"I protest..." begins my Mother.
"Dear Mother, pray don't—Father! Father! Pray withdraw—as a Favour!"
"What! be turned out of the Room like a chidden Child? Your Father, Mrs. Patty? I'll sit here till Dinner, I vow. Prue, fetch me the Daily Courant, and a clean Pipe."
"It has not come in yet, Father."
"Hang it! everything is out of joint! I shall go to the Trumpet, in Sheer Lane, and you won't hear of me again, any of you, for a good While."
Prue and I tried to stay him, but in vain. My Mother was shedding silent Tears.
"Heaven forgive me," said she, "if I spoke too warmly, or crossly. After his Kiss, and all! it seemed so ungracious to take it amiss. But I know too well, he only used our Wedding-day as a Blind, and if he gets into these old Ways again, he will not merely end his own Days in Jail, but send you there too. So that protest I must, if I hadn't another Breath to draw!"
About Noon, Mr. James, one of Lady Betty's laced Footmen, came to inquire after a Diamond Ring her Ladyship said Gatty must have dropped on the Grass. We looked for it carefully, but could not find it.
"I dare say we shall find that my Lady has it at Home all the While," says Mr. James (which, indeed, proved afterwards to be the Case). "However, if it should not turn up, Woe to poor Mrs. Gatty! She will lie under awful Blame for Heedlessness, if not be counted a Thief. And pray how is Mrs. Gatty this Morning? we Servants are all concerned for her, she is so gentle and pretty-behaved, though she does keep us at a Distance! I wish to know on my own Account, I assure you, as well as to take back the News to my Lady, though she does not care much about her, except as far as her own Convenience goes."