in Money for my Share; it came strongly into my Mind, no doubt from some kind Spirit, if such there be; that as at first Poverty excited me, and my Distresses drove me to these dreadful Shifts; so seeing those Distresses were now relieved, and I could also get something towards a Maintenance by working, and had so good a Bank to support me, why should I not now leave off, while I was well; that I could not expect to go always free; and if I was once surpris'd, I was undone.
This was doubtless the happy Minute, when, if I had hearken'd to the blessed hint from whatsoever hand it came, I had still a cast for an easie Life; but my Fate was otherwise determin'd, the busie Devil that drew me in, had too fast hold of me to let me go back; but as Poverty brought me in, so Avarice kept me in, till there was no going back; as to the Arguments which my Reason dictated for perswading me to lay down, Avarice stept in and said, go on, you have had very good luck, go on till you have gotten Four or Five Hundred Pound, and then you shall leave off, and then you may live easie without working at all.
Thus I that was once in the Devil's Clutches, was held fast there as with a Charm, and had no Power to go without the Circle, till I was ingulph'd in Labyrinths of Trouble too great to get out at all.
However, these Thoughts left some Impression upon me, and made me act with some more caution than before, and more than my Directors us'd for themselves. My Comerade, as I called her, she should have been called my Teacher, with another of her Scholars, was the first in the Misfortune; for happening to be upon the hunt for Purchase, they made an attempt upon a Linnen-Draper in Cheapside, but were snap'd by a Hawk's-ey'd Journey-man, and seiz'd with two pieces of Cambrick, which were taken also upon them.
This was enough to Lodge them both in Newgate, where they had the Misfortune to have some of their former Sins brought to remembrance; two other Indictments being brought against them, and the Facts being prov'd upon them, they were both condemn'd to Die; they both pleaded their Bellies and were both voted Quick with Child; tho' my Tutress was no more with Child than I was.
I went frequently to see them, and Condole with them, expecting that it would be my turn next; but the place gave me so much Horror, reflecting that it was the place of my unhappy Birth, and of my Mother's Misfortunes, that I could not bear it, so I left off going to see them.
And O! cou'd I but have taken warning by their Disasters, I had been happy still, for I was yet free, and had nothing brought against me; but it could not be, my Measure was not yet fill'd up.
My Comerade, having the Brand of an old Offender, was Executed; the young Offender was spar'd, having obtained a Reprieve; but lay starving a long while in Prison, till at last she got her Name into what they call a Circuit Pardon, and so came off.
This terrible Example of my Comrade frighted me heartily, and for a good while I made no Excursions; but one Night, in the Neighbourhood of my Governesses House, they cry'd, Fire; my Governess look'd out, for we were all up, and cry'd immediately that such a Gentlewoman's House was all of a light Fire a top, and so indeed it was: Here she gives me a jog, now, Child, says she, there is a rare opportunity, the Fire being so near that you may go to it before the Street is block'd up with the Crowd; she presently gave me my Cue, go, Child, says she, to the House, and run in and tell the Lady, or any Body you see, that you come to help them, and that you came from such a Gentlewoman (that is, one of her Acquaintance farther up the Street).
Away I went, and coming to the House I found them all in Confusion, you may be sure; I run in, and finding one of the Maids, alas! Sweetheart, said I, how came this dismal Accident? where is your Mistress? Is she safe? And where are the Children? I come from Madam – to help you; away runs the Maid, Madam, madam, says she, screaming as loud as she cou'd yell, here is a Gentlewoman come from Madam – to help us: The poor Woman half out of her Wits, with a Bundle under her Arm, and two little Children, comes towards me, Madam, says I, let me carry the poor Children to Madam –, she desires you to send them; she'll take care of the poor Lambs, and so I takes one of them out of her Hand, and she lifts the tother up into my Arms; ay, do, for God sake, says she, carry them; O thank her for her kindness: Have you anything else to secure, Madam? says I, she will take care of it: O dear! says she, God bless her, take this bundle of Plate and carry it to her too; O she is a good Woman; O, we are utterly ruin'd, undone; and away she runs from me out of her Wits, and the Maids after her, and away comes I with the two Children and the Bundle.
I was no sooner got into the Street, but I saw another Woman come to me; O! says she, Mistress, in a piteous Tone, you will let fall the Child; come, come, this is a sad time, let me help you, and immediately lays hold of my Bundle to carry it for me; no, says I, if you will help me, take the Child by the Hand, and lead it for me but to the upper end of the Street, I'll go with you and satisfie you for your pains.
She cou'd not avoid going, after what I said, but the Creature, in short, was one of the same Business with me, and wanted nothing but the Bundle; however, she went with me to the Door, for she cou'd not help it; when we were come there I whisper'd her, go Child, said I, I understand your Trade, you may meet with Purchase enough.
She understood me and walk'd off; I thundered at the Door with the Children, and as the People were rais'd before by the noise of the Fire, I was soon let in, and I said, is Madam awake, pray tell her Mrs. – desires the favour of her to take the two Children in; poor Lady, she will be undone, their House is all of a Flame; they took the Children in very civily, pitied the Family in Distress, and away came I with my Bundle; one of the Maids ask'd me, if I was not to leave the Bundle too; I said no, Sweetheart, 'tis to go to another Place, it does not belong to them.
I was a great way out of the hurry now, and so I went on, and brought the Bundle of Plate, which was very considerable, strait home, to my old Governess; she told me she would not look into it, but bad me go again and look for more.
She gave me the like Cue to the Gentlewoman of the next House to that which was on Fire, and I did my endeavour to go, but by this time the allarm of Fire was so great, and so many Engines playing and the Street so throng'd with People, that I cou'd not get near the House, whatever I cou'd do; so I came back again to my Governesses, and taking the Bundle up into my Chamber, I began to examine it: It is with Horror that I tell what a Treasure I found there; 'tis enough to say, that besides most of the Family Plate, which was considerable, I found a Gold Chain, an old-fashion'd thing, the Locket of which was broken, so that I suppose it had not been us'd some Years, but the Gold was not the worse for that; also a little Box of burying Rings, the Lady's Wedding-Ring, and some broken bits of old Lockets of Gold, a Gold Watch, and a Purse with about 24l. value in old Pieces of Gold Coin, and several other things of Value.
This was the greatest and the worst Prize that ever I was concern'd in, for indeed, tho', as I have said above, I was harden'd now beyond the Power of all Reflection in other Cases, yet it really touch'd me to the very Soul, when I look'd into this Treasure; to think of the poor disconsolate Gentlewoman who had lost so much besides; and who would think to be sure that she had sav'd her Plate and best things; how she wou'd be surpriz'd when she should find that she had been deceiv'd, and that the Person that took her Children and her Goods, had not come, as was pretended, from the Gentlewoman in next Street, but that the Children had been put upon her without her own knowledge.
I say, I confess the inhumanity of this Action mov'd me very much, and made me relent exceedingly, and Tears stood in my Eyes upon that Subject: But with all my Sense of its being cruel and Inhuman, I cou'd never find in my Heart to make any Restitution: The Reflection wore off, and I quickly forgot the Circumstances that attended it.
Nor was this all, for tho' by this jobb I was become considerably Richer than before, yet the Resolution I had formerly taken of leaving off this horrid Trade, when I had gotten a little more did not return; but I must still get more; and the Avarice had such Success, that I had no more Thoughts of coming to a timely Alteration of Life; tho' without it I cou'd expect no Safety, no Tranquility in the Possession of what I had gain'd; a little more, and a little more, was the Case still.
At length yielding to the Importunities of my Crime, I cast off all Remorse and all the Reflections on that Head, turn'd to no more than this, that I might perhaps come to have one Booty more that might compleat all; but tho' I certainly had that one Booty, yet every hit look'd towards another, and was so encouraging to me to go on with the Trade, that I had no Gust to the laying it down.
In this Condition, harden'd by Success, and resolving to go on, I fell into the Snare in which I was appointed to meet with my last Reward for this kind of Life: But even this was not yet, for I met with several successful Adventures more in this way.
My Governess was for awhile really concern'd for this Misfortune of my Comerade that had been hang'd, for she knew enough of my Governess to have sent her the same way, and which made her very uneasy; indeed she was in a very great fright.
It is true, that when she was gone and had not told what she knew; My Governess was easy as to that Point, and perhaps glad she was hang'd; for it was in her power to have obtain'd a Pardon at the Expence of her Friends; But, the loss of her, and the Sense of her Kindness in not making her Market of what she knew, mov'd my Governess to Mourn very sincerely for her: I comforted her as well as I cou'd, and she in return harden'd me to Merit more compleatly the same Fate.
However as I had said it made me the more wary, and particularly I was very shie of Shop-lifting, especially among the Mercers and Drapers who are a Set of Fellows, that have their Eyes very much about them: I made a Venture or two among the Lace Folks, and the Mileners, and particularly at one Shop, where two young Women were newly set up, and [had] notbeenbred to Trade: There, I carried off a Peice of Bonelace, worth six or seven Pound, and a Paper of Thread; but this was but once, it was a Trick that would not serve again.
It was always reckon'd a safe Job when we heard of a new Shop, and especially, when the People were such as were not bred to Shops; such may depend upon it, that they will be visited once or twice at their beginning, and they must be very Sharp indeed if they can prevent it.
I made another Adventure or two after this, but they were but Trifles: Nothing considerable offering for a good while; I began to think that I must give over Trade in Earnest; but my Governess, who was not willing to lose me, and expected great Things of me, brought me one Day into Company with a young Woman and a Fellow that went for her Husband, tho' as it appear'd afterwards she was not his Wife, but they were Partners in the Trade they carried on; and in something else too. In short, they robb'd together, lay together, were taken together, and at last were hang'd together.
I came into a kind of League with these two by the help of my Governess, and they carried me out into three or four Adventures, where I rather saw them commit some Coarse and unhandy Robberies, in which nothing but a great Stock of impudence on their Side, and gross Negligence on the Peoples Side who were robb'd, could have made them Successful; so I resolv'd from that time forward to be very Cautious how I Adventur'd with them; and indeed when two or three unlucky Projects were propos'd by them, I declin'd the offer, and perswaded them against it: One time they particularly propos'd Robbing a Watchmaker of 3 Gold Watches, which they had Ey'd in the Day time, and found the Place where he laid them; one of them had so many Keys of all kinds, that he made no Question to open the Place, where the Watchmaker had laid them; and so we made a kind of an Appointment; but when I came to look narrowly into the Thing, I found they propos'd breaking open the House, and this I would not Embark in, so they went without me: They did get into the House by main Force, and broke up the lock'd Place where the Watches were, but found but one of the Gold Watches, and a Silver one, which they took, and got out of the House again very clear; but the Family being alarm'd cried out Thieves, and the Man was pursued and taken, the young Woman had got off too, but unhappily was stop'd at a Distance, and the Watches found upon her; and thus I had a second Escape, for they were convicted, and both hang'd, being old Offenders, tho' but young People; and as I said before, that they robb'd together, so now they hang'd together, and there ended my new Partnership.
I began now to be very wary, having so narrowly escap'd a Scouring, and having such an Example before me; but I had a new Tempter, who prompted me every day, I mean my Governess; and now a Prize presented, which as it came by her Management, so she expected a good Share of the Booty; there was a good Quantity of Flanders-Lace lodg'd in a private House, where she had heard of it; and Flanders Lace, being Prohibited, it was a good Booty to any Custom-House Officer that could come at it: I had a full Account from my Governess, as well of the Quantity as of the very Place, where it was conceal'd, so I went to a Custom-House Officer, and told him, I had a Discovery to make to him, if he would assure me that I should have my due Share of the Reward: This was so just an offer, that nothing could be fairer; so he agreed, and taking a Constable, and me with him, we beset the House; as I told him, I could go directly to the Place, he left it to me, and the Hole being very dark, I squeez'd myself into it, with a Candle in my Hand, and so reach'd the Peices out to him, taking care, as I gave him some, so to secure as much about myself as I could conveniently Dispose of: There was near 300l. worth of Lace in the whole; and I secur'd about 50l. worth of it myself. The People of the House were not owners of the Lace, but a Merchant who had entrusted them with it; so that they were not so surpriz'd as I thought they would be.
I left the Officer overjoy'd with his Prize, and fully satisfy'd with what he had got, and appointed to meet him at a House of his own directing, where I came after I had dispos'd of the Cargo I had about me, of which he had not the least Suspicion; when I came, he began to Capitulate, believing I did not understand the right I had in the Prize, and would fain have put me off with Twenty Pound, but I let him know that I was not so ignorant as he suppos'd I was; and yet I was glad too, that he offer'd to bring me to a certainty; I asked 100l. and he rose up to 30l.; I fell to 80l. and he rose again to 40l.; in a Word, he offered 50l. and I consented, only demanding a Peice of Lace, which I thought came to about 8 or 9 Pound, as if it had been for my own Wear, and he agreed to it, so I got 50l. in Money paid me that same Night, and made an End of the Bargain; nor did he ever know who I was, or where to enquire for me; so that if it had been discover'd, that part of the Goods were embezzel'd; he could have made no Challenge upon me for it.
I very punctually divided this Spoil with my Governess, and I pass'd with her from this time for a very dexterous Manager in the nicest Cases; I found that this last was the best, and easiest sort of Work that was in my way, and I made it my business to enquire out prohibited Goods; and after buying some usually betray'd them, but none of these Discoveries amounted to any thing considerable, not like that I related just now; but I was Cautious of running the great Risques which I found others did, and in which they Miscarried every Day.
The next thing of Moment, was an attempt at a Gentlewoman's gold Watch, it happen'd in a Crowd, at a Meeting-House, where I was in very great Danger of being taken; I had full hold of her Watch, but giving a great Jostle, as if some body had thrust me against her, and in the Juncture giving the Watch a fair pull, I found it would not come, so I let it go that Moment, and cried as if I had been kill'd, that somebody had Trod upon my Foot, and that there was certainly Pick-pockets there; for some body or other had given a pull at my Watch, for you are to observe, that on these Adventures we always went very well Dress'd, and I had very good Cloths on, and a Gold Watch by my Side, as like a Lady as other Folks.
I had no sooner said so, but the other Gentlewoman cried out a Pick-pocket too, for some body, she said, had try'd to pull her Watch away.
When I touch'd her Watch, I was close to her, but when I cry'd out, I stop'd as it were short, and the Crowd bearing her forward a little, she made a Noise too, but it was at some Distance from me, so that she did not in the least suspect me, but when she cried out a Pick-pocket, some body cried out Ay, and here has been another, this Gentlewoman has been attempted too.
At that very instant, a little farther in the Crowd, and very Luckily too, they cried out a Pick-pocket again, and really seiz'd a young Fellow in the very Fact. This, tho' unhappy for the Wretch, was very opportunely for my Case, tho' I had carried it handsomely enough before, but now it was out of Doubt, and all the loose part of the Crowd ran that way, and the poor Boy was deliver'd up to the Rage of the Street, which is a Cruelty I need not describe, and which however, they are always glad of, rather than be sent to Newgate, where they lie often a long time, and sometimes they are hang'd, and the best they can look for, if they are Convicted, is to be Transported.
This was a narrow Escape to me, and I was so frighted, that I ventur'd no more at Gold Watches a great while; there were indeed many Circumstances in this Adventure, which assisted to my Escape; but the chief was, that the Woman whose Watch I had pull'd at was a Fool; that is to say, she was Ignorant of the nature of the Attempt, which one would have thought she should not have been, seeing she was wise enough to fasten her Watch, so that it could not be slipt up; but she was in such a Fright, that she had no Thought about her; for she, when she felt the pull scream'd out, and push'd herself forward, and put all the People about her into disorder, but said not a Word of her Watch, or of a Pick-pocket, for at least two Minutes; which was time enough for me, and to spare; for as I had cried out behind her, as I have said, and bore myself back in the Crowd as she bore forward, there were several People, at least seven or eight, the Throng being still moving on, that were got between me and her in that time, and then I crying out a Pick-pocket, rather sooner than she, she might as well be the Person suspected as I, and the People were confus'd in their Enquiry; whereas, had she with a Presence of Mind needful on such an Occasion, as soon as she felt the pull, not skream'd out as she did, but turn'd immediately round, and seiz'd the next Body that was behind her, she had infallibly taken me.
This is a Direction not of the kindest Sort to the Fraternity; but 'tis certainly a Key to the Clue of a Pick-pocket's Motions, and whoever can follow it, will as certainly catch the Thief as he will be sure to miss if he does not.
I had another Adventure, which puts this Matter out of doubt, and which may be an Instruction for Posterity in the Case of a Pick-pocket; my good old Governess to give a short touch at her History, tho' she had left off the Trade, was as I may say, born a Pick-pocket, and as I understood afterward, had run thro' all the several Degrees of that Art, and yet had been taken but once; when she was so grossly detected, that she was convicted and order'd to be Transported; but being a Woman of a rare Tongue, and withal having Money in her Pocket; she found Means, the Ship putting into Ireland for Provisions, to get on Shore there, where she practised her old Trade some Years; when falling into another sort of Company she turned Midwife and Procuress, and play'd a hundred Pranks, which she gave me a little History of, in Confidence between us as we grew more intimate; and it was to this wicked Creature that I ow'd all the Dexterity I arriv'd to, in which there were few that ever went beyond me, or that practis'd so long without any Misfortune.
It was after those Adventures in Ireland, and when she was pretty well known in that Country, that she left Dublin, and came over to England, where the time of her Transportation being not expir'd, she left her former Trade, for fear of falling into bad Hands again, for then she was sure to have gone to Wreck: Here she set up the same Trade she had followed in Ireland, in which she soon, by her admirable Management, and a good Tongue, arrived to the Height, which I have already describ'd, and indeed began to be Rich, tho' her Trade fell again afterwards.
I mention thus much of the History of this Woman here, the better to account for the concern she had in the wicked Life I was now leading; into all the Particulars of which she lead me, as it were, by the Hand, and gave me such Directions, and I so well follow'd them, that I grew the greatest Artist of my time, and work'd myself out of every Danger with such Dexterity, that when several more of my Comrades run themselves into Newgate, by that time they had been half a Year at the Trade: I had now practis'd upwards of five Year, and the People at Newgate did not so much as know me; they had heard much of me indeed, and often expected me there; but I always got off, tho' many times in the extreamest Danger.
One of the greatest Dangers I was now in, was that I was too well known among the Trade, and some of them whose hatred was owing rather to Envy, than any Injury I had done them began to be Angry, that I should always Escape when they were always catch'd and hurried to Newgate. These were they that gave me the Name of Moll Flanders: For it was no more of Affinity with my real Name, or with any of the Names I had ever gone by, than black is of Kin to white, except that once, as before I call'd my self Mrs. Flanders, when I sheltered my self in the Mint; but that these Rogues never knew, nor could I ever learn how they came to give me the Name, or what the Occasion of it was.
I was soon inform'd that some of these who were gotten fast into Newgate, had vowed to Impeach me; and as I knew that two or three of them were but too able to do it, I was under a great concern, and kept within Doors for a good while; but my Governess who was Partner in my Success, and who now plaid a sure Game, for she had no Share in the hazard, I say, my Governess was something impatient of my leading such a useless unprofitable Life, as she call'd it; and she laid a new Contrivance for my going Abroad, and this was to Dress me up in Men's Cloths, and so put me into a new kind of Practice.
I was Tall and Personable, but a little too smooth Fac'd for a Man; however, as I seldom went Abroad, but in the Night it did well enough; but it was long before I could behave in my new Cloaths; it was impossible to be so Nimble, so Ready, so Dexterous at these things, in a Dress contrary to Nature; and as I did every thing Clumsily, so I had neither the success, or easiness of Escape that I had before, and I resolv'd to leave it off; but that Resolution was confirm'd soon after by the following Accident.
As my Governess had disguis'd me like a Man, so she joyn'd me with a Man, a young Fellow that was Nimble enough at his Business, and for about three Weeks we did very well together. Our principal Trade was watching Shop-Keepers Compters, and Slipping off any kinds of Goods we could see carelessly laid any where, and we made several good Bargains as we call'd them at this Work: And as we kept always together, so we grew very intimate, yet he never knew that I was not a Man; nay, tho' I several times went home with him to his Lodgings, according as our business directed, and four or five times lay with him all Night: But our Design lay another way, and it was absolutely necessary to me to conceal my Sex from him, as appear'd afterwards: The circumstances of our Living, coming in late, and having such Business to do as requir'd that no Body should be trusted with coming into into our Lodgings, were such as made it impossible to me to refuse lying with him, unless I would have own'd my Sex, and as it was I effectually conceal'd my self.
But his ill, and my good Fortune, soon put an end to this Life, which I must own I was sick of too: We had made several Prizes in this new way of Business, but the last would have been extraordinary; there was a Shop in a certain Street which had a Warehouse behind it that look'd into another Street, the House making the Corner.
Through the Window of the Warehouse we saw lying on the Compter or Show-board which was just before it, five peices of Silks, besides other Stuffs; and tho' it was almost dark, yet the People being busie in the fore Shop had not had time to shut up those Windows, or else had forgot it.
This the young Fellow was so overjoy'd with, that he could not restrain himself, it lay within his reach he said, and he swore violently to me that he would have it, if he broke down the House for it; I dissuaded him a little, but saw there was no Remedy, so he run rashly upon it, slipt out a Square out of the Sash Window dexterously enough, and got four Peices of the silks, and came with them towards me, but was immediately persued with a terrible Clutter and Noise; we were standing together indeed, but I had not taken any of the Goods out of his Hand, when I said to him hastily, you are undone! he run like Lightning, and I too, but the pursuit was hotter after him, because he had the Goods; he dropt two of the Peices, which stop'd them a little, but the crowd encreas'd, and pursued us both; they took him soon after with the other two Peices, and then the rest follow'd me; I run for it and got into my Governesses House, whether some quick-ey'd People follow'd me so warmly as to fix me there; they did not immediately knock at the Door, by which I got time to throw off my Disguise, and dress me in my own Cloaths; besides, when they came there, my Governess, who had her Tale ready, kept her Door shut, and call'd out to them and told them there was no Man came in there; the People affirm'd there did a Man come in there, and swore they would break open the Door.
My Governess, not at all surpriz'd, spoke calmly to them, told them they should very freely come and search her House, if they would bring a Constable, and let in none but such as the Constable would admit, for it was unreasonable to let in a whole Crowd; this they could not refuse, tho' they were a Crowd; so a Constable was fetch'd immediately, and she very freely open'd the Door, the Constable kept the Door, and the Men he appointed search'd the House, my Governess going with them from Room to Room; when she came to my Room she call'd to me, and said aloud; Cousin, pray open the Door, here's some Gentlemen that must come and look into your Room.
I had a little Girl with me, which was my Governesses Grand-child, as she call'd her; and I bad her open the Door, and there sat I at work with a great litter of things about me, as if I had been at Work all Day, being undress'd, with only Night-cloaths on my Head, and a loose Morning Gown about me: My Governess made a kind of excuse for their disturbing me, telling partly the occasion of it, and that she had no Remedy but to open the Doors to them, and let them satisfie themselves, for all she could say would not satisfie them: I sat still, and bid them search if they pleas'd, for if there was any Body in the House, I was sure they was not in my Room; and for the rest of the House I had nothing to say to that, I did not understand what they look'd for.
Every thing look'd so innocent and so honest about me, that they treated me civiller than I expected, but it was not till they had search'd the Room to a nicety, even under the Bed, and in the Bed, and every where else, where it was possible any thing cou'd be hid; when they had done and cou'd find nothing, they ask'd my Pardon, and went down.
When they had thus searched the House from Bottom to Top, and then from Top to Bottom, and cou'd find nothing, they appeas'd the Mob pretty well; but they carried my Governess before the Justice: Two Men swore that they see the Man, who they pursued, go into her House: My Governess rattled and made a great noise that her House should be insulted, and that she should be used thus for nothing; that if a Man did come in, he might go out again presently for ought she knew, for she was ready to make Oath that no Man had been within her Doors all that Day as she knew of; which was very true; that it might be, that as she was above Stairs, any Fellow in a Fright might find the Door open, and run in for shelter when he was pursued, but that she knew nothing of it; and if it had been so, he certainly went out again, perhaps at the other Door, for she had another Door into an Alley, and so had made his escape.
This was indeed probable enough, and the Justice satisfied himself with giving her an Oath, that she had not receiv'd or admitted any Man into her House to conceal him, or protect or hide him from Justice: This Oath she might justly take, and did so, and so she was dismiss'd.
It is easie to judge what a fright I was in upon this occasion, and it was impossible for my Governess ever to bring me to Dress in that Disguise again; for, as I told her, I should certainly betray myself.
My poor Partner in this Mischief was now in a bad Case, for he was carry'd away before my Lord Mayor, and by his Worship committed to Newgate, and the People that took him were so willing, as well as able, to Prosecute him, that they offer'd themselves to enter into Recognisances to appear at the Sessions, and persue the Charge against him.
However, he got his Indictment deferr'd, upon promise to discover his Accomplices, and particularly, the Man that was concern'd with him in this Robbery, and he fail'd not to do his Endeavour, for he gave in my Name, who he call'd Gabriel Spencer, which was the Name I went by to him, and here appear'd the Wisdom of my concealing my self from him, without which I had been undone.
He did all he could to discover this Gabriel Spencer; he describ'd me; he discover'd the Place where he said I Lodg'd; and in a Word, all the Particulars that he could of my Dwelling; but having conceal'd the main Circumstances of my Sex from him; I had a vast Advantage, and he could never hear of me; he brought two or three Families into trouble, by his Endeavouring to find me out, but they knew nothing of me, any more than that he had a Fellow with him, that they had seen, but knew nothing of; and as to my Governess, tho' she was the Means of his coming to me, yet it was done at second Hand, and he knew nothing of her neither.
This turn'd to his Disadvantage; for having promis'd Discoveries, but not being able to make it good, it was look'd upon as trifling, and he was the more fiercely persued by the Shopkeeper.
I was however terribly uneasie all this while, and that I might be quite out of the Way, I went away from my Governess for a while; but not knowing whither to wander, I took a Maid Servant with me, and took the Stage-Coach to Dunstable to my old Landlord and Landlady, where I lived so handsomely with my Lancashire Husband: Here I told her a formal Story, that I expected my Husband every day from Ireland, and that I had sent a Letter to him, that I would meet him at Dunstable at her House, and that he would certainly Land if the Wind was fair, in a few Days; so that I was come to spend a few Days with them till he could come, for he would either come Post, or in the West-Chester Coach, I knew not which, but which soever it was, he would be sure to come to that House to meet me.
My Landlady was mighty glad to see me, and my Landlord made such a Stir with me, that if I had been a Princess I could not have been better used, and here I might have been Welcome a Month or two if I had thought fit.
But my Business was of another Nature, I was very uneasie, (though so well disguis'd that it was scarce possible to Detect me) least this Fellow should find me out; and tho' he could not charge me with the Robbery, having perswaded him not to venture, and having done nothing of it myself, yet he might have charg'd me with other Things, and have bought his own Life at the Expence of mine.
This fill'd me with horrible Apprehensions: I had no Recourse, no Friend, no Confident but my old Governess, and I knew no Remedy but to put my Life into her Hands; and so I did, for I let her know where to send to me, and had several Letters from her while I stay'd here, some of them almost scar'd me out of my Wits; but at last she sent me the joyful News that he was Hang'd, which was the Best News to me that I had heard a great while.
I had stay'd here five Weeks, and liv'd very comfortably indeed (the secret Anxiety of my Mind excepted) but when I receiv'd this Letter I look'd pleasantly again, and told my Landlady that I had receiv'd a Letter from my Spouse in Ireland, that I had the good News of his being very well, but had the bad News that his Business would not permit him to come away so soon as he expected, and so I was like to go back again without him.
My Landlady complimented me upon the good News however, that I had heard he was well, for I have observ'd Madam, says she, you han't been so pleasant as you us'd to be; you have been over Head and Ears in Care for him, I dare say, says the good Woman; 'tis easie to be seen there's an Alteration in you for the better, says she: Well, I am sorry the Esquire can't come yet, says my Landlord; I should have been heartily glad to have seen him, when you have certain News of his coming, you'll take a Step hither again, Madam, says he, you shall be very welcome whenever you please to come.
With all these fine Complements we parted, and I came merry enough to London, and found my Governess as well pleas'd as I was; and now she told me she would never recommend any Partner to me again, for she always found, she said, that I had the best Luck when I ventur'd by my self; and so indeed I had, for I was seldom in any Danger when I was by my self, or if I was, I got out of it with more Dexterity than when I was entangled with the dull Measures of other People, who had perhaps less forecast, and were more impatient than I; for tho' I had as much Courage to Venture as any of them, yet I us'd more Caution before I undertook a Thing, and had more Presence of Mind to bring my self off.
I have often wondered even at my own hardiness another way, that when all my Companions were surpriz'd, and fell so suddenly into the Hand of Justice, yet I could not all this while enter into one serious Resolution to leave off this Trade; and especially considering that I was now very far from being Poor, that the Temptation of Necessity, which is the general Introduction of all such Wickedness, was now removed; that I had near 500l. by me in ready Money, on which I might have liv'd very well, if I had thought fit to have retir'd; but, I say, I had not so much as the least Inclination to leave off; no, not so much as I had before, when I had but 200l. beforehand, and when I had no such frightful Examples before my Eyes as these were: From hence 'tis evident, that when once we are harden'd in Crime, no Fear can affect us, no Example give us any Warning.
I had indeed one Comrade, whose Fate went very near me for a good while, tho' I wore it off too in Time, that Case was indeed very unhappy; I had made a Prize of a Piece of very good Damask in a Mercer's Shop, and went clear off my self; but had convey'd the Piece to this Companion of mine, when we went out of the Shop; and she went one way, I went another: We had not been long out of the Shop, but the Mercer mist the Piece of Stuff, and sent his Messengers, one, one way, and one another, and they presently seiz'd her that had the Piece, with the Damask upon her; as for me, I had very luckily stept into a House where there was a Lace Chamber, up one Pair of Stairs, and had the Satisfaction, or the Terror indeed of looking out of the Window, and seeing the poor Creature drag'd away to the Justice, who immediately committed her to Newgate.
I was careful to attempt nothing in the Lace-Chamber, but tumbl'd their Goods pretty much to spend Time; then bought a few Yards of Edging, and paid for it, and came away very sad Hearted indeed; for the poor Woman, who was in Tribulation, for what I only had stolen.
Here again my old Caution stood me in good stead; tho' I often robb'd with these People, yet I never let them know who I was; nor could they ever find out my Lodging, tho' they often endeavour'd to watch me to it. They all knew me by the Name of Moll Flanders, tho' even some of them rather believ'd I was she, than knew me to be so; my Name was publick among them indeed; but how to find me out they knew not, nor so much as how to guess at my Quarters, whether they were at the East End of the Town, or the West; and this Wariness was my Safety upon all these Occasions.
I kept close a great while upon the Occasion of this Woman's Disaster; I knew that if I should do any thing that should miscarry, and should be carry'd to Prison she would be there, and ready to witness against me, and perhaps save her Life at my Expence; I consider'd that I began to be very well known by Name at the Old Baily, tho' they did not know my Face; and that if I should fall into their Hands, I should be treated as an old Offender; and for this Reason, I was resolv'd to see what this poor Creatures Fate should be before I stirr'd, tho' several times in her Distress I convey'd Money to her for her Relief.
At length she came to her Tryal, she pleaded she did not steal the Things; but that one Mrs. Flanders as she heard her call'd (for she did not know her) gave the Bundle to her after they came out of the Shop, and bad her carry it Home. They ask'd her where this Mrs. Flanders was? But she could not produce her, neither could she give the least Account of me; and the Mercer's Men swearing positively that she was in the Shop when the Goods were stolen; that they immediately miss'd them, and pursu'd her, and found them upon her; thereupon the Jury brought her in Guilty, but the Court considering that she really was not the Person that Stole the Goods, and that it was very possible she could not find out this Mrs. Flanders, meaning me, tho' it would save her Life, which indeed was true; they allow'd her to be Transported, which was the utmost Favour she could obtain, only that the Court told her, if she could in the mean time produce the said Mrs. Flanders, they would intercede for her Pardon, that is to say, if she could find me out, and hang me, she should not be Transported: This I took care to make impossible to her, and so she was Shipp'd off in pursuance of her Sentence a little while after.
I must repeat it again, that the Fate of this poor Woman troubl'd me exceedingly; and I began to be very pensive, knowing that I was really the Instrument of her disaster; but my own Life, which was so evidently in Danger, took off my tenderness; and seeing she was not put to Death, I was easie at her Transportation, because she was then out of the way of doing me any Mischief whatever should happen.
The Disaster of this Woman was some Months before that of the last recited Story, and was indeed partly the Occasion of my Governess proposing to Dress me up in Men's Cloths, that I might go about unobserv'd; but I was soon tir'd of that Disguise, as I have said, for it expos'd me to too many Difficulties.
I was now easie, as to all Fear of Witnesses against me, for all those, that had either been concern'd with me, or that knew me by the Name of Moll Flanders, were either hang'd or Transported; and if I should have had the Misfortune to be taken, I might call myself any thing else, as well as Moll Flanders, and no old Sins could be plac'd to my Account; so I began to run a Tick again, with the more freedom, and several successful Adventures I made tho' not such as I had made before.
We had at that time another Fire happen'd not a great way off from the Place where my Governess liv'd, and I made an attempt there as before, but as I was not soon enough before the Crowd of People came in, and could not get to the House I aim'd at; instead of a Prize, I got a mischief, which had almost put a Period to my Life and all my wicked doings together; for the Fire being very furious, and the People inagreat Fright in removing their Goods, and throwing them out of Window; a Wench from out of a Window threw a Featherbed just upon me; it is true, the Bed being soft it broke no Bones: but as the weight was great, and made greater by the Fall, it beat me down, and laid me dead for a while: nor did the People concern themselves much to deliver me from it, or to recover me at all; but I lay like one Dead and neglected a good while; till some body going to remove the Bed out of the way, helped me up; it was indeed a wonder the People in the House had not thrown other Goods out after it, and which might have fallen upon it, and then I had been inevitably kill'd; but I was reserv'd for further Afflictions.
This Accident however spoil'd my Market for that time, and I came Home to my Governess very much hurt, and Frighted, and it was a good while before she could set me upon my Feet again.
It was now a Merry time of the Year, and Bartholomew Fair was begun; I had never made any Walks that Way, nor was the Fair of much Advantage to me; but I took a turn this Year into the Cloisters, and there I fell into one of the Raffling Shops: It was a thing of no great Consequence to me, but there came a Gentleman extreamly well Dress'd, and very Rich, and as 'tis frequent to talk to every Body in those Shops he singl'd me out, and was very particular with me; first he told me he would put in for me to Raffle, and did so; and some small matter coming to his Lot, he presented it to me, I think it was a Feather Muff: Then he continu'd to keep talking to me with a more than common Appearance of Respect; but still very civil and much like a Gentleman.
He held me in talk so long, till at last he drew me out of the Raffling Place to the Shop-Door, and then to take a walk in the Cloister, still talking of a Thousand things Cursorily without any thing to the purpose: at last hetold me that he was charm'd with my Company, and ask'd me if I durst trust myself in a Coach with him; he told me he was a Man of honour, and would not offer any thing to me unbecoming him: I seem'd to decline it a while, but suffer'd myself to be importun'd a little, and then yielded.
I was at a loss in my Thoughts to conclude at first what this Gentleman design'd; but I found afterward he had had some drink in his Head; and that he was not very unwilling to have some more: He carried me to the Spring Garden, at Knights-Bridge, where we walk'd in the Gardens, and he Treated me very handsomely; but I found he drank freely, he pressed me also to drink, but I declin'd it.
Hitherto he kept his Word with me, and offer'd me nothing amiss; we came away in the Coach again, and he brought me into the Streets, and by this time it was near Ten a Clock at Night, when he stop'd the Coach at a House, where it seems he was acquainted, and where they made no scruple to show us up Stairs into a Room with a Bed in it; at first I seem'd to be unwilling to go up, but after a few Words, I yielded to that too, being indeed willing to see the End of it, and in Hopes to make something of it at last; as for the Bed, &c., I was not much concern'd about that Part.
Here he began to be a little freer with me than he had promis'd; and I by little and little yielded to every thing, so that in a Word, he did what he pleas'd with me; I need say no more: All this while he drank freely too, and about One in the Morning we went into the Coach again: The Air, and the shaking of the Coach made the Drink get more up in his Head, and he grew uneasy, and was for acting over again, what he had been doing before; but as I thought my Game now secure, I resisted, and brought him to be a little still, which had not lasted five Minutes, but he fell fast asleep.
I took this opportunity to search him to a Nicety; I took a gold Watch, with a silk Purse of Gold, his fine full bottom Perrewig, and silver fring'd Gloves, his Sword, and fine Snuff-box, and gently opening the Coach-door, stood ready to jump out while the Coach was going on; but the Coach stopping in the narrow Street beyond Temple-Bar to let another Coach pass, I got softly out, fasten'd the Door again, and gave my Gentleman and the Coach the slip together.
This was an Adventure indeed unlook'd for, and perfectly undesign'd by me; tho' I was not so past the Merry part of Life, as to forget how to behave, when a Fop so blinded by his Appetite should not know an old Woman from a young: I did not indeed look so old as I was by ten or twelve Year; yet I was not a young Wench of Seventeen, and it was easie enough to be distinguish'd: There is nothing so absurd, so surfeiting, so ridiculous as a man heated by Wine in his Head, and a wicked Gust in his Inclination together; he is in the possession of two Devils at once, and can no more govern himself by his Reason than a Mill can Grind without Water; Vice tramples upon all that was in him that had any good in it; nay, his very Sense is blinded by its own Rage, and he acts Absurdities even in his View; such is Drinking more, when he is Drunk already; picking up a common Woman, without any regard to what she is, or who she is; whether Sound or Rotten, Clean or Unclean; whether Ugly or Handsome, Old or Young, and so blinded, as not really to distinguish; such a Man is worse than Lunatick; prompted by his vicious Head he no more knows what he is doing, than this Wretch of mine knew when I pick'd his Pocket of his Watch and his Purse of Gold.
These are the Men of whom Solomon says, they go like an Ox to the slaughter, till a Dart strikes through their Liver; an admirable Description, by the way, of the foul Disease, which is a poisonous deadly Contagion mingling with the Blood, whose Center or Fountain is in the Liver; from whence, by the swift Circulation of the whole Mass, that dreadful nauceous Plague strikes immediately thro' his Liver, and his Spirits are infected, his Vitals stab'd thro' as with a Dart.
It is true this poor unguarded Wretch was in no Danger from me, tho' I was greatly apprehensive at first, what Danger I might be in from him; but he was really to be pityed in one respect that he seem'd to be a good sort of a Man in himself; a Gentleman that had no harm in his Design; a Man of Sense, and of a fine Behaviour; a comely handsome Person, a sober and solid Countenance, a charming beautiful Face, and every thing that cou'd be agreeable; only had unhappily had some Drink the Night before; had not been in Bed, as he told me when we were together; was hot, and his Blood fir'd with Wine, and in that Condition his Reason as it were asleep, had given him up.
As for me, my Business was his Money, and what I could make of him, and after that if I could have found out any way to have done it, I would have sent him safe home to his House, and to his Family, for 'twas ten to one but he had an honest virtuous Wife, and innocent Children, that were anxious for his Safety, and would have been glad to have gotten him Home, and taken care of him, till he was restor'd to himself; and then with what Shame and Regret would he look back upon himself? how would he reproach himself with associating himself with a Whore? pick'd up in the worst of all Holes, the Cloister, among the Dirt and Filth of the Town? how would he be trembling for fear he had got the Pox, for fear a Dart had struck through his Liver, and hate himself every time he look'd back upon the Madness and Brutality of his Debauch? how would he, if he had any Principles of Honour, abhor the Thought of giving any ill Distemper, if he had it, as for ought he knew he might, to his Modest and Virtuous Wife, and thereby sowing the Contagion in the Life-Blood of his Posterity?
Would such Gentlemen but consider the contemptible Thoughtswhich the very Women they are concern'd with, in such Cases as these, have of them, it wou'd be a surfeit to them: As I said above, they value not the Pleasure, they are rais'd by no Inclination to the Man, the passive Jade thinks of no Pleasure but the Money; and when he is as it were drunk in the Extasies of his wicked Pleasure, her Hands are in his Pockets for what she can find there; and of which he can no more be sensible in the Moment of his Folly, than he can fore-think of it when he goes about it.
I knew a Woman that was so dexterous with a Fellow, who indeed deserv'd no better usage, that while he was busie with her another way, convey'd his Purse with twenty Guineas in it out of his Fob pocket, where he had put it for fear of her, and put another Purse with guilded Counters in it into the room of it: After he had done, he says to her, now han't you pick'd my Pocket? she jested with him, and told him she suppos'd he had not much to loose; he put his Hand to his Fob, and with his Fingers felt that his Purse wasthere, whichfully satisfy'dhim, and so she brought off his Money; and this was a Trade with her, she kept a sham Gold Watch, and a Purse of Counters in her Pocket to be ready on all such Occasions; and I doubt not practis'd it with Success.
I came Home with this last Booty to my Governess, and really when I told her the Story, it so affected her, that she was hardly able to forbear Tears, to think how such a Gentleman run a daily Risque of being undone, every Time a Glass of Wine got into his Head.
But as to the Purchase I got, and how entirely I strip'd him, she told me it pleased her wonderfully; nay, Child, says she, the Usage may, for ought I know, do more to reform him, than all the Sermons that ever he will hear in his Life, and if the Remainder of the Story be true, so it did.
I found the next Day she was wonderful Inquisitive about this Gentleman; the Description I gave her of him, his Dress, his Person, his Face, all concurr'd to make her think of a Gentleman whose Character she knew; she mus'd awhile, and I going on in the Particulars, says she, I lay a Hundred Pound I know the Man.
I am sorry if you do, says I, for I would not have him expos'd on any Account in the World; he has had Injury enough already, and I would not be instrumental to do him any more: No, no, says she, I will do him no Injury, but you may let me satisfy my Curiosity a little, for if it is he, I warrant you I find it out: I was a little startled at that, and I told her with an apparent Concern in my Face, that by the same Rule he might find me out, and then I was undone: She return'd warmly, Why, do you think I will betray you, Child? No, no, says she, not for all he is worth in the World; I have kept your Counsel in worse Things than these, sure you may trust me in this: So I said no more.
She laid her Scheme another way, and without acquainting me with it, but she was resolv'd to find it out; so she goes to a certain Friend of hers who was acquainted in the Family that she guess'd at, and told her she had some extraordinary Business with such a Gentleman, (who by the way was no less than a Baronet, and of a very good Family) and that she knew not how to come at him without somebody to introduce her: Her Friend promis'd her readily to do it, and accordingly goes to the House to see if the Gentleman was in Town.
The next Day, she comes to my Governess and tells her, that Sir – was at Home, but that he had met with a Disaster and was veryill, and there was no speaking to him; what Disaster, says my Governess hastily, as if she was surpriz'd at it? Why, says her Friend, he had been at Hampstead to Visit a Gentleman of his Acquaintance, and as he came back again he was set upon and Robb'd! and having got a little Drink too, as they suppose, the Rogues abus'd him, and he is very ill: Robb'd! says my Governess, and what did they take from him; why, says her Friend, they took his Gold Watch, and his Gold Snuff-box, his fine Perriwig, and what Money he had in his Pocket, which was considerable to be sure, for Sir – never goes without a Purse of Guineas about him.
Pshaw! says myold Governess Jeering, I warrant you, he has got Drunk now and got a Whore, and she has pick'd his Pocket, and so he comes Home to his Wife and tells her he has been robb'd; that's an old Sham, a thousand such Tricks are put upon the poor Women every Day.
FYE, says her Friend, I find you don't know Sir –, why, he is as Civil a Gentleman, there is not a finer man, nor a soberer, modester Person in the whole City; he abhors such things, there's no Body that knows him will think such a thing of him: Well, well, says my Governess, that's none of my Business, if it was, I warrant I should find there was something of that in it; your modest Men in common Opinion are sometimes no better than other People, only they keep a better Character, or if you please, are the better Hypocrites.
No, no, says her Friend, I can assure you Sir – is no Hypocrite, he is really an honest, sober Gentleman, and he has certainly been Robb'd: Nay, says my Governess, it may be he has, it is no Business of mine I tell you; Ionly want to speak with him, my Business is of another Nature; but, says her Friend, let your Business be of what nature it will, you cannot see him yet, for he is not fit to be seen, for he is very ill, and bruis'd very much: Ay, says my Governess, nay then he has fallen into bad Hands to be sure; and then she ask'd gravely, pray where is he bruised? Why in his Head, says her Friend, and one of his Hands, and his Face, for they us'd him barbarously. Poor Gentleman, says my Governess, I must wait then till he recovers, and adds, I hope it will not be long.
Away she comes to me and tells me this story, I have found out your fine Gentleman, and a fine Gentleman he was, says she, but, Mercy on him, he is in a sad Pickle now, I wonder what the D – l you have done to him; why you have almost kill'd him: I look'd at her with disorder enough; I kill'd him! says I, you must mistake the Person, I am sure I did nothing to him, he was very well when I left him, said I, only drunk and fast asleep; I know nothing of that, says she, but he is in a sad pickle now, and so she told me all that her Friend had said: Well then, says I, he fell into bad Hands after I left him, for I left him safe enough.
About ten Days after, my Governess goes again to her Friend, to introduce her to this Gentleman; she had enquir'd otherways in the mean time, and found that he was about again, so she got leave to speak with him.
She was a Woman of an admirable Address, and wanted no Body to introduce her; she told her Tale much better than I shall be able to tell it for her, for she was Mistress of her Tongue, as I said already: She told him that she came, tho' a Stranger, with a single design of doing him a Service, and he should find she had no other End in it; that as she came purely on so Friendly an Account, she beg'd a promise from him, that if he did not accept what she should officiously propose, he would not take it ill that she meddl'd with what was not her Business; she assur'd him that as what she had to say was a Secret that belong'd to him only, so whether he accepted her offer or not, it should remain a Secret to all the World, unless he expos'd it himself; nor should his refusing her Service in it, make her so little show her Respect, as to do him the least Injury, so that he should be entirely at liberty to act as he thought fit.
He look'd very shy at first, and said he knew nothing that related to him that requir'd much secresie; that he had never done any Man any wrong, and car'd not what any Body might say of him; that it was no part of his Character to be unjust to any Body, nor could he imagine in what any Man cou'd render him any Service; but that if it was as she said, he could not take it ill from any one that should endeavour to serve him; and so, as it were, left her at liberty either to tell him, or not to tell him, as she thought fit.
She found him so perfectly indifferent, that she was almost afraid to enter into the point with him; but however, after some other Circumlocutions, she told him, that by a strange and unaccountable Accident she came to have a particular knowledge of the late unhappy Adventure he had fallen into; and that in such a manner, that there was no Body in the World but herself and him, that were acquainted with it, no not the very Person that was with him.
He look'd a little angrily at first, what Adventure? said he; why Sir, said she, of your being Robb'd coming from Knightsbr–, Hampstead, Sir I should say, says she: be not surpris'd, Sir, says she, that I am able to tell you every step you took that Day from the Cloyster in Smithfield, to the Spring-garden at Knightsbridge, and thence to the – in the Strand, and how you were left asleep in the Coach afterwards; I say let not this surprize you, for Sir I do not come to make a Booty of you, I ask nothing of you, and I assure you the Woman that was with you knows nothing who you are, and never shall; and yet perhaps I may serve you farther still, for I did not come barely to let you know, that I was inform'd of these things, as if I wanted a Bribe to conceal them; assure your self, Sir, said she, that whatever you think fit to do or say to me, it shall be all a secret as it is, as much as if I were in my Grave.
He was astonish'd at her Discourse, and said gravely to her, Madam, you are a Stranger to me, but it is very unfortunate, that you should be let into the Secret of the worst action of my Life, and a thing that I am justly a sham'd of, in which the only satisfaction I had was, that I thought it was known only to God and my own Conscience: Pray, Sir, says she, do not reckon the Discovery of it to me, to be any part of your Misfortune; it was a thing, I believe, you were surprised into, and perhaps the Woman us'd some Art to prompt you to it; however, you will never find any just Cause, said she, to repent that I came to hear of it; nor can your Mouth be more silent in it than I have been, and ever shall be.
Well, says he, but let me do some Justice to the Woman too, whoever she is, I do assure you she prompted me to nothing, she rather declin'd me; it was my own Folly and Madness that brought me into it all, ay and brought her into it too; I must give her her due so far: As to what she took from me, I cou'd expect no less from her in the condition I was in, and to this Hour I know not whether she Robbed me or the Coachman; if she did it I forgive her, I think all Gentlemen that do so, should be us'd in the same manner; but I am more concern'd for some other things, than I am for all that she took from me.
My Governess now began to come into the whole matter, and he open'd himself freely to her; first, she said to him, in answer to what he had said about me, I am glad Sir you are so just to the Person that you were with; I assure you she is a Gentlewoman, and no Woman of the Town; and however you prevail'd with her as you did, I am sure 'tis not her Practice; you run a great venture indeed, Sir, but if that be part of your Care, you may be perfectly easie, for I do assure you no Man has touch'd her, before you, since her Husband; and he has been dead now almost eight Year.
It appear'd that this was his Grievance, and that he was in a very great fright about it; however, when my Governess said this to him, he appeared very well pleas'd; and said, well, Madam, to be plain with you, if I was satisfy'd of that, I should not so much value what I lost; for as to that, the Temptation was great, and perhaps she was poor and wanted it: If she had not been poor Sir says she, I assure you she would never have yielded to you; and as her Poverty first prevail'd with her to let you do as you did, so the same Poverty prevail'd with her to pay her self at last, when she saw you was in such a Condition, that if she had not done it, perhaps the next Coachman or Chairman might have done it more to your Hurt.
Well, says he, much good may it do her; I say again, all the Gentlemen that do so, ought to be us'd in the same manner, and then they would be cautious of themselves; I have no more concern about it, but on the score which you hinted at before: Here he entred into some freedoms with her on the Subject of what pass'd between us, which are not so proper for a Woman to write, and the great Terror that was upon his Mind with relation to his Wife, for fear she should have receiv'd any Injury from me, and should communicate it farther; and ask'd her at last if she cou'd not procure him an opportunity to speak with me; my Governess gave him farther assurances of my being a Woman clear from any such thing, and that he was as entirely safe in that respect, as he was with his own Lady; but as for seeing me, she said it might be of dangerous Consequence; but however, that she would talk with me, and let him know; endeavouring at the same time to perswade him not to desire it, and that it cou'd be of no Service to him; seeing she hop'd he had no desire to renew the Correspondence, and that on my account it was a kind of putting my Life in his Hands.
He told her, he had a great desire to see me, that he would give her any assurances that were in his Power, not to take any Advantages of me, and that in the first place he would give me a general release from all Demands of any kind; she insisted how it might tend to farther divulging the Secret, and might be injurious to him, entreating him not to press for it, so at length he desisted.
They had some Discourse upon the Subject of the things he had lost, and he seem'd to be very desirous of his Gold Watch, and told her if she cou'd procure that for him, he would willingly give as much for it, as it was worth; she told him she would endeavour to procure it for him and leave the valuing it to himself.
Accordingly the next Day she carried the Watch, and he gave her 30 Guineas for it, which was more than I should have been able to make of it, tho' it seems it cost much more; he spoke something of his Perriwig, which it seems cost him three-score Guineas, and his Snuff-box, and in a few Days more, she carried them too; which oblig'd him very much, and he gave her Thirty more, the next Day I sent him his fine Sword, and Cane gratis, and demanded nothing of him, but had no mind to see him, unless he might be satisfy'd I knew who he was, which he was not willing to.
Then he entered into a long Talk with her of the manner how she came to know all this matter; she form'd a long Tale of that part; how she had it from one, that I had told the whole Story to, and that was to help me dispose of the Goods; and this Confident brought Things to her, she being by Profession a Pawn-Broker; and she hearing of his Worship's disaster, guess'd at the thing in general; that having gotten the Things into her Hands, she had resolv'd to come and try as she had done: She then gave him repeated Assurances that it should never go out of her Mouth, and tho' she knew the Woman very well, yet she had not let her know, meaning me, any thing of who the Person was, which by the way was false; but however it was not to his Damage, for I never open'd my Mouth of it to any Body.
I had a great many Thoughts in my Head about my seeing him again, and was often sorry that I had refus'd it; I was perswaded that if I had seen him, and let him know that I knew him, I should have made some Advantage of him, and perhaps have had some Maintenance from him; and tho' it was a Life wicked enough, yet it was not so full of Danger as this I was ingag'd in: However those Thoughts wore off, and I declin'd seeing him again, for that Time; but my Governess saw him often, and he was very kind to her, giving her something almost every time he saw her; one time in particular she found him very Merry, and as she thought he had some Wine in his Head then, and he press'd her again to let him see that Woman, that, as he said, had bewitch'd him so that Night; my Governess, who was from the Beginning for my seeing him, told him, he was so desirous of it, that she could almost yield to it, if she could prevail uponme; adding that if he would please to come to her House in the Evening, she would endeavour it, upon his repeated Assurances of forgetting what was past.
Accordingly she came to me and told me all the Discourse; in short, she soon byass'd me to consent, in a Case which I had some regret in my Mind for declining before; so I prepar'd to see him; I dress'd me to all the Advantage possible I assure you, and for the first time us'd a little Art, I say for the first Time, for I had never yielded to the baseness of Paint before, having always had Vanity enough to believe I had no need of it.
At the Hour appointed he came; and as she observ'd before, so it was plain still, that he had been drinking, tho' very far from what we call being in Drink: He appear'd exceeding pleas'd to see me, and enter'd into a long Discourse with me, upon the old Affair; I beg'd his Pardon very often, for my Share of it, protested I had not any such Design when first I met him, that I had not gone out with him, but that I took him for a very civil Gentleman, and that he made me so many Promises of offering no Uncivility to me.
He alledg'd the Wine he drank, and that he scarce knew what he did, and that if it had not been so, he should never have taken the freedom with me he had done: He protested to me that he never touch'd any Woman but me, since he was marry'd to his Wife, and it was a Surprize upon him; Complimented me upon being so particularly agreeable to him, and the like, and talk'd so much of that kind, 'till I found he had talk'd himself almost into a Temper to do the thing again: But I took him up short, I protested I had never suffer'd any Man to touch me since my Husband died, which was near eight Year; he said he believ'd it; and added, that Madam, had intimated as much to him, and that it was his Opinion of that part which made him desire to see me again; and since he had once broken in upon his Virtue with me, and found no ill Consequences, he could be safe in venturing again; and so in short he went on, to what I expected, and to what will not bear relating.
My old Governess had foreseen it, as well as I, and therefore led him into a Room which had not a Bed in it, and yet had a Chamber within it, which had a Bed, whither we withdrew for the rest of the Night, and in short, after some time being together; he went to Bed, and lay there all Night, I withdrew, but came again undress'd before it was Day, and lay with him the rest of the Time.
Thus you see having committed a Crime once, is a sad Handle to the committing of it again; all the Reflections wear off when the Temptation renews itself; had I not yielded to see him again, the corrupt Desire in him had worn off, and 'tis very probable he had never fallen into it, with any Body else, as I really believe he had not done before.
When he went away, I told him I hop'd he was satisfy'd he had not been robb'd again; he told me he was fully satisfy'd in that Point; and putting his Hand in his Pocket gave me five Guineas, which was the first Money I had gain'd that way for many Years.
I had several Visits of the like Kind from him, but he never came into a settled way of Maintenance, which was what I would have been best pleas'd with: Once, indeed, he ask'd me how I didtolive, I answer'd him pretty quick, that I assur'd him I had never taken that Course that I took with him; but that indeed I work'd at my Needle, and could just Maintain my self, that sometimes it was as much as I was able to do, and I shifted hard enough.
He seem'd to reflect upon himself, that he should be the first Person to lead me into that, which he assur'd me he never intended to do himself; and it touch'd him a little, he said, that he should be the Cause of his own Sin, and mine too: He would often make just Reflections, also upon the Crime itself, and upon the particular Circumstances of it, with respect to himself; how Wine introduc'd the Inclinations, how the Devil led him to the Place, and found out an Object to tempt him, and he made the Moral always himself.
When these Thoughts were upon him, he would go away, and perhaps not come again in a Months time or longer; but then as the serious Part wore off, the lewd Part would wear in, and then he came prepar'd for the wicked Part; thus we liv'd for some Time; tho' he did not KEEP, as they call it, yet he never fail'd doing things that were handsome, and sufficient to maintain me without Working, and which was better, without following my old Trade.
But this Affair had its End too; for after about a Year, I found that he did not come so often as usual, and at last he left it off altogether without any Dislike, or bidding adieu; and so there was an End of that short Scene of Life, which added no great Store to me, only to make more Work for Repentance.
During this Interval, I confin'd my self pretty much at Home; at least being thus provided for, I made no Adventures, no not for a Quarter of a Year after; but then finding the Fund fail, and being loath to spend upon the main Stock, I began to think of my old Trade, and to look abroad into the Street; and my first Step was lucky enough.
I had dress'd myself up in a very mean Habit, for as I had several Shapes to appear in, I was now in an ordinary Stuff Gown, a blue Apron and a Straw Hat; and I plac'd myself at the Door of the three Cups Inn in St. John's-street: There were several Carriers us'd the Inn, and the Stage Coaches for Barnet, for Toteridge, and other Towns that Way, stood always in the Street, in the Evening, when they prepar'd to set out; so that I was ready for any thing that offer'd: The Meaning was this, People come frequently with Bundles and small Parcels to those Inns, and call for such Carriers, or Coaches as they want; to carry them into the Country; and there generally attends Women, Porter's Wives or Daughters, ready to take in such things for the People that employ them.
It happen'd very odly that I was standing at the Inn-Gate, and a Woman that stood there before, and which was the Porter's Wife belonging to the Barnet Stage Coach, having observ'd me, ask'd if I waited for any of the Coaches; I told her yes, I waited for my Mistress, that was coming to go to Barnet; she ask'd me who was my Mistress, and I told her any Madam's Name that came next me; but it seem'd I happen'd upon a Name, a Family of which Name liv'd at Hadly near Barnet.
I said no more to her, or she to me a good while, but by and by, some Body calling her at a Door a little way off, she desir'd me that if any Body call'd for the Barnet Coach, I would step and call her at the House, which it seems was an Ale-house; I said yes, very readily, and away she went.
She was no sooner gone; but comes a Wench and a Child, puffing and sweating, and asks for the Barnet Coach, I answer'd presently, here. Do you belong to the Barnet Coach? says she. Yes, Sweetheart, said I, What do you want? I want Room for two Passengers, says she. Where are they Sweetheart? said I. Here's this Girl, pray let her go into the Coach, says she, and I'll go and fetch my Mistress; make haste then Sweet-heart, says I, for we may be full else.
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