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。
