40 THE HISTORY OF

know that the gentlefolks do not look upon you
as their equal, nor will a gentleman treat you
as such, You may be assured, that when a
gentleman speaks freely to a young woman in
your state of life, he means no good.”

«Who says that the Captain spoke freely to
me, I should wish to know 2” said Charlotte.

‘Did you not say yourself,” I asked, “that
he smiled, and spoke kindly when you met
him?”

“* Well, and suppose he did,” answered she ;
“and suppose he should think me handsome;
and suppose he should think of making we his
lady, where would be the wonder?”

“© O! Charlotte,” said I, “ gentlemen are not
so ready to raise up poor girls to be their wives.
Do you think, whatever they may say, that
they could like women in our humble station
better than the fine ladies whom they see every
day? How are we fit to appear in the com-
pany of gentlefolks? can we talk of the things
which they talk of? are we fit, with our homely
and countrified discourse, to converse with
learned people? Do not let us expect that our
betters will raise us to be their equals. Ifa
decent young man in our own station offers
himself, we may listen to him; but if we
think of making ourselves greater than our
neighbours, we shall fall lower than we now
are.”

*‘T am sure I don’t want to raise myself,”
said Charlotte. ‘I did nothing to make the
Captain notice me: I was walking very quietly
down the lane, from the town towards the mea-