find, by the lady's absence, and by her going out at six in the morning,
that it was impossible she should be so ill as thou representest her to
be; and this gave me still higher spirits. Then I know the sex always
love cheerful and humourous fellows. The dear creature herself used to
be pleased with my gay temper and lively manner; and had she been told
that I was blubbering for her in the back-shop, she would have despised
me still more than she does.

Furthermore, I was sensible that the people of the house must needs have
a terrible notion of me, as a savage, bloody-minded, obdurate fellow; a
perfect woman-eater; and, no doubt, expected to see me with the claws of
a lion, and the fangs of a tiger; and it was but policy to show them what
a harmless pleasant fellow I am, in order to familiarize the Johns and
the Josephs to me. For it was evident to me, by the good woman's calling
them down, that she thought me a dangerous man. Whereas now, John and I
have shaken hands together, and dame Smith having seen that I have the
face, and hands, and looks of a man, and walk upright, and prate, and
laugh, and joke, like other people; and Joseph, that I can talk of taking
his teeth out of his head, without doing him the least hurt; they will
all, at my next visit, be much more easy and pleasant to me than Andrew's
gloves were to him; and we shall be as thoroughly acquainted, as if we
had known one another a twelvemonth.

When I returned to our mother's, I again cursed her and all her nymphs
together; and still refused to see either Sally or Polly! I raved at the
horrid arrest; and told the old dragon that it was owing to her and her's
that the fairest virtue in the world was ruined; my reputation for ever
blasted; and that I was not married and perfectly happy in the love of
the most excellent of her sex.