“You know, Sir, your own circumstances.  To be sure you have a very pretty house, and a good living, to carry a wife to.  And a gentleman of your prudence and discretion wants not any advice; but you have reaped no benefits by your living.  It has been an expence to you rather, which you will not presently get up:  do you propose an early marriage, Sir?  Or were it not better to suspend your intentions of that sort for a year or two more?”—­“Madam, if your ladyship choose not to part with—­“—­“Nay, Mr. Adams,” interrupted I, “I say not any thing for my own sake in this point:  that is out of the question with me.  I can very willingly part with Polly, were it to-morrow, for her good and yours.”—­“Madam, I humbly beg pardon;—­but—­but—­delays may breed dangers.”—­“Oh I very well,” thought I; “if the artful girl has not let him know, by some means or other, that she has another humble servant.”

And so, Miss, it has proved—­For, dismissing my gentleman, with assuring him, that I had no objection at all to the matter, or to parting with Polly, as soon as it suited with their conveniency—­I sounded her, and asked, if she thought Mr. Adams had any affection for her?—­She said he was a very good gentleman.

“I know it, Polly; and are you not of opinion he loves you a little?”—­“Dear Ma’am—­love me—­I don’t know what such a gentleman as Mr. Adams should see in me, to love me!”—­“Oh!” thought I, “does the doubt lie on that side then?—­I see ’tis not of thine.”

“Well, but, Polly, if you have another sweetheart, you should do the fair thing; it would be wrong, if you encourage any body else, if you thought of Mr. Adams.”—­“Indeed, Ma’am, I had a letter sent me—­a letter that I received—­from—­from a young man in Bedford; but I never answered it.”

“Oh!” thought I, “then thou wouldst not encourage two at once;” and this was as plain a declaration as I wanted, that she had thoughts of Mr. Adams.

“But how came Mr. Adams, Polly, to know of this letter?”—­“How came he to know of it, Ma’am!”—­repeated she—­half surprised—­“Why, I don’t know, I can’t tell how it was—­but I dropped it near his desk—­pulling out my handkerchief, I believe, Ma’am, and he brought it, and gave it me again.”—­“Well,” thought I, “thou’rt an intriguing slut, I doubt, Polly.”—­“Delays may breed dangers,” quoth the poor gentleman!—­“Ah! girl, girl!” thought I, but did not say so, “thou deservest to have thy plot spoiled, that thou dost—­But if thy forwardness should expose thee afterwards to evils which thou mayest avoid if thy schemes take place, I should very much blame myself.  And I see he loves thee—­So let the matter take its course; I will trouble myself no more about it.  I only wish, that thou wilt make Mr. Adams as good a wife as he deserves.”