 their mutual endearments. Never
had the commodore found himself in such a disagreeable dilemma before. He sat in
an agony of suspence, as if he every moment dreaded the dissolution of nature;
and the imploring sighs of his future bride added, if possible, to the pangs of
his distress. Impatient of his situation, he rolled his eye around in quest of
some relief, and unable to contain himself, exclaimed, »Damnation seize the
fellow and his pouch too! I believe he has sheered off, and left me here in the
stays.« Mrs. Grizzle, who could not help taking some notice of this
manifestation of chagrin, lamented her unhappy fate in being so disagreeable to
him that he could not put up with her company for a few moments without
repining; and began in very tender terms to reproach him with his inhumanity and
indifference. To this expostulation he replied, »Zounds! what would the woman
have? let the parson do his office when he wool, here I am ready to be reeved in
the matrimonial block, d'ye see, and damn all nonsensical palaver.« So saying,
he retreated, leaving his mistress not at all disobliged at his plain-dealing.
That same evening the treaty of marriage was brought upon the carpet, and by
means of Mr. Pickle and the lieutenant settled to the satisfaction of all
parties, without the intervention of lawyers, whom Mr. Trunnion expressly
excluded from all share in the business; making that condition the indispensible
preliminary of the whole agreement. Things being brought to this bearing, Mrs.
Grizzle's heart dilated with joy; her health, which by the bye was never
dangerously impaired, she recovered as if by inchantment, and a day being fixed
for the nuptials, employed the short period of her celibacy in choosing
ornaments for the celebration of her entrance into the married state.
 

                                  Chapter VIII

Preparations are made for the Commodore's Wedding, which is delayed by an
Accident that hurried him the Lord knows whither
 
The fame of this extraordinary conjunction spread all over the county; and on
the day appointed for their spousals, the church was surrounded by an
inconceivable multitude. The commodore, to give a specimen of his gallantry, by
the advice of his friend Hatchway, resolved to appear on horseback on the grand
occasion, at the head of all his male attendants, whom he had rigged with the
white shirts and black caps formerly belonging to his barge's crew; and he
bought a couple of hunters for the accommodation of himself and his lieutenant.
With this equipage then he set out from the garrison for the
