mehewouldseemesafehome，which，bytheway，Iwasnot
　　verywellpleasewith，supposinghemightdothattoknow
　　whereIlivedandinquireintomycharacterandcircumstances。
　　However，Iventuredthat，forallthatthepeoplethereor
　　thereaboutknewofme，wastomyadvantage；andallthe
　　characterhehadofme，afterhehadinquired，wasthatIwas
　　awomanoffortune，andthatIwasaverymodest，soberbody；
　　which，whethertrueornotinthemain，yetyoumayseehow
　　necessaryitisforallwomenwhoexpectanythingintheworld，
　　topreservethecharacteroftheirvirtue，evenwhenperhaps
　　theymayhavesacrificedthethingitself。
　　Ifound，andwasnotalittlepleasewithit，thathehadprovided
　　asupperforme。
　　Ifoundalsohelivedveryhandsomely，and
　　hadahouseveryhandsomelyfurnished；allofwhichIwas
　　rejoicedatindeed，forIlookeduponitasallmyown。
　　Wehadnowasecondconferenceuponthesubject-matterof
　　thelastconference。
　　Helaidhisbusinessveryhomeindeed；he
　　protestedhisaffectiontome，andindeedIhadnoroomto
　　doubtit；hedeclaredthatitbeganfromthefirstmomentI
　　talkedwithhim，andlongbeforeIhadmentionedleavingmy
　　effectswithhim。
　　’’Tisnomatterwhenitbegan，’thoughtI；
　　’ifitwillbuthold，’twillbewellenough。’
　　Hethentoldme
　　howmuchtheofferIhadmadeoftrustinghimwithmyeffects，
　　andleavingthemtohim，hadenragedhim。
　　’SoIintendedit
　　should，’thoughtI，’butthenIthoughtyouhadbeenasingle
　　mantoo。’
　　Afterwehadsupped，Iobservedhepressedme
　　veryhardtodrinktwoorthreeglassesofwine，which，however，
　　Ideclined，butdrankoneglassortwo。
　　Hethentoldmehe
　　hadaproposaltomaketome，whichIshouldpromisehimI
　　wouldnottakeillifIshouldnotgrantit。
　　ItoldhimIhoped
　　hewouldmakenodishonourableproposaltome，especially
　　inhisownhouse，andthatifitwassuch，Idesiredhewould
　　notproposeit，thatImightnotbeobligedtoofferany
　　resentmenttohimthatdidnotbecometherespectIprofessed
　　forhim，andthetrustIhadplacedinhimincomingtohishouse；
　　andbeggedofhimhewouldgivemeleavetogoaway，and
　　accordinglybegantoputonmyglovesandpreparetobegone，
　　thoughatthesametimeInomoreintendeditthanheintended
　　toletme。
　　Well，heimportunedmenottotalkofgoing；heassuredme
　　hehadnodishonourablethinginhisthoughtsaboutme，and
　　wasveryfarfromofferinganythingtomethatwasdishonourable，
　　andifIthoughtso，hewouldchoosetosaynomoreofit。
　　ThatpartIdidnotrelishatall。
　　ItoldhimIwasreadytohear
　　anythingthathehadtosay，dependingthathewouldsaynothing
　　unworthyofhimself，orunfitformetohear。
　　Uponthis，he
　　toldmehisproposalwasthis:
　　thatIwouldmarryhim，though
　　hehadnotyetobtainedthedivorcefromthewhorehiswife；
　　andtosatisfymethathemeanthonourably，hewouldpromise
　　nottodesiremetolivewithhim，orgotobedwithhimtillthe
　　divorcewasobtained。
　　Myheartsaidyettothisofferatfirst
　　word，butitwasnecessarytoplaythehypocritealittlemore
　　withhim；soIseemedtodeclinethemotionwithsomewarmth，
　　andbesidesalittlecondemningthethingasunfair，toldhim
　　thatsuchaproposalcouldbeofnosignification，buttoentangle
　　usbothingreatdifficulties；forifheshouldnotatlastobtain
　　thedivorce，yetwecouldnotdissolvethemarriage，neither
　　couldweproceedinit；sothatifhewasdisappointedinthe
　　divorce，Ilefthimtoconsiderwhataconditionweshould
　　bothbein。
　　Inshort，Icarriedontheargumentagainstthissofar，thatI
　　convincedhimitwasnotaproposalthathadanysenseinit。
　　Well，thenhewentfromittoanother，andthatwas，thatI
　　wouldsignandsealacontractwithhim，conditioningtomarry
　　himassoonasthedivorcewasobtained，andtobevoidifhe
　　couldnotobtainit。
　　Itoldhimsuchathingwasmorerationalthantheother；but
　　asthiswasthefirsttimethateverIcouldimaginehimweak
　　enoughtobeinearnestinthisaffair，IdidnotusetosayYes
　　atfirstasking；Iwouldconsiderofit。
　　Iplayedwiththisloverasananglerdoeswithatrout。
　　Ifound
　　Ihadhimfastonthehook，soIjestedwithhisnewproposal，
　　andputhimoff。
　　Itoldhimheknewlittleofme，andbadehim
　　inquireaboutme；Ilethimalsogohomewithmetomylodging，
　　thoughIwouldnotaskhimtogoin，forItoldhimitwasnot
　　decent。
　　Inshort，Iventuredtoavoidsigningacontractofmarriage，
　　andthereasonwhyIdiditwasbecausetheladythathad
　　invitedmesoearnestlytogowithherintoLancashireinsisted
　　sopositivelyuponit，andpromisedmesuchgreatfortunes，
　　andsuchfinethingsthere，thatIwastemptedtogoandtry。
　　’Perhaps，’saidI，’Imaymendmyselfverymuch’；andthenI
　　madenoscrupleinmythoughtsofquittingmyhonestcitizen，
　　whomIwasnotsomuchinlovewithasnottoleavehimfor
　　aricher。
　　Inaword，Iavoidedacontract；buttoldhimIwouldgointo
　　thenorth，thatheshouldknowwheretowritetomebythe
　　consequenceofthebusinessIhadentrustedwithhim；thatI
　　wouldgivehimasufficientpledgeofmyrespectforhim，for
　　IwouldleavealmostallIhadintheworldinhishands；and
　　Iwouldthusfargivehimmyword，thatassoonashehad
　　suedoutadivorcefromhisfirstwife，hewouldsendmean
　　accountofit，IwouldcomeuptoLondon，andthatthenwe
　　wouldtalkseriouslyofthematter。
　　ItwasabasedesignIwentwith，thatImustconfess，though
　　Iwasinvitedthitherwithadesignmuchworsethanminewas，
　　asthesequelwilldiscover。
　　Well，Iwentwithmyfriend，asI
　　calledher，intoLancashire。
　　Allthewaywewentshecaressed
　　mewiththeutmostappearanceofasincere，undissembled
　　affection；treatedme，exceptmycoach-hire，alltheway；and
　　herbrotherbroughtagentleman’scoachtoWarringtonto
　　receiveus，andwewerecarriedfromthencetoLiverpoolwith
　　asmuchceremonyasIcoulddesire。
　　Wewerealsoentertained
　　atamerchant’shouseinLiverpoolthreeorfourdaysvery
　　handsomely；Iforbeartotellhisname，becauseofwhatfollowed。
　　Thenshetoldmeshewouldcarrymetoanuncle’shouseof
　　hers，whereweshouldbenoblyentertained。
　　Shedidso；her
　　uncle，asshecalledhim，sentacoachandfourhorsesforus，
　　andwewerecarriednearfortymilesIknownotwhither。
　　Wecame，however，toagentleman’sseat，wherewasa
　　numerousfamily，alargepark，extraordinarycompanyindeed，
　　andwhereshewascalledcousin。
　　Itoldherifshehadresolved
　　tobringmeintosuchcompanyasthis，sheshouldhaveletme
　　havepreparedmyself，andhavefurnishedmyselfwithbetter
　　clothes。
　　Theladiestooknoticeofthat，andtoldmevery
　　genteellytheydidnotvaluepeopleintheircountrysomuch
　　bytheirclothesastheydidinLondon；thattheircousinhad
　　fullyinformedthemofmyquality，andthatIdidnotwant
　　clothestosetmeoff；inshort，theyentertainedme，notlike
　　whatIwas，butlikewhattheythoughtIhadbeen，namely，a
　　widowladyofagreatfortune。
　　ThefirstdiscoveryImadeherewas，thatthefamilywereall
　　RomanCatholics，andthecousintoo，whomIcalledmyfriend；
　　however，Imustsaythatnobodyintheworldcouldbehave
　　bettertome，andIhadallthecivilityshownmethatIcould
　　havehadifIhadbeenoftheiropinion。
　　Thetruthis，Ihadnot
　　somuchprincipleofanykindastobeniceinpointofreligion，
　　andIpresentlylearnedtospeakfavourablyoftheRomish
　　Church；particularly，ItoldthemIsawlittlebuttheprejudice
　　ofeducationinallthedifferencethatwereamongChristians
　　aboutreligion，andifithadsohappenedthatmyfatherhad
　　beenaRomanCatholic，IdoubtednotbutIshouldhavebeen
　　aswellpleasedwiththeirreligionasmyown。
　　Thisobligedtheminthehighestdegree，andasIwasbesieged
　　dayandnightwithgoodcompanyandpleasantdiscourse，so
　　Ihadtwoorthreeoldladiesthatlayatmeuponthesubject
　　ofreligiontoo。
　　Iwassocomplaisant，thatthoughIwouldnot
　　completelyengage，yetImadenoscrupletobepresentattheir
　　mass，andtoconformtoalltheirgesturesastheyshowedme
　　thepattern，butIwouldnotcometoocheap；sothatIonlyin
　　themainencouragedthemtoexpectthatIwouldturnRoman
　　Catholic，ifIwasinstructedintheCatholicdoctrineasthey
　　calledit，andsothematterrested。
　　Istayedhereaboutsixweeks；andthenmyconductorledme
　　backtoacountryvillage，aboutsixmilesfromLiverpool，
　　whereherbrotherasshecalledhimcametovisitmeinhis
　　ownchariot，andinaverygoodfigure，withtwofootmenin
　　agoodlivery；andthenextthingwastomakelovetome。
　　As
　　ithadhappenedtome，onewouldthinkIcouldnothavebeen
　　cheated，andindeedIthoughtsomyself，havingasafecardat
　　home，whichIresolvednottoquitunlessIcouldmendmyself
　　verymuch。
　　However，inallappearancethisbrotherwasa
　　matchworthmylisteningto，andtheleasthisestatewasvalued
　　atwas#1000ayear，butthesistersaiditwasworth#1500a
　　year，and
　　laymostofitinIreland。
　　Ithatwasagreatfortune，andpassedforsuch，wasabove
　　beingaskedhowmuchmyestatewas；andmyfalsefriend
　　takingituponafoolishhearsay，hadraiseditfrom#500to
　　andbythetimeshecameintothecountryshecalled
　　it