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"Ha, ha, ha!" ejaculated the curate, who had just taken the equivoque which had occasioned Newton's mirth. "He, he, he!" This last merriment of Mr Dragwell appeared to the lady to be such a pointed insult to her, that she bounded out of the room, exclaiming, "that an alehouse would have been a more suitable rendezvous."
"Why, yes," replied Nicholas, "certainly better than I can; but still she's " "She's a beauty, Mr Forster." "Mrs Forster a beauty," cried Nicholas, looking at Hilton with astonishment. Newton and Hilton burst into a laugh. "No, no," said the latter, "I was talking about the sloop; but we had better proceed to business. Suppose we have pipes, Mr Forster. Mr Dragwell, what do you say?"
"Yes, indeed," added Miss Dragwell, who heard the attack as she ascended the stairs, and took up the cause of Mrs Forster to obtain her confidence "yes, indeed, Mr Forster, see the consequences of your folly, your smoking, and your drinking. Pray leave the room, sir; I wonder how Mrs Forster can bear the sight of you!"
"Now give a loud shriek, and toss the cat out of window." Mrs Forster uttered a hideous yell, and threw the animal at the heads of the spectators, who retreated with alarm in every direction. "Now burst into a fit of laughter, curtsy to them, and wave your hand, and that will be sufficient." Mrs Forster obeyed the last order, and Miss Dragwell shut the window.
Miss Dragwell, as soon as the letter was sealed, put on her bonnet, and taking Mr Ramsden's servant with her, stepped into the chaise, and drove to the house of Mr Nicholas Forster. She found Mrs Forster squatted on the bed in her ludicrous attire, awaiting her return with impatience. "Oh! Mrs Forster, I have had such trouble, such difficulty; but Mr Ramsden has been persuaded at last.
Mr Dragwell has already made honourable mention of his wife; it will therefore only be necessary to add, that he had one daughter, a handsome lively girl, engaged to a Mr Ramsden, the new surgeon of the place, who had stepped into the shoes and the good-will of one who had retired from forty years' practice upon the good people of Overton.
Urged by her fears, Mrs Forster approached the window, and showed herself to the astonished crowd. "Curtsey to them," said Miss Dragwell, holding her handkerchief before her mouth. Mrs Forster curtsied. "Smile upon them," continued the malicious young lady. Mrs Forster grinned horribly. "Now dance your cat." Mrs Forster obeyed the injunction.
"Now give a loud shriek, and toss the cat out of window." Mrs Forster uttered a hideous yell, and threw the animal at the heads of the spectators, who retreated with alarm in every direction. "Now burst into a fit of laughter, curtsey to them, and wave your hand, and that will be sufficient." Mrs Forster obeyed the last order, and Miss Dragwell shut the window.
"That will do for the present," cried Miss Dragwell; "now here's the cat, take it in your arms, go to the window, and nurse it like a baby. I'll throw it open you come forward and make them a curtsey; that will spread the report through the town that you are mad, and the rest will then be easy." "Oh! I can't I can't go to the window, I can't, indeed."
"Name it, my dear Miss Dragwell, name it!" cried Mrs Forster, imploringly. "You must pretend to be mad, and then there will be a verdict of insanity; but you must carry it through everything, or it will be thought you are shamming.
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