Page:Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (1749, vol. 2).pdf/108

She went then, at the hour appointed to his lodgings in one of our inns of court, which were furnish'd in a taste of grandeur that had a special eye to all the conveniences of luxury and pleasure. Here she found him in ready waiting, and after finishing her business of pretence, and a long circuit of discussions concerning her trade, which she said was very bad, the qualities of her servants, prentices, journey-women, the discourse naturally landed at length on me, when Mrs. Cole acting admirably the good old prating gossip, who lets every thing escape her, when her tongue is set in motion, cook'd him up a story so plausible of me, throwing in every now and then such strokes of art, with all the simplest air of nature, in praise of my person and temper, as finish'd him finely for her purpose, whilst nothing could be better counterfeited than her innocence of his; but when now fir'd, and on edge, he proceeded to drop hints of his design and views upon me, after he had with much confusion and pains brought her to the

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