the evening together, he grew extremely
fond of my conversation, asked a great many childish questions about
France and foreign parts; and seemed so highly entertained with my
answers, that in his cups he shook me often by the hand, pronounced me
an honest fellow, and in fine desired our company at dinner next day, at
his civil house. My imagination was so much employed in anticipating the
happiness I was to enjoy next day, that I slept very little that night;
but, rising early in the morning, went to the place appointed, where I
met my she-friend, and imparted to her my success with the squire. She
was very much pleased at the occasion, "which," she said, "could not
fail of being agreeable to Narcissa, who, in spite of her passion
for me, had mentioned some scruples relating to my true situation and
character, which the delicacy of her sentiments suggested, and which she
believed I would find it necessary to remove, though she did not know
how." I was a good deal startled at this insinuation, because I foresaw
the difficulty I should find in barely doing myself justice: for,
although it never was my intention to impose myself upon any woman, much
less on Narcissa, I laid claim to the character of a gentleman by birth,
education, and behaviour; and yet (so unlucky had the circumstances of
my life fallen out) I should find it a very hard matter to make good my
pretensions even to these, especially to the last, which was the most
essential. Miss Williams was as sensible as I of this my disadvantage,
but comforted me with observing that, when once a woman has bestowed her
affections on a man, she cannot help judging of him in all respects
with a partiality easily influenced in his favour: she remarked that,
although some situations of my life had been low, yet none of them had
been infamous; that my indigence had been the crime not of me, but
of fortune; and that the miseries I had undergone, by improving the
faculties both of mind and body, qualified me the more for any dignified
station; and would of consequence recommend me to the good graces of
any sensible woman: she therefore advised me to be always open and
unreserved to the inquiries of my mistress, without unnecessarily
betraying the meanest occurrences of my fate; and trust to the strength
of her love and reflection for the rest.

The sentiments of this sensible young woman on this, as well as on
almost every other subject, perfectly agreed with mine. I thanked he