IthoughtmanywaysthatIhadtheworstofit，buthis
　　sayinghewasundone，andthathehadnoestateneither，put
　　meintoameredistraction。
　　’Why，’saysItohim，’thishas
　　beenahellishjuggle，forwearemarriedhereuponthefoot
　　ofadoublefraud；youareundonebythedisappointment，it
　　seems；andifIhadhadafortuneIhadbeencheatedtoo，for
　　yousayyouhavenothing。’
　　’Youwouldindeedhavebeencheated，mydear，’sayshe，’but
　　youwouldnothavebeenundone，for#15，000wouldhave
　　maintainedusbothveryhandsomelyinthiscountry；andI
　　assureyou，’addedhe，’Ihadresolvedtohavededicatedevery
　　groatofittoyou；Iwouldnothavewrongedyouofashilling，
　　andtherestIwouldhavemadeupinmyaffectiontoyou，and
　　tendernessofyou，aslongasIlived。’
　　Thiswasveryhonestindeed，andIreallybelievehespoke
　　asheintended，andthathewasamanthatwasaswellqualified
　　tomakemehappy，astohistemperandbehaviour，asany
　　maneverwas；buthishavingnoestate，andbeingrunintodebt
　　onthisridiculousaccountinthecountry，madealltheprospect
　　dismalanddreadful，andIknewnotwhattosay，orwhatto
　　thinkofmyself。
　　Itoldhimitwasveryunhappythatsomuchlove，andsomuch
　　goodnatureasIdiscoveredinhim，shouldbethusprecipitated
　　intomisery；thatIsawnothingbeforeusbutruin；forastome，
　　itwasmyunhappinessthatwhatlittleIhadwasnotableto
　　relieveusweek，andwiththatIpulledoutabankbillof#20
　　andelevenguineas，whichItoldhimIhadsavedoutof
　　my
　　littleincome，andthatbytheaccountthatcreaturehadgiven
　　meofthewayoflivinginthatcountry，Iexpecteditwould
　　maintainmethreeorfouryears；thatifitwastakenfromme，
　　Iwasleftdestitute，andheknewwhattheconditionofawoman
　　amongstrangersmustbe，ifshehadnomoneyinherpocket；
　　however，Itoldhim，ifhewouldtakeit，thereitwas。
　　Hetoldmewithagreatconcern，andIthoughtIsawtears
　　standinhiseyes，thathewouldnottouchit；thatheabhorred
　　thethoughtsofstrippingmeandmakememiserable；that，on
　　thecontrary，hehadfiftyguineasleft，whichwasallhehadin
　　theworld，andhepulleditoutandthrewitdownonthetable，
　　biddingmetakeit，thoughheweretostarveforwantofit。
　　Ireturned，withthesameconcernforhim，thatIcouldnot
　　beartohearhimtalkso；that，onthecontrary，ifhecould
　　proposeanyprobablemethodofliving，Iwoulddoanything
　　thatbecamemeonmypart，andthatIwouldliveasclose
　　andasnarrowashecoulddesire。
　　Hebeggedofmetotalknomoreatthatrate，foritwould
　　makehimdistracted；hesaidhewasbredagentleman，though
　　hewasreducedtoalowfortune，andthattherewasbutone
　　wayleftwhichhecouldthinkof，andthatwouldnotdo，
　　unlessIcouldanswerhimonequestion，which，however，he
　　saidhewouldnotpressmeto。
　　ItoldhimIwouldanswerit
　　honestly；whetheritwouldbetohissatisfactionornot，that
　　Icouldnottell。
　　’Why，then，mydear，tellmeplainly，’sayshe，’willthelittle
　　youhavekeepustogetherinanyfigure，orinanystationor
　　place，orwillitnot？’
　　ItwasmyhappinesshithertothatIhadnotdiscoveredmyself
　　ormycircumstancesatall——no，notsomuchasmyname；and
　　seeingthesewasnothingtobeexpectedfromhim，however
　　good-humouredandhoweverhonestheseemedtobe，butto
　　liveonwhatIknewwouldsoonbewasted，Iresolvedto
　　concealeverythingbutthebankbillandtheelevenguineas
　　whichIhadowned；andIwouldhavebeenverygladtohave
　　lostthatandhavebeensetdownwherehetookmeup。
　　Ihad
　　indeedanotherbankbillaboutmeof#30，whichwasthewhole
　　ofwhatIbroughtwithme，aswelltosubsistoninthecountry，
　　asnotknowingwhatmightoffer；becausethiscreature，the
　　go-betweenthathadthusbetrayedusboth，hadmademe
　　believestrangethingsofmymarryingtomyadvantageinthe
　　country，andIwasnotwillingtobewithoutmoney，whatever
　　mighthappen。
　　ThisbillIconcealed，andthatmademethe
　　freeroftherest，inconsiderationofhiscircumstances，forI
　　reallypitiedhimheartily。
　　Buttoreturntohisquestion，ItoldhimIneverwillingly
　　deceivedhim，andIneverwould。
　　Iwasverysorrytotellhim
　　thatthelittleIhadwouldnotsubsistus；thatitwasnot
　　sufficienttosubsistmealoneinthesouthcountry，andthat
　　thiswasthereasonthatmademeputmyselfintothehands
　　ofthatwomanwhocalledhimbrother，shehavingassured
　　methatImightboardveryhandsomelyatatowncalled
　　Manchester，whereIhadnotyetbeen，forabout#6ayear；
　　andmywholeincomenotbeingabout#15ayear，IthoughtI
　　mightliveeasyuponit，andwaitforbetterthings。
　　Heshookhisheadandremainedsilent，andaverymelancholy
　　eveningwehad；however，wesuppedtogether，andlaytogether
　　thatnight，andwhenwehadalmostsuppedhelookedalittle
　　betterandmorecheerful，andcalledforabottleofwine。
　　’Come，
　　mydear，’sayshe，’thoughthecaseisbad，itistonopurpose
　　tobedejected。
　　come，beaseasyasyoucan；Iwillendeavour
　　tofindoutsomewayorothertolive；ifyoucanbutsubsist
　　yourself，thatisbetterthannothing。
　　Imusttrytheworldagain；
　　amanoughttothinklikeaman；tobediscouragedistoyield
　　tothemisfortune。’
　　Withthishefilledaglassanddranktome，
　　holdingmyhandandpressingithardinhishandallthewhile
　　thewinewentdown，andprotestingafterwardshismain
　　concernwasforme。
　　Itwasreallyatrue，gallantspirithewasof，anditwasthe
　　moregrievoustome。
　　’Tissomethingofreliefeventobe
　　undonebyamanofhonour，ratherthanbyascoundrel；but
　　herethegreatestdisappointmentwasonhisside，forhehad
　　reallyspentagreatdealofmoney，deludedbythismadamthe
　　procuress；anditwasveryremarkableonwhatpoortermshe
　　proceeded。
　　Firstthebasenessofthecreatureherselfistobe
　　observed，who，forthegetting#100herself，couldbecontent
　　tolethimspendthreeorfourmore，thoughperhapsitwasall
　　hehadintheworld，andmorethanall；whenshehadnotthe
　　leastground，morethanalittletea-tablechat，tosaythatIhad
　　anyestate，orwasafortune，orthelike。
　　Itistruethedesign
　　ofdeludingawomanoffortune，IfIhadbeenso，wasbase
　　enough；theputtingthefaceofgreatthingsuponpoor
　　circumstanceswasafraud，andbadenough；butthecasea
　　littledifferedtoo，andthatinhisfavour，forhewasnotarake
　　thatmadeatradetodeludewomen，and，assomehavedone，
　　getsixorsevenfortunesafteroneanother，andthenrifleand
　　runawayfromthem；buthewasreallyagentleman，unfortunate
　　andlow，buthadlivedwell；andthough，ifIhadhadafortune，
　　Ishouldhavebeenenragedattheslutforbetrayingme，yet
　　reallyfortheman，afortunewouldnothavebeenillbestowed
　　onhim，forhewasalovelypersonindeed，ofgenerousprinciples，
　　goodsense，andofabundanceofgood-humour。
　　Wehadagreatdealofcloseconversationthatnight，forwe
　　neitherofussleptmuch；hewasaspenitentforhavingputall
　　thosecheatsuponmeasifithadbeenfelony，andthathewas
　　goingtoexecution；heofferedmeagaineveryshillingofthe
　　moneyhehadabouthim，andsaidhewouldgointothearmy
　　andseektheworldformore。
　　Iaskedhimwhyhewouldbesounkindtocarrymeinto
　　Ireland，whenImightsupposehecouldnothavesubsistedme
　　there。
　　Hetookmeinhisarms。
　　’Mydear，’saidhe，’depend
　　uponit，IneverdesignedtogotoIrelandatall，muchlessto
　　havecarriedyouthither，butcamehithertobeoutofthe
　　observationofthepeople，whohadheardwhatIpretendedto，
　　andwithal，thatnobodymightaskmeformoneybeforeIwas
　　furnishedtosupplythem。’
　　’Butwhere，then，’saidI，’werewetohavegonenext？’
　　’Why，mydear，’saidhe，’I’llconfessthewholeschemetoyou
　　asIhadlaidit；Ipurposedheretoaskyousomethingabout
　　yourestate，asyouseeIdid，andwhenyou，asIexpectedyou
　　would，hadenteredintosomeaccountwithmeoftheparticulars，
　　Iwouldhavemadeanexcusetoyoutohaveputoffourvoyage
　　toIrelandforsometime，andtohavegonefirsttowardsLondon。
　　’Then，mydear，’saidhe，’Iresolvedtohaveconfessedallthe
　　circumstancesofmyownaffairstoyou，andletyouknowI
　　hadindeedmadeuseoftheseartificestoobtainyourconsent
　　tomarryme，buthadnownothingtodobutasktoyourpardon，
　　andtotellyouhowabundantly，asIhavesaidabove，Iwould
　　endeavourtomakeyouforgetwhatwaspast，bythefelicity
　　ofthedaystocome。’
　　’Truly，’saidItohim，’Ifindyouwouldsoonhaveconquered
　　me；anditismyafflictionnow，thatIamnotinaconditionto
　　letyouseehoweasilyIshouldhavebeenreconciledtoyou，
　　andhavepassedbyallthetricksyouhadputuponme，in
　　recompenseofsomuchgood-humour。
　　But，mydear，’saidI，
　　’whatcanwedonow？
　　Wearebothundone，andwhatbetter
　　areweforourbeingreconciledtogether，seeingwehave
　　nothingtoliveon？’
　　Weproposedagreatmanythings，butnothingcouldoffer
　　wheretherewasnothingtobeginwith。
　　Hebeggedmeatlast
　　totalknomoreofit，for，hesaid，Iwouldbreakhisheart；so
　　wetalkedofotherthingsalittle，tillatlasthetookahusband’s
　　leaveofme，andsowewenttosleep。
　　Herosebeforemeinthemorning；andindeed，havinglain
　　awakealmostallnight，Iwasverysleepy，andlaytillnear
　　eleveno’clock。
　　Inthistimehetookhishorsesandthree
　　servants，andallhislinenandbaggage，andawayhewent，
　　leavingashortbutmovingletterformeonthetable，as
　　follows:——
　　’MYDEAR——Iamadog；Ihaveabusedyou；butIhavebeen
　　drawnintodoitbyabasecreature，contrarytomyprinciple
　　andthegeneralpracticeofmylife。
　　Forgiveme，mydear！