 Doctor smiled on the Child, and chucking him under the Chin told him, he
must hate no Body: And now Mrs. Atkinson, who had provided a Dinner for them
all, desired them to walk up, and partake of it.
    And now it was that Booth was first made acquainted with the Serjeant's
Marriage; as was Dr. Harrison, both of whom greatly felicitated him upon it.
    Mrs. Atkinson, who was, perhaps, a little more confounded than she would
have been had she married a Colonel, said, »If I have done wrong, Mrs. Booth is
to answer for it; for she made the Match: Indeed, Mr. Atkinson, you are greatly
obliged to the Character which this Lady gives of you.« »I hope he will deserve
it,« said the Doctor; »and if the Army hath not corrupted a good Boy, I believe
I may answer for him.«
    While our little Company were enjoying that Happines which never fails to
attend Conversation, where all present are pleased with each other, a Visitant
arrived, who was, perhaps, not very welcome to any of them. This was no other
than Colonel James, who entering the Room with much Gaiety went directly up to
Booth, embraced him, and expressed great Satisfaction at finding him there; he
then made an Apology for not attending him in the Morning, which he said had
been impossible; and that he had with the utmost Difficulty put off some
Business of great Consequence, in order to serve him this Afternoon; »but I am
glad on your Account,« cried he to Booth, »that my Presence was not necessary.«
    Booth himself was extremely satisfied with this Declaration, and failed not
to return him as many Thanks as he would have deserved, had he performed his
Promise; but the two Ladies were not quite so well satisfied. As for the
Serjeant, he had slipt out of the Room when the Colonel entered, not entirely
out of that Bashfulness which we have remarked him to be tainted with; but,
indeed, from what had past in the Morning he hated the Sight of the Colonel, as
well on the Account of his Wife as on that of his Friend.
    The Doctor, on the contrary, on what he had formerly heard from both Amelia
and her Husband of the Colonel's Generosity and Friendship, had built so good an
Opinion of him, that he was very much pleased with seeing him, and took the
first Opportunity of telling him so. »Colonel,« said the Doctor, »I have
