ld; he has had injury enough already by me, and I
would not be instrumental to do him any more.' 'No, no,' says she, 'I
will do him no injury, I assure you, but you may let me satisfy my
curiosity a little, for if it is he, I warrant you I find it out.' I
was a little startled at that, and told her, with an apparent concern
in my face, that by the same rule he might find me out, and then I was
undone. She returned warmly, 'Why, do you think I will betray you,
child? No, no,' says she, 'not for all he is worth in the world. I
have kept your counsel in worse things than these; sure you may trust
me in this.' So I said no more at that time.

She laid her scheme another way, and without acquainting me of it, but
she was resolved to find it out if possible. So she goes to a certain
friend of hers who was acquainted in the family that she guessed at,
and told her friend she had some extraordinary business with such a
gentleman (who, by the way, was no less than a baronet, and of a very
good family), and that she knew not how to come at him without somebody
to introduce her. Her friend promised her very readily to do it, and
accordingly goes to the house to see if the gentleman was in town.

The next day she come to my governess and tells her that Sir ---- was
at home, but that he had met with a disaster and was very ill, and
there was no speaking with him. 'What disaster?' says my governess
hastily, as if she was surprised at it. 'Why,' says her friend, 'he
had been at Hampstead to visit a gentleman of his acquaintance, and as
he came back again he was set upon and robbed; and having got a little
drink too, as they suppose, the rogues abused him, and he is very ill.'
'Robbed!' says my governess, 'and what did they take from him?' 'Why,'
says her friend, 'they took his gold watch and his gold snuff-box, his
fine periwig, and what money he had in his pocket, which was
considerable, to be sure, for Sir ---- never goes without a purse of
guineas about him.'

'Pshaw!' says my old governess, jeering, 'I warrant you he has got
drunk now and got a whore, and she has picked his pocket, and so he
comes home to his wife and tells her he has been robbed. That's an old
sham; a thousand such tricks are put upon the poor women every day.'

'Fie!' says her friend, 'I find you don't know Sir ----; why he is as
civil a gentleman, there is not a finer man, nor a soberer, graver,
modester person in the whole city; he abhors such th