She then rung a bell: John, cried she, pray step down!--Indeed, Sir, the
lady is not at home.
Down came John, the good man of the house, when I expected one of his
journeymen, by her saucy familiarity.
My dear, said she, the gentleman will not believe Miss Harlowe is abroad.
John bowed to my fine clothes: Your servant, Sir,--indeed the lady is
abroad. She went out of town this morning by six o'clock--into the
country--by the doctor's advice.
Still I would not believe either John or his wife. I am sure, said I,
she cannot be abroad. I heard she was very ill--she is not able to go
out in a coach. Do you know Mr. Belford, friend?
Yes, Sir; I have the honour to know 'Squire Belford. He is gone into the
country to visit a sick friend. He went on Saturday, Sir.
This had also been told from thy lodgings to Will. whom I sent to desire
to see thee on my first coming to town.
Well, and Mr. Belford wrote me word that she was exceeding ill. How then
can she be gone out?
O Sir, she is very ill; very ill, indeed--she could hardly walk to the
coach.
Belford, thought I, himself knew nothing of the time of my coming;
neither can he have received my letter of yesterday: and so ill, 'tis
impossible she would go out.
Where is her servant? Call her servant to me.
Her servant, Sir, is her nurse: she has no other. And she is gone with
her.
Well, friend, I must not believe you. You'll excuse me; but I must go up
stairs myself. And was stepping up.
John hereupon put on a serious, and a less respectful face--Sir, this
house is mine; and--
And what, friend? not doubting then but she was above.--I must and will
see her. I have authority for it. I am a justice of the peace. I have
a search warrant.
And up I went; they following me, muttering, and in a plaguy flutter.
The first door I came to was locked. I tapped at it.
The lady, Sir, has the key of her own apartment.
On the inside, I question not, my honest friend; tapping again. And
being assured, if she heard my voice, that her timorous and soft temper
would make her betray herself, by some flutters, to my listning ear, I
said aloud, I am confident Miss Harlowe is here: dearest Madam, open the
door: admit me but for one moment to your presence.
But neither answer nor fluttering saluted my ear; and, the people being
very quiet, I led on to the next apartment; and, the key being on the
outside, I opened it, and looked all around it, and into the closet.
The man said he never saw so uncivil a gentleman in his life.
Hark thee, friend, said I; let me advise thee to be a little decent; or
I shall teach thee a lesson thou never learnedst in all thy life.
Sir, said he, 'tis not like a gentleman, to affront a man in his own
house.
Then prythee, man, replied I, don't crow upon thine own dunghil.
I stept back to the locked door: My dear Miss Harlowe, I beg of you to
open the door, or I'll break it open;--pushing hard against it, that it
cracked again.
The man looked pale: and, trembling with his fright, made a plaguy long
face; and called to one of his bodice-makers above, Joseph, come down
quickly.
Joseph came down: a lion's-face grinning fellow; thick, and short, and
bushy-headed, like an old oak-pollard. Then did master John put on a
sturdier look. But I only hummed a tune, traversed all the other
apartments, sounded the passages with my knuckles, to find whether there
were private doors, and walked up the next pair of stairs, singing all
the way; John and Joseph, and Mrs. Smith, following me up, trembling.
I looked round me there, and went into two open-door bed-chambers;
searched the closets, and the passages, and peeped through the key-hole
of another: no Miss Harlowe, by Jupiter! What shall I do!--what shall I
do! as the girls say.--Now will she be grieved that she is out of the
way.
I said this on purpose to find out whether these people knew the lady's
story; and had the answer I expected from Mrs. Smith--I believe not, Sir.
Why so, Mrs. Smith? Do you know who I am?