ed the sweat from his forehead, and, heaving a piteous groan, yielded
to their remonstrances in these words: "Well, since it must be so, I
think we must ev'n grapple. But d-- my eyes! 'tis a d--d hard case
that a fellow of my years should be compelled, d'ye see, to beat up
to windward all the rest of my life against the current of my own
inclination."

This important article being discussed, Mr. Hatchway set out in the
morning to visit the despairing shepherdess, and was handsomely rewarded
for the enlivening tidings with which he blessed her ears. Sick as
she was, she could not help laughing heartily at the contrivance, in
consequence of which her swain's assent had been obtained, and gave the
lieutenant ten guineas for Tom Pipes, in consideration of the part he
acted in the farce.

In the afternoon the commodore suffered himself to be conveyed to her
apartment, like a felon to execution, and was received by her in
a languishing manner, and genteel dishabille, accompanied by her
sister-in-law, who was, for very obvious reasons, extremely solicitous
about her success. Though the lieutenant had tutored him touching his
behaviour it this interview, he made a thousand wry faces before he
could pronounce the simple salutation of "How d'ye?" to his mistress;
and after his counsellor had urged him with twenty or thirty whispers,
to each of which he had replied aloud, "D-- your eyes, I won't," he got
up, and halting towards the couch on which Mrs. Grizzle reclined in a
state of strange expectation, he seized her hand and pressed it to his
lips; but this piece of gallantry he performed in such a reluctant,
uncouth, indignant manner, that the nymph had need of all her resolution
to endure the compliment without shrinking; and he himself was so
disconcerted at what he had done, that he instantly retired to the
other end of the room, where he sat silent, and broiled with shame and
vexation.

Mrs. Pickle, like a sensible matron, quitted the place, on pretence of
going to the nursery; and Mr. Hatchway, taking the hint, recollected
that he had left his tobacco-pouch in the parlour, whither he descended,
leaving the two lovers to their mutual endearments. Never had the
commodore found himself in such a disagreeable dilemma before. He sat in
an agony of suspense, as if he every moment dreaded the dissolution of
nature; and the imploring sighs of his future bride added, if possible,
to the pangs of his distress. Impatient of this sit