of an unhappy passion; that his client, meaning me, had a
sharp provoking tongue, that I used them ill, gibing at them,
and jeering them, even while they believed me to be the very
person, and that I had provoked them, and the like.
My attorney managed as well on my side; made them believe
I was a widow of fortune, that I was able to do myself justice,
and had great friends to stand by me too, who had all made me
promise to sue to the utmost, and that if it cost me a thousand
pounds I would be sure to have satisfaction, for that the affronts
I had received were insufferable.
However, they brought my attorney to this, that he promised
he would not blow the coals, that if I inclined to accommodation,
he would not hinder me, and that he would rather persuade
me to peace than to war; for which they told him he should
be no loser; all which he told me very honestly, and told me
that if they offered him any bribe, I should certainly know it;
but upon the whole he told me very honestly that if I would
take his opinion, he would advise me to make it up with them,
for that 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