Booth's doubts were first satisfied by Amelia, from which he received great pleasure; for he really had a very great affection and fondness for Mr. Atkinson, who, indeed, so well deserved it. 'Well, my dear,' said he to Amelia, smiling, 'shall we accept this generous offer?'
'O fy! no, certainly,' answered she.
'Why not?' cries Booth; 'it is but a trifle; and yet it will be of great service to us.'
'But consider, my dear,' said she, 'how ill these poor people can spare it.'
'They can spare it for a little while,' said Booth, 'and we shall soon pay it them again.'
'When, my dear?' said Amelia. 'Do, my dear Will, consider our wretched circumstances. I beg you let us go into the country immediately, and live upon bread and water till Fortune pleases to smile upon us.'
'I am convinced that day is not far off,' said Booth. 'However, give me leave to send an answer to Mrs. Atkinson, that we shall be glad of her company immediately to breakfast.'
'You know I never contradict you,' said she, 'but I assure you it is contrary to my inclinations to take this money.'
'Well, suffer me,' cries he, 'to act this once contrary to your inclinations.' He then writ a short note to Mrs. Atkinson, and dispatched it away immediately; which when he had done, Amelia said, 'I shall be glad of Mrs. Atkinson's company to breakfast; but yet I wish you would oblige me in refusing this money. Take five guineas only. That is indeed such a sum as, if we never should pay it, would sit light on my mind. The last persons in the world from whom I would receive favours of that sort are the poor and generous.'
'You can receive favours only from the generous,' cries Booth; 'and, to be plain with you, there are very few who are generous that are not poor.'
'What think you,' said she, 'of Dr Harrison?'
'I do assure you,' said Booth, 'he is far from being rich. The doctor hath an income of little more than six hundred pound a-year, and I am convinced he gives away four of it. Indeed, he is one of the best economists in the world: but yet I am positive he never was at any time possessed of five hundred pound, since he hath been a man. Consider, dear Emily, the late obligations we have to this gentleman; it would be unreasonable to expect more, at least at present; my half- pay is mortgaged for a year to come. How then shall we live?'
'By our labour,' answered she; 'I am able to labour, and I am sure I am not ashamed of it.'
'And do you really think you can support such a life?'
'I am sure I could be happy in it,' answered Amelia. 'And why not I as well as a thousand others, who have not the happiness of such a husband to make life delicious? why should I complain of my hard fate while so many who are much poorer than I enjoy theirs? Am I of a superior rank of being to the wife of the honest labourer? am I not partaker of one common nature with her?'
'My angel,' cries Booth, 'it delights me to hear you talk thus, and for a reason you little guess; for I am assured that one who can so heroically endure adversity, will bear prosperity with equal greatness of soul; for the mind that cannot be dejected by the former, is not likely to be transported with the latter.'
'If it had pleased Heaven,' cried she, 'to have tried me, I think, at least I hope, I should have preserved my humility.'
'Then, my dear,' said he, 'I will relate you a dream I had last night. You know you lately mentioned a dream of yours.'
'Do so,' said she; 'I am attentive.'
'I dreamt,' said he, 'this night, that we were in the most miserable situation imaginable; indeed, in the situation we were yesterday morning, or rather worse; that I was laid in a prison for debt, and
