ore at
liberty, and hearty as a lark after his long confinement and under no
constraint, was like a boy let loose from school. Carolling at the top
of his voice, playing mad pranks with all who passed us on the road, and
staying at every inn to drink twopenny ale, so that I feared he would
certainly fall ill of drinking, as he had before of eating; but the
exercise of riding, the fresh, wholesome air, and half an hour's doze in
a spinney, did settle his liquor, and so he reached Hurst Court quite
sober, thanks be to Heaven, though very gay. And there we had need of
all our self-command, to conceal our joy in finding those gates open to
us, which we had looked through so fondly when we were last here, and to
spy Moll, in a stately gown, on the fine terrace before this noble
house, carrying herself as if she had lived here all her life, and Don
Sanchez walking very deferential by her side. Especially Dawson could
scarce bring himself to speak to her in an uncouth, surly manner, as
befitted his character, and no sooner were we entered the house but he
whips Moll behind a door, and falls a-hugging and kissing her like any
sly young lover.

Whilst he was giving way to these extravagances, which Moll had not the
heart to rebuff,--for in her full, warm heart she was as overjoyed to
see him there as he her,--Don Sanchez and I paced up and down the
spacious hall, I all of a twitter lest one or other of the servants
might discover the familiarity of these two (which must have been a fine
matter for curious gossip in the household and elsewhere), and the Don
mighty sombre and grave (as foreseeing an evil outcome of this
business), so that he would make no answer to my civilities save by dumb
gestures, showing he was highly displeased. But truly 'twas enough to
set us all crazy, but he, with joy, to be in possession of all these
riches and think that we had landed at Chatham scarce a fortnight before
without decent clothes to our backs, and now, but for the success of our
design, might be the penniless strolling vagabonds we were when Don
Sanchez lighted on us.

Presently Moll came out from the side room with her father, her hair all
tumbled, and as rosy as a peach, and she would have us visit the house
from top to bottom, showing us the rooms set apart for us, her own
chamber, the state room, the dining-hall, the store closets for plate
and linen, etc., all prodigious fine and in most excellent condition;
for the scrupulous minu