To all
this, not a word of answer; I sat mute, confounded, terrify'd.
Mrs. Jones however, judging rightly that it was time to
strike while the impressions were so strong upon me, left me
to my self and to all the terrors of an imagination, wounded
to death by the idea of going to a prison, and, from a prin-
ciple of self-preservation, snatching at every glimpse of
redemption from it.
In this situation I sat near half an hour, swallow'd up
in grief and despair, when my landlady came in, and obser-
ving a death-like dejection in my countenance and still in
pursuance of her plan, put on a false pity, and bidding me
be of a good heart: Things, she said, would not be so bad
as I imagined if I would be but my own friend; and closed
with telling me she had brought a very honourable gentleman
to drink tea with me, who would give me the best advice how
to get rid of all my troubles. Upon which, without waiting
for a reply, she goes out, and returns with this very hon-
ourable gentleman, whose very honourable procuress she had
been, on this as well as other occasions.
The gentleman, on his entering the room, made me a very
civil bow, which I had scarce strength, or presence of mind
enough to return a curtsy to; when the landlady, taking upon
her to do all the honours of the first interview (for I had
never, that I remember'd, seen the gentleman before), sets a
chair for him, and another for herself.
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