f safety, and that there he should threaten
and terrify her; but Mr Thornhill was to come in in the mean time, as if
by accident, to her rescue, and that they should fight awhile and
then he was to run off, by which Mr Thornhill would have the better
opportunity of gaining her affections himself under the character of her
defender.'

Sir William remembered the coat to have been frequently worn by his
nephew, and all the rest the prisoner himself confirmed by a more
circumstantial account; concluding, that Mr Thornhill had often declared
to him that he was in love with both sisters at the same time.

'Heavens,' cried Sir William, 'what a viper have I been fostering in
my bosom! And so fond of public justice too as he seemed to be. But
he shall have it; secure him, Mr Gaoler--yet hold, I fear there is not
legal evidence to detain him.'

Upon this, Mr Thornhill, with the utmost humility, entreated that two
such abandoned wretches might not be admitted as evidences against him,
but that his servants should be examined.--'Your servants' replied Sir
William, 'wretch, call them yours no longer: but come let us hear what
those fellows have to say, let his butler be called.'

When the butler was introduced, he soon perceived by his former master's
looks that all his power was now over. 'Tell me,' cried Sir William
sternly, 'have you ever seen your master and that fellow drest up in
his cloaths in company together?' 'Yes, please your honour,' cried the
butler, 'a thousand times: he was the man that always brought him
his ladies.'--'How,' interrupted young Mr Thornhill, 'this to my
face!'--'Yes,' replied the butler, 'or to any man's face. To tell you
a truth, Master Thornhill, I never either loved you or liked you, and
I don't care if I tell you now a piece of my mind.'--'Now then,' cried
Jenkinson, 'tell his honour whether you know any thing of me.'--'I can't
say,' replied the butler, 'that I know much good of you. The night
that gentleman's daughter was deluded to our house, you were one of
them.'--'So then,' cried Sir William, 'I find you have brought a
very fine witness to prove your innocence: thou stain to humanity! to
associate with such wretches!' (But continuing his examination) 'You
tell me, Mr Butler, that this was the person who brought him this old
gentleman's daughter.'--'No, please your honour,' replied the butler,
'he did not bring her, for the 'Squire himself undertook that business;
but he brought the priest