She was a
short thick woman, about the age of thirty-six, and had a particular
prominence of belly, which I perceived at first sight, not without
some suspicion of foul play. I desired her, however, to sit, and
treated her with a dish of tea; the discourse turning on the good
qualities of Strap, whom I represented as a prodigy of sobriety,
industry and virtue. When she took her leave, he followed her to the
door, and returned licking his lips, and asking if I did not think
she was a luscious creature. I made no mystery of my apprehension,
but declared my sentiments of her without reserve; at which he was
not surprised, telling me he had observed the same symptom, but
was informed by his friend that she was only livergrown and would
in few months be as small in the waist as ever. " Yes," said I,
"a few weeks, I believe, will do the business. In short, Strap,
it is my opinion, that you are egregiously imposed upon; and that
this friend is no other than a rascal who wants to palm his trull
upon you for a wife, that he may at once deliver himself from the
importunities of the mother and the expense of her bantling; for
which reason I would not have you trust implicitly to the report
he makes of her wealth, which is inconsistent with his behaviour,
nor run your head precipitately into a noose, that you may afterwards
wish exchanged for the hangman's.
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