uation, he rolled
his eye around in quest of some relief, and, unable to contain himself,
exclaimed, "D--n seize the fellow and his pouch too! I believe he has
sheered off, and left me here in the stays."

Mrs. Grizzle, who could not help taking some notice of this
manifestation of chagrin, lamented her unhappy fate in being so
disagreeable to him, that he could not put up with her company for a few
moments without repining; and began in very tender terms to reproach him
with his inhumanity and indifference. To this expostulation he replied,
"Zounds! what would the woman have? Let the parson do his office when he
wool: here I am ready to be reeved in the matrimonial block, d'ye see,
and d-- all nonsensical palaver." So saying, he retreated, leaving his
mistress not at all disobliged at his plain dealing. That same evening
the treaty of marriage was brought upon the carpet, and, by means of Mr.
Pickle and the lieutenant, settled to the satisfaction of all parties,
without the intervention of lawyers, whom Mr. Trunnion expressly
excluded from all share in the business; making that condition the
indispensable preliminary of the whole agreement. Things being brought
to this bearing, Mrs. Grizzle's heart dilated with joy; her health,
which, by the bye, was never dangerously impaired, she recovered as if
by enchantment; and, a day being fixed for the nuptials, employed the
short period of her celibacy in choosing ornaments for the celebration
of her entrance into the married state.

CHAPTER VIII.

Preparations are made for the Commodore's Wedding, which is delayed by
an Accident that hurried him the Lord knows whither.

The fame of this extraordinary conjunction spread all over the county;
and, on the day appointed for their spousals, the church was surrounded
by an inconceivable multitude. The commodore, to give a specimen of his
gallantry, by the advice of his friend Hatchway, resolved to appear on
horseback on the grand occasion, at the head of all his male attendants,
whom he had rigged with the white shirts and black caps formerly
belonging to his barge's crew; and he bought a couple of hunters for the
accommodation of himself and his lieutenant. With this equipage, then,
he set out from the garrison for the church, after having despatched a
messenger to apprise the bride that he and his company were mounted. She
got immediately into the coach, accompanied by her brother and his wife,
and drove directly to