What happened after this was, of course, known only to the Admiral and Lady Hamilton, seeing that ordinary manners prompted the withdrawal of all spectators from the ante-room in which this deplorable incident took place. For occasions like this I shall quote from the Admiral's Journal, which came into Will's hands under such extraordinary circumstances. I cannot vouch for its authenticity, coming through such hands; but Mrs. Hunter certainly seemed to us three witnesses to be giving a truthful account. And as I have said, to us who knew the Admiral so well--his temperament, his habits, his mode of expressing himself, and the turns of his handwriting--the Journal presented every outward evidence of being genuine, though to Will it seemed well-nigh impossible that the Admiral should have filled three such bulky volumes without his ever having occasion to suspect their existence. EXTRACT FROM THE ADMIRAL'S JOURNAL, DATED SEPT. 30TH, 1798. "I take up my pen as the only object to which I can make confession. Heretofore my confidante has been Lady Nelson. Since our marriage I have written to her in the fullest and freest manner upon all matters personal to me; but something prompts me not to vex her with the matter. She is the best creature in the world; but her mind is of the slower kind which does not, at a glance, distinguish between what is essential or merely accidental. She would have made no commander, though she could have been trusted to defend her post till Death. "A most unfortunate occurrence happened last night. My stepson, Josiah Nisbet, of whom I had written to his mother when we were in Naples before, to say that Lady Hamilton had been so wonderfully kind and fond of him, introducing him to all manner of exalted people, and taking him everywhere as her escort in her carriage, chose to make an extraordinary exhibition of himself last night. The young man had been supping with his messmates at a ball Sir William and Lady Hamilton had given in my honour; and he had, I doubt not, partaken too freely of the potent South Italian wines. He was decidedly unsteady, when perceiving me, as he returned from the supper-room, sitting by Lady H., in the presence of others, he reeled up to us, applying the grossest epithets to her Ladyship, and insinuating that relations existed between us incompatible with my character as a gentleman. "I have no reason for stifling the truth to you, my pen, and you will be content with my plain asseveration that all which he insinuated was gross falsehood. Unfortunately to you only, or to Sir William, who persists in ignoring handsomely the whole incident, can I discuss the matter. I could not write of it to Lady Nelson without raising the very suspicions which justice demands should be allayed; and my rank makes it impossible for me to consult my oldest friends, like Troubridge, who occupy positions under my command.