158 MISADVENTURES OF A LOVER. 



no inconsiderable sum a greater one, I can assure my readers, than 

 my ways and means warranted in purchasing- certain trinkets from 

 the jewellers, which I intended to present to Miss Jackson. 



The long-looked-for hour came at last. I was punctual to the ap- 

 pointed moment. The afternoon was particularly fine : all the beau 

 monde of London seemed to be in Hyde Park. Four o'clock struck. 

 I was astonished at the non-appearance of Miss Jackson. I took out 

 my watch, looked at it, was putting it again into my fob, when a tall 

 stern Cossack-looking fellow came up to me, " Pray, Sir," said he, 

 in a gruff tone, " pray, Sir, is that your hand-writing ?'' As he uttered 

 the words, he held a letter before my optics. I looked, as any one 

 in my situation would have done, amazingly stupid. My first glance 

 was directed to the stout whiskered animal before me : my next to 

 the sheet which he held in his hand. Sure enough it was my letter to 

 Miss Jackson. I at once recognised the vile penmanship I write a 

 miserable scrawl. 



" How the deuce could this booby have come by this letter ? 

 There is something mysterious in this business. It cannot be that 

 Miss Jackson has also " 



I was interrupted in my unprbnounced ejaculations by a " Sir, I 

 demand an answer to my question : is that letter," holding it in my 

 face, " in your hand writing ? 



I have already said it was mine ; I could not deny it ; besides I 

 am no disciple of Ferdinand Mentez Pinto. I accordingly muttered 

 out, in a subdued tone, " Yes, Sir, it is, and pray wherein '' 



I was about to enquire what interest he could have in the matter, 

 what possible reason he could have to be offended by it, for it was 

 clear he was offended, when I was cut short by a tremendous appli- 

 cation of a whip, drawn out of the whiskered monster's pocket, to my 

 person. 



" Sir, Sir, what can be the meaning of" I essayed to speak, 

 but my poor voice was either drowned in the crackings of the whip, 

 or my assailant heeded it not. Never was human being more un- 

 mercifully whipt before. How many lashes I received is and will 

 be a mystery ; but this I know that, but for the interference of some 

 of the more humane of the bystanders, I might 'and would have 

 received several scores more. When the ruffian was wrenched from 

 me, I was told by a person present for it readily will be credited I 

 was insensible to every thing he growled out something about no 

 man making an attempt on the virtue of his wife with impunity. The 

 virtue of his wife '. I could solemnly declare, had I been to die that 

 moment, that I never made an attempt on the virtue of his wife, or 

 the virtue of the wife of any man, living or dead. 



Miss Jackson did not keep to her promise ; indeed, after what had 

 occurred, I deemed it fortunate she did not. 



I went^home fully determined to institute an action against my 

 assailant, as soon as I could ascertain his name and address. This I 

 knew I could have no difficulty in doing, as there were so many pre- 

 sent. As to witnesses to prove the assault, I had clouds of them 

 whenever matters where in a sufficiently advanced state to require 

 them. 



