wasamaninahurryofpublicaffairsandgettingmoney，
　　seldomathome，thoughtfulofthemainchance，butleftall
　　thosethingstohiswife。
　　Youmayeasilybelieve，thatwhentheplotwasthus，asthey
　　thought，brokeout，andthateveryonethoughttheyknewhow
　　thingswerecarried，itwasnotsodifficultorsodangerousfor
　　theelderbrother，whomnobodysuspectedofanything，tohave
　　afreeraccesstomethanbefore；nay，themother，whichwas
　　justashewished，proposedittohimtotalkwithMrs。Betty。
　　’Foritmaybe，son，’saidshe，’youmayseefartherintothe
　　thingthanI，andseeifyouthinkshehasbeensopositiveas
　　Robinsaysshehasbeen，orno。’
　　Thiswasaswellashecould
　　wish，andhe，asitwere，yieldingtotalkwithmeathismother’s
　　request，shebroughtmetohimintoherownchamber，toldme
　　hersonhadsomebusinesswithmeatherrequest，anddesired
　　metobeverysincerewithhim，andthensheleftustogether，
　　andhewentandshutthedoorafterher。
　　Hecamebacktomeandtookmeinhisarms，andkissedme
　　verytenderly；buttoldmehehadalongdiscoursetohold
　　withme，anditwasnotcometothatcrisis，thatIshouldmake
　　myselfhappyormiserableaslongasIlived；thatthething
　　wasnowgonesofar，thatifIcouldnotcomplywithhisdesire，
　　wewouldbothberuined。
　　Thenhetoldthewholestory
　　betweenRobin，ashecalledhim，andhismotherandsisters
　　andhimself，asitisabove。
　　’Andnow，dearchild，’sayshe，
　　’considerwhatitwillbetomarryagentlemanofagoodfamily，
　　ingoodcircumstances，andwiththeconsentofthewholehouse，
　　andtoenjoyallthatheworldcangiveyou；andwhat，onthe
　　otherhand，tobesunkintothedarkcircumstancesofawoman
　　thathaslostherreputation；andthatthoughIshallbeaprivate
　　friendtoyouwhileIlive，yetasIshallbesuspectedalways，
　　soyouwillbeafraidtoseeme，andIshallbeafraidtoownyou。’
　　Hegavemenotimetoreply，butwentonwithmethus:
　　’What
　　hashappenedbetweenus，child，solongaswebothagreetodo
　　so，maybeburiedandforgotten。
　　Ishallalwaysbeyoursincere
　　friend，withoutanyinclinationtonearerintimacy，whenyou
　　becomemysister；andweshallhaveallthehonestpartof
　　conversationwithoutanyreproachesbetweenusofhaving
　　doneamiss。
　　Ibegofyoutoconsiderit，andtonotstandinthe
　　wayofyourownsafetyandprosperity；andtosatisfyyouthat
　　Iamsincere，’addedhe，’Ihereofferyou#500inmoney，to
　　makeyousomeamendsforthefreedomsIhavetakenwith
　　you，whichweshalllookuponassomeofthefolliesofour
　　lives，
　　which’tishopedwemayrepentof。’
　　Hespokethisinsomuchmoremovingtermsthanitispossible
　　formetoexpress，andwithsomuchgreaterforceofargument
　　thanIcanrepeat，thatIonlyrecommendittothosewhoread
　　thestory，tosuppose，thatasheheldmeaboveanhouranda
　　halfinthatdiscourse，soheansweredallmyobjections，and
　　fortifiedhisdiscoursewithalltheargumentsthathumanwit
　　andartcoulddevise。
　　Icannotsay，however，thatanythinghesaidmadeimpression
　　enoughuponmesoastogivemeanythoughtofthematter，
　　tillhetoldmeatlastveryplainly，thatifIrefused，hewas
　　sorrytoaddthathecouldnevergoonwithmeinthatstation
　　aswestoodbefore；thatthoughhelovedmeaswellasever，
　　andthatIwasasagreeabletohimasever，yetsenseofvirtue
　　hadnotsofarforsakenhimastosufferhimtoliewitha
　　womanthathisbrothercourtedtomakehiswife；andifhe
　　tookhisleaveofme，withadenialinthisaffair，whateverhe
　　mightdoformeinthepointofsupport，groundedonhisfirst
　　engagementofmaintainingme，yethewouldnothavemebe
　　surprisedthathewasobligedtotellmehecouldnotallow
　　himselftoseemeanymore；andthat，indeed，Icouldnot
　　expectitofhim。
　　Ireceivedthislastpartwithsometokenofsurpriseand
　　disorder，andhadmuchadotoavoidsinkingdown，forindeed
　　Ilovedhimtoanextravagancenoteasytoimagine；buthe
　　perceivedmydisorder。
　　Heentreatedmetoconsiderseriously
　　ofit；assuredmethatitwastheonlywaytopreserveour
　　mutualaffection；thatinthisstationwemightloveasfriends，
　　withtheutmostpassion，andwithaloveofrelationuntainted，
　　freefromourjustreproaches，andfreefromotherpeople’s
　　suspicions；thatheshouldeveracknowledgehishappiness
　　owingtome；thathewouldbedebtortomeaslongashe
　　lived，andwouldbepayingthatdebtaslongashehadbreath。
　　Thushewroughtmeup，inshort，toakindofhesitationinthe
　　matter；havingthedangersononesiderepresentedinlively
　　figures，andindeed，heightenedbymyimaginationofbeing
　　turnedouttothewideworldamerecast-offwhore，foritwas
　　noless，andperhapsexposedassuch，withlittletoprovidefor
　　myself，withnofriend，noacquaintanceinthewholeworld，
　　outofthattown，andthereIcouldnotpretendtostay。
　　All
　　thisterrifiedmetothelastdegree，andhetookcareuponall
　　occasionstolayithometomeintheworstcoloursthatitcould
　　bepossibletobedrawnin。
　　Ontheotherhand，hefailednotto
　　setforththeeasy，prosperouslifewhichIwasgoingtolive。
　　HeansweredallthatIcouldobjectfromaffection，andfrom
　　formerengagements，withtellingmethenecessitythatwas
　　beforeusoftakingothermeasuresnow；andastohispromises
　　ofmarriage，thenatureofthings，hesaid，hadputanendto
　　that，bytheprobabilityofmybeinghisbrother’swife，before
　　thetimetowhichhispromisesallreferred。
　　Thus，inaword，Imaysay，hereasonedmeoutofmyreason；
　　heconqueredallmyarguments，andIbegantoseeadanger
　　thatIwasin，whichIhadnotconsideredofbefore，andthat
　　was，ofbeingdroppedbybothofthemandleftaloneinthe
　　worldtoshiftformyself。
　　This，andhispersuasion，atlengthprevailedwithmeto
　　consent，thoughwithsomuchreluctance，thatitwaseasyto
　　seeIshouldgotochurchlikeabeartothestake。
　　Ihadsome
　　littleapprehensionsaboutme，too，lestmynewspouse，who，
　　bytheway，Ihadnottheleastaffectionfor，shouldbeskillful
　　enoughtochallengemeonanotheraccount，uponourfirst
　　comingtobedtogether。
　　Butwhetherhediditwithdesignor
　　not，Iknownot，buthiselderbrothertookcaretomakehim
　　verymuchfuddledbeforehewenttobed，sothatIhadthe
　　satisfactionofadrunkenbedfellowthefirstnight。
　　Howhe
　　diditIknownot，butIconcludedthathecertainlycontrived
　　it，thathisbrothermightbeabletomakenojudgmentofthe
　　differencebetweenamaidandamarriedwoman；nordidhe
　　everentertainanynotionsofit，ordisturbhisthoughtsaboutit。
　　IshouldgobackalittleheretowhereIleftoff。
　　Theelder
　　brotherhavingthusmanagedme，hisnextbusinesswasto
　　managehismother，andheneverlefttillhehadbroughther
　　toacquiesceandbepassiveinthething，evenwithout
　　acquaintingthefather，otherthanbypostletters；sothatshe
　　consentedtoourmarryingprivately，andleavinghertomange
　　thefatherafterwards。
　　Thenhecajoledwithhisbrother，andpersuadedhimwhat
　　servicehehaddonehim，andhowhehadbroughthismother
　　toconsent，which，thoughtrue，wasnotindeeddonetoserve
　　him，buttoservehimself；butthusdiligentlydidhecheathim，
　　andhadthethanksofafaithfulfriendforshiftingoffhiswhore
　　intohisbrother’sarmsforawife。
　　Socertainlydoesinterest
　　banishallmannerofaffection，andsonaturallydomengive
　　uphonourandjustice，humanity，andevenChristianity，to
　　securethemselves。
　　ImustnowcomebacktobrotherRobin，aswealwayscalled
　　him，whohavinggothismother’sconsent，asabove，came
　　bigwiththenewstome，andtoldmethewholestoryofit，
　　withasinceritysovisible，thatImustconfessitgrievedme
　　thatImustbetheinstrumenttoabusesohonestagentleman。
　　Buttherewasnoremedy；hewouldhaveme，andIwasnot
　　obligedtotellhimthatIwashisbrother’swhore，thoughIhad
　　nootherwaytoputhimoff；soIcamegraduallyintoit，tohis
　　satisfaction，andbeholdweweremarried。
　　Modestyforbidsmetorevealthesecretsofthemarriage-bed，
　　butnothingcouldhavehappenedmoresuitabletomy
　　circumstancesthanthat，asabove，myhusbandwassofuddled
　　whenhecametobed，thathecouldnotrememberinthe
　　morningwhetherhehadhadanyconversationwithmeorno，
　　andIwasobligedtotellhimhehad，thoughinrealityhehad
　　not，thatImightbesurehecouldmaketoinquiryabout
　　anythingelse。
　　Itconcernsthestoryinhandverylittletoenterintothefurther
　　particularsofthefamily，orofmyself，forthefiveyearsthatI
　　livedwiththishusband，onlytoobservethatIhadtwochildren
　　byhim，andthatattheendoffiveyearshedied。
　　Hehadbeen
　　reallyaverygoodhusbandtome，andwelivedveryagreeably
　　together；butashehadnotreceivedmuchfromthem，andhad
　　inthelittletimehelivedacquirednogreatmatters，somy
　　circumstanceswerenotgreat，norwasImuchmendedbythe
　　match。
　　Indeed，Ihadpreservedtheelderbrother’sbondsto
　　me，topay#500，whichheofferedmeformyconsenttomarry
　　hisbrother；andthis，withwhatIhadsavedofthemoneyhe
　　formerlygaveme，aboutasmuchmorebymyhusband，leftme
　　awidowwithabout#1200inmypocket。
　　Mytwochildrenwere，indeed，takenhappilyoffmyhandsby
　　myhusband’sfatherandmother，andthat，bytheway，wasall
　　theygotbyMrs。Betty。
　　IconfessIwasnotsuitablyaffectedwiththelossofmyhusband，
　　norindeedcanIsaythatIeverlovedhimasIoughttohave
　　done，oraswasproportionabletothegoodusageIhadfrom
　　him，forhewasatender，kind，good-humouredmanasany
　　womancoulddesire；buthisbrotherbeingsoalwaysinmy
　　sight，atleastwhilewewereinthecountry，wasacontinual
　　snaretome，andIneverwasinbedwithmyhusbandbutI
　　wishedmyselfinthearmsofhisbrother；andthoughhisbrother
　　neverofferedmetheleastkindnessthatwayafterourmarriage，
　　butcarrieditjustasabrotherouttodo，yetitwasimpossible
　　formetodosotohim；inshort，Icommittedadulteryandincest
　　withhimeverydayinmydesires，which，withoutdoubt，wasas
　　effectuallycriminalinthenatureoftheguiltasifIhadactually
　　doneit。