rt of me which was framed to receive
it, I could not conceive its being possible to afford it entrance
without dying, perhaps in the greatest pain, since she well knew
that even a finger thrust in there hurt me beyond bearing. As to my
mistress's and yours, I can very plainly distinguish the different
dimensions of them from mine, palpable to the touch, and visible to
the eye; so that, in short, great as the promised pleasure may be, I am
afraid of the pain of the experiment."

Phoebe at this redoubled her laugh, and whilst I expected a very serious
solution of my doubts and apprehensions in this matter, only told me
that "she never heard of a mortal wound being given in those parts, by
that terrible weapon, and that some she knew younger, and as delicately
made as myself, had outlived the operation; that she believed, at the
worst, I should take a great deal of liking; that true it was, there was
a great diversity of sizes in those parts, owing to nature, child-bearing,
frequent over-stretching with unmerciful machines, but that at a certain
age and habit of body, even the most experienced in those affairs could
not well distinguish between the maid and the woman, supposing too an
absence of all artifice, in their natural situation: but that since
chance had thrown in my way one sight of that sort, she would procure me
another, that should feast my eyes more delicately, and go a great way
in the cure of my fears from that imaginary disproportion".

On this she asked me if I knew Polly Phillips? "Undoubterly," says I,
"the fair girl which was so tender of me when I was sick, and has been,
as you told me, but two months in the house." "The same," says Phoebe.
"You must know then, she is kept by a young Genoes merchant, whom his
uncle, who is immensely rich, and whose darling he is, on a pretex of
settling some accounts, but in reality to humour his inclinations for
travelling, and seeing the world. He met casually with this Polly once
in company, and taking a likning to her, makes it worth her while to
keep entirely to him. He comes to her here twice or thrice a week, and
she receives him in the light closet up one pair of stairs, where he
enjoys her in a taste, I suppose, peculiar to the heat, or perhaps the
caprices of his own country, I say no more, but to-morrow being his day,
you shall see what passes between them, from a place only known to your
mistress and myself."

You may be sure, in the ply I was now taking,