Hewassopleasedwithit，thathewouldcallhislady
　　andhistwodaughterstohearit，anditmademirthenough
　　amongthem，youmaybesure。
　　However，notaweekhadpassedover，butonasuddencomes
　　Mrs。Mayoressandhertwodaughterstothehousetoseemy
　　oldnurse，andtoseeherschoolandthechildren。
　　Whenthey
　　hadlookedaboutthemalittle，’Well，Mrs——，’saysthe
　　Mayoresstomynurse，’andpraywhichisthelittlelassthat
　　intendstobeagentlewoman？’
　　Iheardher，andIwasterribly
　　frightedatfirst，thoughIdidnotknowwhyneither；butMrs。
　　Mayoresscomesuptome。
　　’Well，miss，’saysshe，’andwhat
　　areyouatworkupon？’
　　Thewordmisswasalanguagethat
　　hadhardlybeenheardofinourschool，andIwonderedwhat
　　sadnameitwasshecalledme。
　　However，Istoodup，madea
　　curtsy，andshetookmyworkoutofmyhand，lookedonit，
　　andsaiditwasverywell；thenshetookuponeofthehands。
　　’Nay，’saysshe，’thechildmaycometobeagentlewomanfor
　　aughtanybodyknows；shehasagentlewoman’shand，’saysshe。
　　Thispleasedmemightily，youmaybesure；butMrs。Mayoress
　　didnotstopthere，butgivingmemyworkagain，sheputher
　　handinherpocket，gavemeashilling，andbidmemindmy
　　work，andlearntoworkwell，andImightbeagentlewoman
　　foraughtsheknew。
　　Nowallthiswhilemygoodoldnurse，Mrs。Mayoress，andall
　　therestofthemdidnotunderstandmeatall，fortheymeant
　　onesortofthingbythewordgentlewoman，andImeantquite
　　another；foralas！allIunderstoodbybeingagentlewomanwas
　　tobeabletoworkformyself，andgetenoughtokeepme
　　withoutthatterriblebugbeargoingtoservice，whereasthey
　　meanttolivegreat，richandhigh，andIknownotwhat。
　　Well，afterMrs。Mayoresswasgone，hertwodaughterscame
　　in，andtheycalledforthegentlewomantoo，andtheytalked
　　alongwhiletome，andIansweredtheminmyinnocentway；
　　butalways，iftheyaskedmewhetherIresolvedtobea
　　gentlewoman，IansweredYes。
　　Atlastoneofthemaskedme
　　whatagentlewomanwas？
　　Thatpuzzledmemuch；but，
　　however，Iexplainedmyselfnegatively，thatitwasonethat
　　didnotgotoservice，todohousework。
　　Theywerepleased
　　tobefamiliarwithme，andlikemylittleprattletothem，which，
　　itseems，wasagreeableenoughtothem，andtheygaveme
　　moneytoo。
　　Asformymoney，Igaveitalltomymistress-nurse，asIcalled
　　her，andtoldhersheshouldhaveallIgotformyselfwhenI
　　wasagentlewoman，aswellasnow。
　　Bythisandsomeother
　　ofmytalk，myoldtutoressbegantounderstandmeaboutwhat
　　Imeantbybeingagentlewoman，andthatIunderstoodbyit
　　nomorethantobeabletogetmybreadbymyownwork；and
　　atlastsheaskedmewhetheritwasnotso。
　　Itoldher，yes，andinsistedonit，thattodosowastobea
　　gentlewoman；’for，’saysI，’thereissuchaone，’naminga
　　womanthatmendedlaceandwashedtheladies’laced-heads；
　　’she，’saysI，’isagentlewoman，andtheycallhermadam。’
　　“Poorchild，’saysmygoodoldnurse，’youmaysoonbesuch
　　agentlewomanasthat，forsheisapersonofillfame，andhas
　　hadtwoorthreebastards。’
　　Ididnotunderstandanythingofthat；butIanswered，’Iam
　　suretheycallhermadam，andshedoesnotgotoservicenor
　　dohousework’；andthereforeIinsistedthatshewasa
　　gentlewoman，andIwouldbesuchagentlewomanasthat。
　　Theladiesweretoldallthisagain，tobesure，andtheymade
　　themselvesmerrywithit，andeverynowandthentheyoung
　　ladies，Mr。Mayor’sdaughters，wouldcomeandseeme，and
　　askwherethelittlegentlewomanwas，whichmademenota
　　littleproudofmyself。
　　Thisheldagreatwhile，andIwasoftenvisitedbytheseyoung
　　ladies，andsometimestheybroughtotherswiththem；sothatI
　　wasknownbyitalmostalloverthetown。
　　Iwasnowabouttenyearsold，andbegantolookalittle
　　womanish，forIwasmightygraveandhumble，verymannerly，
　　andasIhadoftenheardtheladiessayIwaspretty，andwould
　　beaveryhandsomewoman，soyoumaybesurethathearing
　　themsaysomademenotalittleproud。
　　However，thatpride
　　hadnoilleffectuponmeyet；only，astheyoftengaveme
　　money，andIgaveittomyoldnurse，she，honestwoman，
　　wassojusttomeastolayitalloutagainforme，andgave
　　mehead-dresses，andlinen，andgloves，andribbons，andI
　　wentveryneat，andalwaysclean；forthatIwoulddo，andif
　　Ihadragson，Iwouldalwaysbeclean，orelseIwoulddabble
　　theminwatermyself；but，Isay，mygoodnurse，whenIhad
　　moneygivenme，veryhonestlylaiditoutforme，andwould
　　alwaystelltheladiesthisorthatwasboughtwiththeirmoney；
　　andthismadethemoftentimesgivememore，tillatlastIwas
　　indeedcalleduponbythemagistrates，asIunderstoodit，to
　　goouttoservice；butthenIwascometobesogooda
　　workwomanmyself，andtheladiesweresokindtome，thatit
　　wasplainIcouldmaintainmyself——thatistosay，Icouldearn
　　asmuchformynurseasshewasablebyittokeepme——soshe
　　toldthemthatiftheywouldgiveherleave，shewouldkeep
　　thegentlewoman，asshecalledme，tobeherassistantand
　　teachthechildren，whichIwasverywellabletodo；forIwas
　　verynimbleatmywork，andhadagoodhandwithmyneedle，
　　thoughIwasyetveryyoung。
　　Butthekindnessoftheladiesofthetowndidnotendhere，
　　forwhentheycametounderstandthatIwasnomoremaintained
　　bythepublicallowanceasbefore，theygavememoneyoftener
　　thanformerly；andasIgrewuptheybroughtmeworktodo
　　forthem，suchaslinentomake，andlacestomend，andheads
　　todressup，andnotonlypaidmefordoingthem，buteven
　　taughtmehowtodothem；sothatnowIwasagentlewoman
　　indeed，asIunderstoodthatword，Inotonlyfoundmyself
　　clothesandpaidmynurseformykeeping，butgotmoneyin
　　mypockettoobeforehand。
　　Theladiesalsogavemeclothesfrequentlyoftheirownor
　　theirchildren’s；somestockings，somepetticoats，somegowns，
　　someonething，someanother，andthesemyoldwoman
　　managedformelikeameremother，andkeptthemforme，
　　obligedmetomendthem，andturnthemandtwistthemto
　　thebestadvantage，forshewasararehousewife。
　　Atlastoneoftheladiestooksomuchfancytomethatshe
　　wouldhavemehometoherhouse，foramonth，shesaid，to
　　beamongherdaughters。
　　Now，thoughthiswasexceedingkindinher，yet，asmyold
　　goodwomansaidtoher，unlesssheresolvedtokeepmefor
　　goodandall，shewoulddothelittlegentlewomanmoreharm
　　thangood。
　　’Well，’saysthelady，’that’strue；andthereforeI’ll
　　onlytakeherhomeforaweek，then，thatImayseehowmy
　　daughtersandsheagreetogether，andhowIlikehertemper，
　　andthenI’lltellyoumore；andinthemeantime，ifanybody
　　comestoseeherastheyusedtodo，youmayonlytellthem
　　youhavesentherouttomyhouse。’
　　Thiswasprudentlymanagedenough，andIwenttothelady’s
　　house；butIwassopleasedtherewiththeyoungladies，and
　　theysopleasedwithme，thatIhadenoughtodotocomeaway，
　　andtheywereasunwillingtopartwithme。
　　However，Ididcomeaway，andlivedalmostayearmorewith
　　myhonestoldwoman，andbegannowtobeveryhelpfulto
　　her；forIwasalmostfourteenyearsold，wastallofmyage，
　　andlookedalittlewomanish；butIhadsuchatasteofgenteel
　　livingatthelady’shousethatIwasnotsoeasyinmyold
　　quartersasIusedtobe，andIthoughtitwasfinetobea
　　gentlewomanindeed，forIhadquiteothernotionsofa
　　gentlewomannowthanIhadbefore；andasIthought，Isay，
　　thatitwasfinetobeagentlewoman，soIlovedtobeamong
　　gentlewomen，andthereforeIlongedtobethereagain。
　　AboutthetimethatIwasfourteenyearsandaquarterold，
　　mygoodnurse，motherIrathertocallher，fellsickanddied。
　　Iwastheninasadconditionindeed，forasthereisnogreat
　　bustleinputtinganendtoapoorbody’sfamilywhenonce
　　theyarecarriedtothegrave，sothepoorgoodwomanbeing
　　buried，theparishchildrenshekeptwereimmediatelyremoved
　　bythechurch-wardens；theschoolwasatanend，andthe
　　childrenofithadnomoretodobutjuststayathometillthey
　　weresentsomewhereelse；andasforwhatsheleft，herdaughter，
　　amarriedwomanwithsixorsevenchildren，cameandswept
　　itallawayatonce，andremovingthegoods，theyhadnomore
　　tosaytomethantojestwithme，andtellmethatthelittle
　　gentlewomanmightsetupforherselfifshepleased。
　　Iwasfrightedoutofmywitsalmost，andknewnotwhattodo，
　　forIwas，asitwere，turnedoutofdoorstothewideworld，and
　　thatwhichwasstillworse，theoldhonestwomanhadtwo-and-
　　twentyshillingsofmineinherhand，whichwasalltheestatethe
　　littlegentlewomanhadintheworld；andwhenIaskedthe
　　daughterforit，shehuffedmeandlaughedatme，andtoldme
　　shehadnothingtodowithit。
　　Itwastruethegood，poorwomanhadtoldherdaughterofit，
　　andthatitlayinsuchaplace，thatitwasthechild’smoney，
　　hadcalledonceortwiceformetogiveitme，butIwas，
　　unhappily，outofthewaysomewhereorother，andwhenI
　　camebackshewaspastbeinginaconditiontospeakofit。
　　However，thedaughterwassohonestafterwardsastogiveit
　　me，thoughatfirstsheusedmecruellyaboutit。
　　NowwasIapoorgentlewomanindeed，andIwasjustthat
　　verynighttobeturnedintothewideworld；forthedaughter
　　removedallthegoods，andIhadnotsomuchasalodgingto
　　goto，orabitofbreadtoeat。
　　Butitseemssomeoftheneighbours，
　　whohadknownmycircumstances，tooksomuchcompassion
　　ofmeastoacquainttheladyinwhosefamilyIhadbeenaweek，
　　asImentionedabove；andimmediatelyshesenthermaidto
　　fetchmeaway，andtwoofherdaughterscamewiththemaid
　　thoughunsent。
　　SoIwentwiththem，bagandbaggage，and
　　withagladheart，youmaybesure。
　　Thefrightofmycondition