to assist the surgeon, and exempted from all other duties.

Our destination was the West Indies, and here I saw active service in
the war with Spain. When the time came to return to England the ship was
wrecked off the coast of Sussex. I got ashore, and in my distress was
glad to be hired by an elderly lady as her footman. I speedily acquired
the good opinion of my mistress, and fell in love with her niece
Narcissa, cursing the servile station that placed me so far beneath the
regard of this amiable and adorable being. I soon learnt that the
brother of my idol was a savage, fox-hunting squire, who had designed
the lovely Narcissa for Sir Timothy Thicket, a neighbouring foxhunter. I
cursed in my heart this man for his presumption, looking upon him as my
rival.

Eight months I remained in the station of footman, and then an accident
put an end to my servitude.

I was passing through a wood when I heard the cries of Narcissa, and
rushing to her assistance, rescued her from the brutal familiarities of
Sir Timothy. I struck his weapon out of his hand, and cudgelled him so
that he fell to the ground and lay senseless.

Narcissa thanked me with tender acknowledgements, but I was soon warned
that I should be apprehended and transported for assaulting a
magistrate. I escaped to France by the aid of smugglers, but before I
left I avowed my passion, and explained that I was an unfortunate
gentleman, and the story of my mishandling provoked a sympathetic
response.