I received her with
all the tenderness she could expect; and inquiring into the cause
of her sad condition, she told me, with tears, how inhumanly her
husband had dealt by her. I was so much concerned at her
misfortune, that tears flowed from my eyes: I put her into a
bagnio, and clothed her with my own apparel, and spoke to her
thus: Sister, you are the elder, and I esteem you as my mother:
During your absence, God has blessed the portion that fell to my
share, and the employment I follow to feed and bring up
silk-worms. Assure yourself that there is nothing I have but what
is at your service and as much at your disposal as my own.
We lived very comfortably together for some months; and as we
were often discoursing together about our third sister, and
wondering we heard no news of her, she came in as bad a condition
as the elder; her husband had treated her after the same manner,
and I received her with the same affection as I had done the
former. Some time after, my two sisters, on pretence that they
would not be chargeable to me, told me they had thoughts to marry
again. I answered them, that if their putting me to charge was
the only reason, they might lay those thoughts aside, and be very
welcome to stay with me; for what I had would be sufficient to
maintain us all three, answerably to our condition: But, said I,
I rather believe you have a mind to marry again; which if you
have, I am sure it will very much surprise me: After the
experience you have had of the small satisfaction there is in
wedlock, is it possible you dare venture a second time? You know
how rare it is to meet with a husband that is a real honest man.
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