checked by his uncle, and even by the king himself, for giving too great
a loose to his amorous inclinations, yet all their admonitions were too
weak to restrain the impetuosity of his desires this way. To him,
therefore, they resolved to communicate the affair; and as he was in
other respects the most proper object among them to succeed in
supplanting Horatio, so he was also by being perfectly well versed in
the French language, which the rest were ignorant of.

Accordingly they told him what had happened, shewed him the letter, and
how willing Horatio would be to transfer all the interest he had in this
lady to him, if he could by any means ingratiate himself into her
favour. Mullern was transported at the idea; and the stratagem contrived
among them for this purpose was executed in the following manner:

Mattakesa was punctual to the promise she had made in her letter; and
when she came into the room, where she usually found the gentlemen
altogether, it being that where they dined, and saw not Horatio, she
doubted not but he had observed her directions, and pretended himself
indisposed, so asked for him, expecting to be told that he was ill; but
when they answered that he was gone with one of the keepers to the top
of the round tower, in order to satisfy his curiosity in taking a view
of the town, she was confounded beyond expression, and could not imagine
what had occasioned him to slight an assignation, she had flattered
herself he would receive with extacy.

As she was in a little resvery, endeavouring to comprehend, if possible,
the motive of so manifest a neglect, Mullern drew near to her, and
beginning to speak of the beauties of that fine city which the czar had
erected in the midst of war, he told her, that having a little skill in
drawing, he had ventured to make a little sketch of it in chalk on the
walls of the room where he lay, and entreated her in the most gallant
manner to look upon it, and give him her opinion how far he had done
justice to an edifice so much admired.

It cannot be supposed that Mattakesa had in her soul any curiosity to
see a work of this nature, yet, to hide as much as she could the
disorder she was in at her disappointment, gave him her hand, in order
to be concluded to the place where he pretended to have been exercising
his genius.

As soon as they were entered he threw the door, as if by incident, which
having a spring lock, immediately was made fast--She either did not, o