ot own myself to stand in need of any assistance, he had
but one thing more to desire of me, and that was, that I would promise
him that when I was any way straitened, or like to be so, I would
frankly tell him of it, and that I would make use of him with the same
freedom that he made the offer; adding, that I should always find I had
a true friend, though perhaps I was afraid to trust him.

I omitted nothing that was fit to be said by one infinitely obliged, to
let him know that I had a due sense of his kindness; and indeed from
that time I did not appear so much reserved to him as I had done
before, though still within the bounds of the strictest virtue on both
sides; but how free soever our conversation was, I could not arrive to
that sort of freedom which he desired, viz. to tell him I wanted money,
though I was secretly very glad of his offer.

Some weeks passed after this, and still I never asked him for money;
when my landlady, a cunning creature, who had often pressed me to it,
but found that I could not do it, makes a story of her own inventing,
and comes in bluntly to me when we were together. 'Oh, widow!' says
she, 'I have bad news to tell you this morning.' 'What is that?' said
I; 'are the Virginia ships taken by the French?'--for that was my fear.
'No, no,' says she, 'but the man you sent to Bristol yesterday for
money is come back, and says he has brought none.'

Now I could by no means like her project; I though it looked too much
like prompting him, which indeed he did not want, and I clearly saw
that I should lose nothing by being backward to ask, so I took her up
short. 'I can't image why he should say so to you,' said I, 'for I
assure you he brought me all the money I sent him for, and here it is,'
said I (pulling out my purse with about twelve guineas in it); and
added, 'I intend you shall have most of it by and by.'

He seemed distasted a little at her talking as she did at first, as
well as I, taking it, as I fancied he would, as something forward of
her; but when he saw me give such an answer, he came immediately to
himself again. The next morning we talked of it again, when I found he
was fully satisfied, and, smiling, said he hoped I would not want money
and not tell him of it, and that I had promised him otherwise. I told
him I had been very much dissatisfied at my landlady's talking so
publicly the day before of what she had nothing to do with; but I
supposed she wanted what I owed he