As she was young, pretty, well dressed, and according to Susan's notions appeared to be a gentlewoman, the poor girl was so surprised at her last words, that she forgot every thing else in wondering what they could mean; and as the lady herself seemed to be in a reverie, they proceeded for some time in silence, which she at length rather abruptly interrupted by saying, "What's your name, and where did you come from?"
"My name's Susan Hopley, ma'am; and I come from Mapleton," answered our heroine—"And as I spoke the words," she used to say, "I fell rather behind her; for I expected nothing else but that she would have driven me away from her directly, and left me to pass the night in the street. But, to my great relief, the name didn't seem to strike her at all; and I felt much comforted to see that the people in London were not so much occupied about Andrew and me, and what had happened in the country, as I had supposed."
"And what was your employment there?" said she.
"I was a servant," replied Susan. "But latterly being out of a situation, I took in needlework."
