The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

THE EXPEDITION OF HUMPHRY CLINKER 159
described by the constable, and he was much struck with its singu-
larity—He could not suppose the fellow had any design on our
company, which was so numerous and well armed; he therefore
thanked him, for the service he had just done them, said he would
be glad of his company, and asked him to dine with us at Hatfield.
This invitation might not have been agreeable to the ladies, had
they known the real profession of our guest, but this was a secret
to all, except my uncle and myself—Mrs. Tabitha, however, would
by no means consent to proceed with a case of loaded pistols in the
coach, and they were forthwith discharged in complaisance to her
and the rest of the women.
Being gratified in this particular, she became remarkably good-
humoured, and at dinner behaved in the most affable manner to
Mr. Martin, with whose polite address and agreeable conversa-
tion she seemed to be much taken. After dinner, the landlord
accosting me in the yard, asked, with a significant look, if the
gentleman that rode the sorrel belonged to our company?—I
understood his meaning, but answered, no; that he had come up
with us on the common, and helped us to drive away two fellows,
that looked like highwaymen—He nodded three times distinctly,
as much as to say, he knows his cue. Then he inquired, if one of
those men was mounted on a bay mare, and the other on a chestnut
gelding with a white streak down his forehead? and being answered
in the affirmative, he assured me they had robbed three post-
chaises this very morning—I inquired, in my turn, if Mr. Martin
was of his acquaintance; and, nodding thrice again, he answered,
that he had seen the gentleman.
Before we left Hatfield, my uncle, fixing his eyes on Martin with
such expression as is more easily conceived than described, asked,
if he often travelled that road? and he replied with a look which
denoted his understanding the question, that he very seldom did
business in that part of the country. In a word, this adventurer
favoured us with his company to the neighbourhood of Stevenage,
where he took his leave of the coach and me, in very polite terms,
and turned off upon a cross-road, that led to a village on the left—
At supper, Mrs. Tabby was very full in the praise of Mr. Martin’s
good-sense and good-breeding, and seemed to regret that she had
not a further opportunity to make some experiment upon his affec-
tion. In the morning, my uncle was not a little surprised to receive,
from the waiter, a billet couched in these words—