"Those were the beginnings, the foundations for what happened last night in consequence of Josiah's really outrageous behaviour. It might be supposed that something of this had come to Josiah's ears and caused the outbreak. But I have no shadow of reason for believing so. Having free access to me in my chamber and elsewhere, he knew that Lady Hamilton was nursing me, but that there had been any kind of tenderness between us he was not aware. He is, however, of a violent and jealous disposition, and being now a man, and inflamed by her gracious beauty, he cannot but remember how she caressed him and never had him out of her company when he was a boy and we were last in Naples; and he is maddened by her countenance being totally withdrawn from him now, not from any fault she has against him, but because she has turned herself into a nurse for my recovery. "He has, I suppose, learned of her betrayal when she was little more than a child; though I hardly know it myself, not being disposed to listen to tales bringing the impeachment of an unfortunate past against the present position of those I respect, especially if they be my benefactors. The gross epithets he applied to Lady Hamilton last night must allude to this buried past, and the insinuations against my conduct must have been based upon the same. He was robbed of his reason by wine until he was incapable of distinguishing; and then gave vent, by making coarse and impossible suggestions, to his irritation at her previous kindness to him being lost in the devotion she has shown to my nursing. "I felt inexpressibly pained and outraged, and was quite at a loss what to do in keeping with the respect due to her Ladyship and my position in His Majesty's service, when trusty Troubridge, hearing the heated voice, flew in and literally carried him off. I think I may say that my pain and shame were shared by all present, for almost before I could notice, the anteroom was empty but for our two selves, and the doors gently closed. "I was sitting on a kind of couch, with Lady Hamilton at my right side, when J. flung himself before us. She rose with womanly dignity to stand up, as it were, for her good and virtuous name. I had already sprung to my feet to confront the young ruffian, and until he had been carried off, and we were left, she maintained her courage wonderfully. But when the occasion had passed, and we were alone, she almost fainted; she could hardly stagger back to the couch. I never saw such womanly emotion. I flung myself on my knees in front of her and entreated her not to lose her courage now that the storm was past, but the tears poured from her eyes and she was the very picture of womanly weakness. In vain I tried to persuade her.