fool　and　no　gentleman。
  I　have　said　they　were　man　and　woman。　　I　should　have　said　man　and
  child。　　She　was　certainly　not　more　than　seventeen；　pretty　as　an
  angel；　just　plump　enough　to　damn　a　saint；　and　dressed　in　various
  shades　of　blue；　from　her　stockings　to　her　saucy　cap；　in　a　kind　of
  taking　gamut；　the　top　note　of　which　she　flung　me　in　a　beam　from　her
  too　appreciative　eye。　　There　was　no　doubt　about　the　case：　I　saw　it
  all。　　From　a　boarding…school；　a　black…board；　a　piano；　and
  Clementi's　SONATINAS；　the　child　had　made　a　rash　adventure　upon　life
  in　the　company　of　a　half…bred　hawbuck；　and　she　was　already　not　only
  regretting　it；　but　expressing　her　regret　with　point　and　pungency。
  As　I　alighted　they　both　paused　with　that　unmistakable　air　of　being
  interrupted　in　a　scene。　　I　uncovered　to　the　lady　and　placed　my
  services　at　their　disposal。
  It　was　the　man　who　answered。　　'There's　no　use　in　shamming；　sir；'
  said　he。　　'This　lady　and　I　have　run　away；　and　her　father's　after
  us：　road　to　Gretna；　sir。　　And　here　have　these　nincompoops　spilt　us
  in　the　ditch　and　smashed　the　chaise！'
  'Very　provoking；'　said　I。
  'I　don't　know　when　I've　been　so　provoked！'　cried　he；　with　a　glance
  down　the　road；　of　mortal　terror。
  'The　father　is　no　doubt　very　much　incensed？'　I　pursued　civilly。
  'O　God！'　cried　the　hawbuck。　　'In　short；　you　see；　we　must　get　out　of
  this。　　And　I'll　tell　you　what　…　it　may　seem　cool；　but　necessity　has
  no　law　…　if　you　would　lend　us　your　chaise　to　the　next　post…house；
  it　would　be　the　very　thing；　sir。'
  'I　confess　it　seems　cool；'　I　replied。
  'What's　that　you　say；　sir？'　he　snapped。
  'I　was　agreeing　with　you；'　said　I。　　'Yes；　it　does　seem　cool；　and
  what　is　more　to　the　point；　it　seems　unnecessary。　　This　thing　can　be
  arranged　in　a　more　satisfactory　manner　otherwise；　I　think。　　You　can
  doubtless　ride？'
  This　opened　a　door　on　the　matter　of　their　previous　dispute；　and　the
  fellow　appeared　life…sized　in　his　true　colours。　　'That's　what　I've
  been　telling　her：　that；　damn　her！　she　must　ride！'　he　broke　out。
  'And　if　the　gentleman's　of　the　same　mind；　why；　damme；　you　shall！'
  As　he　said　so；　he　made　a　snatch　at　her　wrist；　which　she　evaded　with
  horror。
  I　stepped　between　them。
  'No；　sir；'　said　I；　'the　lady　shall　not。'
  He　turned　on　me　raging。　　'And　who　are　you　to　interfere？'　he　roared。
  'There　is　here　no　question　of　who　I　am；'　I　replied。　　'I　may　be　the
  devil　or　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　for　what　you　know；　or　need
  know。　　The　point　is　that　I　can　help　you　…　it　appears　that　nobody
  else　can；　and　I　will　tell　you　how　I　propose　to　do　it。　　I　will　give
  the　lady　a　seat　in　my　chaise；　if　you　will　return　the　compliment　by
  allowing　my　servant　to　ride　one　of　your　horses。'
  I　thought　he　would　have　sprung　at　my　throat。
  'You　have　always　the　alternative　before　you：　to　wait　here　for　the
  arrival　of　papa；'　I　added。
  And　that　settled　him。　　He　cast　another　haggard　look　down　the　road；
  and　capitulated。
  'I　am　sure；　sir；　the　lady　is　very　much　obliged　to　you；'　he　said；
  with　an　ill　grace。
  I　gave　her　my　hand；　she　mounted　like　a　bird　into　the　chaise；
  Rowley；　grinning　from　ear　to　ear；　closed　the　door　behind　us；　the
  two　impudent　rascals　of　post…boys　cheered　and　laughed　aloud　as　we
  drove　off；　and　my　own　postillion　urged　his　horses　at　once　into　a
  rattling　trot。　　It　was　plain　I　was　supposed　by　all　to　have　done　a
  very　dashing　act；　and　ravished　the　bride　from　the　ravisher。
  In　the　meantime　I　stole　a　look　at　the　little　lady。　　She　was　in　a
  state　of　pitiable　discomposure；　and　her　arms　shook　on　her　lap　in
  her　black　lace　mittens。
  'Madam　…　'　I　began。
  And　she；　in　the　same　moment；　finding　her　voice：　'O；　what　you　must
  think　of　me！'
  'Madam；'　said　I；　'what　must　any　gentleman　think　when　he　sees　youth；
  beauty　and　innocence　in　distress？　　I　wish　I　could　tell　you　that　I
  was　old　enough　to　be　your　father；　I　think　we　must　give　that　up；'　I
  continued；　with　a　smile。　　'But　I　will　tell　you　something　about
  myself　which　ought　to　do　as　well；　and　to　set　that　little　heart　at
  rest　in　my　society。　　I　am　a　lover。　　May　I　say　it　of　myself　…　for　I
  am　not　quite　used　to　all　the　niceties　of　English　…　that　I　am　a　true
  lover？　　There　is　one　whom　I　admire；　adore；　obey；　she　is　no　less
  good　than　she　is　beautiful；　if　she　were　here；　she　would　take　you　to
  her　arms：　conceive　that　she　has　sent　me　…　that　she　has　said　to　me；
  〃Go；　be　her　knight！〃'
  'O；　I　know　she　must　be　sweet；　I　know　she　must　be　worthy　of　you！'
  cried　the　little　lady。　　'She　would　never　forget　female　decorum　…
  nor　make　the　terrible　ERRATUM　I've　done！'
  And　at　this　she　lifted　up　her　voice　and　wept。
  This　did　not　forward　matters：　it　was　in　vain　that　I　begged　her　to
  be　more　composed　and　to　tell　me　a　plain；　consecutive　tale　of　her
  misadventures；　but　she　continued　instead　to　pour　forth　the　most
  extraordinary　mixture　of　the　correct　school　miss　and　the　poor
  untutored　little　piece　of　womanhood　in　a　false　position　…　of
  engrafted　pedantry　and　incoherent　nature。
  'I　am　certain　it　must　have　been　judicial　blindness；'　she　sobbed。
  'I　can't　think　how　I　didn't　see　it；　but　I　didn't；　and　he　isn't；　is
  he？　　And　then　a　curtain　rose　。　。　。　O；　what　a　moment　was　that！　　But
  I　knew　at　once　that　YOU　WERE；　you　had　but　to　appear　from　your
  carriage；　and　I　knew　it；　O；　she　must　be　a　fortunate　young　lady！
  And　I　have　no　fear　with　you；　none　…　a　perfect　confidence。'
  'Madam；'　said　I；　'a　gentleman。'
  'That's　what　I　mean　…　a　gentleman；'　she　exclaimed。　　'And　he　…　and
  that　…　HE　isn't。　　O；　how　shall　I　dare　meet　father！'　　And　disclosing
  to　me　her　tear…stained　face；　and　opening　her　arms　with　a　tragic
  gesture：　'And　I　am　quite　disgraced　before　all　the　young　ladies；　my
  school…companions！'　she　added。
  'O；　not　so　bad　as　that！'　I　cried。　　'Come；　come；　you　exaggerate；　my
  dear　Miss　…　？　　Excuse　me　if　I　am　too　familiar：　I　have　not　yet　heard
  your　name。'
  'My　name　is　Dorothy　Greensleeves；　sir：　why　should　I　conceal　it？　　I
  fear　it　will　only　serve　to　point　an　adage　to　future　generations；
  and　I　had　meant　so　differently！　　There　was　no　young　female　in　the
  county　more　emulous　to　be　thought　well　of　than　I。　　And　what　a　fall
  was　there！　　O；　dear　me；　what　a　wicked；　piggish　donkey　of　a　girl　I
  have　made　of　myself；　to　be　sure！　　And　there　is　no　hope！　O；　Mr。　…　'
  And　at　that　she　paused　and　asked　my　name。
  I　am　not　writing　my　eulogium　for　the　Academy；　I　will　admit　it　was
  unpardonably　imbecile；　but　I　told　it　her。　　If　you　had　been　there　…
  and　seen　her；　ravishingly　pretty　and　little；　a　baby　in　years　and
  mind　…　and　heard　her　talking　like　a　book；　with　so　much　of
  schoolroom　propriety　in　her　manner；　with　such　an　innocent　despair
  in　the　matter　…　you　would　probably　have　told　her　yours。　　She
  repeated　it　after　me。
  'I　shall　pray　for　you　all　my　life；'　she　said。　　'Every　night；　when　I
  retire　to　rest；　the　last　thing　I　shall　do　is　to　remember　you　by
  name。'
  Presently　I　succeeded　in　winning　from　her　her　tale；　which　was　much
  what　I　had　anticipated：　a　tale　of　a　schoolhouse；　a　walled　garden；　a
  fruit…tree　that　concealed　a　bench；　an　impudent　raff　posturing　in
  church；　an　exchange　of　flowers　and　vows　over　the　garden　wall；　a
  silly　schoolmate　for　a　confidante；　a　chaise　and　four；　and　the　most
  immediate　and　perfect　disenchantment　on　the　part　of　the　little
  lady。　　'And　there　is　nothing　to　be　done！'　she　wailed　in　conclusion。
  'My　error　is　irretrievable；　I　am　quite　forced　to　that　conclusion。
  O；　Monsieur　de　Saint…Yves！　who　would　have　thought　that　I　could　have
  been　such　a　blind；　wicked　donkey！'
  I　should　have　said　before　…　only　that　I　really　do　not　know　when　it
  came　in　…　that　we　had　been　overtaken　by　the　two　post…boys；　Rowley
  and　Mr。　Bellamy；　which　was　the　hawbuck's　name；　bestriding　the　four
  post…horses；　and　that　these　formed　a　sort　of　cavalry　escort；　riding
  now　before；　now　behind　the　chaise；　and　Bellamy　occasionally
  posturing　at　the　window　and　obliging　us　with　some　of　his
  conversation。　　He　was　so　ill…received　that　I　declare　I　was　tempted
  to　pity　him；　remembering　from　what　a　height　he　had　fallen；　and　how
  few　hours　ago　it　was　since　the　lady　had　herself　fled　to　his　arms；
  all　blushes　and　ardour。　　Well；　these　great　strokes　of　fortune
  usually　befall　the　unworthy；　and　Bellamy　was　now　the　legitimate
  object　of　my　commiseration　and　the　ridicule　of　his　own　post…boys！
  'Miss　Dorothy；'　said　I；　'you　wish　to　be　delivered　from　this　man？'
  'O；　if　it　were　possible！'　she　cried。　　'But　not　by　violence。'
  'Not　in　the　least；　ma'am；'　I　replied。　　'The　simplest　thing　in　life。
  We　are　in　a　civilised　country；　the　man's　a　malefactor　…　'
  'O；　never！'　she　cried。　　'Do　not　even　dream　it！　　With　all　his
  faults；　I　know　he　is　not　THAT。'
  'Anyway；　he's　in　the　wrong　in　this　affair　…　on　the　wrong　side　of
  the　law；　call　it　what　you　please；'　said　I；　and　with　that；　our　four