 very Accident which actually did happen. Not that
he had any Ingredient of the Bully in him, and desired to be prevented from
fighting, but with a Prospect of injuring Booth in the Affection and Esteem of
Amelia, and of recommending himself somewhat to her by appearing in the Light of
her Champion; for which Purpose he added that Compliment to Amelia in his
Letter. He concluded upon the whole, that, if Booth himself opened the Letter,
he would certainly meet him the next Morning; but if his Wife should open it
before he came home, it might have the Effects before mentioned; and for his
future Expostulation with Booth, it would not be in Amelia's Power to prevent
it.
    Now it happened, that this Pimp had more Masters than one. Amongst these was
the worthy Mr. Trent, for whom he had often done Business of the pimping
Vocation. He had been employed indeed in the Service of the great Peer himself,
under the Direction of the said Trent, and was the very Person who had assisted
the said Trent in dogging Booth and his Wife to the Opera-House on Masquerade
Night.
    This subaltern Pimp was with his Superior Trent Yesterday Morning, when he
found a Bailiff with him in order to receive his Instructions for the arresting
Booth; when the Bailiff said it would be a very difficult Matter to take him;
for that to his Knowledge he was as shy a Cock as any in England. The Subaltern
immediately acquainted Trent with the Business in which he was employ'd by the
Colonel. Upon which Trent enjoined him the Moment he had set him to give
immediate Notice to the Bailiff; which he agreed to, and performed accordingly.
    The Bailiff, on receiving the Notice, immediately set out for his Stand at
an Alehouse within three Doors of Miss Mathews's Lodgings. At which,
unfortunately for poor Booth, he arrived a very few Minutes before Booth left
that Lady in order to return to Amelia.
    These were several Matters, of which we thought necessary our Reader should
be informed; for, besides that it conduces greatly to a perfect Understanding of
all History, there is no Exercise of the Mind of a sensible Reader more pleasant
than the tracing the several small and almost imperceptible Links in every Chain
of Events by which all the great Actions of the World are produced. We will now
in the next Chapter proceed with our History.
 

                                   Chapter II

                      In which Amelia visits her Husband.

Amelia, after much anxious thinking, in which she sometimes flattered herself
that her Husband was less guilty than she had at first imagined him, and that he
