, and fanning away.

"We are all attentive, madam."

Mistress Vandersloosh then began, out of breath, and continued out of
breath till she had told the whole of her story, which, as the reader
must be aware, only corroborated all Vanslyperken had already stated,
with the exception that he had denounced the widow. Lord Albemarle
allowed her to proceed without interruption, he had a great insight into
character, and the story of the widow confirmed him in his opinion of
Vanslyperken.

"But my good woman," said Lord Albemarle, "are you aware that Mr
Vanslyperken has already been here?"

"Yes, your honour, I met him going back, and he turned his nose up at
me, and I then said, 'Well, well, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see; wait a
little, Mr Vanslyperken.'"

"And," continued Lord Albemarle, "that he has denounced you as being a
party to all these treasonable practices."

"Me--denounced me--he--O Lord, O Lord, only let me meet
him face to face--let him say it then if he dares, the
snivelling--cowardly--murdering wretch."

Thereupon Mrs Vandersloosh commenced the history of Vanslyperken's
wooing, of his cur Snarleyyow, of her fancy for the corporal, of his
finding her with the corporal the day before, of her beating him off
with the brooms, and of her threats to expose his treason. "And so, now,
when he finds that he was to be exposed, he comes up first himself;
that's now the truth of it, or my name's not Vandersloosh, your honour,"
and the widow walked up and down with the march of an elephant, fanning
herself violently, her bosom heaving with agitation, and her face as red
as a boiled lobster.

"Mistress Vandersloosh," said Lord Albemarle, "let the affair rest as
it is for the present, but I shall not forget what you have told me. I
think now that you had better go home."

At this dismissal the widow turned round.

"Thank your worship kindly," said she, "I'm ready to come whenever I'm
wanted. Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken," resumed the widow, as she walked to
the door, quite forgetting the respect due to the two noblemen, "we
shall see; yes, yes, we shall see."

"Well, my lord, what think you of this?" said Lord Albemarle to the
duke, as the widow closed the door.

"Upon my soul I think she is honest; she is too fat for a traitor."

"I am of your opinion. The episode of the corporal was delightful, and
has thrown much light upon the lieutenant's conduct, who is a traitor in
my opinion, if ever there was one; but h