hadmadesuchanimpressionuponme，thatIdidnotwantnow
　　tobeagentlewoman，butwasverywillingtobeaservant，and
　　thatanykindofservanttheythoughtfittohavemebe。
　　Butmynewgenerousmistress，forsheexceededthegood
　　womanIwaswithbefore，ineverything，aswellasinthe
　　matterofestate；Isay，ineverythingexcepthonesty；andfor
　　that，thoughthiswasaladymostexactlyjust，yetImustnot
　　forgettosayonalloccasions，thatthefirst，thoughpoor，was
　　asuprightlyhonestasitwaspossibleforanyonetobe。
　　Iwasnosoonercarriedaway，asIhavesaid，bythisgood
　　gentlewoman，butthefirstlady，thatistosay，theMayoress
　　thatwas，senthertwodaughterstotakecareofme；andanother
　　familywhichhadtakennoticeofmewhenIwasthelittle
　　gentlewoman，andhadgivenmeworktodo，sentformeafter
　　her，sothatIwasmightilymadeof，aswesay；nay，andthey
　　werenotalittleangry，especiallymadamtheMayoress，that
　　herfriendhadtakenmeawayfromher，asshecalledit；for，
　　asshesaid，Iwashersbyright，shehavingbeenthefirstthat
　　tookanynoticeofme。
　　Buttheythathadmewouldnotpart
　　withme；andasforme，thoughIshouldhavebeenverywell
　　treatedwithanyoftheothers，yetIcouldnotbebetterthan
　　whereIwas。
　　HereIcontinuedtillIwasbetweenseventeenandeighteen
　　yearsold，andhereIhadalltheadvantagesformyeducation
　　thatcouldbeimagined；theladyhadmastershometothe
　　housetoteachherdaughterstodance，andtospeakFrench，
　　andtowrite，andothertoteachthemmusic；andIwasalways
　　withthem，Ilearnedasfastasthey；andthoughthemasters
　　werenotappointedtoteachme，yetIlearnedbyimitationand
　　inquiryallthattheylearnedbyinstructionanddirection；so
　　that，inshort，IlearnedtodanceandspeakFrenchaswellas
　　anyofthem，andtosingmuchbetter，forIhadabettervoice
　　thananyofthem。
　　Icouldnotsoreadilycomeatplayingon
　　theharpsichordorspinet，becauseIhadnoinstrumentofmy
　　owntopracticeon，andcouldonlycomeattheirsintheintervals
　　whentheyleftit，whichwasuncertain；butyetIlearnedtolerably
　　welltoo，andtheyoungladiesatlengthgottwoinstruments，
　　thatistosay，aharpsichordandaspinettoo，andthenthey
　　taughtmethemselves。
　　Butastodancing，theycouldhardly
　　helpmylearningcountry-dances，becausetheyalwayswanted
　　metomakeupevennumber；and，ontheotherhand，theywere
　　asheartilywillingtolearnmeeverythingthattheyhadbeen
　　taughtthemselves，asIcouldbetotakethelearning。
　　BythismeansIhad，asIhavesaidabove，alltheadvantages
　　ofeducationthatIcouldhavehadifIhadbeenasmucha
　　gentlewomanastheywerewithwhomIlived；andinsome
　　thingsIhadtheadvantageofmyladies，thoughtheyweremy
　　superiors；buttheywereallthegiftsofnature，andwhichall
　　theirfortunescouldnotfurnish。
　　First，Iwasapparently
　　handsomerthananyofthem；secondly，Iwasbettershaped；
　　and，thirdly，Isangbetter，bywhichImeanIhadabettervoice；
　　inallwhichyouwill，Ihope，allowmetosay，Idonotspeak
　　myownconceitofmyself，buttheopinionofallthatknew
　　thefamily。
　　Ihadwithallthesethecommonvanityofmysex，viz。that
　　beingreallytakenforveryhandsome，or，ifyouplease，fora
　　greatbeauty，Iverywellknewit，andhadasgoodanopinion
　　ofmyselfasanybodyelsecouldhaveofme；andparticularly
　　Ilovedtohearanybodyspeakofit，whichcouldnotbuthappen
　　tomesometimes，andwasagreatsatisfactiontome。
　　ThusfarIhavehadasmoothstorytotellofmyself，andinall
　　thispartofmylifeInotonlyhadthereputationoflivingina
　　verygoodfamily，andafamilynotedandrespectedeverywhere
　　forvirtueandsobriety，andforeveryvaluablething；butIhad
　　thecharactertooofaverysober，modest，andvirtuousyoung
　　woman，andsuchIhadalwaysbeen；neitherhadIyetany
　　occasiontothinkofanythingelse，ortoknowwhatatemptation
　　towickednessmeant。
　　ButthatwhichIwastoovainofwasmyruin，orrathermy
　　vanitywasthecauseofit。
　　TheladyinthehousewhereIwas
　　hadtwosons，younggentlemenofverypromisingpartsand
　　ofextraordinarybehaviour，anditwasmymisfortunetobe
　　verywellwiththemboth，buttheymanagedthemselveswith
　　meinaquitedifferentmanner。
　　Theeldest，agaygentlemanthatknewthetownaswellasthe
　　country，andthoughhehadlevityenoughtodoanill-natured
　　thing，yethadtoomuchjudgmentofthingstopaytoodear
　　forhispleasures；hebeganwiththeunhappysnaretoall
　　women，viz。takingnoticeuponalloccasionshowprettyIwas，
　　ashecalledit，howagreeable，howwell-carriaged，andthe
　　like；andthishecontrivedsosubtly，asifhehadknownas
　　wellhowtocatchawomaninhisnetasapartridgewhenhe
　　wenta-setting；forhewouldcontrivetobetalkingthistohis
　　sisterswhen，thoughIwasnotby，yetwhenheknewIwas
　　notfaroffbutthatIshouldbesuretohearhim。
　　Hissisters
　　wouldreturnsoftlytohim，’Hush，brother，shewillhearyou；
　　sheisbutinthenextroom。’
　　Thenhewouldputitoffandtalk
　　softlier，asifhehadnotknowit，andbegintoacknowledgehe
　　waswrong；andthen，asifhehadforgothimself，hewould
　　speakaloudagain，andI，thatwassowellpleasedtohearit，
　　wassuretolistenforituponalloccasions。
　　Afterhehadthusbaitedhishook，andfoundeasilyenough
　　themethodhowtolayitinmyway，heplayedanopenergame；
　　andoneday，goingbyhissister’schamberwhenIwasthere，
　　doingsomethingaboutdressingher，hecomesinwithanair
　　ofgaiety。
　　’Oh，Mrs。Betty，’saidhetome，’howdoyoudo，
　　Mrs。Betty？
　　Don’tyourcheeksburn，Mrs。Betty？’
　　Imadea
　　curtsyandblushed，butsaidnothing。
　　’Whatmakesyoutalkso，
　　brother？’saysthelady。
　　’Why，’sayshe，’wehavebeentalking
　　ofherbelow-stairsthishalf-hour。’
　　’Well，’sayshissister，
　　’youcansaynoharmofher，thatIamsure，so’tisnomatter
　　whatyouhavebeentalkingabout。’’Nay，’sayshe，’’tissofar
　　fromtalkingharmofher，thatwehavebeentalkingagreat
　　dealofgood，andagreatmanyfinethingshavebeensaidof
　　Mrs。Betty，Iassureyou；andparticularly，thatsheisthe
　　handsomestyoungwomaninColchester；and，inshort，they
　　begintotoastherhealthinthetown。’
　　’Iwonderatyou，brother，’saysthesister。
　　Bettywantsbutone
　　thing，butshehadasgoodwanteverything，forthemarketis
　　againstoursexjustnow；andifayoungwomanhavebeauty，
　　birth，breeding，wit，sense，manners，modesty，andalltheseto
　　anextreme，yetifshehavenotmoney，she’snobody，shehad
　　asgoodwantthemallfornothingbutmoneynowrecommends
　　awoman；themenplaythegameallintotheirownhands。’
　　Heryoungerbrother，whowasby，cried，’Hold，sister，yourun
　　toofast；Iamanexceptiontoyourrule。
　　Iassureyou，ifIfind
　　awomansoaccomplishedasyoutalkof，Isay，Iassureyou，I
　　wouldnottroublemyselfaboutthemoney。’
　　’Oh，’saysthesister，’butyouwilltakecarenottofancyone，
　　then，withoutthemoney。’
　　’Youdon’tknowthatneither，’saysthebrother。
　　’Butwhy，sister，’saystheelderbrother，’whydoyouexclaim
　　soatthemenforaimingsomuchatthefortune？
　　Youarenone
　　ofthemthatwantafortune，whateverelseyouwant。’
　　’Iunderstandyou，brother，’repliestheladyverysmartly；’you
　　supposeIhavethemoney，andwantthebeauty；butastimes
　　gonow，thefirstwilldowithoutthelast，soIhavethebetter
　　ofmyneighbours。’
　　’Well，’saystheyoungerbrother，’butyourneighbours，asyou
　　callthem，maybeevenwithyou，forbeautywillstealahusband
　　sometimesinspiteofmoney，andwhenthemaidchancestobe
　　handsomerthanthemistress，sheoftentimesmakesasgooda
　　market，andridesinacoachbeforeher。’
　　Ithoughtitwastimeformetowithdrawandleavethem，and
　　Ididso，butnotsofarbutthatIheardalltheirdiscourse，in
　　whichIheardabundanceofthefinethingssaidofmyself，
　　whichservedtopromptmyvanity，but，asIsoonfound，was
　　notthewaytoincreasemyinterestinthefamily，forthesister
　　andtheyoungerbrotherfellgrievouslyoutaboutit；andashe
　　saidsomeverydisobligingthingstoheruponmyaccount，so
　　Icouldeasilyseethatsheresentedthembyherfutureconduct
　　tome，whichindeedwasveryunjusttome，forIhadnever
　　hadtheleastthoughtofwhatshesuspectedastoheryounger
　　brother；indeed，theelderbrother，inhisdistant，remoteway，
　　hadsaidagreatmanythingsasinjest，whichIhadthefolly
　　tobelievewereinearnest，ortoflattermyselfwiththehopes
　　ofwhatIoughttohavesupposedheneverintended，and
　　perhapsneverthoughtof。
　　Ithappenedonedaythathecamerunningupstairs，towards
　　theroomwherehissistersusedtositandwork，asheoften
　　usedtodo；andcallingtothembeforehecamein，aswashis
　　waytoo，I，beingtherealone，steppedtothedoor，andsaid，
　　’Sir，theladiesarenothere，theyarewalkeddownthegarden。’
　　AsIsteppedforwardtosaythis，towardsthedoor，hewasjust
　　gottothedoor，andclaspingmeinhisarms，asifithadbeen
　　bychance，’Oh，Mrs。Betty，’sayshe，’areyouhere？
　　That’s
　　betterstill；IwanttospeakwithyoumorethanIdowiththem’；
　　andthen，havingmeinhisarms，hekissedmethreeorfourtimes。
　　Istruggledtogetaway，andyetdiditbutfaintlyneither，and
　　heheldmefast，andstillkissedme，tillhewasalmostoutof
　　breath，andthen，sittingdown，says，’DearBetty，Iaminlove
　　withyou。’
　　Hiswords，Imustconfess，firedmyblood；allmyspiritsflew
　　aboutmyheartandputmeintodisorderenough，whichhe
　　mighteasilyhaveseeninmyface。
　　Herepeateditafterwards
　　severaltimes，thathewasinlovewithme，andmyheartspoke
　　asplainasavoice，thatIlikedit；nay，wheneverhesaid，’Iam
　　inlovewithyou，’myblushesplainlyreplied，’Wouldyou
　　were，sir。’