thought it rather upon the extraordinary order, that he should come
here into my parlour, and make such a secret of his name, on purpose to
ask me questions about my own son."

"Why I think, indeed, if I may be so free," said Mr Simkins, "it was
rather petickeler of the gentleman; for, to be sure, if he was so over
curious to hear about your private concerns, the genteel thing, if I
may take the liberty for to differ, would have been for him to say,
ma'am, says he, I'm come to ask the favour of you just to let me a
little into your son's goings on; and any thing, ma'am, you should take
a fancy for to ask me upon the return, why I shall be very compliable,
ma'am, says he, to giving of you satisfaction."

"I dare say," answered Mrs Belfield, "he would not have said so much if
you'd have gone down on your knees to ask him. Why he was upon the very
point of being quite in a passion because I only asked him his name!
though what harm that could do him, I'm sure I never could guess.
However, as he was so mighty inquisitive about my son, if I had but
known who he was in time, I should have made no scruple in the world to
ask him if he could not have spoke a few words for him to some of those
great people that could have done him some good. But the thing that I
believe put him so out of humour, was my being so unlucky as to say,
before ever I knew who he was, that I had heard he was not over and
above good-natured; for I saw he did not seem much to like it at the
time."

"If he had done the generous thing," said Mr Simkins, "it would have
been for him to have made the proffer of his services of his own free-
will; and it's rather surpriseable to me he should never have thought
of it; for what could be so natural as for him to say, I see, ma'am,