returnedmeananswerinthemostpassionatetermsimaginable，
anddesiredmetolethimhavetimelynotice，andhewould
comeandmeetme，twoday’sjourney。
Thispuzzledmescurvily，
andIdidnotknowwhatanswertomakeofit。
OnceIresolved
totakethestage-coachtoWestChester，onpurposeonlyto
havethesatisfactionofcomingback，thathemightseeme
reallycomeinthesamecoach；forIhadajealousthought，
thoughIhadnogroundforitatall，lestheshouldthinkIwas
notreallyinthecountry。
Anditwasnoill-groundedthought
asyoushallhearpresently。
Iendeavouredtoreasonmyselfoutofit，butitwasinvain；
theimpressionlaysostrongonmymind，thatitwasnotto
beresisted。
Atlastitcameasanadditiontomynewdesign
ofgoingintothecountry，thatitwouldbeanexcellentblind
tomyoldgoverness，andwouldcoverentirelyallmyother
affairs，forshedidnotknowintheleastwhethermynewlover
livedinLondonorinLancashire；andwhenItoldhermy
resolution，shewasfullypersuadeditwasinLancashire。
HavingtakenmymeasureforthisjourneyIletherknowit，
andsentthemaidthattendedme，fromthebeginning，totake
aplaceformeinthecoach。
Shewouldhavehadmeletthe
maidhavewaitedonmedowntothelaststage，andcomeup
againinthewaggon，butIconvincedheritwouldnotbe
convenient。
WhenIwentaway，shetoldmeshewouldenter
intonomeasuresforcorrespondence，forshesawevidently
thatmyaffectiontomychildwouldcausemetowritetoher，
andtovisithertoowhenIcametotownagain。
Iassuredher
itwould，andsotookmyleave，wellsatisfiedtohavebeen
freedfromsuchahouse，howevergoodmyaccommodations
therehadbeen，asIhaverelatedabove。
Itooktheplaceinthecoachnottoitsfullextent，buttoa
placecalledStone，inCheshire，Ithinkitis，whereInotonly
hadnomannerofbusiness，butnotsomuchastheleast
acquaintancewithanypersoninthetownornearit。
ButI
knewthatwithmoneyinthepocketoneisathomeanywhere；
soIlodgedtheretwoorthreedays，till，watchingmyopportunity，
Ifoundroominanotherstage-coach，andtookpassageback
againforLondon，sendingalettertomygentlemanthatIshould
besuchacertaindayatStony-Stratford，wherethecoachman
toldmehewastolodge。
IthappenedtobeachancecoachthatIhadtakenup，which，
havingbeenhiredonpurposetocarrysomegentlementoWest
ChesterwhoweregoingforIreland，wasnowreturning，and
didnottieitselftoexacttimesorplacesasthestagesdid；so
that，havingbeenobligedtoliestillonSunday，hehadtimeto
gethimselfreadytocomeout，whichotherwisehecouldnot
havedone。
However，hiswarningwassoshort，thathecouldnotreach
toStony-Stratfordtimeenoughtobewithmeatnight，buthe
metmeataplacecalledBrickhillthenextmorning，aswe
werejustcomingintotow。
IconfessIwasverygladtoseehim，forIhadthoughtmyself
alittledisappointedover-night，seeingIhadgonesofarto
contrivemycomingonpurpose。
Hepleasedmedoublytoo
bythefigurehecamein，forhebroughtaveryhandsome
(gentleman’s)coachandfourhorses，withaservanttoattend
him。
Hetookmeoutofthestage-coachimmediately，whichstopped
ataninninBrickhill；andputtingintothesamein，hesetup
hisowncoach，andbespokehisdinner。
Iaskedhimwhathe
meantbythat，forIwasforgoingforwardwiththejourney。
Hesaid，No，Ihadneedofalittlerestupontheroad，andthat
wasaverygoodsortofahouse，thoughitwasbutalittletown；
sowewouldgonofartherthatnight，whatevercameofit。
Ididnotpresshimmuch，forsincehehadcomesotomeet
me，andputhimselftosomuchexpense，itwasbutreasonable
Ishouldobligehimalittletoo；soIwaseasyastothatpoint。
Afterdinnerwewalkedtoseethetown，toseethechurch，
andtoviewthefields，andthecountry，asisusualforstrangers
todo；andourlandlordwasourguideingoingtoseethe
church。Iobservedmygentlemaninquiredprettymuchabout
theparson，andItookthehintimmediatelythathecertainly
wouldproposetobemarried；andthoughitwasasudden
thought，itfollowedpresently，that，inshort，Iwouldnotrefuse
him；for，tobeplain，withmycircumstancesIwasinno
conditionnowtosayNo；Ihadnoreasonnowtorunanymore
suchhazards。
Butwhilethesethoughtsranroundinmyhead，whichwasthe
workbutofafewmoments，Iobservedmylandlordtookhim
asideandwhisperedtohim，thoughnotverysoftlyneither，for
somuchIoverheard:
’Sir，ifyoushallhaveoccasion——’the
restIcouldnothear，butitseemsitwastothispurpose:
’Sir，
ifyoushallhaveoccasionforaminister，Ihaveafriendalittle
wayoffthatwillserveyou，andbeasprivateasyouplease。’
Mygentlemanansweredloudenoughformetohear，’Very
well，IbelieveIshall。’
Iwasnosoonercomebacktotheinnbuthefelluponmewith
irresistiblewords，thatsincehehadhadthegoodfortuneto
meetme，andeverythingconcurred，itwouldbehasteninghis
felicityifIwouldputanendtothematterjustthere。
’What
doyoumean？’saysI，colouringalittle。
’What，inaninn，and
upontheroad！
Blessusall，’saidI，asifIhadbeensurprised，
’howcanyoutalkso？’
’Oh，Icantalksoverywell，’sayshe，
’Icamea-purposetotalkso，andI’llshowyouthatIdid’；and
withthathepullsoutagreatbundleofpapers。
’Youfrightme，’
saidI；’whatareallthese？’
’Don’tbefrighted，mydear，’said
he，andkissedme。
Thiswasthefirsttimethathehadbeenso
freetocallme’mydear’；thenherepeatedit，’Don’tbefrighted；
youshallseewhatitisall’；thenhelaidthemallabroad。
There
wasfirstthedeedorsentenceofdivorcefromhiswife，and
thefullevidenceofherplayingthewhore；thentherewerethe
certificatesoftheministerandchurchwardensoftheparish
whereshelived，provingthatshewasburied，andintimating
themannerofherdeath；thecopyofthecoroner’swarrantfor
ajurytosituponher，andtheverdictofthejury，whobrought
itinNoncomposmentis。
Allthiswasindeedtothepurpose，
andtogivemesatisfaction，though，bytheway，Iwasnotso
scrupulous，hadheknownall，butthatImighthavetakenhim
withoutit。
However，IlookedthemalloveraswellasIcould，
andtoldhimthatthiswasallveryclearindeed，butthathe
neednothavegivenhimselfthetroubletohavebroughtthem
outwithhim，foritwastimeenough。
Well，hesaid，itmight
betimeenoughforme，butnotimebutthepresenttimewas
timeenoughforhim。
Therewereotherpapersrolledup，andIaskedhimwhatthey
were。
’Why，ay，’sayshe，’that’sthequestionIwantedtohave
youaskme’；soheunrollsthemandtakesoutalittleshagreen
case，andgivesmeoutofitaveryfinediamondring。
Icould
notrefuseit，ifIhadamindtodoso，forheputituponmy
finger；soImadehimacurtsyandacceptedit。
Thenhetakes
outanotherring:
’Andthis，’sayshe，’isforanotheroccasion，’
soheputsthatinhispocket。
’Well，butletmeseeit，though，’
saysI，andsmiled；’Iguesswhatitis；Ithinkyouaremad。’
’IshouldhavebeenmadifIhaddoneless，’sayshe，andstill
hedidnotshowme，andIhadagreatmindtoseeit；soIsays，
’Well，butletmeseeit。’
’Hold，’sayshe，’firstlookhere’；
thenhetookuptherollagainandreadit，andbehold！itwas
alicenceforustobemarried。
’Why，’saysI，’areyoudistracted？
Why，youwerefullysatisfiedthatIwouldcomplyandyield
atfirstword，orresolvedtotakenodenial。’
’Thelastis
certainlythecase，’saidhe。
’Butyoumaybemistaken，’saidI。
’No，no，’sayshe，’howcanyouthinkso？
Imustnotbedenied，
Ican’tbedenied’；andwiththathefelltokissingmesoviolently，
Icouldnotgetridofhim。
Therewasabedintheroom，andwewerewalkingtoand
again，eagerinthediscourse；atlasthetakesmebysurprise
inhisarms，andthrewmeonthebedandhimselfwithme，
andholdingmefastinhisarms，butwithouttheleastofferof
anyindecency，courtedmetoconsentwithsuchrepeated
entreatiesandarguments，protestinghisaffection，andvowing
hewouldnotletmegotillIhadpromisedhim，thatatlastI
said，’Why，youresolvenottobedenied，indeed，Ican’tbe
denied。’
’Well，well，’saidI，andgivinghimaslightkiss，’then
youshan’tbedenied，’saidI；’letmegetup。’
Hewassotransportedwithmyconsent，andthekindmanner
ofit，thatIbegantothinkoncehetookitforamarriage，and
wouldnotstayfortheform；butIwrongedhim，forhegave
overkissingme，andthengivingmetwoorthreekissesagain，
thankedmeformykindyieldingtohim；andwassoovercome
withthesatisfactionandjoyofit，thatIsawtearsstandinhiseyes。
Iturnedfromhim，foritfilledmyeyeswithtearstoo，andI
askedhimleavetoretirealittletomychamber。
IfeverIhad
