 she had no Reason
to fear any Consequence of the Discovery. This Resolution she immediately
executed.
    Trent came to attend his Lordship just after Mrs. Atkinson had left him. He
found the Peer in a very ill Humour, and brought no News to comfort or recruit
his Spirits; for he had himself just received a Billet from Booth, with an
Excuse for himself and his Wife, from accepting the Invitation at Trent's House
that Evening, where Matters had been previously concerted for their
Entertainment; and when his Lordship was by Accident to drop into the Room where
Amelia was, while Booth was to be engaged at Play in another.
    And now after much Debate, and after Trent had acquainted my Lord with the
wretched Situation of Booth's Circumstances, it was resolved, that Trent should
immediately demand his Money of Booth, and upon his not paying it, for they both
concluded it impossible he should pay it, to put the Note which Trent had for
the Money, in Suit against him by the genteel Means of paying it away to a
nominal third Person; and this they both conceived must end immediately in the
Ruin of Booth, and consequently in the Conquest of Amelia.
    In this Project, and with this Hope, both my Lord and his Setter, or (if the
Sportsmen please) Setting-Dog, both greatly exulted, and it was next Morning
executed, as we have already seen.
 

                                   Chapter IV

                            Containing some Distress

Trent's Letter drove Booth almost to Madness. To be indebted to such a Fellow,
at any rate, had stuck much in his Stomach, and had given him very great
Uneasiness; but to answer this Demand in any other Manner, than by paying the
Money, was absolutely what he could not bear. Again, to pay this Money he very
plainly saw there was but one Way; and this was by stripping his Wife not only
of every Farthing, but almost of every Rag she had in the World; a Thought so
dreadful, that it chilled his very Soul with Horrour; and yet Pride at last
seemed to represent this as the lesser Evil of the two.
    But how to do this was still a Question. It was not sure, at least he feared
it was not, that Amelia herself would readily consent to this; and so far from
persuading her to such a Measure, he could not bear even to propose it. At
length his Determination was to acquaint his Wife with the whole Affair, and to
ask her Consent by way of asking her Advice; for he was well assured she could
find no other Means of
