" She told me
many other circumstances, unnecessary to repeat, but all tending
to prove that she was a very dangerous inmate.
I expected her home the next evening, and I believe I passed the
interval in meditating how to get rid of her without an
_eclaircissement_. At length she arrived, and all my study
having failed to supply me with any other reason than the real
one for dismissing her, I stated it at once. Not the slightest
change passed over her countenance, but she looked steadily at
me, and said, in a very civil tone, "I should like to know who
told you." I replied that it could be of no advantage to her to
know, and that I wished her to go immediately. "I am ready to
go," she said, in the same quiet tone, "but what will you do for
your three dollars?" "I must do without them, Nancy; good
morning to you." "I must just put up my things," she said, and
left the room. About half an hour afterwards, when we were all
assembled at dinner, she entered with her usual civil composed
air, "Well, I am come to wish you all goodbye," and with a
friendly good-humoured smile she left us.
This adventure frightened me so heartily, that, notwithstanding I
had the dread of cooking my own dinner before my eyes, I would
not take any more young ladies into my family without receiving
some slight sketch of their former history. At length I met with
a very worthy French woman, and soon after with a tidy English
girl to assist her; and I had the good fortune to keep them till
a short time before my departure: so, happily, I have no more
misfortunes of this nature to relate.
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