 Loss of Fortune is a serious Matter; and I am sure a Man of Mr. Booth's
Understanding must think so.« »One Consideration, I must own, Madam,« answered
he, »a good deal baffled all the Doctor's Arguments. This was the Concern for my
little growing Family, who must one Day feel the Loss; nor was I so easy upon
Amelia's Account as upon my own, tho' she herself put on the utmost
Chearfulness; and stretched her Invention to the utmost to comfort me. - But
sure, Madam, there is something in the Doctor's Letter to admire beyond the
Philosophy of it; what think you of that easy, generous, friendly Manner in
which he sent me the hundred Pounds?«
    »Very noble and great indeed,« replied she, »but pray go on with your Story;
for I long to hear the whole.«
 

                                   Chapter XI

               In which Mr. Booth relates his Return to England.

»Nothing remarkable, as I remember, happened during our Stay at Paris, which we
left soon after and came to London. Here we rested only two Days, and then,
taking Leave of our Fellow-travellers, we set out for Wiltshire, my Wife being
so impatient to see the Child, which she had left behind her, that the Child she
carried with her was almost killed with the Fatigue of the Journey.
    We arrived at our Inn late in the Evening. Amelia, tho' she had no great
Reason to be pleased with any Part of her Sister's Behaviour, resolved to behave
to her, as if nothing wrong had ever happened. She therefore sent a kind Note to
her the Moment of our Arrival, giving her her Option whether she would come to
us at the Inn, or whether we should that Evening wait on her. The Servant, after
waiting an Hour, brought us an Answer, excusing her from coming to us so late,
as she was disordered with a Cold, and desiring my Wife by no Means to think of
venturing out after the Fatigue of her Journey, saying, she would on that
Account defer the great Pleasure of seeing her till the Morning, without taking
any more Notice of your humble Servant, than if no such Person had been in the
World, tho' I had very civilly sent my Compliments to her. I should not mention
this Trifle, if it was not to shew you the Nature of the Woman, and that it will
be a kind of Key to her future Conduct.
    When the Servant returned, the good
