insisted on having his revenge the night after; when, strange to
say, a hundred and fifty more found their way into the pouch of his
Excellency the Count. Such a sum as this quite set the young
nobleman afloat again, and brought back a pleasing equanimity to his
mind, which had been a good deal disturbed in the former difficult
circumstances; and in this, for a little and to a certain extent,
poor Cat had the happiness to share. He did not alter the style of
his establishment, which consisted, as before, of herself and a
small person who acted as scourer, kitchen-wench, and scullion; Mrs.
Catherine always putting her hand to the principal pieces of the
dinner; but he treated his mistress with tolerable good-humour; or,
to speak more correctly, with such bearable brutality as might be
expected from a man like him to a woman in her condition. Besides,
a certain event was about to take place, which not unusually occurs
in circumstances of this nature, and Mrs. Catherine was expecting
soon to lie in.

The Captain, distrusting naturally the strength of his own paternal
feelings, had kindly endeavoured to provide a parent for the coming
infant; and to this end had opened a negotiation with our friend Mr.
Thomas Bullock, declaring that Mrs. Cat should have a fortune of
twenty guineas, and reminding Tummas of his ancient flame for her:
but Mr. Tummas, when this proposition was made to him, declined it,
with many oaths, and vowed that he was perfectly satisfied with his
present bachelor condition. In this dilemma, Mr. Brock stepped
forward, who declared himself very ready to accept Mrs. Catherine
and her fortune: and might possibly have become the possessor of
both, had not Mrs. Cat, the moment she heard of the proposed
arrangement, with fire in her eyes, and rage--oh, how bitter!--in
her heart, prevented the success of the measure by proceeding