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Notwithstanding
this remonstrance, which Pickle imputed to the commodore's ignorance
of the world, he set out for the habitation of Mrs. Gauntlet, with
the unjustifiable sentiments of a man of pleasure, who sacrifices
every consideration to the desire of his ruling appetite; and, as
Winchester lay in his way, resolved to visit some of his friends
who lived in that place. It was in the house of one of these that
he was informed of Emilia's being then in town with her mother; upon
which he excused himself from staying to drink tea, and immediately
repaired to their lodgings, according to the directions he had
received.
When he arrived at the door, instead of undergoing that perturbation
of spirits, which a lover in his interesting situation might be
supposed to feel, he suffered no emotion but that of vanity and
pride, favoured with an opportunity of self-gratification, and entered
his Emilia's apartment with the air of a conceited petit-maitre,
rather than that of the respectful admirer, when he visits the
object of his passion, after an absence of seventeen months.


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