 and he must have suffered sorely in the flesh, had
he not prevented her mischievous intent by seizing both her wrists, and so
keeping her at due distance. In attempting to disengage herself from his grasp,
she struggled with such exertion, and suffered such agony of passion at the same
time, that she actually fell into a severe fit, during which she was put to bed,
and the confederates retired without further molestation.
    In the mean time, Peregrine was not a little perplexed about the disposal of
his sister whom he had rescued. He could not endure the thoughts of saddling the
commodore with a new expence; and he was afraid of undertaking the charge of
Julia, without his benefactor's advice and direction: for the present, however,
he carried her to the house of a gentleman in the neighbourhood, whose lady was
her godmother, where she was received with great tenderness and condolance; and
he proposed to inquire for some creditable house, where she might be genteelly
boarded in his absence, resolving to maintain her from the savings of his own
allowance, which he thought might very well bear such deduction. But this
intention was frustrated by the publication of the whole affair, which was
divulged next day, and soon reached the ears of Trunnion, who chid his godson
for having concealed the adventure; and, with the approbation of his wife,
ordered him to bring Julia forthwith to the garison. The young gentleman, with
tears of gratitude in his eyes, explained his design of maintaining her at his
own expence, and earnestly begged that he might not be deprived of that
satisfaction. But his uncle was deaf to all his intreaties, and insisted upon
her living in the garison, though for no other reason than that of being company
to her aunt, who, he observed, was lost for want of conversation.
    Julia was accordingly brought home, and settled under the tuition of Mrs.
Trunnion, who, whatever face she might put on the matter, could have dispensed
with the society of her niece; though she was not without hope of gratifying her
pique at Mrs. Pickle, by the intelligence she would receive from the daughter,
of that lady's oeconomy and domestic behaviour. The mother herself seemed
conscious of this advantage which her sister-in-law had now gained over her,
being as much chagrined at the news of Julia's reception at the garison, as if
she had heard of her own husband's death. She even tortured her invention to
propagate calumnies against the reputation of her own daughter, whom she
slandered in all companies; she exclaimed
