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house."Allworthy then stept to the door, in order to call a servant, when incame, not Mr Dowling, but the gentleman who will be seen in the nextchapter.Chapter viii.Further continuation.The gentleman who now arrived was no other than Mr Western. He nosooner saw Allworthy, than, without considering in the least thepresence of Mrs Waters, he began to vociferate in the followingmanner: "Fine doings at my house! A rare kettle of fish I havediscovered at last! who the devil would be plagued with a daughter?""What's the matter, neighbour?" said Allworthy. "Matter enough,"answered Western: "when I thought she was just a coming to; nay, whenshe had in a manner promised me to do as I would ha her, and when Iwas a hoped to have had nothing more to do than to have sent for thelawyer, and finished all; what do you think I have found out? that thelittle b-- hath bin playing tricks with me all the while, and carryingon a correspondence with that bastard of yours. Sister Western, whom Ihave quarrelled with upon her account, sent me word o't, and I orderedher pockets to be searched when she was asleep, and here I have got unsigned with the son of a whore's own name. I have not had patience toread half o't, for 'tis longer than one of parson Supple's sermons;but I find plainly it is all about love; and indeed what should it beelse? I have packed her up in chamber again, and to-morrow morningdown she goes into the country, unless she consents to be marrieddirectly, and there she shall live in a garret upon bread and waterall her days; and the sooner such a b-- breaks her heart the better,though, d--n her, that I believe is too tough. She will live longenough to plague me." "Mr Western," answered Allworthy, "you know Ihave always protested against force, and you yourself consented thatnone should be used." "Ay," cries he, "that was only upon conditionthat she would consent without. What the devil and doctor Faustus!shan't I do what I will with my own daughter, especially when I desirenothing but her own good?" "Well, neighbour," answered Allworthy, "ifyou will give me leave, I will undertake once to argue with the younglady." "Will you?" said Western; "why that is kind now, andneighbourly, and mayhap you will do more than I have been able to dowith her; for I promise you she hath a very good opinion of you.""Well, sir," said Allworthy, "if you will go home, and release theyoung lady from her captivity, I will wait upon her within thishalf-hour." "But suppose," said Western, "she should run away with unin the meantime? For lawyer Dowling tells me there is no hopes ofhanging the fellow at last; for that the man is alive, and like to dowell, and that he thinks Jones will be out of prison again presently.""How!" said Allworthy; "what, did you employ him then to enquire or todo anything in that matter?" "Not I," answered Western, "he mentionedit to me just now of his own accord." "Just now!" cries Allworthy,"why, where did you see him then? I want much to see Mr Dowling.""Why, you may see un an you will presently at my lodgings; for thereis to be a meeting of lawyers there this morning about a mortgage.'Icod! I shall lose two or dree thousand pounds, I believe, by thathonest gentleman, Mr Nightingale." "Well, sir," said Allworthy, "Iwill be with you within the half-hour." "And do for once," cries the