an came in his chariot to the shop, where Mrs. Cole alone
had an inkling of his errand. Asking then for her, he easily made a
beginning of acquaintance by bespeaking some millinery ware; when, as I
sat without lifting my eyes, and pursuing the hem of a ruffle with the
utmost composure and simplicity of industry, Mrs. Cole took notice, that
the first impressions I made on him ran no risk of being destroyed by
those of Louisa and Emily, who were then sitting at work by me. After
vainly endeavouring to catch my eyes in rencounter with him (I held my
head down, affecting a kind of consciousness of guilt for having, by
speaking to him given him encouragement and means of following me), and
after giving Mrs. Cole direction when to bring the things home herself,
and the time he should expect them, he went out, taking with him
some goods, that he paid for liberally, for the better grace of his
introduction.

The girls all this time did not in the least smoak the mystery of this
new customer; but Mrs. Cole, as soon as we were conveniently alone,
insured me, in virtue of her long experience in these matters, "that
for this bout my charms had not missed fire; for by his eagerness, his
manner and looks, she was sure he had it: the only point now in doubt
was his character and circumstances, which her knowledge of the town
would soon gain her the sufficient acquaintance with, to take measure
upon."

And effectively, in a few hours, her intelligence served her so well,
that she learned that this conquest of mine was no other than Mr.
Norbert, a gentleman originally of great fortune, which, with a
constitution naturally not the best, he had vastly impaired by his
over-violent pursuit of the vices of the town; in the course of which,
having worn out and staled all the more common modes of debauchery, he
had fallen into a taste of maiden-hunting; in which chase he had ruined
a number of girls, sparing no expense to compass his ends, and generally
using them well till tired, or cooled by enjoying, or springing a new
face, he could with more ease disembarrass himself of the old ones, and
resign them to their fate, as his sphere of achievements of that sort
lay only amongst such as he could proceed with by way of bargain and
sale.

Concluding from these premises, Mrs. Cole observed, that a character of
this sort was ever a lawful prize; that the sin would be, not to make
the best of our market of him; and that she thought such a girl as