, while she was profiting by his instruction. In other words, she
made a conquest of her preceptor, who yielding to the instigations of the flesh,
chose a proper opportunity to declare his passion, which was powerfully
recommended by his personal qualifications; and his intentions being honourable,
she listened to his proposals of espousing her in private. In consequence of
this agreement, they made an elopement together; and being buckled at the fleet,
consummated their nuptials in private lodgings, by the Seven Dials, from which
the husband next morning sent a letter to our hero, begging forgiveness for the
clandestine step he had taken, which he solemnly protested was not owing to any
abatement in his inviolable regard for his master, whom he should always honour
and esteem to his latest breath, but intirely to the irresistible charms of the
young lady, to whom he was now so happy as to be joined in the silken bonds of
marriage.
    Peregrine, tho' at first offended at his valet's presumption, was, upon
second thoughts, reconciled to the event by which he was delivered from an
incumbrance; for by this time he had performed his frolick, and begun to be
tired of his acquisition. He reflected on the former fidelity of the Swiss,
which had been manifested in a long course of service and attachment; and
thinking it would be cruelly severe to abandon him to poverty and distress for
one venial trespass, he resolved to pardon what he had done, and enable him in
some shape to provide for the family which he had intailed upon himself.
    With these sentiments, he sent a favourable answer to the delinquent,
desiring to see him as soon as his passion would permit him to leave the arms of
his spouse, for an hour or two; and Hadgi, in obedience to this intimation,
repaired immediately to the lodgings of his master, before whom he appeared with
a most penitential aspect. Peregrine, tho' he could scarce help laughing at his
rueful length of face, reprimanded him sharply for his disrespect and
ingratitude, in taking that by stealth which he might have had for asking; and
the culprit assured him, that next to the vengeance of God, his displeasure was
that which, of all evils, he dreaded to incur; but that love had distracted his
brain in such a manner, as to banish every other consideration but that of
gratifying his desire; and he owned, that he should not have been able to
preserve his fidelity and duty to his own father, had they interfered with the
interest of his passion. He then appealed to his master's own heart
