.

BEING A PREPARATION FOR THE END.
The reader, doubtless, doth now partly understand what dark acts of conspiracy are beginning to gather around Mr.Hayes; and possibly hath comprehended-- 1.

That if the rumour was universally credited which declared that Mrs.
Catherine was only Hayes's mistress, and not his wife, She might, if she so inclined, marry another person; and thereby not injure her fame and excite wonderment, but actually add to her reputation.
2.

That if all the world did steadfastly believe that Mr.Hayes intended to desert this woman, after having cruelly maltreated her, The direction which his journey might take would be of no consequence; and he might go to Highgate, to Edinburgh, to Constantinople, nay, down a well, and no soul would care to ask whither he had gone.
These points Mr.Hayes had not considered duly.

The latter case had been put to him, and annoyed him, as we have seen; the former had actually been pressed upon him by Mrs.Hayes herself; who, in almost the only communication she had had with him since their last quarrel, had asked him, angrily, in the presence of Wood and her son, whether he had dared to utter such lies, and how it came to pass that the neighbours looked scornfully at her, and avoided her?
To this charge Mr.Hayes pleaded, very meekly, that he was not guilty; and young Billings, taking him by the collar, and clinching his fist in his face, swore a dreadful oath that he would have the life of him if he dared abuse his mother.