46 



The Chase 



full speed, vowing the utmost vengeance against 

 poor Sophia, if he should but overtake her. 



He had not gone far before he arrived at a cross- 

 way. Here he called a short council of war, in 

 which, after hearing different opinions, he at last 

 gave the direction of his pursuit to Fortune, and 

 struck directly into the Worcester road. 



In this road he proceeded about two miles, when 

 he began to bemoan himself most bitterly, frequently 

 crying out, " What — pity is it ! Sure never was so 

 unlucky a dog as myself! " And then burst forth 

 into a volley of oaths and execrations. 



The parson attempted to adminster comfort to 

 him on this occasion. 



"Sorrow not, sir," says he, "like those without 

 hope. Howbeit we have not yet been able to over- 

 take young madam, we may account it some good 

 fortune that we have hitherto traced her course 

 aright. Peradventure she will soon be fatigated 

 with her journey, and will tarry in some inn, in 

 order to renovate her corporeal functions ; and in 

 that case, in all moral certainty, you will very 

 briefly be compos votiy 



" Pogh ! d — n the slut ! " answered the squire, 

 " I am lamenting the loss of so fine a morning for 

 hunting. It is confounded hard to lose one of the 

 best scenting days, in all appearance, which hath 

 been this season, and especially after so long a 

 frost." 



Whether Fortune, who now and then shows 

 some compassion in her wantonest tricks, might not 

 take pity of the squire ; and, as she had determined 

 not to let him overtake his daughter, might not 

 resolve to make him amends some other way, I 

 will not assert ; but he hardly uttered the words 

 just before commemorated, and two or three oaths 



