’Everywoman，’shesays，’thatiswithchildhasafather
　　forit，’andwhetherthatfatherwasahusbandornohusband，
　　wasnobusinessofhers；herbusinesswastoassistmeinmy
　　presentcircumstances，whetherIhadahusbandorno。
　　’For，
　　madam，’saysshe，’tohaveahusbandthatcannotappear，is
　　tohavenohusbandinthesenseofthecase；and，therefore，
　　whetheryouareawifeoramistressisallonetome。’
　　Ifoundpresently，thatwhetherIwasawhoreorawife，Iwas
　　topassforawhorehere，soIletthatgo。
　　Itoldheritwas
　　true，asshesaid，butthat，however，ifImusttellhermycase，
　　Imusttellitherasitwas；soIrelatedittoherasshortasI
　　could，andIconcludedittoherthus。
　　’Itroubleyouwithall
　　this，madam，’saidI，’notthat，asyousaidbefore，itismuch
　　tothepurposeinyouraffair，butthisistothepurpose，namely，
　　thatIamnotinanypainaboutbeingseen，orbeingpublicor
　　concealed，for’tisperfectlyindifferenttome；butmydifficulty
　　is，thatIhavenoacquaintanceinthispartofthenation。’
　　’Iunderstandyou，madam’saysshe；’youhavenosecurityto
　　bringtopreventtheparishimpertinencesusualinsuchcases，
　　andperhaps，’saysshe，’donotknowverywellhowtodispose
　　ofthechildwhenitcomes。’
　　’Thelast，’saysI，’isnotsomuch
　　myconcernasthefirst。’
　　’Well，madam，’answeredthemidwife，
　　’dareyouputyourselfintomyhands？
　　Iliveinsuchaplace；
　　thoughIdonotinquireafteryou，youmayinquireafterme。
　　MynameisB——；Iliveinsuchastreet’——namingthestreet——’
　　atthesignoftheCradle。
　　Myprofessionisamidwife，andI
　　havemanyladiesthatcometomyhousetoliein。
　　Ihavegiven
　　securitytotheparishingeneraltermstosecurethemfromany
　　chargefromwhatsoevershallcomeintotheworldundermy
　　roof。
　　Ihavebutonequestiontoaskinthewholeaffair，madam，’
　　saysshe，’andifthatbeansweredyoushallbeentirelyeasyfor
　　alltherest。’
　　Ipresentlyunderstoodwhatshemeant，andtoldher，’Madam，
　　IbelieveIunderstandyou。
　　IthankGod，thoughIwantfriends
　　inthispartoftheworld，Idonotwantmoney，sofarasmay
　　benecessary，thoughIdonotaboundinthatneither’:
　　thisI
　　addedbecauseIwouldnotmakeherexpectgreatthings。
　　’Well，madam，’saysshe，’thatisthethingindeed，without
　　whichnothingcanbedoneinthesecases；andyet，’saysshe，
　　’youshallseethatIwillnotimposeuponyou，orofferanything
　　thatisunkindtoyou，andifyoudesireit，youshallknow
　　everythingbeforehand，thatyoumaysuityourselftothe
　　occasion，andbeneithercostlyorsparingasyouseefit。’
　　Itoldhersheseemedtobesoperfectlysensibleofmycondition，
　　thatIhadnothingtoaskofherbutthis，thatasIhadtoldher
　　thatIhadmoneysufficient，butnotagreatquantity，shewould
　　orderitsothatImightbeataslittlesuperfluouschargeas
　　possible。
　　Sherepliedthatshewouldbringinanaccountoftheexpenses
　　ofitintwoorthreeshapes，andlikeabilloffare，Ishould
　　chooseasIpleased；andIdesiredhertodoso。
　　Thenextdayshebroughtit，andthecopyofherthreebills
　　wasafollows:
　　Forthreemonths’lodginginherhouse，including
　　mydiet，at10s。aweek
　　Foranurseforthemonth，anduseofchildbed
　　Foraministertochristenthechild，andtothe
　　godfathersandclerkForasupperatthechristeningifIhadfivefriends
　　Forherfeesasamidwife，andthetakingoffthe
　　troubleoftheparish
　　Tohermaidservantattending。
　　Thiswasthefirstbill；thesecondwasthesameterms
　　Forthreemonths’lodginganddiet，etc。，at
　　Foranurseforthemonth，andtheuseoflinen
　　Fortheministertochristenthechild，etc。，as
　　Forsupperandforsweetmeats
　　Forherfeesasabove
　　Foraservant-maid
　　Thiswasthesecond-ratebill；thethird，shesaid，wasfor
　　adegreehigher，andwhenthefatherorfriendsappeared
　　Forthreemonths’lodginganddiet，havingtwo
　　roomsandagarretforaservant
　　Foranurseforthemonth，andthefinestsuit
　　ofchildbedlinen
　　Fortheministertochristenthechild，etc。
　　Forasuper，thegentlementosendinthe
　　Formyfees，etc。
　　Themaid，besidestheirownmaid，only
　　Ilookeduponallthreebills，andsmiled，andtoldherIdidnot
　　seebutthatshewasveryreasonableinherdemands，allthings
　　considered，andforthatIdidnotdoubtbuther
　　accommodations
　　weregood。
　　ShetoldmeIshouldbejudgeofthatwhenIsawthem。
　　herIwassorrytotellherthatIgearedImustbeherlowest-
　　ratedcustomer。
　　’Andperhaps，madam，’saidI，’youwillmake
　　methelesswelcomeuponthataccount。’
　　’No，notatall，’said
　　she；’forwhereIhaveoneofthethirdsortIhavetwoofthe
　　second，andfourtooneofthefirst，andIgetasmuchbythem
　　inproportionasbyany；butifyoudoubtmycareofyou，Iwill
　　allowanyfriendyouhavetooverlookandseeifyouarewell
　　waitedonorno。’
　　Thensheexplainedtheparticularsofherbill。
　　’Inthefirstplace，
　　madam，’saidshe，’Iwouldhaveyouobservethathereisthree
　　months’keeping；youarebuttenshillingsaweek；Iundertake
　　tosayyouwillnotcomplainofmytable。
　　Isuppose，’saysshe，
　　’youdonotlivecheaperwhereyouarenow？’
　　’No，indeed，’
　　saidI，’notsocheap，forIgivesixshillingsperweekformy
　　chamber，andfindmyowndietaswellasIcan，whichcosts
　　meagreatdealmore。’
　　’Then，madam，’saysshe，’ifthechildshouldnotlive，orshould
　　bedead-born，asyouknowsometimeshappens，thenthereis
　　theminister’sarticlesaved；andifyouhavenofriendstocome
　　toyou，youmaysavetheexpenseofasupper；sothattakethose
　　articlesout，madam，’saysshe，’yourlyinginwillnotcostyou
　　above#5，3s。inallmorethanyourordinarychargeof
　　living。’
　　ThiswasthemostreasonablethingthatIeverheardof；soI
　　smiled，andtoldherIwouldcomeandbehercustomer；butI
　　toldheralso，thatasIhadtwomonthsandmoretodo，Imight
　　perhapsbeobligedtostaylongerwithherthanthreemonths，
　　anddesiredtoknowifshewouldnotbeobligedtoremoveme
　　beforeitwasproper。
　　No，shesaid；herhousewaslarge，and
　　besides，sheneverputanybodytoremove，thathadlainin，till
　　theywerewillingtogo；andifshehadmoreladiesoffered，she
　　wasnotsoill-belovedamongherneighboursbutshecould
　　provideaccommodationsfortwenty，iftherewasoccasion。
　　Ifoundshewasaneminentladyinherway；and，inshort，I
　　agreedtoputmyselfintoherhands，andpromisedher。
　　She
　　thentalkedofotherthings，lookedaboutintomyaccommodations
　　whereIwas，foundfaultwithmywantingattendanceand
　　conveniences，andthatIshouldnotbeusedsoatherhouse。
　　ItoldherIwasshyofspeaking，forthewomanofthehouse
　　lookedstranger，oratleastIthoughtso，sinceIhadbeenill，
　　becauseIwaswithchild；andIwasafraidshewouldputsome
　　affrontorotheruponme，supposingthatIhadbeenableto
　　givebutaslightaccountofmyself。
　　’Ohdear，’saidshe，’herladyshipisnostrangertothesethings；
　　shehastriedtoentertainladiesinyourconditionseveraltimes，
　　butshecouldnotsecuretheparish；andbesides，sheisnotsucha
　　niceladyasyoutakehertobe；however，sinceyouarea-going，
　　youshallnotmeddlewithher，butI’llseeyouarealittlebetter
　　lookedafterwhileyouareherethanIthinkyouare，anditshall
　　notcostyouthemoreneither。’
　　Ididnotunderstandheratall；however，Ithankedher，and
　　weparted。
　　Thenextmorningshesentmeachickenroasted
　　andhot，andapintbottleofsherry，andorderedthemaidto
　　tellmethatshewastowaitonmeeverydayaslongasIstayed
　　there。
　　Thiswassurprisinglygoodandkind，andIaccepteditvery
　　willingly。
　　Atnightshesenttomeagain，toknowifIwanted
　　anything，andhowIdid，andtoorderthemaidtocometoher
　　inthemorningwithmydinner。
　　Themaid
　　hadorderstomake
　　mesomechocolateinthemorningbeforeshecameaway，and
　　didso，andatnoonshebroughtmethesweetbreadofabreast
　　ofveal，whole，andadishofsoupformydinner；andafterthis
　　mannershenursedmeupatadistance，sothatIwasmightily
　　wellpleased，andquicklywell，forindeedmydejectionsbefore
　　weretheprincipalpartofmyillness。
　　Iexpected，asisusuallythecaseamongsuchpeople，thatthe
　　servantshesentmewouldhavebeensomeimprudentbrazen
　　wenchofDruryLanebreeding，andIwasveryuneasyathaving
　　herwithmeuponthataccount；soIwouldnotletherliein
　　thathousethefirstnightbyanymeans，buthadmyeyesabout
　　measnarrowlyasifshehadbeenapublicthief。
　　Mygentlewomanguessedpresentlywhatwasthematter，and
　　sentherbackwithashortnote，thatImightdependuponthe
　　honestyofhermaid；thatshewouldbeanswerableforherupon
　　allaccounts；andthatshetooknoservantsintoherhouse
　　withoutverygoodsecurityfortheirfidelity。
　　Iwasthenperfectly
　　easy；andindeedthemaid’sbehaviourspokeforitself，fora
　　modester，quieter，soberergirlnevercameintoanybody’sfamily，
　　andIfoundhersoafterwards。
　　AssoonasIwaswellenoughtogoabroad，Iwentwiththe
　　maidtoseethehouse，andtoseetheapartmentIwastohave；
　　andeverythingwassohandsomeandsocleanandwell，that，
　　inshort，Ihadnothingtosay，butwaswonderfullypleased
　　andsatisfiedwithwhatIhadmetwith，which，considering
　　themelancholycircumstancesIwasin，wasfarbeyondwhat
　　Ilookedfor。