_Husb._--I tell you, you cannot.

_Wife_.--Sure it is some terrible thing then. Why must not I know it?
What! are you going to break? Come, tell me the worst of it.

_Husb._--Break! no, no, I hope not--Break! no, I'll never break.

_Wife_.--As good as you have broke; don't presume; no man in trade can
say he won't break.

_Husb._--Yes, yes; I can say I won't break.

_Wife_.--I am glad to hear it; I hope you have a knack, then, beyond
other tradesmen.

_Husb._--No, I have not neither; any man may say so as well as I; and no
man need break, if he will act the part of an honest man.

_Wife_.--How is that, pray?

_Husb._--Why, give up all faithfully to his creditors, as soon as he
finds there is a deficiency in his stock, and yet that there is enough
left to pay them.

_Wife_.--Well, I don't understand those things, but I desire you would
tell me what it is troubles you now; and if it be any thing of that
kind, yet I think you should let me know it.

_Husb._--Why should I trouble you with it?

_Wife_.--It would be very unkind to let me know nothing till it comes
and swallows you up and me too, all on a sudden; I must know it, then;
pray tell it me now.

_Husb._--Why, then, I will tell you; indeed, I am not going to break,
and I hope I am in no danger of it, at least not yet.

_Wife_.--I thank you, my dear, for that; but still, though it is some
satisfaction to me to be assured of so much, yet I find there is
something in it; and your way of speaking is ambiguous and doubtful. I
entreat you, be plain and free with me. What is at the bottom of
it?--why won't you tell me?--what have I done, that I am not to be
trusted with a thing that so nearly concerns me?

_Husb._--I have told you, my dear; pray be easy; I am not going to
break, I tell you.

_Wife_.--Well, but let us talk a little more seriously of it; you are
not going to break, that is, not just now, not yet, you said; but, my
dear, if it is then not just at hand, but may happen, or is in view at
some distance, may not some steps be taken to prevent it for the
present, and to save us from it at last too.

_Husb._--What steps could you think of, if that were the case?

_Wife_.--Indeed it is not much that is in a wife's power, but I am ready
to do what lies in me, and what becomes me; and first, pray let us live
lower. Do you think I would live as I do, if I thought your income would
not bear it? No, indeed.

_Husb._--You have touched me in the most