Amelia

but I never desire to know more of the secrets of others than they are pleased to intrust me with. You must believe, however, that I should not have given you these hints of my knowing all if I had disapproved your choice. On the contrary, I assure you I highly approve it. The gentility he wants, it will be easily in your power to procure for him; and as for his good qualities, I will myself be bound for them; and I make not the least doubt, as you have owned to me yourself that you have placed your affections on him, you will be one of the happiest women in the world.'

'Upon my honour,' cries Mrs. Ellison very gravely, 'I do not understand one word of what you mean.'

'Upon my honour, you astonish me,' said Amelia; 'but I have done.'

'Nay then,' said the other, 'I insist upon knowing what you mean.'

'Why, what can I mean,' answered Amelia, 'but your marriage with serjeant Atkinson?'

'With serjeant Atkinson!' cries Mrs. Ellison eagerly, 'my marriage with a serjeant!'

'Well, with Mr. Atkinson, then, Captain Atkinson, if you please; for so I hope to see him.'

'And have you really no better opinion of me,' said Mrs. Ellison, 'than to imagine me capable of such condescension? What have I done, dear Mrs. Booth, to deserve so low a place in your esteem? I find indeed, as Solomon says, Women ought to watch the door of their lips. How little did I imagine that a little harmless freedom in discourse could persuade any one that I could entertain a serious intention of disgracing my family! for of a very good family am I come, I assure you, madam, though I now let lodgings. Few of my lodgers, I believe, ever came of a better.'

'If I have offended you, madam,' said Amelia, 'I am very sorry, and ask your pardon; but, besides what I heard from yourself, Mr. Booth told me--'

'O yes!' answered Mrs. Ellison, 'Mr. Booth, I know, is a very good friend of mine. Indeed, I know you better than to think it could be your own suspicion. I am very much obliged to Mr. Booth truly.'

'Nay,' cries Amelia, 'the serjeant himself is in fault; for Mr. Booth, I am positive, only repeated what he had from him.'

'Impudent coxcomb!' cries Mrs. Ellison. 'I shall know how to keep such fellows at a proper distance for the future--I will tell you, dear madam, all that happened. When I rose in the morning I found the fellow waiting in the entry; and, as you had exprest some regard for him as your foster-brother--nay, he is a very genteel fellow, that I must own--I scolded my maid for not shewing him into my little back- room; and I then asked him to walk into the parlour. Could I have imagined he would have construed such little civility into an encouragement?'

'Nay, I will have justice done to my poor brother too,' said Amelia. 'I myself have seen you give him much greater encouragement than that.'

'Well, perhaps I have,' said Mrs. Ellison. 'I have been always too unguarded in my speech, and can't answer for all I have said.' She then began to change her note, and, with an affected laugh, turned all into ridicule; and soon afterwards the two ladies separated, both in apparent good humour; and Amelia went about those domestic offices in which Mr. Booth found her engaged at the end of the preceding chapter.

Chapter 4

Containing A Very Extraordinary Incident

In the afternoon Mr. Booth, with Amelia and her children, went to refresh themselves in the Park. The conversation now turned on what past in the morning with Mrs. Ellison, the latter part of the dialogue, I mean, recorded in the last chapter. Amelia told her husband that Mrs. Ellison so strongly denied all intentions to marry the serjeant, that she had convinced her the poor fellow was under an error, and had mistaken a little too much levity for serious encouragement; and concluded by desiring Booth not to jest with her any more on that subject.