" Sophia turned pale at these
words, and repeated eagerly, "To-morrow morning!"- "Yes, ma'am,"
replied the trusty waiting-woman, "I will take my oath I heard my
master say so."- "Honour," says Sophia, "you have both surprized and
shocked me to such a degree that I have scarce any breath or spirits
left. What is to be done in my dreadful situation?"- "I wish I was
able to advise your la'ship," says she. "Do advise me," cries Sophia;
"pray, dear Honour, advise me. Think what you would attempt if it
was your own case."- "Indeed, ma'am," cries Honour, "I wish your
la'ship and I could change situations; that is, I mean without hurting
your la'ship; for to be sure I don't wish you so bad as to be a
servant; but because that if so be it was my case, I should find no
manner of difficulty in it; for, in my poor opinion, young Squire
Blifil is a charming, sweet, handsome man."- "Don't mention such
stuff," cries Sophia. "Such stuff!" repeated Honour; "why, there.
Well, to be sure, what's one man's meat is another man's poison, and
the same is altogether as true of women."- "Honour," says Sophia,
"rather than submit to be the wife of that contemptible wretch, I
would plunge a dagger into my heart."- "O lud! ma'am!" answered the
other, "I am sure you frighten me out of my wits now. Let me beseech
your la'ship not to suffer such wicked thoughts to come into your
head. O lud! to be sure I tremble every inch of me. Dear ma'am,
consider, that to be denied Christian burial, and to have your
corpse buried in the highway, and a stake drove through you, as farmer
Halfpenny was served at Ox Cross; and, to be sure, his ghost hath
walked there ever since, for several people have seen him.
Pages:
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411