Page:Wanton Tom, or, The merry tricks of Tom Stitch the tailor.pdf/13



13                      But what should prove their mishap! at                      twelve o'clock her husband knocked at                       the door, and he being let in by the maid, went directly up stairs to their bed-side, drew the curtain, and there beheld his wife and his man Tom encircled in one another's arms, both being fast asleep. When he beheld them lying so lovingly, he was scarce able to contain himself with- in the bounds of reason, but was ready to                      pull them out of bed, yet pausing a while upon it, resolved to make an example of                      them both, and first of Tom. When he had called up the maid to see and bear witness of it, he left the room, and them asleep, and between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, the next day, he came home, taking to notice of                      what he had seen in the night. The next day, in order to Tom's punishment he had him warned before the chamberlain, which startled him and his mistress when they heard it; she wondered that she did not know it; neither of them mistrusting that it was for that. But she, that morning he was to appear before the chamberlain, asked her husband what Tom had done that he should be brought before the chamberlain? To which he replied, You shall know before night.