Midnight
It seems the mistress of the house was not so great a stranger to such cases as mine was as I thought at first she had been , as will appear presently , and she sent for a midwife of the right sort -- that is to say , the right sort for me . The woman appeared to be an experienced woman in her business , I mean as a midwife ; but she had another calling too , in which she was as expert as most women if not more . My landlady had told her I was very melancholy , and that she believed that had done me harm ; and once , before me , said to her , `` Mrs. B -- -- '' -LRB- meaning the midwife -RRB- , `` I believe this lady 's trouble is of a kind that is pretty much in your way , and therefore if you can do anything for her , pray do , for she is a very civil gentlewoman '' ; and so she went out of the room . I really did not understand her , but my Mother Midnight began very seriously to explain what she meant , as soon as she was gone . `` Madam , '' says she , `` you seem not to understand what your landlady means ; and when you do understand it , you need not let her know at all that you do so . `` She means that you are under some circumstances that may render your lying in difficult to you , and that you are not willing to be exposed . I need say no more , but to tell you , that if you think fit to communicate so much of your case to me , if it be so , as is necessary , for I do not desire to pry into those things , I perhaps may be in a position to help you and to make you perfectly easy , and remove all your dull thoughts upon that subject . ''