The pursuit of other adventures, which shall be inserted in their proper places before the conclusion of this work, hinder'd me for a long time from going to see in what manner Aristella was treated by Mutantius; but at length, some uneasy reflexions on her account raised an impatience in me to know the certainty of her present state.

Accordingly I went one day to the house where she was lodg'd; but, to my great surprise, found she had made but a short stay there, and had been removed a considerable time before my coming: – on my asking some questions of my friend concerning the reason of it, the good woman answer'd me in these or the like terms:

‘The affair was just as I expected,’ said she; ‘I pity the poor young gentlewoman, indeed, – she has not the looks of such a one; – but I suppose she has been decoy'd by abundance of fair promises: – I wonder, however, that Mutantius, knowing the character of my house, and that I always had people of the best fashion lodge with me, should offer to bring a kept-mistress under my roof; but I was very free with him, – I told him my mind very plainly on the occasion.’

‘And pray what answer did he make,’ cry'd I, with some impatience, ‘– when you call'd her a kept-mistress?’

‘Very little to the purpose, truly,’ resum'd she; ‘he only said that she was a gentlewoman, and a friend of his, and as such expected I should treat her civilly; – I told him it was not in my nature to treat any body uncivilly, but that I would encourage no such doings, and therefore desir'd he would provide another lodging for her; – on this he flew into a passion, – told me I was an ignorant foolish woman, and the like; – but I did not regard his bouncing, and as he found I was resolute, took his madam away in a few days afterwards.’