perfect composure; and
delighted as I was with the confused plan of it in my head, I was
easily mistress enough of myself to support the part of ignorance I
had prescribed to myself; and as all this circle of reflections was
instantly over, I stole a tip-toe to the passage door, and opening it
with a noise, passed for having that moment come home; and after a short
pause, as if to pull off my things, I opened the door into the dining
room, where I fund the dowdy blowing the fire, and my faithful shepherd
walking about the room, and wistling, as cool and unconcerned as if
nothing had happened. I think, however, he had not much to brag of
having out-dissembled me: for I kept up, nobly, the character of our sex
for art, and went up to him with the same open air of frankness as I had
ever received him. He stayed but a little while, made some excuse for
not being able to stay the evening with me, and went out.

As for the wench, she was now spoiled, at least for my servant; and
scarce eight and forty hours were gone round, before her insolence, on
what had passed betwen Mr. H.... and her, gave me so fair an occasion
to turn her away, at a minute's warning, that, not to have done it would
have been the wonder; so that he could neither disapprove it nor find
in it the least reason to suspect my original motive. What became of her
afterwards, I know not; but generous as Mr. H.... was, he undoubtedly
made her amends: though, I dare answer, that he kept up no further
commerce with her of that sort; as his stooping to such a coarse morsel,
was only a sudden sally of lust, on seeing a wholesome looking, buxom
country wench, and no more strange than hunger, or even a whimsical
appetite's making a fling meal of neck-beef, for change of diet.

Had I considered this escapade of Mr. H.... in no more than that light
and contented myself with turning away the wench, I had thought and
acted right; but, flushed as I was with imaginary wrongs, I should have
held Mr. H... to have been cheaply off, if I had not pushed my revenge
farther, and repaid him, as exactly as could for the soul of me, in the
same coin.

Nor was this worthy act of justice long delayed: I had it too much at
heart. Mr. H... had, about a fortnight before, taken into his service
a tenant's son, just come out the country, a very handsome young lad,
scarce turned of nineteen, fresh as a rose, well sharped and clear
limbed: in short, a very good excuse for any woman's liking