Ifortifiedhermindagainstsuchameanness，asIcalledit；I
　　toldher，thataslowasIwasintheworld，Iwouldhave
　　despisedamanthatshouldthinkIoughttotakehimuponhis
　　ownrecommendationonly，withouthavingthelibertyto
　　informmyselfofhisfortuneandofhischaracter；alsoItold
　　her，thatasshehadagoodfortune，shehadnoneedtostoop
　　tothedisasterofthetime；thatitwasenoughthatthemen
　　couldinsultusthathadbutlittlemoneytorecommendus，but
　　ifshesufferedsuchanaffronttopassuponherwithoutresenting
　　it，shewouldberenderedlow-prizeduponalloccasions，and
　　wouldbethecontemptofallthewomeninthatpartofthetown；
　　thatawomancanneverwantanopportunitytoberevenged
　　ofamanthathasusedherill，andthattherewerewaysenough
　　tohumblesuchafellowasthat，orelsecertainlywomenwere
　　themostunhappycreaturesintheworld。
　　Ifoundshewasverywellpleasedwiththediscourse，andshe
　　toldmeseriouslythatshewouldbeverygladtomakehim
　　sensibleofherjustresentment，andeithertobringhimonagain，
　　orhavethesatisfactionofherrevengebeingaspublicaspossible。
　　Itoldher，thatifshewouldtakemyadvice，Iwouldtellher
　　howsheshouldobtainherwishesinboththosethings，and
　　thatIwouldengageIwouldbringthemantoherdooragain，
　　andmakehimbegtobeletin。
　　Shesmiledatthat，andsoon
　　letmesee，thatifhecametoherdoor，herresentmentwas
　　notsogreatastogiveherleavetolethimstandlongthere。
　　However，shelistenedverywillinglytomyofferofadvice；
　　soItoldherthatthefirstthingsheoughttodowasapiece
　　ofjusticetoherself，namely，thatwhereasshehadbeentold
　　byseveralpeoplethathehadreportedamongtheladiesthat
　　hehadlefther，andpretendedtogivetheadvantageofthe
　　negativetohimself，sheshouldtakecaretohaveitwellspread
　　amongthewomen——whichshecouldnotfailofanopportunity
　　todoinaneighbourhoodsoaddictedtofamilynewsasthat
　　sheliveinwas——thatshehadinquiredintohiscircumstances，
　　andfoundhewasnotthemanastoestatehepretendedtobe。
　　’Letthembetold，madam，’saidI，’thatyouhadbeenwell
　　informedthathewasnotthemanthatyouexpected，andthat
　　youthoughtitwasnotsafetomeddlewithhim；thatyouheard
　　hewasofanilltemper，andthatheboastedhowhehadused
　　thewomenilluponmanyoccasions，andthatparticularlyhe
　　wasdebauchedinhismorals’，etc。
　　Thelastofwhich，indeed，
　　hadsometruthinit；butatthesametimeIdidnotfindthat
　　sheseemedtolikehimmuchtheworseforthatpart。
　　AsIhadputthisintoherhead，shecamemostreadilyintoit。
　　Immediatelyshewenttoworktofindinstruments，andshe
　　hadverylittledifficultyinthesearch，fortellingherstoryin
　　generaltoacoupleofgossipsintheneighbourhood，itwasthe
　　chatofthetea-tablealloverthatpartofthetown，andImet
　　withitwhereverIvisited；also，asitwasknownthatIwas
　　acquaintedwiththeyoungladyherself，myopinionwasasked
　　veryoften，andIconfirmeditwithallthenecessaryaggravations，
　　andsetouthischaracterintheblackestcolours；butthenasa
　　pieceofsecretintelligence，Iadded，aswhattheothergossips
　　knewnothingof，viz。thatIhadheardhewasinverybad
　　circumstances；thathewasunderanecessityofafortuneto
　　supporthisinterestwiththeownersoftheshiphecommanded；
　　thathisownpartwasnotpaidfor，andifitwasnotpaidquickly，
　　hisownerswouldputhimoutoftheship，andhischiefmate
　　waslikelytocommandit，whoofferedtobuythatpartwhich
　　thecaptainhadpromisedtotake。
　　Iadded，forIconfessIwasheartilypiquedattherogue，asI
　　calledhim，thatIhadheardarumour，too，thathehadawife
　　aliveatPlymouth，andanotherintheWestIndies，athingwhich
　　theyallknewwasnotveryuncommonforsuchkindofgentlemen。
　　Thisworkedaswebothdesireit，forpresentlytheyounglady
　　nextdoor，whohadafatherandmotherthatgovernedboth
　　herandherfortune，wasshutup，andherfatherforbidhimthe
　　house。
　　Alsoinoneplacemorewherehewent，thewomanhad
　　thecourage，howeverstrangeitwas，tosayNo；andhecould
　　trynowherebuthewasreproachedwithhispride，andthathe
　　pretendednottogivethewomenleavetoinquireintohis
　　character，andthelike。
　　Well，bythistimehebegantobesensibleofhismistake；and
　　havingalarmedallthewomenonthatsideofthewater，he
　　wentovertoRatcliff，andgotaccesstosomeoftheladies
　　there；butthoughtheyoungwomentheretoowere，according
　　tothefateoftheday，prettywillingtobeasked，yetsuchwas
　　hisill-luck，thathischaracterfollowedhimoverthewaterand
　　hisgoodnamewasmuchthesamethereasitwasonourside；
　　sothatthoughhemighthavehadwivesenough，yetitdidnot
　　happenamongthewomenthathadgoodfortunes，whichwas
　　whathewanted。
　　Butthiswasnotall；sheveryingeniouslymanagedanother
　　thingherself，forshegotayounggentleman，whoasarelation，
　　andwasindeedamarriedman，tocomeandvisithertwoor
　　threetimesaweekinaveryfinechariotandgoodliveries，and
　　hertwoagents，andIalso，presentlyspreadareportallover，
　　thatthisgentlemancametocourther；thathewasagentleman
　　ofa#1000ayear，andthathewasfalleninlovewithher，and
　　thatshewasgoingtoheraunt’sinthecity，becauseitwas
　　inconvenientforthegentlemantocometoherwithhiscoach
　　inRedriff，thestreetsbeingsonarrowanddifficult。
　　Thistookimmediately。
　　Thecaptainwaslaughedatinall
　　companies，andwasreadytohanghimself。
　　Hetriedallthe
　　wayspossibletocomeatheragain，andwrotethemost
　　passionateletterstoherintheworld，excusinghisformer
　　rashness；andinshort，bygreatapplication，obtainedleaveto
　　waitonheragain，ashesaid，toclearhisreputation。
　　Atthismeetingshehadherfullrevengeofhim；forshetold
　　himshewonderedwhathetookhertobe，thatsheshould
　　admitanymantoatreatyofsomuchconsequenceasthatto
　　marriage，withoutinquiringverywellintohiscircumstances；
　　thatifhethoughtshewastobehuffedintowedlock，andthat
　　shewasinthesamecircumstanceswhichherneighboursmight
　　bein，viz。totakeupwiththefirstgoodChristianthatcame，
　　hewasmistaken；that，inaword，hischaracterwasreallybad，
　　orhewasveryillbeholdentohisneighbours；andthatunless
　　hecouldclearupsomepoints，inwhichshehadjustlybeen
　　prejudiced，shehadnomoretosaytohim，buttodoherself
　　justice，andgivehimthesatisfactionofknowingthatshewas
　　notafraidtosayNo，eithertohimoranymanelse。
　　Withthatshetoldhimwhatshehadheard，orratherraised
　　herselfbymymeans，ofhischaracter；hisnothavingpaidfor
　　theparthepretendedtoownoftheshiphecommanded；of
　　theresolutionofhisownerstoputhimoutofthecommand，
　　andtoputhismateinhisstead；andofthescandalraisedon
　　hismorals；hishavingbeenreproachedwithsuch-and-such
　　women，andhavingawifeatPlymouthandintheWestIndies，
　　andthelike；andsheaskedhimwhetherhecoulddenythatshe
　　hadgoodreason，ifthesethingswerenotclearedup，torefuse
　　him，andinthemeantimetoinsistuponhavingsatisfactionin
　　pointstosignificantastheywere。
　　Hewassoconfoundedatherdiscoursethathecouldnot
　　answeraword，andshealmostbegantobelievethatallwas
　　true，byhisdisorder，thoughatthesametimesheknewthat
　　shehadbeentheraiserofallthosereportsherself。
　　Aftersometimeherecoveredhimselfalittle，andfromthat
　　timebecamethemosthumble，themostmodest，andmost
　　importunatemanaliveinhiscourtship。
　　Shecarriedherjestonagreatway。
　　Sheaskedhim，ifhe
　　thoughtshewassoatherlastshiftthatshecouldoroughtto
　　bearsuchtreatment，andifhedidnotseethatshedidnot
　　wantthosewhothoughtitworththeirwhiletocomefarther
　　toherthanhedid；meaningthegentlemanwhomshehad
　　broughttovisitherbywayofsham。
　　Shebroughthimbythesetrickstosubmittoallpossible
　　measurestosatisfyher，aswellofhiscircumstancesasofhis
　　behaviour。
　　Hebroughtherundeniableevidenceofhishaving
　　paidforhispartoftheship；hebroughthercertificatesfrom
　　hisowners，thatthereportoftheirintendingtoremovehim
　　fromthecommandoftheshipandputhischiefmateinwas
　　falseandgroundless；inshort，hewasquitethereverseofwhat
　　hewasbefore。
　　ThusIconvincedher，thatifthemenmadetheiradvantage
　　ofoursexintheaffairofmarriage，uponthesuppositionof
　　therebeingsuchchoicetobehad，andofthewomenbeing
　　soeasy，itwasonlyowingtothis，thatthewomenwanted
　　couragetomaintaintheirgroundandtoplaytheirpart；and
　　that，accordingtomyLordRochester，
　　’Awoman’sne’ersoruinedbutshecan
　　Revengeherselfonherundoer，Man。’
　　Afterthesethingsthisyoungladyplayedherpartsowell，that
　　thoughsheresolvedtohavehim，andthatindeedhavinghim
　　wasthemainbentofherdesign，yetshemadehisobtaining
　　herbetohimthemostdifficultthingintheworld；andthisshe
　　did，notbyahaughtyreservedcarriage，butbyajustpolicy，
　　turningthetablesuponhim，andplayingbackuponhimhis
　　owngame；forashepretended，byakindofloftycarriage，to
　　placehimselfabovetheoccasionofacharacter，andtomake
　　inquiringintohischaracterakindofanaffronttohim，she
　　brokewithhimuponthatsubject，andatthesametimethat
　　shemakehimsubmittoallpossibleinquiryafterhisaffairs，
　　sheapparentlyshutthedooragainsthislookingintoherown。
　　Itwasenoughtohimtoobtainherforawife。
　　Astowhat
　　shehad，shetoldhimplainly，thatasheknewhercircumstances，
　　itwasbutjustsheshouldknowhis；andthoughatthesame
　　timehehadonlyknownhercircumstancesbycommonfame，
　　yethehadmadesomanyprotestationsofhispassionforher，
　　thathecouldasknomorebutherhandtohisgrandrequest，
　　andthelikerambleaccordingtothecustomoflovers。
　　Inshort，
　　helefthimselfnoroomtoaskanymorequestionsabouther
　　estate，andshetooktheadvantageofitlikeaprudentwoman，
　　forsheplacedpartofherfortunesointrustees，withoutletting
　　himknowanythingofit，thatitwasquiteoutofhisreach，and
　　madehimbeverywellcontentwiththerest。
　　Itistrueshewasprettywellbesides，thatistosay，shehad
　　aboutinmoney，whichshegavehim；andtheother，
　　aftersometime，shebroughttolightasaperquisitetoherself，
　　whichhewastoacceptasamightyfavour，seeingthoughit
　　wasnottobehis，itmighteasehiminthearticleofherparticular
　　expenses；andImustadd，thatbythisconductthegentleman
　　himselfbecamenotonlythemorehumbleinhisapplications
　　tohertoobtainher，butalsowasmuchthemoreanobliging
　　husbandtoherwhenhehadher。
　　Icannotbutremindtheladies。