nd inner door, and the
little girl said she would go up-stairs and let her mistress know that
he was come. She ran up, leaving Mr Vanslyperken alone in the dark
passage. He waited for some time, when his naturally suspicious temper
made him think he had been deceived, and he determined to wait outside
of the house, which appeared very disreputable. He therefore retreated
to the inner door to open it, but found it fast. He tried it again and
again, but in vain, and he became alarmed and indignant. Perceiving a
light through another keyhole, he tried the door, and it was open; a
screen was close to the door as he entered, and he could not see its
occupants. Mr Vanslyperken walked round, and as he did so, he heard
the door closed and locked. He looked on the other side of the screen,
and, to his horror, found himself in company with Moggy Salisbury, and
about twenty other females. Vanslyperken made a precipitate retreat to
the door, but he was met by three or four women, who held him fast by
the arms. Vanslyperken would have disgraced himself by drawing his
cutlass; but they were prepared for this; and while two of them pinioned
his arms, one of them drew his cutlass from its sheath, and walked away
with it. Two of the women contrived to hold his arms, while another
pushed him in the rear, until he was brought from behind the screen into
the middle of the room, facing his incarnate enemy, Moggy Salisbury.

"Good evening to you, Mr Vanslyperken," cried Moggy, not rising from
her chair. "It's very kind of you to come and see me in this friendly
way--come, take a chair, and give us all the news."

"Mistress Salisbury, you had better mind what you are about with a
king's officer," cried Vanslyperken, turning more pale at this mockery,
than if he had met with abuse. "There are constables, and stocks, and
gaols, and whipping-posts on shore, as well as the cat on board."

"I know all that, Mr Vanslyperken," replied Moggy, calmly; "but that
has nothing to do with the present affair: you have come of your own
accord to this house to see somebody, that is plain, and you have found
me. So now do as you're bid, like a polite man; sit down, and treat the
ladies. Ladies, Mr Vanslyperken stands treat, and, please the pigs,
we'll make a night of it. What shall it be? I mean to take my share of
a bottle of Oporto. What will you have, Mrs Slamkoe?"

"I'll take a bowl of burnt brandy, with your leave, Mrs Salisbury, not
b