 a look of infinite importance and sagacity, and after a short pause told
her, that he would not pretend to give a categorical answer, until he should
have deliberated maturely upon the various circumstances of the affair; but if
she would take the trouble of honouring him with another visit on his next
public day, he hoped he should be able to give her full satisfaction. Conscious
of the importance of her doubts, she could not help commending his caution, and
took her leave, with a promise of returning at the appointed time; then the
conjurer being joined by his associate, they gave a loose to their mirth, which
having indulged, they began to concert measures for inflicting some disgraceful
punishment on the shameless and insatiate termagant who had so impudently avowed
her own prostitution.
    They were interrupted, however, in their conference, by the arrival of a new
guest, who being announced by Hadgi, our hero retreated to his lurking-place,
and Cadwallader resumed his mysterious appearance. This new client, tho' she hid
her face in a mask, could not conceal herself from the knowledge of the
conjurer, who by her voice recognized her to be an unmarried lady of his own
acquaintance. She had, within a small compass of time, made herself remarkable
for two adventures, which had not at all succeeded to her expectation: being
very much addicted to play, she had, at a certain route, indulged that passion
to such excess, as not only got the better of her justice, but also of her
circumspection; so that she was unfortunately detected in her endeavours to
appropriate to herself what was not lawfully her due. This small slip was
attended with another indiscretion, which had likewise an unlucky effect upon
her reputation. She had been favoured with the addresses of one of those hopeful
heirs who swarm and swagger about town, under the denomination of Bucks; and in
the confidence of his honour consented to be one of a partie that made an
excursion as far as Windsor, thinking herself secured from scandal by the
company of another young lady, who had also condescended to trust her person to
the protection of her admirer. The two gallants, in the course of this
expedition, were said to use the most perfidious means to intoxicate the
passions of their mistresses, by mixing drugs with their wine, which inflamed
their constitutions to such a degree, that they fell an easy sacrifice to the
appetites of their conductors, who, upon their return to town, were so base and
inhuman as to boast among their companions of the exploit they had atchieved.
Thus the story was circulated, with
