Do you remember Miss Blandy’s saying anything about Susan Gunnel’s eating the water gruel?—­I do.  When Susan was ill she asked me how Susan did.  I said, “Very ill.”  Said she, “Do you remember her ever drinking her master’s water gruel?” I said, “Not as I know of.”  She said, “If she does she may do for herself, may I tell you.”

Did she bid you tell Susan so?—­She did not bid me tell Susan, but I did tell her.

What time was this?—­It might be about a month or six weeks before Mr. Blandy’s death.

Do you remember any expressions she made use of about her father?—­I heard her say, “Who would grudge to send an old father to hell for L10,000?” Exactly them words.

When was this?—­It was about a month before his death, or it may be more; I cannot justly tell.

How was this conversation introduced?—­She was speaking of young girls being kept out of their fortunes.

Who was with you at this time?—­It was to me, and nobody else.

Have you heard her abuse him with bad language?—­I have heard her curse him, call him rascal and villain.

What was she so angry with her father about?—­Mr. Cranstoun was at our house about three-quarters of a year before Mr. Blandy’s death.  He came in August, 1750, and stayed there till near Christmas.  It was not agreeable to my master.  We used to think by his temper that he did not approve of his being so much with his daughter, but I do not believe he debarred his daughter from keeping his company.

Did you ever hear him say anything to her of his having been once like to be poisoned?—­I was in the kitchen when my master came in to be shaved.  I stayed there till he went out again.  Miss Blandy was there, and he said that once he had like to have been poisoned.

When was it that he said so?—­It was on the 10th of August, saying he was once at the coffee-house or the Lion, and he and two other gentlemen had like to have been poisoned by what they had drank.  Miss Blandy said, “Sir, I remember it very well.”  She said it was at one of those places, and he said no, it was the other.  He said, “One of the gentlemen died immediately, the other is dead now, and I have survived them both; but it is my fortune to be poisoned at last.”  He looked very hard at her during the time he was talking.

What did he say was put into the wine?—­I remember he said it was white arsenic.

When he looked hard at her how did she look?—­She looked in great confusion and all in a tremble.

Did you sit up with Miss Blandy the night after her father died?—­I did till three o’clock.  She went to bed about one.  She said to me, “Betty, will you go away with me?  If you will go to the Lion or the Bell and hire a post-chaise I will give you fifteen guineas when you get into it and ten guineas more when we came to London.”  I said, “Where will you go then?  Into the north?” She said, “I shall go into the west of England.”  I said, “Shall you go by sea?” She said, “I believe some part of the way.”  I said, “I will not go.”  Then she burst into laughter, and said, “I was only in a joke.  Did you think I was in earnest?” “Yes,” said I.  “No,” said she, “I was only joking.”