 Wages, she returned home.
    The Schoolmaster and his Consort pass'd their Time unpleasantly enough that
Evening; but something or other happened before the next Morning, which a little
abated the Fury of Mrs. Partridge; and she at length admitted her Husband to
make his Excuses. To which she gave the readier Belief, as he had, instead of
desiring her to recall Jenny, professed a Satisfaction in her being dismissed,
saying, She was grown of little Use as a Servant, spending all her Time in
reading, and was become, moreover, very pert and obstinate: For indeed she and
her Master had lately had frequent Disputes in Literature; in which, as hath
been said, she was become greatly his Superior. This, however, he would by no
means allow; and, as he called her persisting in the Right, Obstinacy, he began
to hate her with no small Inveteracy.
 

                                   Chapter IV

   Containing one of the most bloody Battles, or rather Duels, that were ever
                         recorded in Domestic History.
 
For the Reasons mentioned in the preceding Chapter, and from some other
matrimonial Concessions, well known to most Husbands; and which, like the
Secrets of Free Masonry, should be divulged to none who are not Members of that
honourable Fraternity; Mrs. Partridge was pretty well satisfied, that she had
condemned her Husband without Cause, and endeavoured, by Acts of Kindness, to
make him Amends for her false Suspicion. Her Passions were, indeed, equally
violent, which ever Way they inclined: for, as she could be extremely angry, so
could she be altogether as fond.
    But tho' these Passions ordinarily succeeded each other, and scarce
twenty-four Hours ever passed in which the Pedagogue was not, in some Degree,
the Object of both; yet, on extraordinary Occasions, when the Passion of Anger
had raged very high, the Remission was usually longer, and so was the Case at
present; for she continued longer in a State of Affability, after this Fit of
Jealousy was ended, than her Husband had ever known before: And, had it not been
for some little Exercises, which all the Followers of Xantippe are obliged to
perform daily, Mr. Partridge would have enjoyed a perfect Serenity of several
Months.
    Perfect Calms at Sea are always suspected by the experienced Mariner to be
the Forerunners of a Storm: And I know some Persons, who, without being
generally the Devotees of Superstition, are apt to apprehend, that great and
unusual Peace or Tranquility, will be attended with its opposite: For which
Reason the Antients used, on such Occasions
