constablewithme。
ThenIproceededtotellhowthejourneymantreatedme；how
theywouldnotsuffermetosendforanyofmyfriends；how
afterwardstheyfoundtherealthief，andtooktheverygoods
theyhadlostuponher，andalltheparticularsasbefore。
Thentheconstablerelatedhiscase:
hisdialoguewiththe
merceraboutdischargingme，andatlasthisservant’srefusing
togowithhim，whenhehadchargedhimwithhim，andhis
masterencouraginghimtodoso，andatlasthisstrikingthe
constable，andthelike，allasIhavetolditalready。
Thejusticethenheardthemercerandhisman。
Themercer
indeedmadealongharangueofthegreatlosstheyhavedaily
byliftersandthieves；thatitwaseasyforthemtomistake，
andthatwhenhefoundithewouldhavedismissedme，etc。，
asabove。
Astothejourneyman，hehadverylittletosay，but
thathepretendedotheroftheservantstoldhimthatIwas
reallytheperson。
Uponthewhole，thejustfirstofalltoldmeverycourteously
Iwasdischarged；thathewasverysorrythatthemercer’sman
shouldinhiseagerpursuithavesolittlediscretionastotake
upaninnocentpersonforaguiltyperson；thatifhehadnot
beensounjustastodetainmeafterward，hebelievedIwould
haveforgiventhefirstaffront；that，however，itwasnotinhis
powertoawardmeanyreparationforanything，otherthanby
openlyreprovingthem，whichheshoulddo；buthesupposed
Iwouldapplytosuchmethodsasthelawdirected；inthe
meantimehewouldbindhimover。
Butastothebreachofthepeacecommittedbythejourneyman，
hetoldmeheshouldgivemesomesatisfactionforthat，forhe
shouldcommithimtoNewgateforassaultingtheconstable，
andforassaultingmealso。
AccordinglyhesentthefellowtoNewgateforthatassault，
andhismastergavebail，andsowecameaway；butIhadthe
satisfactionofseeingthemobwaituponthemboth，asthey
cameout，hallooingandthrowingstonesanddirtatthecoaches
theyrodein；andsoIcamehometomygoverness。
Afterthishustle，cominghomeandtellingmygovernessthe
story，shefallsa-laughingatme。
’Whyareyoumerry？’says
I；’thestoryhasnotsomuchlaughingroominitasyouimagine；
IamsureIhavehadagreatdealofhurryandfrighttoo，with
apackofuglyrogues。’
’Laugh！’saysmygoverness；’Ilaugh，
child，toseewhataluckycreatureyouare；why，thisjobwill
bethebestbargaintoyouthateveryoumadeinyourlife，if
youmanageitwell。
Iwarrantyou，’saysshe，’youshallmake
themercerpayyou#500fordamages，besideswhatyoushall
getoutofthejourneyman。’
Ihadotherthoughtsofthematterthanshehad；andespecially，
becauseIhadgiveninmynametothejusticeofpeace；and
Iknewthatmynamewassowellknownamongthepeople
atHick’sHall，theOldBailey，andsuchplaces，thatifthis
causecametobetriedopenly，andmynamecametobeinquired
into，nocourtwouldgivemuchdamages，forthereputation
ofapersonofsuchacharacter。
However，Iwasobligedto
beginaprosecutioninform，andaccordinglymygoverness
foundmeoutaverycreditablesortofamantomanageit，
beinganattorneyofverygoodbusiness，andofagood
reputation，andshewascertainlyintherightofthis；forhad
sheemployedapettifogginghedgesolicitor，oramannot
known，andnotingoodreputation，Ishouldhavebroughtit
tobutlittle。
Imetthisattorney，andgavehimalltheparticularsatlarge，
astheyarerecitedabove；andheassuredmeitwasacase，as
hesaid，thatwouldverywellsupportitself，andthathedid
notquestionbutthatajurywouldgiveveryconsiderable
damagesonsuchanoccasion；sotakinghisfullinstructions
hebegantheprosecution，andthemercerbeingarrested，gave
bail。
Afewdaysafterhisgivingbail，hecomeswithhis
attorneytomyattorney，tolethimknowthathedesiredto
accommodatethematter；thatitwasallcarriedonItheheat
ofanunhappypassion；thathisclient，meaningme，hada
sharpprovokingtongue，thatIusedthemill，gibingatthem，
andjeeringthem，evenwhiletheybelievedmetobethevery
person，andthatIhadprovokedthem，andthelike。
Myattorneymanagedaswellonmyside；madethembelieve
Iwasawidowoffortune，thatIwasabletodomyselfjustice，
andhadgreatfriendstostandbymetoo，whohadallmademe
promisetosuetotheutmost，andthatifitcostmeathousand
poundsIwouldbesuretohavesatisfaction，forthattheaffronts
Ihadreceivedwereinsufferable。
However，theybroughtmyattorneytothis，thathepromised
hewouldnotblowthecoals，thatifIinclinedtoaccommodation，
hewouldnothinderme，andthathewouldratherpersuade
metopeacethantowar；forwhichtheytoldhimheshould
benoloser；allwhichhetoldmeveryhonestly，andtoldme
thatiftheyofferedhimanybribe，Ishouldcertainlyknowit；
butuponthewholehetoldmeveryhonestlythatifIwould
takehisopinion，hewouldadvisemetomakeitupwiththem，
forthatastheywereinagreatfright，andweredesirousabove
allthingstomakeitup，andknewthat，letitbewhatitwould，
theywouldbeallottedtobearallthecostsofthesuit；hebelieved
theywouldgivemefreelymorethananyjuryorcourtofjustice
wouldgiveuponatrial。
Iaskedhimwhathethoughtthey
wouldbebroughtto。
Hetoldmehecouldnottellastothat，
buthewouldtellmemorewhenIsawhimagain。
Sometime
afterthis，theycameagaintoknowifhehadtalkedwithme。
Hetoldthemhehad；thathefoundmenotsoaversetoan
accommodationassomeofmyfriendswere，whoresentedthe
disgraceofferedme，andsetmeon；thattheyblowedthecoals
insecret，promptingmetorevenge，ordomyselfjustice，as
theycalledit；sothathecouldnottellwhattosaytoit；hetold
themhewoulddohisendeavourtopersuademe，butheought
tobeabletotellmewhatproposaltheymade。
Theypretended
theycouldnotmakeanyproposal，becauseitmightbemade
useofagainstthem；andhetoldthem，thatbythesamerule
hecouldnotmakeanyoffers，forthatmightbepleadedin
abatementofwhatdamagesajurymightbeinclinedtogive。
However，aftersomediscourseandmutualpromisesthatno
advantageshouldbetakenoneitherside，bywhatwas
transactedthenoratanyotherofthosemeetings，theycame
toakindofatreaty；butsoremote，andsowidefromone
another，thatnothingcouldbeexpectedfromit；formy
attorneydemanded#500andcharges，andtheyoffered#50
withoutcharges；sotheybrokeoff，andthemercerproposed
tohaveameetingwithmemyself；andmyattorneyagreedto
thatveryreadily。
Myattorneygavemenoticetocometothismeetingingood
clothes，andwithsomestate，thatthemercermightseeIwas
somethingmorethanIseemedtobethattimetheyhadme。
AccordinglyIcameinanewsuitofsecondmourning，according
towhatIhadsaidatthejustice’s。
Isetmyselfout，too，aswell
asawidow’sdressinsecondmourningwouldadmit；my
governessalsofurnishedmewithagoodpearlnecklace，that
shutinbehindwithalocketofdiamonds，whichshehadin
pawn；andIhadaverygoodfigure；andasIstayedtillIwas
suretheywerecome，Icameinacoachtothedoor，withmy
maidwithme。
WhenIcameintotheroomthemercerwassurprised。
He
stoodupandmadehisbow，whichItookalittlenoticeof，
andbutalittle，andwentandsatdownwheremyownattorney
hadpointedtometosit，foritwashishouse。
Afteralittle
whilethemercersaid，hedidnotknowmeagain，andbegan
tomakesomecomplimentshisway。
Itoldhim，Ibelievedhe
didnotknowmeatfirst，andthatifhehad，Ibelievedhe
wouldnothavetreatedmeashedid。
Hetoldmehewasverysorryforwhathadhappened，andthat
itwastotestifythewillingnesshehadtomakeallpossible
reparationthathehadappointedthismeeting；thathehoped
Iwouldnotcarrythingstoextremity，whichmightbenotonly
toogreatalosstohim，butmightbetheruinofhisbusiness
andshop，inwhichcaseImighthavethesatisfactionof
repayinganinjurywithaninjurytentimesgreater；butthatI
wouldthengetnothing，whereashewaswillingtodomeany
justicethatwasinhispower，withoutputtinghimselforme
tothetroubleorchargeofasuitatlaw。
ItoldhimIwasgladtohearhimtalksomuchmorelikeaman
ofsensethanhedidbefore；thatitwastrue，acknowledgment
inmostcasesof
affrontswascountedreparationsufficient；
butthishadgonetoofartobemadeupso；thatIwasnot
revengeful，nordidIseekhisruin，oranyman’selse，butthat
allmyfriendswereunanimousnottoletmesofarneglectmy
characterastoadjustathingofthiskindwithoutasufficient
reparationofhonour；thattobetakenupforathiefwassuch
anindignityascouldnotbeputup；thatmycharacterwas
abovebeingtreatedsobyanythatknewme，butbecausein
myconditionofawidowIhadbeenforsometimecareless
of
myself，andnegligentofmyself，Imightbetakenforsuch
acreature，butthatfortheparticularusageIhadfromhim
afterwards，——andthenIrepeatedallasbefore；itwasso
provokingIhadscarcepatiencetorepeatit。
Well，heacknowledgedall，andwasmighthumbleindeed；
hemadeproposalsveryhandsome；hecameupto#100and
topayallthelawcharges，andaddedthathewouldmakeme
apresentofaverygoodsuitofclothes。
Icamedownto#300，
andIdemandedthatIshouldpublishanadvertisementofthe
particularsinthecommonnewspapers。
Thiswasaclausehenevercouldcomplywith。
However，at
lasthecameup，bygoodmanagementofmyattorney，to
andasuitofblacksilkclothes；andthereIagree，andas
itwere，atmyattorney’srequest，compliedwithit，hepaying
myattorney’sbillandcharges，andgaveusagoodsupperinto