas and Harriet time enough to recover from that confusion, into which the appearance of Ryland had thrown both of them; though with this difference, that Harriet's was free from the guilt of Sindall's, and did not even proceed from the least suspicion of any thing criminal in the intentions of that gentleman.

Sir Thomas pretended great satisfaction in having met with his acquaintance Mr Ryland, and, having obtained another hackney-coach, they drove together to Newgate, where Jack received a much sincerer welcome from Anuesly, and they passed the evening with the greatest satisfaction.

Not but there was something unusual in the bosom of Harriet, from the declaration of her lover, and in his, from the attempt which Providence had interposed to disappoint; he consoled himself, however, with the reflection, that

he had not gone such a length as to alarm her simplicity, and took from the mortification of the past, by the hope of more successful villainy

to come.

CHAP. XXI.

An account of Annesly's departure.

Ir was not long before the time arrived in which Annesly was to bid adieu to his native country for the term which the mercy of his sovereign had allotted for his punishment. He behaved, at this juncture, with a determined sort of coolness, not easily expected from one of his warmth of feelings, at the time of life when these are in their fullest vigour. His sister, whose gentle heart began to droop under the thoughts of their separation, he employed every argument to comfort. He bade her remember, that it had been determined he should be absent for some years before this necessity of his absence had arisen. Suppose me on my travels," said he, " my Harriet, but for a longer term, and the sum of this calamity is exhausted; if there are hardships awaiting me, think how I should otherwise expiate my follies and my crimes the punishments of Heaven, our father has often told us, are mercies to its children: mine, I hope, will have a double effect; to wipe away my former offences, and prevent my offending for the future."

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He was actuated by the same steadiness of spirit, in the disposal of what money his father's credit enabled him to command. He called in an exact account of his debts, those to Sindall not excepted, and discharged them in full, much against the inclination of Sir Thomas, who insisted, as much as in decency he could, on cancelling every obligation of that sort to himself. But Annesly was positive in his resolution; and after having cleared these incumbrances, he embarked with only a few shillings in his pocket, saying, that he would never pinch his father's age to mitigate the punishment which his son had more than deserved.

his voyage, to the ship destined to transport them.

Sir Thomas accompanied him a little way down the river, till, at the earnest desire of his friend, he was carried ashore in a sculler, which they happened to meet on their way. When they parted, Annesly wrung his hand, and dropping a tear on it, which hitherto he had never allowed himself to shed, "To my faithful Sindall," said he, "I leave a trust more precious to this bosom than every other earthly good. Be the friend of my father, as you have been that of his undeserving son, and protect my Harriet's youth, who has lost that protection a brother should have afforded her. If the prayers of a wretched exile in a foreign land can be heard of heaven, the name of his friend shall rise with those of a parent and a sister in his hourly benedictions; and if at any time you shall bestow a thought upon him, remember the only comfort of which adversity has not deprived him,the confidence of his Sindall's kindness to those whom he has left weeping behind him."

Such was the charge which Annesly gave, and Sindall received. He received it with a tear; a tear, which the better part of his nature had yet reserved from the ruins of principle, of justice, of humanity. It fell involuntarily at the time, and he thought of it afterwards with a blushSuch was the system of self-applause which the refinements of vice had taught him, and such is the honour she has reared for the worship of her votaries!

Annesly kept his eyes fixed on the lights of London, till the increasing distance deprived them of their object. Nor did his imagination fail him in the picture, after that help was taken from her. The form of the weeping Harriet, lovely in her grief, still swam before his sight; on the back-ground stood a venerable figure, turning his eyes to heaven, while a tear that swelled in each dropped for the sacrifice of his sorrow, and a bending angel accepted it as incense.

Thus, by a series of dissipation, so easy in its progress, that, if my tale were fiction, it would be thought too simple, was this unfortunate young man lost to himself, his friends, and his country. Take but a few incidents away, and it is the history of thousands. Let not those, who have escaped the punishment of Annesly, look with indifference on the participation of his guilt, nor suffer the present undisturbed enjoyment of their criminal pleasures, to blot from their minds the idea of future retribution.

communicating the intelligence of Annesly's departure to his sister. She received it with an entrancement of sorrow, which deprived her of its expression; and when at last her tears found their way to utter it, "Is he gone!" said she," and shall I never see him more? cruel Billy! Oh! Sir Thomas, I had a thousand things to say! and has he left me without a single adieu?"-" It was in kindness to you, Miss Annesly," answered the Baronet, "that he did so."" I believe you," said she, "I know it was; and yet, methinks, he should have bid me farewell-I could have stood it, indeed I could-I am not so weak as you think me; yet, heaven knows, I have need of strength" -and she burst into tears again.

Sir Thomas did not want for expressions of comfort or of kindness, nor did he fail, amidst the assurances of his friendship, to suggest those tender sensations which his bosom felt on account of Miss Annesly. She gave him a warmth of gratitude in return, which, though vice may sometimes take advantage of it, virtue can never blame.

His protestations were interrupted by the arrival of Ryland, who had accidentally heard of Annesly's embarkment. Jack had but few words to communicate his feelings by; but his eyes helped them out with an honest tear. "Your brother, I hear, is gone, Miss Harriet," said he; "well, Heaven bless him wherever he goes!"

Harriet begged to know when it would suit his convenience to leave London, saying, that every day she stayed there now, would reproach her absence from her father. Jack made answer, that he could be ready to attend her at an hour's warning; for that his business in London was finished, and as for pleasure he could find none in it. It was agreed, therefore, contrary to the zealous advice of Sir Thomas and Mrs Eldridge, that Harriet should set off, accompanied by Mr Ryland, the very next morning.

Their resolution was accomplished, and they set out by the break of day. Sindall accompanied them on horseback several stages, and they dined together about forty miles from London. Here having settled their route according to a plan of Sir Thomas's, who seemed to be perfectly versant in the geography of the country through which they were to pass, he was prevailed on, by the earnest entreaty of Harriet, to return to London, and leave her to perform the rest of the journey under the protection of Mr Ryland.

On their leaving the inn at which they dined, there occurred an incident, of which, though the reader may have observed me not apt to dwell on trifling circumstances, I cannot help taking notice. While they were at dinner, they were frequently disturbed by the

boisterous mirth of a company in the room immediately adjoining. This, one of the waiters informed them, proceeded from a gentleman, who, he believed, was travelling from London down into the country, and, having no companion, had associated with the landlord over a bottle of claret, which, according to the waiter's account, his honour had made so free with, as to be in a merrier, or, as that word may generally be translated, a more noise-making mood than usual. Ás Sindall was handing Harriet into the post-chaise, they observed a gentleman, whom they concluded to be the same whose voice they had so often heard at dinner, standing in the passage that led to the door. When the lady passed him, he trod, either accidentally, or on purpose, on the skirt of her gown behind; and as she turned about to get rid of the stop, having now got sight of her face, he exclaimed, with an oath, that she was an angel; and, seizing the hand with which she was disengaging her gown, pressed it to his lips in so rude a manner, that even his drunkenness could not excuse it; at least it could not to Sindall, who, stepping between him and Miss Annesly, laid hold of his collar, and shaking him violently, demanded how he dared to affront the lady; and insisted on his immediately asking her pardon. "Dammee," said he, hiccuping, "not on compulsion, dammee, for you nor any man, dammee." The landlord and Mr Ryland now interposed, and, with the assistance of Harriet, pacified Sir Tho mas, from the consideration of the gentleman's being in a temporary state of insanity; Sindall accordingly let go his hold, and went on with Harriet to the chaise, while the other, re-adjusting his neckcloth, swore that he would have another peep at the girl notwithstanding.

When Harriet was seated in the chaise, Sindall took notice of the flutter into which this accident had thrown her: she confessed that she had been a good deal alarmed, lest there should have been a quarrel on her account, and begged Sir Thomas, if he had any regard for her ease of mind, to think no more of any vengeance against the other gentleman. "Fear not, my adorable Harriet," whispered Sir Thomas; " if I thought there were one kind remembrance of Sindall in that heavenly bosom❞—the chaise drove on-she blushed a reply to this unfinished speech, and bowed, smiling, to its author.

CHAP. XXIII.

Harriet proceeds on her journey with RylandA very daring attack is made upon them— The consequences.

NOTHING farther happened worthy of recording, till towards the close of that journey

which Sir Thomas's direction had marked out for their first day's progress. Ryland had before observed, that Sir Thomas's short roads had turned out very sorry ones; and when it began to be dark, Harriet's fears made her take notice, that they had got upon a large common, where, for a great way round, there was not a house to be seen. Nor was she at all relieved by the information of the post-boy, who, upon being interrogated by Ryland as to the safety of the road, answered, "To be sure, master, I've known some highwaymen frequent this common, and there stands a gibbet hard by, where two of them have hung these three years.' He had scarcely uttered this speech, when the noise of horsemen was heard behind them; at which Miss Annesly's heart began to palpitate, nor was her companion's free from unusual agitation. He asked the post-boy, in a low voice, if he knew the riders who were coming up behind; the boy answered in the negative, but that he needed not be afraid, as he observed a carriage along with them.

The first of the horsemen now passed the chaise in which Ryland and Harriet were, and at the distance of a few yards they crossed the road, and made a halt on the other side of it. Harriet's fears were now too much alarmed to

be quieted by the late assurance of the postboy she was not, indeed, long suffered to remain in a state of suspense; one of those objects of her terror called to the driver to stop; which the lad had no sooner complied with, than he rode up to the side of the carriage, where the lady was seated, and told her, in a tone rather peremptory than threatening, that she must allow that gentleman (meaning Ryland) to accept of a seat in another carriage, which was just behind, and do him and his friends the honour of taking one of them for her companion. He received no answer to this demand; she to whom it was made having fainted into the arms of her terrified fellow-traveller. In this state of insensibility, Ryland was forced, by the inhuman ruffian and his associates, to leave her, and enter a chaise which now drew up to receive him; and one of the gang, whose appearance bespoke something of a higher rank than the rest, seated himself by her, and was very assiduous in using proper means for her recovery. When that was effected, he begged her, in terms of great politeness, not to make herself in the least uneasy, for that no harm was intended.- "Oh heavens!" she cried, "where am I? What would you have? Whither would you carry me? Where is Mr Ryland?"—" If you mean that gentleman in whose company you were, Madam, you may be assured, that nothing ill shall happen to him any more than to yourself."-" Nothing ill?" said she; "merciful God! What do you intend to do with me?"-" I would not do you

VOL. V.

" and

a mischief for the world," answered he; if you will be patient for a little time, you shall be satisfied that you are in danger of none."All this while they forced the post-boy to drive on full speed; and there was light enough for Harriet to discover, that the road they took had so little the appearance of a frequented one, that there was but a very small chance of her meeting with any relief. In a short time after, however, when the moon shining out made it lighter, she found they were cbliged to slacken their pace, from being met, in a narrow part of the road, by some persons on horseback. The thoughts of relief recruited a little her exhausted spirits; and having got down the frontglass, she called out as loud as she was able, begging their assistance to rescue a miserable creature from ruffians. One, who attended the carriage by way of guard, exclaimed, that it was only a poor wretch out of her senses, whom her friends were conveying to a place of secu→ rity; but Harriet, notwithstanding some endeavours of the man in the chaise to prevent her, cried out with greater vehemence than before, entreating them, for God's sake, to pity and relieve her. By this time one, who had been formerly behind, came up to the front of the party they had met, and overhearing this last speech of Harriet's-" Good God!" said he, can it be Miss Annesly?" Upon this her companion in the carriage jumped out with a pistol in his hand, and presently she heard the report of fire-arms, at which the horses taking fright, ran furiously across the fields for a considerable way before their driver was able to stop them. He had scarcely accomplished that, when he was accosted by a servant in livery, who bade him fear nothing, for that his master had obliged the villains to make off." Eternal blessings on him,” cried Harriet, “ and to that Providence, whose instrument he is!""To have been of any service to Miss Annesly," replied a gentleman who now appeared, leading his horse, "rewards itself."-It was Sindall! -"Gracious powers!" exclaimed the astonished Harriet, can it be you, Sir Thomas!""Compose yourself, my dear Miss Annesly," said he, "lest the surprise of your deliverance should overpower your spirits."-He had opened the door of the chaise, and Harriet, by a natural motion, made room for him to sit by her. -He accordingly gave his horse to a servant, and stepped into the chaise, directing the driver to strike down a particular path, which would lead him to a small inn, where he sometimes passed the night when a-hunting.

When he pulled up the glass, "Tell me, tell me, Sir Thomas," said Harriet, "what guardian angel directed you so unexpectedly to my relief?"-"That guardian angel, my fairest, which I trust will ever direct us to happiness; my love, my impatient love, that could not bear

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