"Mamma hasn't allowed me to come. I have tried to do so a score of times
without her leave. Read this letter, and you will find something which
will surprise you."

I opened the letter and read as follows:

"Yesterday a bailiff waited for my door to be opened and slipped in and
arrested me. I was obliged to go with him, and I am now in the
sponging-house, and if I can't get bail by to-day he will take me to
Kings Bench Prison. The bail I require is to the amount of two hundred
pounds, to pay a bill which has fallen due. Dear friend, come and succour
me or else my other creditors will get wind of my imprisonment and I
shall be ruined. You surely will not allow that to happen, if not for my
sake at least for the sake of my innocent children. You cannot bail me
yourself, but you can easily get a householder to do so. If you have the
time come and call on me, and I will shew you that I could not help doing
the bill, otherwise I could not have given my last ball, as the whole of
my plate and china was pledged."

I felt angry with the impudent woman who had hitherto paid me so little
attention, and I wrote that I could only pity her, and that I had no time
to go and see her, and that I should be ashamed to ask anyone to bail her
out.

When young Cornelis had gone away in a melancholy mood, I told Clairmont
to ask Pauline if she would allow me to bid her a good day. She sent word
that I was at liberty to do so, and on going upstairs to her room I found
her sitting at a table on which were several books.