eriod of our acquaintance, I should have accepted it, but you
did not, and kept putting off and putting off, and behaving in a very
strange manner, till I could stand your conduct no longer, but
determined upon leaving you and Old England, which last step I had
been long thinking about; so when you made your offer at last,
everything was arranged--my cart and donkey engaged to be sold--and
the greater part of my things disposed of. However, young man, when
you did make it, I frankly tell you that I had half a mind to accept
it; at last, however, after very much consideration, I thought it best
to leave you for ever, because, for some time past, I had become
almost convinced, that though with a wonderful deal of learning, and
exceedingly shrewd in some things, you were--pray don't be offended--at
the root mad! and though mad people, I have been told, sometimes make
very good husbands, I was unwilling that your friends, if you had any,
should say that Belle Berners, the workhouse girl, took advantage of
your infirmity; for there is no concealing that I was born and bred up
in a workhouse; notwithstanding that, my blood is better than your
own, and as good as the best; you having yourself told me that my name
is a noble name, and once, if I mistake not, that it was the same word
as baron, which is the same thing as bear; and that to be called in
old times a bear was considered a great compliment--the bear being a
mighty strong animal, on which account our forefathers called all
their great fighting-men barons, which is the same as bears.

"However, setting matters of blood and family entirely aside, many
thanks to you, young man, from poor Belle, for the honour you did her
in making that same offer; for, after all, it is an honour to receive
an honourable offer, which she could see clearly yours was, with no
floriness nor chaff in it; but, on the contrary, entire sincerity. She
assures you that she shall always bear it and yourself in mind,
whether on land or water; and as a proof of the good-will she bears to
you, she sends you a lock of the hair which she wears on her head,
which you were often looking at, and were pleased to call flax, which
word she supposes you meant as a compliment, even as the old people
meant to pass a compliment to their great folks, when they called them
bears; though she cannot help thinking tha