Didactic fiction; Domestic fiction; England -- Fiction; Married women -- Fiction
Upon this question, Booth repeated the assurances which the surgeon
had given them, perhaps with a little enlargement, which pretty well
satisfied Amelia; and instead of blaming her husband for what he had
done, she tenderly embraced him, and again returned thanks to Heaven for
his safety.
In the evening Booth insisted on paying a short visit to the colonel,
highly against the inclination of Amelia, who, by many arguments and
entreaties, endeavoured to dissuade her husband from continuing an
acquaintance in which, she said, she should always foresee much danger
for the future. However, she was at last prevailed upon to acquiesce;
and Booth went to the colonel, whose lodgings happened to be in the
verge as well as his own.
He found the colonel in his night-gown, and his great chair, engaged
with another officer at a game of chess. He rose immediately, and,
having heartily embraced Booth, presented him to his friend, saying, he
had the honour to introduce to him as brave and as _fortitudinous_ a
man as any in the king’s dominions. He then took Booth with him into the
next room, and desired him not to mention a word of what had happened
in the morning; saying, “I am very well satisfied that no more hath
happened; however, as it ended in nothing, I could wish it might remain
a secret.” Booth told him he was heartily glad to find him so well, and
promised never to mention it more to any one.
The game at chess being but just begun, and neither of the parties
having gained any considerable advantage, they neither of them insisted
on continuing it; and now the colonel’s antagonist took his leave and
left the colonel and Booth together.
As soon as they were alone, the latter earnestly entreated the former to
acquaint him with the real cause of his anger; “for may I perish,” cries
Booth, “if I can even guess what I have ever done to offend either you,
or your brother. Colonel James.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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