awoman，because’tisevidentmencanbetheirownadvisers，
andtheirowndirectors，andknowhowtoworkthemselves
outofdifficultiesandintobusinessbetterthanwomen；butif
awomanhasnofriendtocommunicateheraffairsto，andto
adviseandassisther，’tistentoonebutsheisundone；nay，
andthemoremoneyshehas，themoredangersheisinofbeing
wrongedanddeceived；andthiswasmycaseintheaffairof
thewhichIleftinthehandsofthegoldsmith，asabove，
whosecredit，itseems，wasupontheebbbefore，butI，that
hadnoknowledgeofthingsandnobodytoconsultwith，knew
nothingofit，andsolostmymoney。
Inthenextplace，whenawomanisthusleftdesolateandvoid
ofcounsel，sheisjustlikeabagofmoneyorajeweldropped
onthehighway，whichisapreytothenextcomer；ifamanof
virtueanduprightprincipleshappenstofindit，hewillhaveit
cried，andtheownermaycometohearofitagain；buthow
manytimesshallsuchathingfallintohandsthatwillmakeno
scrupleofseizingitfortheirown，tooncethatitshallcome
intogoodhands？
Thiswasevidentlymycase，forIwasnowaloose，unguided
creature，andhadnohelp，noassistance，noguideformy
conduct；IknewwhatIaimedatandwhatIwanted，butknew
nothinghowtopursuetheendbydirectmeans。
Iwantedto
beplacedinasettlestateofliving，andhadIhappenedtomeet
withasober，goodhusband，Ishouldhavebeenasfaithfuland
trueawifetohimasvirtueitselfcouldhaveformed。
IfIhad
beenotherwise，thevicecameinalwaysatthedoorofnecessity，
notatthedoorofinclination；andIunderstoodtoowell，by
thewantofit，whatthevalueofasettledlifewas，todo
anythingtoforfeitthefelicityofit；nay，Ishouldhavemade
thebetterwifeforallthedifficultiesIhadpassedthrough，by
agreatdeal；nordidIinanyofthetimethatIhadbeenawife
givemyhusbandstheleastuneasinessonaccountofmy
behaviour。
Butallthiswasnothing；Ifoundnoencouragingprospect。
I
waited；Ilivedregularly，andwithasmuchfrugalityasbecame
mycircumstances，butnothingoffered，nothingpresented，and
themainstockwastedapace。
WhattodoIknewnot；the
terrorofapproachingpovertylayharduponmyspirits。
Ihad
somemoney，butwheretoplaceitIknewnot，norwouldthe
interestofitmaintainme，atleastnotinLondon。
Atlengthanewsceneopened。
Therewasinthehousewhere
Ilodgedanorth-countrywomanthatwentforagentlewoman，
andnothingwasmorefrequentinherdiscoursethanheraccount
ofthecheapnessofprovisions，andtheeasywayoflivingin
hercountry；howplentifulandhowcheapeverythingwas，what
goodcompanytheykept，andthelike；tillatlastItoldhershe
almosttemptedmetogoandliveinhercountry；forIthat
wasawidow，thoughIhadsufficienttoliveon，yethadno
wayofincreasingit；andthatIfoundIcouldnotlivehere
under#100ayear，unlessIkeptnocompany，noservant，made
noappearance，andburiedmyselfinprivacy，asifIwasobliged
toitbynecessity。
Ishouldhaveobserved，thatshewasalwaysmadetobelieve，
aseverybodyelsewas，thatIwasagreatfortune，oratleast
thatIhadthreeorfourthousandpounds，ifnotmore，andall
inmyownhands；andshewasmightysweetuponmewhen
shethoughtmeinclinedintheleasttogointohercountry。
ShesaidshehadasisterlivednearLiverpool，thatherbrother
wasaconsiderablegentlemanthere，andhadagreatestate
alsoinIreland；thatshewouldgodownthereinabouttwo
months，andifIwouldgivehermycompanythither，Ishould
beaswelcomeasherselfforamonthormoreasIpleased，
tillIshouldseehowIlikedthecountry；andifIthoughtfitto
livethere，shewouldundertaketheywouldtakecare，though
theydidnotentertainlodgersthemselves，theywouldrecommend
metosomeagreeablefamily，whereIshouldbeplacedtomy
content。
Ifthiswomanhadknownmyrealcircumstances，shewould
neverhavelaidsomanysnares，andtakensomanywearysteps
tocatchapoordesolatecreaturethatwasgoodforlittlewhen
itwascaught；andindeedI，whosecasewasalmostdesperate，
andthoughtIcouldnotbemuchworse，wasnotveryanxious
aboutwhatmightbefallme，providedtheydidmenopersonal
injury；soIsufferedmyself，thoughnotwithoutagreatdeal
ofinvitationandgreatprofessionsofsincerefriendshipand
realkindness——Isay，Isufferedmyselftobeprevaileduponto
gowithher，andaccordinglyIpackedupmybaggage，andput
myselfinapostureforajourney，thoughIdidnotabsolutely
knowwhitherIwastogo。
AndnowIfoundmyselfingreatdistress；whatlittleIhad
intheworldwasallinmoney，exceptasbefore，alittleplate，
somelinen，andmyclothes；asformyhouseholdstuff，Ihad
littleornone，forIhadlivedalwaysinlodgings；butIhadnot
onefriendintheworldwithwhomtotrustthatlittleIhad，or
todirectmehowtodisposeofit，andthisperplexedmenight
andday。
Ithoughtofthebank，andoftheothercompaniesin
London，butIhadnofriendtocommitthemanagementofit
to，andkeepandcarryaboutwithmebankbills，tallies，orders，
andsuchthings，Ilookeduponatasunsafe；thatiftheywere
lost，mymoneywaslost，andthenIwasundone；and，onthe
otherhand，Imightberobbedandperhapsmurderedinastrange
placeforthem。
Thisperplexedmestrangely，andwhattodoI
knewnot。
ItcameinmythoughtsonemorningthatIwouldgotothe
bankmyself，whereIhadoftenbeentoreceivetheinterestof
somebillsIhad，whichhadinterestpayableonthem，andwhere
Ihadfoundaclerk，towhomIappliedmyself，veryhonestand
justtome，andparticularlysofaironetimethatwhenIhad
mistoldmymoney，andtakenlessthanmydue，andwascoming
away，hesetmetorightsandgavemetherest，whichhemight
haveputintohisownpocket。
Iwenttohimandrepresentedmycaseveryplainly，andasked
ifhewouldtroublehimselftobemyadviser，whowasapoor
friendlesswidow，andknewnotwhattodo。
Hetoldme，if
Idesiredhisopinionofanythingwithinthereachofhisbusiness，
hewoulddohisendeavourthatIshouldnotbewronged，but
thathewouldalsohelpmetoagoodsoberpersonwhowas
agravemanofhisacquaintance，whowasaclerkinsuch
businesstoo，thoughnotintheirhouse，whosejudgmentwas
good，andwhosehonestyImightdependupon。
’For，’added
he，’Iwillanswerforhim，andforeverystephetakes；ifhe
wrongsyou，madam，ofonefarthing，itshalllieatmydoor，I
willmakeitgood；andhedelightstoassistpeopleinsuch
cases——hedoesitasanactofcharity。’
Iwasalittleatastandinthisdiscourse；butaftersomepause
ItoldhimIhadratherhavedependeduponhim，becauseIhad
foundhimhonest，butifthatcouldnotbe，Iwouldtakehis
recommendationsoonerthananyone’selse。
’Idaresay，
madam，’sayshe，’thatyouwillbeaswellsatisfiedwithmy
friendaswithme，andheisthoroughlyabletoassistyou，
whichIamnot。’
Itseemshehadhishandsfullofthebusiness
ofthebank，andhadengagedtomeddlewithnootherbusiness
thatthatofhisoffice，whichIheardafterwards，butdidnot
understandthen。
Headded，thathisfriendshouldtakenothing
ofmeforhisadviceorassistance，andthisindeedencouraged
meverymuch。
Heappointedthesameevening，afterthebankwasshutand
businessover，formetomeethimandhisfriend。
Andindeed
assoonasIsawhisfriend，andhebeganbuttotalkofthe
affair，IwasfullysatisfiedthatIhadaveryhonestmantodeal
with；hiscountenancespokeit，andhischaracter，asIheard
afterwards，waseverywheresogood，thatIhadnoroomfor
anymore
doubtsuponme。
Afterthefirstmeeting，inwhichIonlysaidwhatIhadsaid
before，weparted，andheappointedmetocomethenextday
tohim，tellingmeImightinthemeantimesatisfymyselfof
himbyinquiry，which，however，Iknewnothowwelltodo，
havingnoacquaintancemyself。
AccordinglyImethimthenextday，whenIenteredmore
freelywithhimintomycase。
Itoldhimmycircumstancesat
large:
thatIwasawidowcomeoverfromAmerican，perfectly
desolateandfriendless；thatIhadalittlemoney，andbuta
little，andwasalmostdistractedforfearoflosingit，havingno
friendintheworldtotrustwiththemanagementofit；thatI
wasgoingintothenorthofEnglandtolivecheap，thatmy
stockmightnotwaste；thatIwouldwillinglylodgemymoney
inthebank，butthatIdurstnotcarrythebillsaboutme，and
thelike，asabove；andhowtocorrespondaboutit，orwith
whom，Iknewnot。
HetoldmeImightlodgethemoneyinthebankasanaccount，
anditsbeingenteredintothebookswouldentitlemetothe
moneyatanytime，andifIwasinthenorthImightdrawbills
onthecashierandreceiveitwhenIwould；butthatthenit
wouldbeesteemedasrunningcash，andthebankwouldgive
nointerestforit；thatImightbuystockwithit，andsoitwould
lieinstoreforme，butthatthenifIwantedtodisposeifit，I
mustcomeuptotownonpurposetotransferit，andevenit
wouldbewithsomedifficultyIshouldreceivethehalf-yearly
dividend，unlessIwashereinperson，orhadsomefriendI
couldtrustwithhavingthestockinhimnametodoitforme，
andthatwouldhavethesamedifficultyinitasbefore；and
withthathelookedhardatmeandsmiledalittle。
Atlast，says
he，’Whydoyounotgetaheadsteward，madam，thatmaytake
youandyourmoneytogetherintokeeping，andthenyouwould
havethetroubletakenoffyourhands？’
’Ay，sir，andthemoney
too，itmaybe，’saidI；’fortrulyIfindthehazardthatwayisas
muchas’tist’otherway’；butIrememberIsaidsecretlytomyself，
’Iwishyouwouldaskmethequestionfairly，Iwouldconsider
veryseriouslyonitbeforeIsaidNo。’
Hewentonagoodwaywithme，andIthoughtonceortwice
hewasinearnest，buttomyrealaffliction，Ifoundatlasthe
hadawife；butwhenheownedhehadawifeheshookhishead，
andsaidwithsomeconcern，thatindeedhehadawife，andno
wife。
Ibegantothinkhehadbeenintheconditionofmylate
lover，andthathiswifehadbeendistemperedorlunatic，or
somesuchthing。
However，wehadnotmuchmorediscourse
atthattime，buthetoldmehewasintoomuchhurryof
businessthen，butthatifIwouldcomehometohishouseafter
theirbusinesswasover，hewouldbythattimeconsiderwhat
mightbedoneforme，toputmyaffairsinapostureofsecurity。
ItoldhimIwouldcome，anddesiredtoknowwherehelived。
Hegavemeadirectioninwriting，andwhenhegaveitmehe
readittome，andsaid，’There’tis，madam，ifyoudaretrust
yourselfwithme。’