Onemorninghepullsoffhisdiamondring，andwritesupon
　　theglassofthesashinmychamberthisline——
　　’YouIlove，andyoualone。’
　　Ireadit，andaskedhimtolendmehisring，withwhichIwrote
　　underit，thus——
　　’Andsoinlovesayseveryone。’
　　Hetakeshisringagain，andwritesanotherlinethus——
　　’Virtuealoneisanestate。’
　　Iborroweditagain，andIwroteunderit——
　　’Butmoney’svirtue，goldisfate。’
　　Hecolouredasredasfiretoseemeturnsoquickuponhim，
　　andinakindofaragetoldmehewouldconquerme，and
　　writesagainthus——
　　’Iscornyourgold，andyetIlove。’
　　Iventuredalluponthelastcastofpoetry，asyou’llsee，forI
　　wroteboldlyunderhislast——
　　’I’mpoor:
　　let’sseehowkindyou’llprove。’
　　Thiswasasadtruthtome；whetherhebelievedmeorno，I
　　couldnottell；Isupposedthenthathedidnot。
　　However，he
　　flewtome，tookmeinhisarms，and，kissingmeveryeagerly，
　　andwiththegreatestpassionimaginable，heheldmefasttill
　　hecalledforapenandink，andthentoldmehecouldnotwait
　　thetediouswritingontheglass，but，pullingoutapieceof
　　paper，hebeganandwroteagain——
　　’Bemine，withallyourpoverty。’
　　Itookhispen，andfollowedhimimmediately，thus——
　　’YetsecretlyyouhopeIlie。’
　　Hetoldmethatwasunkind，becauseitwasnotjust，andthat
　　Iputhimuponcontradictingme，whichdidnotconsistwith
　　goodmanners，anymorethanwithhisaffection；andtherefore，
　　sinceIhadinsensiblydrawnhimintothispoeticalscribble，he
　　beggedIwouldnotobligehimtobreakitoff；sohewrites
　　again——
　　’Letlovealonebeourdebate。’
　　Iwroteagain——
　　’Shelovesenoughthatdoesnothate。’
　　Thishetookforafavour，andsolaiddownthecudgels，that
　　istosay，thepen；Isay，hetookifforafavour，andamighty
　　oneitwas，ifhehadknownall。
　　However，hetookitasImeant
　　it，thatis，tolethimthinkIwasinclinedtogoonwithhim，as
　　indeedIhadallthereasonintheworldtodo，forhewasthe
　　best-humoured，merrysortofafellowthatIevermetwith，
　　andIoftenreflectedonmyselfhowdoublycriminalitwasto
　　deceivesuchaman；butthatnecessity，whichpressedmeto
　　asettlementsuitabletomycondition，wasmyauthorityforit；
　　andcertainlyhisaffectiontome，andthegoodnessofhistemper，
　　howevertheymightargueagainstusinghimill，yettheystrongly
　　arguedtomethathewouldbettertakethedisappointment
　　thansomefiery-temperedwretch，whomighthavenothingto
　　recommendhimbutthosepassionswhichwouldserveonlyto
　　makeawomanmiserableallherdays。
　　Besides，thoughIjestedwithhimashesupposeditso
　　oftenaboutmypoverty，yet，whenhefoundittobetrue，he
　　hadforeclosedallmannerofobjection，seeing，whetherhe
　　wasinjestorinearnest，hehaddeclaredhetookmewithout
　　anyregardtomyportion，and，whetherIwasinjestorin
　　earnest，Ihaddeclaredmyselftobeverypoor；sothat，ina
　　word，Ihadhimfastbothways；andthoughhemightsay
　　afterwardshewascheated，yethecouldneversaythatIhad
　　cheatedhim。
　　Hepursuedmecloseafterthis，andasIsawtherewasnoneed
　　tofearlosinghim，Iplayedtheindifferentpartwithhimlonger
　　thanprudencemightotherwisehavedictatedtome。
　　ButI
　　consideredhowmuchthiscautionandindifferencewouldgive
　　metheadvantageoverhim，whenIshouldcometobeunder
　　thenecessityofowningmyowncircumstancestohim；andI
　　manageditthemorewarily，becauseIfoundheinferredfrom
　　thence，asindeedheoughttodo，thatIeitherhadthemore
　　moneyorthemorejudgment，andwouldnotventureatall。
　　Itookthefreedomoneday，afterwehadtalkedprettyclose
　　tothesubject，totellhimthatitwastrueIhadreceivedthe
　　complimentofaloverfromhim，namely，thathewouldtake
　　mewithoutinquiringintomyfortune，andIwouldmakehim
　　asuitablereturninthis，viz。thatIwouldmakeaslittleinquiry
　　intohisasconsistedwithreason，butIhopedhewouldallow
　　metoaskafewquestions，whichhewouldanswerornotas
　　hethoughtfit；andthatIwouldnotbeoffendedifhedidnot
　　answermeatall；oneofthesequestionsrelatedtoourmanner
　　ofliving，andtheplacewhere，becauseIhadheardhehada
　　greatplantationinVirginia，andthathehadtalkedofgoing
　　tolivethere，andItoldhimIdidnotcaretobetransported。
　　Hebeganfromthisdiscoursetoletmevoluntarilyintoall
　　hisaffairs，andtotellmeinafrank，openwayallhis
　　circumstances，bywhichIfoundhewasverywelltopassin
　　theworld；butthatgreatpartofhisestateconsistedofthree
　　plantations，whichhehadinVirginia，whichbroughthimina
　　verygoodincome，generallyspeaking，tothetuneof#300，a
　　year，butthatifhewastoliveuponthem，wouldbringhimin
　　fourtimesasmuch。
　　’Verywell，’thoughtI；’youshallcarry
　　methitherassoonasyouplease，thoughIwon’ttellyouso
　　beforehand。’
　　Ijestedwithhimextremelyaboutthefigurehewouldmake
　　inVirginia；butIfoundhewoulddoanythingIdesired，though
　　hedidnotseemgladtohavemeundervaluehisplantations，
　　soIturnedmytale。
　　ItoldhimIhadgoodreasonnottogo
　　theretolive，becauseifhisplantationswereworthsomuch
　　there，Ihadnotafortunesuitabletoagentlemanof#1200a
　　year，ashesaidhisestatewouldbe。
　　Herepliedgenerously，hedidnotaskwhatmyfortunewas；
　　hehadtoldmefromthebeginninghewouldnot，andhewould
　　beasgoodashisword；butwhateveritwas，heassuredmehe
　　wouldneverdesiremetogotoVirginiawithhim，orgothither
　　himselfwithoutme，unlessIwasperfectlywilling，andmade
　　itmychoice。
　　Allthis，youmaybesure，wasasIwished，andindeednothing
　　couldhavehappenedmoreperfectlyagreeable。
　　Icarriediton
　　asfarasthiswithasortofindifferencythatheoftenwondered
　　at，morethanatfirst，butwhichwastheonlysupportofhis
　　courtship；andImentionittherathertointimateagaintothe
　　ladiesthatnothingbutwantofcourageforsuchanindifferency
　　makesoursexsocheap，andpreparesthemtobeill-usedas
　　theyare；wouldtheyventurethelossofapretendingfopnow
　　andthen，whocarriesithighuponthepointofhisownmerit，
　　theywouldcertainlybelessslighted，andcourtedmore。
　　Had
　　Idiscoveredreallyandtrulywhatmygreatfortunewas，and
　　thatinallIhadnotfull#500whenheexpected#1500，yetI
　　hadhookedhimsofast，andplayedhimsolong，thatIwas
　　satisfiedhewouldhavehadmeinmyworstcircumstances；
　　andindeeditwaslessasurprisetohimwhenhelearnedthe
　　truththanitwouldhavebeen，becausehavingnottheleast
　　blametolayonme，whohadcarrieditwithanairofindifference
　　tothelast，hewouldnotsayoneword，exceptthatindeedhe
　　thoughtithadbeenmore，butthatifithadbeenlesshedid
　　notrepenthisbargain；onlythatheshouldnotbeableto
　　maintainmesowellasheintended。
　　Inshort，weweremarried，andveryhappilymarriedonmy
　　side，Iassureyou，astotheman；forhewasthebest-humoured
　　manthateverywomanhad，buthiscircumstanceswerenotso
　　goodasIimagined，as，ontheotherhand，hehadnotbettered
　　himselfbymarryingsomuchasheexpected。
　　Whenweweremarried，Iwasshrewdlyputtoittobringhim
　　thatlittlestockIhad，andtolethimseeitwasnomore；but
　　therewasanecessityforit，soItookmyopportunityoneday
　　whenwewerealone，toenterintoashortdialoguewithhim
　　aboutit。
　　’Mydear，’saidI，’wehavebeenmarriedafortnight；
　　isitnottimetoletyouknowwhetheryouhavegotawife
　　withsomethingorwithnothing？’
　　’Yourowntimeforthat，
　　mydear，’sayshe；’IamsatisfiedthatIhavegotthewifeI
　　love；Ihavenottroubledyoumuch，’sayshe，’withmyinquiry
　　afterit。’
　　’That’strue，’saysI，’butIhaveagreatdifficultyuponme
　　aboutit，whichIscarceknowhowtomanage。’
　　’What’sthat，mdear？’sayshe。
　　’Why，’saysI，’’tisalittleharduponme，and’tisharderupon
　　you。
　　IamtoldthatCaptain——’meaningmyfriend’shusband
　　’hastoldyouIhadagreatdealmoremoneythanIever
　　pretendedtohave，andIamsureIneveremployedhimtodoso。’
　　’Well，’sayshe，’Captain——mayhavetoldmeso，butwhat
　　then？
　　Ifyouhavenotsomuch，thatmaylieathisdoor，but
　　younevertoldmewhatyouhad，soIhavenoreasontoblame
　　youifyouhavenothingatall。’
　　’That’sissojust，’saidI，’andsogenerous，thatitmakesmy
　　havingbutalittleadoubleafflictiontome。’
　　’Thelessyouhave，mydear，’sayshe，’theworseforusboth；
　　butIhopeyourafflictionyouspeakofisnotcausedforfear
　　Ishouldbeunkindtoyou，forwantofaportion。
　　No，no，if
　　youhavenothing，tellmeplainly，andatonce；Imayperhaps
　　tellthecaptainhehascheatedme，butIcanneversayyou
　　havecheatedme，fordidyounotgiveitunderyourhandthat
　　youwerepoor？
　　andsoIoughttoexpectyoutobe。’
　　’Well，’saidI，’mydear，IamgladIhavenotbeenconcerned
　　indeceivingyoubeforemarriage。
　　IfIdeceiveyousince，’tis
　　ne’ertheworse；thatIampooristootrue，butnotsopooras
　　tohavenothingneither’；soIpulledoutsomebankbills，and
　　gavehimabout#160。
　　’There’ssomething，mydear，’saidI，
　　’andnotquiteallneither。’
　　Ihadbroughthimsoneartoexpectingnothing，bywhatIhad
　　saidbefore，thatthemoney，thoughthesumwassmallinitself，
　　wasdoublywelcometohim；heowneditwasmorethanhe
　　lookedfor，andthathedidnotquestionbymydiscourseto
　　him，butthatmyfineclothes，goldwatch，andadiamondring
　　ortwo，hadbeenallmyfortune。
　　Ilethimpleasehimselfwiththat#160twoorthreedays，and
　　then，havingbeenabroadthatday，andasifIhad
　　beentofetch