"
"Like enough,"cries the squire; "it may be so in London; but the law
is different in the country." Here followed a very learned dispute
between the brother and sister concerning the law, which we would
insert, if we imagined many of our readers could understand it. This
was, however, at length referred by both parties to the clerk, who
decided it in favour of the magistrate; and Mrs. Western was, in the
end, obliged to content herself with the satisfaction of having Honour
turned away; to which Sophia herself very readily and cheerfully
consented.
Thus Fortune, after having diverted herself, according to custom,
with two or three frolicks, at last disposed all matters to the
advantage of our heroine; who indeed succeeded admirably well in her
deceit, considering it was the first she had ever practised. And, to
say the truth, I have often concluded, that the honest part of mankind
would be much too hard for the knavish, if they could bring themselves
to incur the guilt, or thought it worth their while to take the
trouble.
Honour acted her part to the utmost perfection. She no sooner saw
herself secure from all danger of Bridewell, a word which had raised
most horrible ideas in her mind, than she resumed those airs which her
terrors before had a little abated; and laid down her place, with as
much affectation of content, and indeed of contempt, as was ever
practised at the resignation of places of much greater importance.
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