Theresheis。’
　　’Why，sister，’saysthegentlemanvery
　　gravely，’whatdoyoumean？
　　Ionlydesirehertodointothe
　　HighStreet’andthenhepullsoutaturnover，’tosuchashop’；
　　andthenhetellsthemalongstoryoftwofineneckclothshe
　　hadbidmoneyfor，andhewantedtohavemegoandmakean
　　errandtobuyanecktotheturnoverthatheshowed，toseeif
　　theywouldtakemymoneyfortheneckcloths；tobidashilling
　　more，andhagglewiththem；andthenhemademoreerrands，
　　andsocontinuedtohavesuchpettybusinesstodo，thatIshould
　　besuretostayagoodwhile。
　　Whenhehadgivenmemyerrands，hetoldthemalongstory
　　ofavisithewasgoingtomaketoafamilytheyallknew，and
　　wherewastobesuch-and-suchgentlemen，andhowmerry
　　theyweretobe，andveryformallyaskshissisterstogowith
　　him，andtheyasformallyexcusedthemselves，becauseof
　　companythattheyhadnoticewastocomeandvisitthemthat
　　afternoon；which，bytheway，hehadcontrivedonpurpose。
　　Hehadscarcedonespeakingtothem，andgivingmemy
　　errand，buthismancameuptotellhimthatSirW——H——’s
　　coachstoppedatthedoor；soherunsdown，andcomesup
　　againimmediately。
　　’Alas！’sayshealoud，’there’sallmy
　　mirthspoiledatonce；sirW——hassenthiscoachforme，
　　anddesirestospeakwithmeuponsomeearnestbusiness。’
　　ItseemsthisSirW——wasagentlemanwholivedaboutthree
　　milesoutoftown，towhomhehadspokenonpurposetheday
　　before，tolendhimhischariotforaparticularoccasion，and
　　hadappointedittocallforhim，asitdid，aboutthreeo’clock。
　　Immediatelyhecallsforhisbestwig，hat，andsword，and
　　orderinghismantogototheotherplacetomakehisexcuse——
　　thatwastosay，hemadeanexcusetosendhismanaway——he
　　preparestogointothecoach。
　　Ashewasgoing，hestoppeda
　　while，andspeaksmightyearnestlytomeabouthisbusiness，
　　andfindsanopportunitytosayverysoftlytome，’Comeaway，
　　mydear，assoonaseveryoucan。’
　　Isaidnothing，butmadea
　　curtsy，asifIhaddonesotowhathesaidinpublic。
　　Inabout
　　aquarterofanhourIwentouttoo；Ihadnodressotherthan
　　before，exceptthatIhadahood，amask，afan，andapairof
　　glovesinmypocket；sothattherewasnottheleastsuspicion
　　inthehouse。
　　Hewaitedformeinthecoachinaback-lane，
　　whichheknewImustpassby，andhaddirectedthecoachman
　　whithertogo，whichwastoacertainplace，calledMileEnd，
　　wherelivedaconfidantofhis，wherewewentin，andwhere
　　wasalltheconvenienceintheworldtobeaswickedaswe
　　pleased。
　　Whenweweretogetherhebegantotalkverygravelytome，
　　andtotellmehedidnotbringmetheretobetrayme；thathis
　　passionformewouldnotsufferhimtoabuseme；thathe
　　resolvedtomarrymeassoonashecametohisestate；thatin
　　themeantime，ifIwouldgranthisrequest，hewouldmaintain
　　meveryhonourably；andmademeathousandprotestations
　　ofhissincerityandofhisaffectiontome；andthathewould
　　neverabandonme，andasImaysay，madeathousandmore
　　preamblesthanheneedtohavedone。
　　However，ashepressedmetospeak，ItoldhimIhadno
　　reasontoquestionthesincerityofhislovetomeaftersomany
　　protestations，but——andthereIstopped，asifIlefthimto
　　guesstherest。
　　’Butwhat，mydear？’sayshe。
　　’Iguesswhat
　　youmean:
　　whatifyoushouldbewithchild？
　　Isnotthatit？
　　Why，then，’sayshe，’I’lltakecareofyouandprovideforyou，
　　andthechildtoo；andthatyoumayseeIamnotinjest，’says
　　he，’here’sanearnestforyou，’andwiththathepullsoutasilk
　　purse，withanhundredguineasinit，andgaveitme。
　　’AndI’ll
　　giveyousuchanother，’sayshe，’everyyeartillImarryyou。’
　　Mycolourcameandwent，atthesightofthepurseandwith
　　thefireofhisproposaltogether，sothatIcouldnotsayaword，
　　andheeasilyperceivedit；soputtingthepurseintomybosom，
　　Imadenomoreresistancetohim，butlethimdojustwhathe
　　pleased，andasoftenashepleased；andthusIfinishedmy
　　owndestructionatonce，forfromthisday，beingforsakenof
　　myvirtueandmymodesty，Ihadnothingofvalueleftto
　　recommendme，eithertoGod’sblessingorman’sassistance。
　　Butthingsdidnotendhere。
　　Iwentbacktothetown，didthe
　　businesshepubliclydirectedmeto，andwasathomebefore
　　anybodythoughtmelong。
　　Asformygentleman，hestayed
　　out，ashetoldmehewould，tilllateatnight，andtherewas
　　nottheleastsuspicioninthefamilyeitheronhisaccountor
　　onmine。
　　Wehad，afterthis，frequentopportunitiestorepeatourcrime——
　　chieflybyhiscontrivance——especiallyathome，whenhis
　　motherandtheyoungladieswentabroada-visiting，whichhe
　　watchedsonarrowlyasnevertomiss；knowingalways
　　beforehandwhentheywentout，andthenfailednottocatch
　　meallalone，andsecurelyenough；sothatwetookourfillof
　　ourwickedpleasurefornearhalfayear；andyet，whichwas
　　themosttomysatisfaction，Iwasnotwithchild。
　　Butbeforethishalf-yearwasexpired，hisyoungerbrother，of
　　whomIhavemadesomementioninthebeginningofthestory，
　　fallstoworkwithme；andhe，findingmealonginthegarden
　　oneevening，beginsastoryofthesamekindtome，made
　　goodhonestprofessionsofbeinginlovewithme，andinshort，
　　proposesfairlyandhonourablytomarryme，andthatbefore
　　hemadeanyotheroffertomeatall。
　　Iwasnowconfounded，anddriventosuchanextremityas
　　thelikewasneverknown；atleastnottome。
　　Iresistedthe
　　proposalwithobstinacy；andnowIbegantoarmmyselfwith
　　arguments。
　　Ilaidbeforehimtheinequalityofthematch；the
　　treatmentIshouldmeetwithinthefamily；theingratitudeit
　　wouldbetohisgoodfatherandmother，whohadtakenme
　　intotheirhouseuponsuchgenerousprinciples，andwhenI
　　wasinsuchalowcondition；and，inshort，Isaideverything
　　todissuadehimfromhisdesignthatIcouldimagine，except
　　tellinghimthetruth，whichwouldindeedhaveputanendto
　　Itall，butthatIdurstnotthinkofmentioning。
　　ButherehappenedacircumstancethatIdidnotexpect
　　indeed，whichputmetomyshifts；forthisyounggentleman，
　　ashewasplainandhonest，sohepretendedtonothingwith
　　mebutwhatwassotoo；and，knowinghisowninnocence，he
　　wasnotsocarefultomakehishavingakindnessforMrs。Betty
　　asecretIthehouse，ashisbrotherwas。
　　Andthoughhedid
　　notletthemknowthathehadtalkedtomeaboutit，yethe
　　saidenoughtolethissistersperceivehelovedme，andhis
　　mothersawittoo，which，thoughtheytooknonoticeofitto
　　me，yettheydidtohim，animmediatelyIfoundtheircarriage
　　tomealtered，morethaneverbefore。
　　Isawthecloud，thoughIdidnotforeseethestorm。
　　Itwas
　　easy，Isay，toseethattheircarriagetomewasaltered，and
　　thatitgrewworseandworseeveryday；tillatlastIgot
　　informationamongtheservantsthatIshould，inaverylittle
　　while，bedesiredtoremove。
　　Iwasnotalarmedatthenews，havingafullsatisfactionthat
　　Ishouldbeotherwiseprovidedfor；andespeciallyconsidering
　　thatIhadreasoneverydaytoexpectIshouldbewithchild，
　　andthatthenIshouldbeobligedtoremovewithoutany
　　pretencesforit。
　　Aftersometimetheyoungergentlemantookanopportunity
　　totellmethatthekindnesshehadformehadgotventinthe
　　family。
　　Hedidnotchargemewithit，hesaid，forheknow
　　wellenoughwhichwayitcameout。
　　Hetoldmehisplainway
　　of
　　talkinghadbeentheoccasionofit，forthathedidnotmake
　　hisrespectformesomuchasecretashemighthavedone，
　　andthereasonwas，thathewasatapoint，thatifIwould
　　consenttohavehim，hewouldtellthemallopenlythathe
　　lovedme，andthatheintendedtomarryme；thatitwastrue
　　hisfatherandmothermightresentit，andbeunkind，butthat
　　hewasnowinawaytolive，beingbredtothelaw，andhedid
　　notfearmaintainingmeagreeabletowhatIshouldexpect；
　　andthat，inshort，ashebelievedIwouldnotbeashamedof
　　him，sohewasresolvednottobeashamedofme，andthathe
　　scornedtobeafraidtoownmenow，whomheresolvedto
　　ownafterIwashiswife，andthereforeIhadnothingtodobut
　　togivehimmyhand，andhewouldanswerforalltherest。
　　Iwasnowinadreadfulconditionindeed，andnowIrepented
　　heartilymyeasinesswiththeeldestbrother；notfromany
　　reflectionofconscience，butfromaviewofthehappinessI
　　mighthaveenjoyed，andhadnowmadeimpossible；forthough
　　Ihadnogreatscruplesofconscience，asIhavesaid，tostruggle
　　with，yetIcouldnotthinkofbeingawhoretoonebrotherand
　　awifetotheother。
　　Butthenitcameintomythoughtsthatthe
　　firstbrotherhadpromisedtomademehiswifewhenhecame
　　tohisestate；butIpresentlyrememberedwhatIhadoften
　　thoughtof，thathehadneverspokenawordofhavingmefor
　　awifeafterhehadconqueredmeforamistress；andindeed，
　　tillnow，thoughIsaidIthoughtofitoften，yetitgavemeno
　　disturbanceatall，forashedidnotseemintheleasttolessen
　　hisaffectiontome，soneitherdidhelessenhisbounty，though
　　hehadthediscretionhimselftodesiremenottolayouta
　　pennyofwhathegavemeinclothes，ortomaketheleastshow
　　extraordinary，becauseitwouldnecessarilygivejealousyin
　　thefamily，sinceeverybodyknowIcouldcomeatsuchthings
　　nomannerofordinaryway，butbysomeprivatefriendship，
　　whichtheywouldpresentlyhavesuspected。
　　ButIwasnowinagreatstrait，andknewnotwhatto
　　do。
　　Themaindifficultywasthis:
　　theyoungerbrothernot
　　onlylaidclosesiegetome，butsufferedittobeseen。