ally, Sir.

These women, Jack, when you ask them questions by way of information,
don't care to be ignorant of any thing.

Nay, excuse me, Madam, I am very far from being an inquisitive man. But
if her case be difficult, and not merely love, as she is a friend of
your's, I would give her my advice.

Then you are a lawyer, Sir--

Why, indeed, Madam, I was some time at the bar; but I have long left
practice; yet am much consulted by my friends in difficult points. In a
pauper case I frequently give money; but never take any from the richest.

You are a very good gentleman, then, Sir.

Ay, Madam, we cannot live always here; and we ought to do what good we
can--but I hate to appear officious. If the lady stay any time, and
think fit, upon better acquaintance, to let me into her case, it may be a
happy day for her, if I find it a just one; for, you must know, that when
I was at the bar, I never was such a sad fellow as to undertake, for the
sake of a paltry fee, to make white black, and black white: For what
would that have been, but to endeavour to establish iniquity by quirks,
while I robbed the innocent?

You are an excellent gentleman, Sir: I wish [and then she sighed] I had
had the happiness to know there was such a lawyer in the world; and to
have been acquainted with him.

Come, come, Mrs. Moore, I think your name is, it may not be too late--
when you and I are better acquainted, I may help you perhaps.--But
mention nothing of this to the lady: for, as I said, I hate to appear
officious.

This prohibition, I knew, if goody Moore answered the specimen she had
given of her womanhood, would make her take the first opportunity to
tell, were it to be necessary to my purpose that she should.

I appeared, upon the whole, so indifferent about seeing the room, or the
lady, that the good woman was the more eager I should see both. And the
rather, as I, to stimulate her, declared, that there was more required in
my eye to merit the character of a handsome woman, than most people
thought necessary; and that I had never seen six truly lovely women in my
life.

To be brief, she went in; and after a little while came out again. The
lady, Sir, is retired to her closet. So you may go in and look at the
room.

Then how my heart began again to play its pug's tricks!

I hobbled in, and stumped about, and liked it very much; and was sure my
wife would. I begged excuse for sitting down, and asked, who was the
minis