es in to us again, and made us go before him into
the dining room, trembling and dreading the issue, Mr. H.....sat down on
a chair whilst we stood like criminals under examination; and, beginning
with me, asked me, with an even firm tone of voice, neither soft nor
severe, but cruelly indifferent, what I could say for myself, for having
abused him in so unworthy a manner, with his own servant too, and how he
had deserved this of me?

Without adding to the guilt of my infidelity, that of an audacious
defence of it, in the old style of a common kept miss, my answer was
modest, and often interrupted by my tears, in substance as follows:
"That I never had a single thought of wronging him" (which was true),
"till I had seen him taking the last liberties with my servant wench"
(here he coloured prodigiously), "and that my resentment at that, which
I was over-awed from giving vent to by complaints, or explanations with
him, had driven me to a course that I did not pretend to justify; but
that as to the young man, he was entirely faultless; for that, in
the view of making him the instrument of my revenge, I had down right
seduced him to what he had done; and therefore hoped, whatever he
determined about me, he would distinguish between the guilty and the
innocent; and that; for the rest, I was entirely at his mercy."

Mr. H.... on hearing what I said, hung his head a little; but instantly
recovering himself, he said to me, as near as I can retain, to the
following purpose:

"Madam, I owe shame to myself, and confess you have fairly turned
the tables upon me. It is not with one of your cast of breeding and
sentiments, that I allow you so much reason on your side, as great
difference of the provocations: be it sufficient that I should enter
into a discussion of the very to have changed my resolution, in
consideration of what you reproach me with; and I own, too, that your
clearing that rascal there, is fair and honest in you. Renew with you I
cannot: the affront is too gross. I give you a week's warning to get out
of these lodgings; whatever I have given you, remains to you; and as I
never intend to see you more, the landlord will pay you fifty pieces on
my account, with which, and every debt paid, I hope you will own I do
not leave you in a worse condition than what I took you up in, or that
you deserve of me. Blame yourself only that it is no better."

Then, without giving me time to reply, he addressed himself to the young