as they were in a great fright, and were desirous above all
things to make it up, and knew that, let it be what it would, they
would be allotted to bear all the costs of the suit; he believed they
would give me freely more than any jury or court of justice would give
upon a trial. I asked him what he thought they would be brought to.
He told me he could not tell as to that, but he would tell me more when
I saw him again.

Some time after this, they came again to know if he had talked with me.
He told them he had; that he found me not so averse to an accommodation
as some of my friends were, who resented the disgrace offered me, and
set me on; that they blowed the coals in secret, prompting me to
revenge, or do myself justice, as they called it; so that he could not
tell what to say to it; he told them he would do his endeavour to
persuade me, but he ought to be able to tell me what proposal they
made. They pretended they could not make any proposal, because it
might be made use of against them; and he told them, that by the same
rule he could not make any offers, for that might be pleaded in
abatement of what damages a jury might be inclined to give. However,
after some discourse and mutual promises that no advantage should be
taken on either side, by what was transacted then or at any other of
those meetings, they came to a kind of a treaty; but so remote, and so
wide from one another, that nothing could be expected from it; for my
attorney demanded #500 and charges, and they offered #50 without
charges; so they broke off, and the mercer proposed to have a meeting
with me myself; and my attorney agreed to that very readily.

My attorney gave me notice to come to this meeting in good clothes, and
with some state, that the mercer might see I was something more than I
seemed to be that time they had me. Accordingly I came in a new suit
of second mourning, according to what I had said at the justice's. I
set myself out, too, as well as a widow's dress in second mourning
would admit; my governess also furnished me with a good pearl necklace,
that shut in behind with a locket of diamonds, which she had in pawn;
and I had a very good figure; and as I stayed till I was sure they were
come, I came in a coach to the door, with my maid with me.

When I came into the room the mercer was surprised. He stood up and
made his bow, which I took a little notice of, and but a little, and
went and sat down where my own attorney ha