Nanny, the upper houfe-maid, and the fame who had delivered mr. Saving's let ter to mifs Betfy, and carried her anfwer to him, coming up with a broom in her hand, in order to fweep her lady's dreffing-room, ran into the chamber of mifs Betfy, and feeing that fhe was alone, "Ó "mifs!" faid the," there is the devil to "do below." "I heard a fad noise, in"deed," said fhe carelefly. Why you "muft know, mifs," cried the maid, "that my lady had given John the but"ler warning, and fo his time being up "mrs. Prinks had orders to pay him off "this morning, but would have stopped "thirty fhillings for a filver orange ftrainer

that is miffing. John would not allow "it, and being in a paffion, told mrs.

Prinks, that he would not leave the " house without his full wages; that for

any thing he knew the trainer might "be gone after the diamond necklace.

This I fuppofe fhe repeated to my lady, " and that put her in fo ill a humour this morning, that if my mafter had not come down as he did, we fhould all have had fomething at our heads. "However," continued the wench, "the "ordered mrs. Prinks to give him his whole money; but, would you believe * it, mifs? My mafter was no fooner

K 5

gone

"gone out, than fhe came down into the "kitchen raving, and finding John there "ftill, (the poor fellow, God knows, only

stayed to take his leave of us,) fhe tore "about, and fwore we should all go; ac"cufed one of one thing, and another of "another." "Well, but what did the fel"low mean about the diamond necklace ?” cried mifs Betfy, interrupting her. " I "will tell you the whole ftory," said fhe,

but you must promise never to speak a "word of it to any body; for though I do not value the place, nor will stay much longer; yet they would not give one a character, you know, mifs."

Mifs Betfy theft having affured her, fhe would never mention it, the other fhut the door, and went on in a very low voice, in this manner.

• Don't you remember, mifs, faid fhe, what a flurry my lady and mrs. Prinks were in one day? how her ladyship ⚫ pulled off all her fine cloaths, and they both went out in a hackney coach then mrs. Prinks came home, and went out again? Yes,' replied mifs Betfy, I took notice they were both in a good deal of confufion.* 6 Aye, mifs, well they might, faid Nanny; that very afternoon John was gone to fee a Coufin

⚫ that

that keeps a pawn-broker's fhop in Thieving-lane, and as he was fitting in a little room behind the counter, that it seems shuts in with glafs doors, who • should he see through the window, but mrs. Prinks come in; fhe brought my lady's diamond necklace, and pledged it for a hundred and twenty, or a hundred and thirty guineas, I am not sure which he told me, for I have the faddeft memory; but it is no matter for that. John was ftrangely confounded, as you may think, but refolved to fee into the bottom, and when mrs. Prinks. was got into the coach, popped up behind it, and got down when it topped, which was at the fign of the hand and tipftaff in Knaves-acre; fo that this money was raised to get fomebody that was arrefted out of the bailiff's hands, for John faid, it was what they call a fpunging-houfe that mrs. Prinks went into. Lord! how deceitful fome people are, my poor mafter little thinks how his money goes; but I'll warrant our houfe-keeping muft fuffer for this.'

•

This goffiping young huffey would have run on much longer, doubtlefs, with her comments on this affair; but hearing mifs Flora's foot upon the ftairs, fhe left off, and opening the door, foftly flipt inK 6

to

to her lady's dreffing-room, and fell to work in cleaning it.

Mifs Flora came up, exclaiming on the ill behaviour of moft fervants, telling mifs Betfy what a paffion her mamma had been in. The other made little anfwer to what fhe faid on that or any other score, having her thoughts very much taken up with the account juft given her by Nanny; fhe recollected that lady Mellafin had never dreffed fince that day, always making fome excufe to avoid paying any grand vifits, which she now doubted not but it was because she had not her necklace. It very much amazed her, as fhe well knew her ladyfhip was never without a good deal of ready cafh, therefore was certain the fum must be large indeed, for which her friend was arrested, that it reduced her to the neceffity of applying to a pawn-broker, and who that friend could be for whom she would thus demean herfelf, puzzled her extremely. It was not long, however, before fhe was let into the fecret, but in the mean time other matters of more moment must be treated on.

tt
t

СНАР.

CHAP. XVII.

Is of lefs importance than the former, yet must not be omitted.

LA

ADY Mellafin having vented her fpleen on thofe, who by their stations were obliged to bear it, and the object of it removed out of the houfe, became extremely chearful the remaining part of the day. The fashion in which it might be fuppofed mifs Betfy would be accofted by her tarpaulin enamorato, and the recep tion fhe would give his paffion, occafioned a great deal of merriment, and even mr. Goodman, feeing his dear wife took part in it, would fometimes throw in his joke.

Well, well," cried mifs Betfy, to heighten the diverfion, "what will you fay now, if I fhould take a fancy to the "captain, fo far as to prefer him to any "of those who think it worth their while "to follicit me on the score of love ?"

"This is quite ungenerous in you," cried mifs Flora, "did you not promise "to turn the captain over to me, when "you had done with him."-"That