I
should sport with the destruction of the poor fish I had betrayed; and I
could not but fling it in again: and did you not see the joy with which
the happy carp flounced from us? O! said I, may some good merciful body
procure me my liberty in the same manner; for to be sure, I think my
danger equal!
Lord bless thee! said she, what a thought is there!--Well, I can angle
no more, added I. I'll try my fortune, said she, and took the rod. Do,
answered I; and I will plant life, if I can, while you are destroying
it. I have some horse-beans here, and will go and stick them in one of
the borders, to see how long they will be coming up; and I will call
them my garden.
So you see, dear father and mother, (I hope now you will soon see; for,
may be, if I can't get away so soon myself, I may send my papers some
how; I say you will see,) that this furnishes me with a good excuse to
look after my garden another time; and if the mould should look a little
freshish, it won't be so much suspected. She mistrusted nothing of this;
and I went and stuck in here and there my beans, for about the length
of five ells, of each side of the sunflower; and easily deposited my
letter. And not a little proud am I of this contrivance. Sure something
will do at last!
Friday, Saturday.
I have just now told you a trick of mine; now I'll tell you a trick
of this wicked woman's. She comes up to me: Says she, I have a bill
I cannot change till to-morrow; and a tradesman wants his money most
sadly: and I don't love to turn poor trades-folks away without their
money: Have you any about you? I have a little, replied I: How much will
do? Oh! said she, I want eight pounds. Alack! said I, I have but between
five and six. Lend me that, said she, till to-morrow. I did so; and she
went down stairs: and when she came up, she laughed, and said, Well,
I have paid the tradesman. Said I, I hope you'll give it me again
to-morrow. At that, the assurance, laughing loud, said, Why, what
occasion have you for money? To tell you the truth, lambkin, I didn't
want it. I only feared you might make a bad use of it; and now I can
trust Nan with you a little oftener, especially as I have got the key
of your portmanteau; so that you can neither corrupt her with money,
nor fine things. Never did any body look more silly than I.--O how I
fretted, to be so foolishly outwitted!--And the more, as I had hinted to
Mr. Williams, that I would put some in his hands to defray the
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