le gains. She thought
herself a happy creature, and went in to supper with a number of
others of her own class. For this supper, and for more porter and
gin than she ought to have drunk, Betty was forced to pay so high
that it ate up all the profits of the day, which, added to the daily
interest, made Mrs. Sponge a rich return for her five shillings.

Betty was reminded again of the gentility of her new situation, as
she crept up to bed in one of Mrs. Sponge's garrets, five stories
high. This loft, to be sure, was small and had no window, but what
it wanted in light was made up in company, as it had three beds and
thrice as many lodgers. Those gentry had one night, in a drunken
frolic, broken down the door, which happily had never been replaced;
for since that time, the lodgers had died much seldomer of
infectious distempers, than when they were close shut in. For this
lodging Betty paid twice as much to her _good friend_ as she would
have done to a stranger. Thus she continued with great industry and
a thriving trade, as poor as on the first day, and not a bit nearer
to saving money enough to buy her even a pair of shoes, though her
feet were nearly on the ground.

One day, as Betty was driving her barrow through a street near
Holborn, a lady from a window called out to her that she wanted
some oranges. While the servant went to fetch a plate, the lady
entered into some talk with Betty, having been struck with her
honest countenance and civil manner. She questioned her as to her
way of life, and the profits of her trade; and Betty, who had never
been so kindly treated before by so genteel a person, was very
communicative. She told her little history as far as she knew it,
and dwelt much on the generosity of Mrs. Sponge, in keeping her in
her house, and trusting her with so large a capital as five
shillings. At first it sounded like a very good-natured thing; but
the lady, whose husband was one of the justices of the new police,
happened to know more of Mrs. Sponge than was good, which led her
to inquire still further. Betty owned, that to be sure it was not
all clear profit, for that besides that the high price of the
supper and bed ran away with all she got, she paid sixpence a-day
for the use of the five shillings. "And how long have you done
this?" said the lady. "About a year, madam."

The lady's eyes were at once opened. "My poor girl," said she, "do
you know that you have already paid for that single five shi