Now since it is possible that some of our readers may not so
easily acquiesce under the same ignorance, and as we are very desirous
to satisfy them all, we have taken uncommon pains to inform
ourselves of the real fact, with the relation of which we shall
conclude this book.
This lady, then, had lived some years with one Captain Waters, who
was a captain in the same regiment to which Mr. Northerton belonged.
She past for that gentleman's wife, and went by his name; and yet,
as the serjeant said, there were some doubts concerning the reality of
their marriage, which we shall not at present take upon us to resolve.
Mrs. Waters, I am sorry to say it, had for some time contracted an
intimacy with the above-mentioned ensign, which did no great credit to
her reputation. That she had a remarkable fondness for that young
fellow is most certain; but whether she indulged this to any very
criminal lengths is not so extremely clear, unless we will suppose
that women never grant every favour to a man but one, without granting
him that one also.
The division of the regiment to which Captain Waters belonged had
two days preceded the march of that company to which Mr. Northerton
was the ensign; so that the former had reached Worcester the very
day after the unfortunate re-encounter between Jones and Northerton
which we have before recorded.
Now, it had been agreed between Mrs. Waters and the captain that she
would accompany him in his march as far as Worcester, where they
were to take their leave of each other, and she was thence to return
to Bath, where she was to stay till the end of the winter's campaign
against the rebels.
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