replied he. "But I forget myself. I will not longer intrude on your
patience, but proceed in my melancholy tale.

"The very evening that I was taken to prison, my son arrived from
Ireland, where he had been some time with his regiment. From the
distracted expressions of his mother and sister, he learnt by whom I
had been arrested; and, late as it was, flew on the wings of wounded
affection, to the house of his false friend, and earnestly enquired the
cause of this cruel conduct. With all the calmness of a cool deliberate
villain, he avowed his passion for Lucy; declared her situation in
life would not permit him to marry her; but offered to release me
immediately, and make any settlement on her, if George would persuade
her to live, as he impiously termed it, a life of honour.

"Fired at the insult offered to a man and a soldier, my boy struck the
villain, and a challenge ensued. He then went to a coffee-house in
the neighbourhood and wrote a long affectionate letter to me, blaming
himself severely for having introduced Lewis into the family, or
permitted him to confer an obligation, which had brought inevitable
ruin on us all. He begged me, whatever might be the event of the ensuing
morning, not to suffer regret or unavailing sorrow for his fate, to
increase the anguish of my heart, which he greatly feared was already
insupportable.

"This letter was delivered to me early in the morning. It would be vain
to attempt describing my feelings on the perusal of it; suffice it to
say, that a merciful Providence interposed, and I was for three weeks
insensible to miseries almost beyond the strength of human nature to
support.