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a poor bastardly vagabond." "If it will content you, sir," saidSophia, "I will give you the most solemn promise never to marry him,nor any other, while my papa lives, without his consent. Let mededicate my whole life to your service; let me be again your poorSophy, and my whole business and pleasure be, as it hath been, toplease and divert you." "Lookee, Sophy," answered the squire, "I amnot to be choused in this manner. Your aunt Western would then havereason to think me the fool she doth. No, no, Sophy, I'd have you toknow I have a got more wisdom, and know more of the world, than totake the word of a woman in a matter where a man is concerned." "How,sir, have I deserved this want of confidence?" said she; "have I everbroke a single promise to you? or have I ever been found guilty of afalsehood from my cradle?" "Lookee, Sophy," cries he; "that's neitherhere nor there. I am determined upon this match, and have him youshall, d--n me if shat unt. D--n me if shat unt, though dost hangthyself the next morning." At repeating which words he clinched hisfist, knit his brows, bit his lips, and thundered so loud, that thepoor afflicted, terrified Sophia sunk trembling into her chair, and,had not a flood of tears come immediately to her relief, perhaps worsehad followed.Western beheld the deplorable condition of his daughter with no morecontrition or remorse than the turnkey of Newgate feels at viewing theagonies of a tender wife, when taking her last farewel of hercondemned husband; or rather he looked down on her with the sameemotions which arise in an honest fair tradesman, who sees his debtordragged to prison for L10, which, though a just debt, the wretch iswickedly unable to pay. Or, to hit the case still more nearly, he feltthe same compunction with a bawd, when some poor innocent, whom shehath ensnared into her hands, falls into fits at the first proposal ofwhat is called seeing company. Indeed this resemblance would be exact,was it not that the bawd hath an interest in what she doth, and thefather, though perhaps he may blindly think otherwise, can, inreality, have none in urging his daughter to almost an equalprostitution.In this condition he left his poor Sophia, and, departing with a veryvulgar observation on the effect of tears, he locked the room, andreturned to the parson, who said everything he durst in behalf of theyoung lady, which, though perhaps it was not quite so much as his dutyrequired, yet was it sufficient to throw the squire into a violentrage, and into many indecent reflections on the whole body of theclergy, which we have too great an honour for that sacred function tocommit to paper.Chapter iii.What happened to Sophia during her confinement.The landlady of the house where the squire lodged had begun very earlyto entertain a strange opinion of her guests. However, as she wasinformed that the squire was a man of vast fortune, and as she hadtaken care to exact a very extraordinary price for her rooms, she didnot think proper to give any offence; for, though she was not withoutsome concern for the confinement of poor Sophia, of whose greatsweetness of temper and affability the maid of the house had made sofavourable a report, which was confirmed by all the squire's servants,