"there will be no fault, I believe, unless in point of civility to the
ladies."

Mrs. Atkinson had just time to tell the doctor he was a provoking
creature, before the arrival of Booth and his friend put an end to
that learned discourse, in which neither of the parties had greatly
recommended themselves to each other; the doctor's opinion of the lady
being not at all heightened by her progress in the classics, and she,
on the other hand, having conceived a great dislike in her heart
towards the doctor, which would have raged, perhaps, with no less fury
from the consideration that he had been her husband.




Chapter ii.

_What happened at the masquerade_.


From this time to the day of the masquerade nothing happened of
consequence enough to have a place in this history.

On that day Colonel James came to Booth's about nine in the evening,
where he stayed for Mrs. James, who did not come till near eleven. The
four masques then set out together in several chairs, and all
proceeded to the Haymarket.

When they arrived at the Opera-house the colonel and Mrs. James