I was in a little time enabled, by the progress I had
made, to prove the deep regard I had paid to all that he
had said to me: repeating it to him almost word for word;
and to shew that I was not entirely the parrot, but that I
reflected upon, that I enter'd into it, I join'd my own
comments, and ask'd him questions of explanation.
My country accent, and the rusticity of my gait, man-
ners, and deportment, began now sensibly to wear off, so
quick was my observation, and so efficacious my desire of
growing every day worthier of his heart.
As to money, though he brought me constantly all he
receiv'd, it was with difficulty he even got me to give it
room in my bureau; and what clothes I had, he could prevail
on me to accept of on no other foot than that of pleasing
him by the greater neatness in my dress, beyond which I had
no ambition. I could have made a pleasure of the greatest
toil, and worked my fingers to the bone, with joy, to have
supported him: guess, then, if I could harbour any idea of
being burdensome to him, and this disinterested turn in me
was so unaffected, so much the dictate of my heart, that
Charles could not but feel it: and if he did not love me as
I did him (which was the constant and only matter of sweet
contention between us), he manag'd so, at least, as to give
me the satisfaction of believing it impossible for man to
be more tender, more true, more faithful than he was.
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