it，Ibroughthimmorehomeingold，andtoldhimthere
　　wasalittlemoreportionforhim；and，inshort，inaboutaweek
　　moreIbroughthimmore，andaboutinlinen，which
　　ImadehimbelieveIhadbeenobligedtotakewiththe#100
　　whichIgavehimingold，asacompositionforadebtof#600，
　　beinglittlemorethanfiveshillingsinthepound，andovervaluedtoo。
　　’Andnow，mydear，’saysItohim，’Iamverysorrytotellyou，
　　thatthereisall，andthatIhavegivenyoumywholefortune。’
　　Iadded，thatifthepersonwhohadmy#600hadnotabused
　　me，Ihadbeenworth#1000tohim，butthatasitwas，Ihad
　　beenfaithfultohim，andreservednothingtomyself，butifit
　　hadbeenmoreheshouldhavehadit。
　　Hewassoobligedbythemanner，andsopleasedwiththesum，
　　forhehadbeeninaterriblefrightlestithadbeennothingat
　　all，thatheaccepteditverythankfully。
　　AndthusIgotover
　　thefraudofpassingforafortunewithoutmoney，andcheating
　　amanintomarryingmeonpretenceofafortune；which，by
　　theway，Itaketobeoneofthemostdangerousstepsawoman
　　cantake，andinwhichsherunsthemosthazardofbeing
　　ill-usedafterwards。
　　Myhusband，togivehimhisdue，wasamanofinfinitegood
　　nature，buthewasnofool；andfindinghisincomenotsuited
　　tothemanneroflivingwhichhehadintended，ifIhadbrought
　　himwhatheexpected，andbeingunderadisappointmentin
　　hisreturnofhisplantationsinVirginia，hediscoveredmany
　　timeshisinclinationofgoingovertoVirginia，toliveupon
　　hisown；andoftenwouldbemagnifyingthewayofliving
　　there，howcheap，howplentiful，howpleasant，andthelike。
　　Ibeganpresentlytounderstandthismeaning，andItook
　　himupveryplainlyonemorning，andtoldhimthatIdidso；
　　thatIfoundhisestateturnedtonoaccountatthisdistance，
　　comparedtowhatitwoulddoifheliveduponthespot，and
　　thatIfoundhehadamindtogoandlivethere；andIadded，
　　thatIwassensiblehehadbeendisappointedinawife，and
　　thatfindinghisexpectationsnotansweredthatway，Icould
　　donoless，tomakehimamends，thantellhimthatIwasvery
　　willingtogoovertoVirginiawithhimandlivethere。
　　Hesaidathousandkindthingstomeuponthesubjectofmy
　　makingsuchaproposaltohim。
　　Hetoldme，thathowever
　　hewasdisappointedinhisexpectationsofafortune，hewas
　　notdisappointedinawife，andthatIwasalltohimthata
　　wifecouldbe，andhewasmorethansatisfiedonthewhole
　　whentheparticularswereputtogether，butthatthisofferwas
　　sokind，thatitwasmorethanhecouldexpress。
　　Tobringthestoryshort，weagreedtogo。
　　Hetoldmethathe
　　hadaverygoodhousethere，thatitwaswellfurnished，that
　　hismotherwasaliveandlivedinit，andonesister，whichwas
　　alltherelationshehad；thatassoonashecamethere，his
　　motherwouldremovetoanotherhouse，whichwasherown
　　forlife，andhisafterherdecease；sothatIshouldhaveallthe
　　housetomyself；andIfoundallthistobeexactlyashehad
　　said。
　　Tomakethispartofthestoryshort，weputonboardtheship
　　whichwewentin，alargequantityofgoodfurnitureforour
　　house，withstoresoflinenandothernecessaries，andagood
　　cargoforsale，andawaywewent。
　　Togiveanaccountofthemannerofourvoyage，whichwas
　　longandfullofdangers，isoutofmyway；Ikeptnojournal，
　　neitherdidmyhusband。
　　AllthatIcansayis，thataftera
　　terriblepassage，frightedtwicewithdreadfulstorms，andonce
　　withwhatwasstillmoreterrible，Imeanapiratewhocame
　　onboardandtookawayalmostallourprovisions；andwhich
　　wouldhavebeenbeyondalltome，theyhadoncetakenmy
　　husbandtogoalongwiththem，butbyentreatieswereprevailed
　　withtoleavehim；——Isay，afteralltheseterriblethings，we
　　arrivedinYorkRiverinVirginia，andcomingtoourplantation，
　　wewerereceivedwithallthedemonstrationsoftenderness
　　andaffection，bymyhusband’smother，thatwerepossibleto
　　beexpressed。
　　Welivedherealltogether，mymother-in-law，atmyentreaty，
　　continuinginthehouse，forshewastookindamothertobe
　　partedwith；myhusbandlikewisecontinuedthesameasat
　　first，andIthoughtmyselfthehappiestcreaturealive，when
　　anoddandsurprisingeventputanendtoallthatfelicityina
　　moment，andrenderedmyconditionthemostuncomfortable，
　　ifnotthemostmiserable，intheworld。
　　Mymotherwasamightycheerful，good-humouredoldwoman——
　　Imaycallheroldwoman，forhersonwasabovethirty；I
　　sayshewasverypleasant，goodcompany，andusedtoentertain
　　me，inparticular，withabundanceofstoriestodivertme，as
　　wellof
　　thecountrywewereinasofthepeople。
　　Amongtherest，sheoftentoldmehowthegreatestpartof
　　theinhabitantsofthecolonycamethitherinveryindifferent
　　circumstancesfromEngland；that，generallyspeaking，they
　　wereoftwosorts；either，first，suchaswerebroughtoverby
　　mastersofshipstobesoldasservants。
　　’Suchaswecallthem，
　　mydear，’saysshe，’buttheyaremoreproperlycalledslaves。’
　　Or，secondly，suchasaretransportedfromNewgateandother
　　prisons，afterhavingbeenfoundguiltyoffelonyandother
　　crimespunishablewithdeath。
　　’Whentheycomehere，’saysshe，’wemakenodifference；the
　　plantersbuythem，andtheyworktogetherinthefieldtill
　　theirtimeisout。
　　When’tisexpired，’saidshe，’theyhave
　　encouragementgiventhemtoplantforthemselves；forthey
　　haveacertainnumberofacresoflandallottedthembythe
　　country，andtheygotoworktoclearandcuretheland，and
　　thentoplantitwithtobaccoandcornfortheirownuse；and
　　asthetradesmenandmerchantswilltrustthemwithtoolsand
　　clothesandothernecessaries，uponthecreditoftheircrop
　　beforeitisgrown，sotheyagainplanteveryyearalittlemore
　　thantheyearbefore，andsobuywhatevertheywantwiththe
　　cropthatisbeforethem。
　　’Hence，child，’saysshe，’manaNewgate-birdbecomesagreat
　　man，andwehave，’continuedshe，’severaljusticesofthepeace，
　　officersofthetrainedbands，andmagistratesofthetownsthey
　　livein，thathavebeenburntinthehand。’
　　Shewasgoingonwiththatpartofthestory，whenherown
　　partinitinterruptedher，andwithagreatdealofgood-humoured
　　confidenceshetoldmeshewasoneofthesecondsortof
　　inhabitantsherself；thatshecameawayopenly，havingventured
　　toofarinaparticularcase，sothatshewasbecomeacriminal。
　　’Andhere’sthemarkofit，child，’saysshe；and，pullingoffher
　　glove，’lookyehere，’saysshe，turningupthepalmofher
　　hand，andshowedmeaveryfinewhitearmandhand，but
　　brandedintheinsideofthehand，asinsuchcasesitmustbe。
　　Thisstorywasverymovingtome，butmymother，smiling，
　　said，’Youneednotthingathingstrange，daughter，forasI
　　toldyou，someofthebestmeninthiscountryareburntinthe
　　hand，andtheyarenotashamedtoownit。
　　There’sMajor——，’
　　saysshe，’hewasaneminentpickpocket；there’sJusticeBa——r，
　　wasashoplifter，andbothofthemwereburntinthehand；and
　　Icouldnameyouseveralsuchastheyare。’
　　Wehadfrequentdiscoursesofthiskind，andabundanceof
　　instancesshegavemeofthelike。
　　Aftersometime，asshewas
　　tellingsomestoriesofonethatwastransportedbutafew
　　weeksago，Ibeganinanintimatekindofwaytoaskherto
　　tellmesomethingofherownstory，whichshedidwiththe
　　utmostplainnessandsincerity；howshehadfallenintoveryill
　　companyinLondoninheryoungdays，occasionedbyher
　　mothersendingherfrequentlytocarryvictualsandotherrelief
　　toakinswomanofherswhowasaprisonerinNewgate，and
　　wholayinamiserablestarvingcondition，wasafterwards
　　condemnedtobehanged，buthavinggotrespitebypleading
　　herbelly，diesafterwardsintheprison。
　　Heremymother-in-lawranoutinalongaccountofthewicked
　　practicesinthatdreadfulplace，andhowitruinedmoreyoung
　　peoplethatallthetownbesides。
　　’Andchild，’saysmymother，
　　’perhapsyoumayknowlittleofit，or，itmaybe，haveheard
　　nothingaboutit；butdependuponit，’saysshe，’weallknow
　　herethattherearemorethievesandroguesmadebythatone
　　prisonofNewgatethanbyalltheclubsandsocietiesofvillains
　　inthenation；’tisthatcursedplace，’saysmymother，’thathalf
　　peopledthiscolony。’
　　Hereshewentonwithherownstorysolong，andinsoparticular
　　amanner，thatIbegantobeveryuneasy；butcomingtoone
　　particularthatrequiredtellinghername，IthoughtIshould
　　havesunkdownintheplace。
　　SheperceivedIwasoutof
　　order，andaskedmeifIwasnotwell，andwhatailedme。
　　I
　　toldherIwassoaffectedwiththemelancholystoryshehad
　　told，andtheterriblethingsshehadgonethrough，thatithad
　　overcomeme，andIbeggedofhertotalknomoreofit。
　　’Why，
　　mydear，’sayssheverykindly，’whatneedthesethingstrouble
　　you？
　　Thesepassageswerelongbeforeyourtime，andthey
　　givemenotroubleatallnow；nay，Ilookbackonthemwith
　　aparticularsatisfaction，astheyhavebeenameanstobring
　　metothisplace。’
　　Thenshewentontotellmehowshevery
　　luckilyfellintoagoodfamily，where，behavingherselfwell，
　　andhermistressdying，hermastermarriedher，bywhomshe
　　hadmyhusbandandhissister，andthatbyherdiligenceand
　　goodmanagementafterherhusband’sdeath，shehadimproved
　　theplantationstosuchadegreeastheythenwere，sothatmost
　　oftheestatewasofhergetting，notherhusband’s，forshehad
　　beenawidowupwardsofsixteenyears。
　　Iheardthispartoftheystorywithverylittleattention，because
　　Iwantedmuchtoretireandgiveventtomypassions，which
　　Ididsoonafter；andletanyonejudgewhatmustbetheanguish
　　ofmymind，whenIcametoreflectthatthiswascertainlyno
　　moreorlessthanmyownmother，andIhadnowhadtwo
　　children，andwasbigwithanotherbymyownbrother，and
　　laywithhimstilleverynight。
　　Iwasnowthemostunhappyofallwomenintheworld。
　　Oh！
　　hadthestoryneverbeentoldme，allhadbeenwell；ithadbeen
　　nocrimetohavelainwithmyhusband，sinceastohisbeing
　　myrelationIhadknownnothingofit。
　　Ihadnowsuchaloadonmymindthatitkeptmeperpetually
　　waking；torevealit，whichwouldhavebeensomeeasetome，
　　Icouldnotfindwouldbetoanypurpose，andyettoconceal
　　itwouldbenexttoimpossible；nay，IdidnotdoubtbutIshould
　　talkofitinmysleep，andtellmyhusbandofitwhetherIwould
　　orno。