CHAPTER XI.

A Death-bed Dialogue, in which fome Readers will think there is much Folly, others much Honour, on the Part of our Hero.

HILST Ezekiel Daw was afcending

WHO

to his cock-loft, and before Henry had fet out upon his vifit to Blachford, Doctor Zachary Cawdle, returning from his patient at the next door, entered the cottage. As foon as he efpied our hero-" Welcome, welcome," he exclaimed, "thou child of good fortune; fure the fkies rain gold for you; here's a chance, and a change! Marry, the times are ftrangely altered, Henry, fince you and I first met. Why this juftice of our's is indeed a juftice at laft, and honest Ezekiel the preacher has once in his life preach'd to fome purpose; I have only made a hole in the head of my patient, he has open'd his heart. And fo you are now the 'Squire of Crowbery, heir to his whole fortune, a few legacies excepted, one of which I am fure you will not regret, a small bequeft to Sufan May, to balance old accompts: but what gratifies me above all is, that he has entirely cut this good-for-nothing

Peer

Peer out of his will, who stood heir to his whole property before this blow upon his fcull brought my patient to a better recollection. Death and Ezekiel together have wrought a wonderful reformation."

When Zachary had rambled on in this ftrain for fome time, Henry, who had paid little or no attention to what he had been saying, demanded if it was now a proper time for him to pay his vifit to Mr. Blachford? Zachary replied, that he had just then been dreffing his wound, and wou'd recommend him to wait a few minutes before he prefented himself for admiffion. Sit down then," cried Henry, "if you please, and fatisfy my anxious curiosity on a fubject infinitely more interesting to me, than all my expectations from Mr. Blachford, had he the wealth of the Indies to beftow." He then began a courfe of enquiries relative to his mother, which, with Zachary's circumstantial answers, and certain occafional digreffions, into which his profeffional vanity be trayed him, held on the converfation till it was time for him to repair to Blachford. He had, however, in the courfe of this converfation, commiffioned Zachary to report to his mother every thing that he wifhed her to be P 2 informed

informed of, respecting the time he should pafs in attendance upon Blachford, and the refolution he had taken of repairing to Lisbon, in the hope of paying his duty to her there: he was very particular in guarding against miftakes, and repeated his inftructions fo frequently, and with fuch precision, that Zachary, who did not just then call to mind all the reafons for his caution, began to feel offended at his manner, and afked him, if he could not truft his memory for conveying a simple mesfage?" I fhou'd have thought fo,” replied Henry, "if you had not, most unfortunately for me, let it fail you in the matter of the little packet, which you was to deliver to me from my mother."-He then proceeded to explain to him the importance of that paper, the opportunity he had loft by not poffeffing it in time, and the fatal confequences that had nearly enfued upon his altercation with the perfon it alluded to. Zachary heard all this with astonishment, and after bestowing upon himself a very plentiful proportion of blockheads and boobies, promised that he would fpare no pains to atone for his mistake, by enquiring out Mr. Delapoer, when he should arrive in London with Lady Crowbery; and

he

he despaired not but intelligence could there be obtained of him, if he was actually in England, as Lady Crowbery fuppofed, of which, however, he declared, for his part, he took leave to doubt. And now the time being come when the Doctor judged his patient might be acceffible, he asked Henry if he had fet his thoughts in order for an interview; and being anfwered that he was ready to accompany him, he rofe from his feat, when Henry, recollecting himself on a sudden, ftopt, and taking him by the button, faid" One word more if you please before we part: I think you faid there was a legacy bequeathed to Sufan May, and that it was to balance old accompts: I prythee, my good friend, tell me, if it is no inviolable fecret, what thofe old accompts are which Blachford has to balance."-" Humph!" quoth the accoucheur, "it was an account of about nine months ftanding, and fuch a one as fometimesfalls into my hands to audit; if you can guess at it you may, but we reveal no fecrets of this fort, 'tis against the freemafonry of our order."" Well then," faid Henry, "I know it, but you did not tell me. Blachford, we will fuppofe, feduc'd Sufan May, and had a child by her; is it not fo?"I must confefs," reP 3

plied

plied the Doctor, "there is as fine a boy now alive, of fomebody's producing, as ever I ufher'd into the world, yourself not excepted, and, to the best of my belief, his Worship has the honour of being the father of it; 'tis but right, therefore, you fee, that fome provision fhould be made for its maintenance, and, if I am not mistaken, it is to the exact amount of forty pounds a year, charg'd upon the eftate, which I dare fay you will not think unreafonable."

Here Zachary made a paufe; but Henry remaining filent, he proceeded-" You will hear this from Blachford himself, in which cafe I fhall be acquitted of the fecret; but, as we have kept it clofe hitherto, I am perfuaded you will not let it get out, to the prejudice of the poor girl in her place, for I think the will hardly be, fo foolish as to throw that up voluntarily on account of this legacy."-Henry afked if this was all Blachford had done for the mother and child? Zachary affured him that, to the beft of his remembrance, there was no other incumbrance on their account; it was a cafe of confcience, he obferved, and though he believed they had been upon no terms of intimacy for fome time paft, yet, for his own,

part