wouldcomeintohissister’sroom，andhismother’sroom，
　　andsitdown，andtalkathousandkindthingsofme，andto
　　me，evenbeforetheirfaces，andwhentheywereallthere。
　　Thisgrewsopublicthatthewholehousetalkedofit，andhis
　　motherreprovedhimforit，andtheircarriagetomeappeared
　　quitealtered。
　　Inshort，hismotherhadletfallsomespeeches，
　　asifsheintendedtoputmeoutofthefamily；thatis，in
　　English，toturnmeoutofdoors。
　　NowIwassurethiscould
　　notbeasecrettohisbrother，onlythathemightnotthink，as
　　indeednobodyelseyetdid，thattheyoungestbrotherhadmade
　　anyproposaltomeaboutit；butasIeasilycouldseethatit
　　wouldgofarther，soIsawlikewisetherewasanabsolute
　　necessitytospeakofittohim，orthathewouldspeakofitto
　　me，andwhichtodofirstIknewnot；thatis，whetherIshould
　　breakittohimorletitalonetillheshouldbreakittome。
　　Uponseriousconsideration，forindeednowIbegantoconsider
　　thingsveryseriously，andnevertillnow；Isay，uponserious
　　consideration，Iresolvedtotellhimofitfirst；anditwasnot
　　longbeforeIhadanopportunity，fortheverynextdayhis
　　brotherwenttoLondonuponsomebusiness，andthefamily
　　beingouta-visiting，justasithadhappenedbefore，andas
　　indeedwasoftenthecase，hecameaccordingtohiscustom，
　　tospendanhourortwowithMrs。Betty。
　　Whenhecamehadhadsatdownawhile，heeasilyperceived
　　therewasanalterationinmycountenance，thatIwasnotso
　　freeandpleasantwithhimasIusedtobe，andparticularly，
　　thatIhadbeena-crying；hewasnotlongbeforehetooknotice
　　ofit，andaskedmeinverykindtermswhatwasthematter，
　　andif
　　anythingtroubledme。
　　IwouldhaveputitoffifIcould，
　　butitwasnottobeconcealed；soaftersufferingmany
　　importunitiestodrawthatoutofmewhichIlongedasmuch
　　aspossibletodisclose，Itoldhimthatitwastruesomething
　　didtroubleme，andsomethingofsuchanaturethatIcould
　　notconcealfromhim，andyetthatIcouldnottellhowtotell
　　himofitneither；thatitwasathingthatnotonlysurprisedme，
　　butgreatlyperplexedme，andthatIknewnotwhatcourseto
　　take，unlesshewoulddirectme。
　　Hetoldmewithgreat
　　tenderness，thatletitbewhatitwould，Ishouldnotletit
　　troubleme，forhewouldprotectmefromalltheworld。
　　Ithenbeganatadistance，andtoldhimIwasafraidtheladies
　　hadgotsomesecretinformationofourcorrespondence；for
　　thatitwaseasytoseethattheirconductwasverymuch
　　changedtowardsmeforagreatwhile，andthatnowitwas
　　cometothatpassthattheyfrequentlyfoundfaultwithme，
　　andsometimesfellquiteoutwithme，thoughInevergave
　　themtheleastoccasion；thatwhereasIusedalwaystolie
　　withtheeldestsister，Iwaslatelyputtoliebymyself，orwith
　　oneofthemaids；andthatIhadoverheardthemseveraltimes
　　talkingveryunkindlyaboutme；butthatwhichconfirmedit
　　allwas，thatoneoftheservantshadtoldmethatshehadheard
　　wastobeturnedout，andthatitwasnotsafeforthefamily
　　thatIshouldbeanylongerinthehouse。
　　Hesmiledwhenheherdallthis，andIaskedhimhowhe
　　couldmakesolightofit，whenhemustneedsknowthatif
　　therewasanydiscoveryIwasundoneforever，andthateven
　　itwouldhurthim，thoughnotruinhimasitwouldme。
　　upbraidedhim，thathewaslikealltherestofthesex，that，
　　whentheyhadthecharacterandhonourofawomanattheir
　　mercy，oftentimesmadeittheirjest，andatleastlookedupon
　　itasatrifle，andcountedtheruinofthosetheyhadhadtheir
　　willofasathingofnovalue。
　　Hesawmewarmandserious，andhechangedhisstyle
　　immediately；hetoldmehewassorryIshouldhavesucha
　　thoughtofhim；thathehadnevergivenmetheleastoccasion
　　forit，buthadbeenastenderofmyreputationashecouldbe
　　ofhisown；thathewassureourcorrespondencehadbeen
　　managedwithsomuchaddress，thatnotonecreatureinthe
　　familyhadsomuchasasuspicionofit；thatifhesmiledwhen
　　Itoldhimmythoughts，itwasattheassurancehelately
　　received，thatourunderstandingoneanotherwasnotsomuch
　　asknownorguessedat；andthatwhenhehadtoldmehow
　　muchreasonhehadtobeeasy，Ishouldsmileashedid，for
　　hewasverycertainitwouldgivemeafullsatisfaction。
　　’ThisisamysteryIcannotunderstand，’saysI，’orhowit
　　shouldbetomysatisfactionthatIamtobeturnedoutof
　　doors；forifourcorrespondenceisnotdiscovered，Iknow
　　notwhatelseIhavedonetochangethecountenancesofthe
　　wholefamilytome，ortohavethemtreatmeastheydonow，
　　whoformerlyusedmewithsomuchtenderness，asifIhad
　　beenoneoftheirownchildren。’
　　’Why，lookyou，child，’sayshe，’thattheyareuneasyabout
　　you，thatistrue；butthattheyhavetheleastsuspicionofthe
　　caseasitis，andasitrespectsyouandI，issofarfrombeing
　　true，thattheysuspectmybrotherRobin；and，inshort，they
　　arefullypersuadedhemakeslovetoyou；nay，thefoolhas
　　putitintotheirheadstoohimself，forheiscontinuallybantering
　　themaboutit，andmakingajestofhimself。
　　IconfessIthink
　　heiswrongtodoso，becausehecannotbutseeitvexesthem，
　　andmakesthemunkindtoyou；but’tisasatisfactiontome，
　　becauseoftheassuranceitgivesme，thattheydonotsuspect
　　meintheleast，andIhopethiswillbetoyoursatisfactiontoo。’
　　’Soitis，’saysI，’oneway；butthisdoesnotreachmycaseat
　　all，noristhisthechiefthingthattroublesme，thoughIhave
　　beenconcernedaboutthattoo。’
　　’Whatisit，then？’sayshe。
　　WithwhichIfelltotears，andcouldsaynothingtohimatall。
　　Hestrovetopacifymeallhecould，butbeganatlasttobe
　　verypressinguponmetotellwhatitwas。
　　AtlastIanswered
　　thatIthoughtIoughttotellhimtoo，andthathehadsome
　　righttoknowit；besides，thatIwantedhisdirectioninthecase，
　　forIwasinsuchperplexitythatIknewnotwhatcoursetotake，
　　andthenIrelatedthewholeaffairtohim。
　　Itoldhimhow
　　imprudentlyhisbrotherhadmanagedhimself，inmaking
　　himselfsopublic；forthatifhehadkeptitasecret，assucha
　　thingouttohavebeen，Icouldbuthavedeniedhimpositively，
　　withoutgivinganyreasonforit，andhewouldintimehave
　　ceasedhissolicitations；butthathehadthevanity，first，to
　　dependuponitthatIwouldnotdenyhim，andthenhadtaken
　　thefreedomtotellhisresolutionofhavingmetothewholehouse。
　　ItoldhimhowfarIhadresistedhim，andtoldhimhowsincere
　　andhonourablehisofferswere。
　　’But，’saysI，’mycasewill
　　bedoublyhard；forastheycarryitilltomenow，becausehe
　　desirestohaveme，they’llcarryitworsewhentheyshallfind
　　Ihavedeniedhim；andtheywillpresentlysay，there’ssomething
　　elseinit，andthenoutitcomesthatIammarriedalreadyto
　　somebodyelse，orthatIwouldneverrefuseamatchsomuch
　　abovemeasthiswas。’
　　Thisdiscoursesurprisedhimindeedverymuch。
　　Hetoldme
　　thatitwasacriticalpointindeedformetomanage，andhe
　　didnotseewhichwayIshouldgetoutofit；buthewould
　　considerit，andletmeknownexttimewemet，whatresolution
　　hewascometoaboutit；andinthemeantimedesiredIwould
　　notgivemyconsenttohisbrother，noryetgivehimaflat
　　denial，butthatIwouldholdhiminsuspenseawhile。
　　IseemedtostartathissayingIshouldnotgivehimmy
　　consent。
　　ItoldhimheknewverywellIhadnoconsentto
　　give；thathehadengagedhimselftomarryme，andthatmy
　　consentwasthesametimeengagedtohim；thathehadall
　　alongtoldmeIwashiswife，andIlookeduponmyselfas
　　effectuallysoasiftheceremonyhadpassed；andthatitwas
　　fromhisownmouththatIdidso，hehavingallalongpersuaded
　　metocallmyselfhiswife。
　　’Well，mydear，’sayshe，’don’tbeconcernedatthatnow；
　　ifIamnotyourhusband，I’llbeasgoodasahusbandtoyou；
　　anddonotletthosethingstroubleyounow，butletmelook
　　alittlefartherintothisaffair，andIshallbeabletosaymore
　　nexttimewemeet。’
　　Hepacifiedmeaswellashecouldwiththis，butIfoundhe
　　wasverythoughtful，andthatthoughhewasverykindtome
　　and
　　kissedmeathousandtimes，andmoreIbelieve，andgave
　　memoneytoo，yetheofferednomoreallthewhilewewere
　　together，whichwasabovetwohours，andwhichImuch
　　wonderedatindeedatthattime，consideringhowitusedtobe，
　　andwhatopportunitywehad。
　　HisbrotherdidnotcomefromLondonforfiveorsixdays，
　　anditwastwodaysmorebeforehegotanopportunitytotalk
　　withhim；butthengettinghimbyhimselfhebegantotalk
　　veryclosetohimaboutit，andthesameeveninggotan
　　opportunityforwehadalongconferencetogethertorepeat
　　alltheirdiscoursetome，which，asnearasIcanremember，
　　wastothepurposefollowing。
　　Hetoldhimheheardstrange
　　newsofhimsincehewent，viz。thathemadelovetoMrs。
　　Betty。
　　’Well，sayshisbrotheralittleangrily，’andsoIdo。
　　Andwhatthen？
　　Whathasanybodytodowiththat？’
　　’Nay，’
　　sayshisbrother，’don’tbeangry，Robin；Idon’tpretendto
　　haveanythingtodowithit；nordoIpretendtobeangrywith
　　youaboutit。
　　ButIfindtheydoconcernthemselvesaboutit，
　　andthattheyhaveusedthepoorgirlillaboutit，whichIshould
　　takeasdonetomyself。’
　　’WhomdoyoumeanbyTHEY？’
　　saysRobin。
　　’Imeanmymotherandthegirls，’saystheelder
　　brother。
　　’Butharkye，’sayshisbrother，’areyouinearnest？
　　Doyoureallylovethisgirl？
　　Youmaybefreewithme，you
　　know。’
　　’Why，then，’saysRobin，’Iwillbefreewithyou；Ido
　　loveheraboveallthewomenintheworld，andIwillhaveher，
　　letthemsayanddowhattheywill。
　　Ibelievethegirlwillnot
　　denyme。’