Often when I talked over past events, did I listen
to her remarks, all tending to one point, morality
and virtue; often did I receive from her at first
a severe, but latterly a kind rebuke, when my discourse
was light and frivolous; but when I talked of merry
subjects which were innocent, what could be more joyous
or more exhilarating than her laugh—what
more intoxicating than her sweet smile, when she approved
of my sentiments! and when animated by the subject,
what could be more musical or more impassioned than
her bursts of eloquence, which were invariably followed
by a deep blush, when she recollected how she had
been carried away by excitement?
There was one point upon which I congratulated myself,
which was, that she had received two or three unexceptionable
offers of marriage during the six months that I had
been in her company, and refused them. At the
end of that period, thanks to the assistance I received
from the Friends, I had paid Mr Cophagus all the money
which he had advanced, and found myself in possession
of a flourishing business, and independent. I
then requested that I might be allowed to pay an annual
stipend for my board and lodging, commencing from
the time I first came to his house. Mr Cophagus
said I was right—the terms were easily arranged,
and I was independent.
Still my advances with Susannah were slow, but if
slow, they were sure. One day I observed to her,
how happy Mr Cophagus appeared to be as a married
man; her reply was, “He is, Japhet; he has worked
hard for his independence, and he now is reaping the
fruits of his industry.” That is as much
as to say that I must do the same, thought I, and that
I have no business to propose for a wife, until I
am certain that I am able to provide for her.
I have as yet laid up nothing, and an income is not
a capital. I felt that whether a party interested
or not, she was right, and I redoubled my diligence.
Chapter LXV
A variety of the Quaker
tribe—who had a curious disintegration
of mind and body.
I was not yet weaned from the world, but I was fast
advancing to that state, when a very smart young Quaker
came on a visit to Reading. He was introduced
to Mr and Mrs Cophagus, and was soon, as might be expected,
an admirer of Susannah, but he received no encouragement.
He was an idle person, and passed much of his time
sitting in my shop, and talking with me, and being
much less reserved and guarded than the generality
of the young men of the sect, I gradually became intimate
with him. One day when my assistant was out he
said to me, “Friend Gnow-land, tell me candidly,
hast thou ever seen my face before?”
“Not that I can recollect, friend Talbot.”
“Then my recollection is better than yours,
and now having obtained thy friendship as one of the
society, I will remind thee of our former acquaintance.
When thou wert Mr N-e-w-land, walking about town with
Major Carbonnell, I was Lieutenant Talbot, of the—Dragoon
Guards.”
