presentlytoldthepeopleofthehouse，thatIdursttosaythose
　　werenotthepersons，forthatIknewoneofthegentlemento
　　beaveryhonestperson，andofagoodestateinLancashire。
　　Theconstablewhocamewiththehue-and-crywasimmediately
　　informedofthis，andcameovertometobesatisfiedfrommy
　　ownmouth，andIassuredhimthatIsawthethreegentlemen
　　asIwasatthewindow；thatIsawthemafterwardsatthe
　　windowsoftheroomtheydinedin；thatIsawthemafterwards
　　takehorse，andIcouldassurehimIknewoneofthemtobe
　　suchaman，thathewasagentlemanofaverygoodestate，and
　　anundoubtedcharacterinLancashire，fromwhenceIwasjust
　　nowuponmyjourney。
　　TheassurancewithwhichIdeliveredthisgavethemobgentry
　　acheck，andgavetheconstablesuchsatisfaction，thathe
　　immediatelysoundedaretreat，toldhispeoplethesewerenot
　　themen，butthathehadanaccounttheywereveryhonest
　　gentlemen；andsotheywentallbackagain。
　　Whatthetruthof
　　thematterwasIknewnot，butcertainitwasthatthecoaches
　　wererobbedatDunstableHill，and#560inmoneytaken；
　　besides，someofthelacemerchantsthatalwaystravelthatway
　　hadbeenvisitedtoo。
　　Astothethreegentlemen，thatremains
　　tobeexplainedhereafter。
　　Well，thisalarmstoppedusanotherday，thoughmyspouse
　　wasfortravelling，andtoldmethatitwasalwayssafesttravelling
　　afterarobbery，forthatthethievesweresuretobegonefar
　　enoughoffwhentheyhadalarmedthecountry；butIwasafraid
　　anduneasy，andindeedprincipallylestmyoldacquaintance
　　shouldbeupontheroadstill，andshouldchancetoseeme。
　　Ineverlivedfourpleasanterdaystogetherinmylife。
　　Iwasa
　　merebrideallthiswhile，andmynewspousestrovetomake
　　meentirelyeasyineverything。
　　Ohcouldthisstateoflifehave
　　continued，howhadallmypasttroublesbeenforgot，andmy
　　futuresorrowsavoided！
　　ButIhadapastlifeofamostwretched
　　kindtoaccountfor，someifitinthisworldaswellasinanother。
　　Wecameawaythefifthday；andmylandlord，becausehesaw
　　meuneasy，mountedhimself，hisson，andthreehonestcountry
　　fellowswithgoodfirearms，and，withouttellingusofit，
　　followedthecoach，andwouldseeussafeintoDunstable。
　　coulddonolessthantreatthemveryhandsomelyatDunstable，
　　whichcostmyspouseabouttenortwelveshillings，and
　　somethinghegavethemenfortheirtimetoo，butmylandlord
　　wouldtakenothingforhimself。
　　Thiswasthemosthappycontrivanceformethatcouldhave
　　fallenout；forhadIcometoLondonunmarried，Imusteither
　　havecometohimforthefirstnight’sentertainment，orhave
　　discoveredtohimthatIhadnotoneacquaintanceinthewhole
　　cityofLondonthatcouldreceiveapoorbridgeforthefirst
　　night’slodgingwithherspouse。
　　Butnow，beinganoldmarried
　　woman，Imadenoscrupleofgoingdirectlyhomewithhim，
　　andthereItookpossessionatonceofahousewellfurnished，
　　andahusbandinverygoodcircumstances，sothatIhada
　　prospectofaveryhappylife，ifIknewhowtomanageit；and
　　IhadleisuretoconsideroftherealvalueofthelifeIwaslikely
　　tolive。
　　Howdifferentitwastobefromthelooseungoverned
　　partIhadactedbefore，andhowmuchhappieralifeofvirtue
　　andsobrietyis，thanthatwhichwecallalifeofpleasure。
　　Ohhadthisparticularsceneoflifelasted，orhadIlearned
　　fromthattimeIenjoyedit，tohavetastedthetruesweetness
　　ofit，andhadInotfallenintothatpovertywhichisthesure
　　baneofvirtue，howhappyhadIbeen，notonlyhere，butperhaps
　　forever！
　　forwhileIlivedthus，Iwasreallyapenitentforall
　　mylifepast。
　　Ilookedbackonitwithabhorrence，andmight
　　trulybesaidtohatemyselfforit。
　　Ioftenreflectedhowmy
　　loverattheBath，struckatthehandofGod，repentedand
　　abandonedme，andrefusedtoseemeanymore，thoughhe
　　lovedmetoanextreme；butI，promptedbythatworstof
　　devils，poverty，returnedtothevilepractice，andmadethe
　　advantageofwhattheycallahandsomefacetobetherelief
　　tomynecessities，andbeautybeapimptovice。
　　NowIseemedlandedinasafeharbour，afterthestormyvoyage
　　oflifepastwasatanend，andIbegantobethankfulformy
　　deliverance。
　　Isatmanyanhourbymyself，andweptoverthe
　　remembranceofpastfollies，andthedreadfulextravagances
　　ofawickedlife，andsometimesIflatteredmyselfthatIhad
　　sincerelyrepented。
　　Buttherearetemptationswhichitisnotinthepowerofhuman
　　naturetoresist，andfewknowwhatwouldbetheircaseif
　　driventothesameexigencies。
　　Ascovetousnessistherootof
　　allevil，sopovertyis，Ibelieve，theworstofallsnares。
　　ButI
　　waivethatdiscoursetillIcometoanexperiment。
　　Ilivewiththishusbandwiththeutmosttranquillity；hewasa
　　quiet，sensible，soberman；virtuous，modest，sincere，andin
　　hisbusinessdiligentandjust。
　　Hisbusinesswasinanarrow
　　compass，andhisincomesufficienttoaplentifulwayofliving
　　intheordinaryway。
　　Idonotsaytokeepanequipage，and
　　makeafigure，astheworldcallsit，nordidIexpectit，ordesire
　　it；forasIabhorredthelevityandextravaganceofmyformer
　　life，soIchosenowtoliveretired，frugal，andwithinourselves。
　　Ikeptnocompany，madenovisits；mindedmyfamily，and
　　obligedmyhusband；andthiskindoflifebecameapleasuretome。
　　Welivedinanuninterruptedcourseofeaseandcontentfor
　　fiveyears，whenasuddenblowfromanalmostinvisiblehand
　　blastedallmyhappiness，andturnedmeoutintotheworldin
　　aconditionthereverseofallthathadbeenbeforeit。
　　Myhusbandhavingtrustedoneofhisfellow-clerkswithasum
　　ofmoney，toomuchforourfortunestobearthelossof，the
　　clerkfailed，andthelossfellveryheavyonmyhusband，yetit
　　wasnotsogreatneitherbutthat，ifhehadhadspiritandcourage
　　tohavelookedhismisfortunesintheface，hiscreditwasso
　　goodthat，asItoldhim，hewouldeasilyrecoverit；fortosink
　　undertroubleistodoubletheweight，andhethatwilldieinit，
　　shalldieinit。
　　Itwasinvaintospeakcomfortablytohim；thewoundhad
　　sunktoodeep；itwasastabthattouchedthevitals；hegrew
　　melancholyanddisconsolate，andfromthencelethargic，and
　　died。
　　Iforesawtheblow，andwasextremelyoppressedinmy
　　mind，forIsawevidentlythatifhediedIwasundone。
　　Ihadhadtwochildrenbyhimandnomore，for，totellthe
　　truth，itbegantobetimeformetoleavebearingchildren，for
　　Iwasnoweight-and-forty，andIsupposeifhehadlivedI
　　shouldhavehadnomore。
　　Iwasnowleftinadismalanddisconsolatecaseindeed，and
　　inseveralthingsworsethanever。
　　First，itwaspastthe
　　flourishingtimewithmewhenImightexpecttobecourted
　　foramistress；thatagreeableparthaddeclinedsometime，and
　　theruinsonlyappearedofwhathadbeen；andthatwhichwas
　　worsethanallthis，thatIwasthemostdejected，disconsolate
　　creaturealive。
　　Ithathadencouragedmyhusband，and
　　endeavouredtosupporthisspiritsunderhistrouble，couldnot
　　supportmyown；IwantedthatspiritintroublewhichItold
　　himwassonecessarytohimforbearingtheburthen。
　　Butmycasewasindeeddeplorable，forIwasleftperfectly
　　friendlessandhelpless，andthelossmyhusbandhadsustained
　　hadreducedhiscircumstancessolow，thatthoughindeedI
　　wasnotindebt，yetIcouldeasilyforeseethatwhatwasleft
　　wouldnotsupportmelong；thatwhileitwasteddailyfor
　　subsistence，Ihadnotwaytoincreaseitoneshilling，sothat
　　itwouldbesoonallspent，andthenIsawnothingbeforeme
　　buttheutmostdistress；andthisrepresenteditselfsolivelyto
　　mythoughts，thatitseemedasifitwascome，beforeitwas
　　reallyverynear；alsomyveryapprehensionsdoubledthemisery，
　　forIfanciedeverysixpencethatIpaidforaloafofbreadwas
　　thelastthatIhadintheworld，andthatto-morrowIwasto
　　fast，andbestarvedtodeath。
　　InthisdistressIhadnoassistant，nofriendtocomfortor
　　adviseme；Isatandcriedandtormentedmyselfnightandday，
　　wringingmyhands，andsometimesravinglikeadistracted
　　woman；andindeedIhaveoftenwonderedithadnotaffected
　　myreason，forIhadthevapourstosuchadegree，thatmy
　　understandingwassometimesquitelostinfanciesand
　　imaginations。
　　Ilivedtwoyearsinthisdismalcondition，wastingthatlittleI
　　had，weepingcontinuallyovermydismalcircumstances，and，
　　asitwere，onlybleedingtodeath，withouttheleasthopeor
　　prospectofhelpfromGodorman；andnowIhadcriedtoo
　　long，andsooften，thattearswere，asImightsay，exhausted，
　　andIbegantobedesperate，forIgrewpoorapace。
　　ForalittlereliefIhadputoffmyhouseandtooklodgings；
　　andasIwasreducingmyliving，soIsoldoffmostofmygoods，
　　whichputalittlemoneyinmypocket，andIlivednearayear
　　uponthat，spendingverysparingly，anekingthingsouttothe
　　utmost；butstillwhenIlookedbeforeme，myveryheartwould
　　sinkwithinmeattheinevitableapproachofmiseryandwant。
　　Ohletnonereadthispartwithoutseriouslyreflectingonthe
　　circumstancesofadesolatestate，andhowtheywouldgrapple
　　withmerewantoffriendsandwantofbread；itwillcertainly
　　makethemthinknotofsparingwhattheyhaveonly，butof
　　lookinguptoheavenforsupport，andofthewiseman’sprayer，
　　’Givemenotpoverty，lestIsteal。’
　　Letthemrememberthatatimeofdistressisatimeofdreadful
　　temptation，andallthestrengthtoresististakenaway；
　　poverty
　　presses，thesoulismadedesperatebydistress，andwhatcan
　　bedone？
　　Itwasoneevening，whenbeingbrought，asImay
　　say，tothelastgasp，IthinkImaytrulysayIwasdistracted
　　andraving，whenpromptedbyIknownotwhatspirit，and，as
　　itwere，doingIdidnotknowwhatorwhy，Idressedmefor
　　Ihadstillprettygoodclothesandwentout。
　　Iamverysure
　　IhadnomannerofdesigninmyheadwhenIwentout；Ineither
　　knewnorconsideredwheretogo，oronwhatbusiness；butas
　　thedevilcarriedmeoutandlaidhisbaitforme，sohebrought
　　me，tobesure，totheplace，forIknewnotwhitherIwasgoing
　　orwhatIdid。
　　Wanderingthusabout，Iknewnotwhither，Ipassedbyan
　　apothecary’sshopinLeadenhallStreet，whenIsawlieona
　　stooljustbeforethecounteralittlebundlewrappedinawhite
　　cloth；beyonditstoodamaid-servantwithherbacktoit，
　　lookingtowardsthetopoftheshop，wheretheapothecary’s
　　apprentice，asIsuppose，wasstandinguponthecounter，with
　　hisbackalsotothedoor，andacandleinhishand，looking
　　andreachinguptotheuppershelfforsomethinghewanted，
　　sothatbothwereengagedmightyearnestly，andnobodyelse
　　intheshop。
　　Thiswasthebait；andthedevil，whoIsaidlaidthesnare，as
　　readilypromptedmeasifhehadspoke，forIremember，and
　　shallneverforgetit，’twaslikeavoicespokentomeovermy
　　shoulder，’Takethebundle；bequick；doitthismoment。’