metakeamaid，andkeephouse，andhisfriendthatcomewith
　　himtoBathbeinggone，heobligedmetodiethim，whichIdid
　　verywillingly，believing，asitappeared，thatIshouldlose
　　nothingbyit，notdidthewomanofthehousefailtofindher
　　accountinittoo。
　　Wehadlivedthusnearthreemonths，whenthecompany
　　beginningtowearawayattheBath，hetalkedofgoingaway，
　　andfainhewouldhavemetogotoLondonwithhim。
　　Iwas
　　notveryeasyinthatproposal，notknowingwhatpostureI
　　wastoliveinthere，orhowhemightuseme。
　　Butwhilethis
　　wasindebatehefellverysick；hehadgoneouttoaplacein
　　Somersetshire，calledShepton，wherehehadsomebusiness
　　andwastheretakenveryill，andsoillthathecouldnottravel；
　　sohesenthismanbacktoBath，tobegmethatIwouldhire
　　acoachandcomeovertohim。
　　Beforehewent，hehadleft
　　allhismoneyandotherthingsofvaluewithme，andwhatto
　　dowiththemIdidnotknow，butIsecuredthemaswellasI
　　could，andlockedupthelodgingsandwenttohim，whereI
　　foundhimveryillindeed；however，Ipersuadedhimtobe
　　carriedinalittertotheBath，wheretherewasmorehelpand
　　betteradvicetobehad。
　　Heconsented，andIbroughthimtotheBath，whichwasabout
　　fifteenmiles，asIremember。
　　Herehecontinuedveryillofa
　　fever，andkepthisbedfiveweeks，allwhichtimeInursedhim
　　andtendedhimmyself，asmuchandascarefullyasifIhad
　　beenhiswife；indeed，ifIhadbeenhiswifeIcouldnothave
　　donemore。
　　Isatupwithhimsomuchandsooften，thatat
　　last，indeed，hewouldnotletmesitupanylonger，andthenI
　　gotapallet-bedintohisroom，andlayinitjustathisbed’s
　　feet。
　　Iwasindeedsensiblyaffectedwithhiscondition，andwiththe
　　apprehensionoflosingsuchafriendashewas，andwasliketo
　　betome，andIusedtositandcrybyhimmanyhourstogether。
　　However，atlasthegrewbetter，andgavehopesthathewould
　　recover，asindeedhedid，thoughveryslowly。
　　WereitotherwisethanwhatIamgoingtosay，Ishouldnot
　　bebackwardtodiscloseit，asitisapparentIhavedonein
　　othercasesinthisaccount；butIaffirm，thatthroughallthis
　　conversation，abatingthefreedomofcomingintothechamber
　　whenIorhewasinbed，andabatingthenecessaryofficesof
　　attendinghimnightanddaywhenhewassick，therehadnot
　　passedtheleastimmodestwordoractionbetweenus。
　　Oh
　　thatithadbeensotothelast！
　　Aftersometimehegatheredstrengthandgrewwellapace，
　　andIwouldhaveremovedmypallet-bed，buthewouldnot
　　letme，tillhewasabletoventurehimselfwithoutanybodyto
　　situpwithhim，andthenIremovedtomyownchamber。
　　Hetookmanyoccasionstoexpresshissenseofmytenderness
　　andconcernforhim；andwhenhegrewquitewell，hemademe
　　apresentoffiftyguineasformycareand，ashecalledit，for
　　hazardingmylifetosavehis。
　　Andnowhemadedeepprotestationsofasincereinviolable
　　affectionforme，butallalongattestedittobewiththeutmost
　　reserveformyvirtueandhisown。
　　ItoldhimIwasfully
　　satisfiedofit。
　　Hecarrieditthatlengththatheprotestedtome，
　　thatifhewasnakedinbedwithme，hewouldassacredly
　　preservemyvirtueashewoulddefendififIwasassaultedby
　　aravisher。
　　Ibelievedhim，andtoldhimIdidso；butthisdid
　　notsatisfyhim，hewould，hesaid，waitforsomeopportunity
　　togivemeanundoubtedtestimonyofit。
　　ItwasagreatwhileafterthisthatIhadoccasion，onmyown
　　business，togotoBristol，uponwhichhehiredmeacoach，
　　andwouldgowithme，anddidso；andnowindeedourintimacy
　　increased。
　　FromBristolhecarriedmetoGloucester，which
　　wasmerelyajourneyofpleasure，totaketheair；andhereit
　　wasourhaptohavenolodgingintheinnbutinonelarge
　　chamberwithtwobedsinit。
　　Themasterofthehousegoing
　　upwithustoshowhisrooms，andcomingintothatroom，
　　saidveryfranklytohim，’Sir，itisnoneofmybusinesstoinquire
　　whethertheladybeyourspouseorno，butifnot，youmaylie
　　ashonestlyinthesetwobedsasifyouwereintwochambers，’
　　andwiththathepullsagreatcurtainwhichdrewquiteacross
　　theroomandeffectuallydividedthebeds。
　　’Well，’saysmy
　　friend，veryreadily，’thesebedswilldo，andasfortherest，we
　　aretoonearakintolietogether，thoughwemaylodgenear
　　oneanother’；andthisputanhonestfaceonthethingtoo。
　　Whenwecametogotobed，hedecentlywentoutoftheroom
　　tillIwasinbed，andthenwenttobedinthebedonhisown
　　sideoftheroom，butlaytheretalkingtomeagreatwhile。
　　Atlast，repeatinghisusualsaying，thathecouldlienakedin
　　thebedwithmeandnotoffermetheleastinjury，hestartsout
　　ofhisbed。
　　’Andnow，mydear，’sayshe，’youshallseehow
　　justIwillbetoyou，andthatIcankeepmyword，’andaway
　　hecomestomybed。
　　Iresistedalittle，butImustconfessIshouldnothaveresisted
　　himmuchifhehadnotmadethosepromisesatall；soaftera
　　littlestruggle，asIsaid，Ilaystillandlethimcometobed。
　　Whenhewastherehetookmeinhisarms，andsoIlayall
　　nightwithhim，buthehadnomoretodowithme，oroffered
　　anythingtome，otherthanembracingme，asIsay，inhisarms，
　　no，notthewholenight，butroseupanddressedhiminthe
　　morning，andleftmeasinnocentforhimasIwasthedayI
　　wasborn。
　　Thiswasasurprisingthingtome，andperhapsmaybesoto
　　others，whoknowhowthelawsofnaturework；forhewasa
　　strong，vigorous，briskperson；nordidheactthusonaprinciple
　　ofreligionatall，butofmereaffection；insistingonit，that
　　thoughIwastohimtomostagreeablewomanintheworld，
　　yet，becausehelovedme，hecouldnotinjureme。
　　Iownitwasanobleprinciple，butasitwaswhatInever
　　understoodbefore，soitwastomeperfectlyamazing。
　　We
　　traveledtherestofthejourneyaswedidbefore，andcame
　　backtotheBath，where，ashehadopportunitytocometo
　　mewhenhewould，heoftenrepeatedthemoderation，andI
　　frequentlylaywithhim，andhewithme，andalthoughallthe
　　familiaritiesbetweenmanandwifewerecommontous，yet
　　heneveronceofferedtogoanyfarther，andhevaluedhimself
　　muchuponit。
　　IdonotsaythatIwassowhollypleasedwith
　　itashethoughtIwas，forIownmuchwickederthanhe，as
　　youshallhearpresently。
　　Welivedthusneartwoyears，onlywiththisexception，that
　　hewentthreetimestoLondoninthattime，andoncehe
　　continuedtherefourmonths；but，todohimjustice，healways
　　suppliedmewithmoneytosubsistmeveryhandsomely。
　　Hadwecontinuedthus，Iconfesswehadhadmuchtoboast
　　of；butaswisemensay，itisillventuringtoonearthebrinkof
　　acommand，sowefoundit；andhereagainImustdohimthe
　　justicetoownthatthefirstbreachwasnotonhispart。
　　Itwas
　　onenightthatwewereinbedtogetherwarmandmerry，and
　　havingdrunk，Ithink，alittlemorewinethatnight，bothofus，
　　thanusual，althoughnotintheleasttodisordereitherofus，
　　when，aftersomeotherfollieswhichIcannotname，andbeing
　　claspedcloseinhisarms，ItoldhimIrepeatitwithshame
　　andhorrorofsoulthatIcouldfindinmyhearttodischarge
　　himofhisengagementforonenightandnomore。
　　Hetookmeatmywordimmediately，andafterthattherewas
　　noresistinghim；neitherindeedhadIanymindtoresisthim
　　anymore，letwhatwouldcomeofit。
　　Thusthegovernmentofourvirtuewasbroken，andI
　　exchangedtheplaceoffriendforthatunmusical，harsh-sounding
　　titleofwhore。
　　Inthemorningwewerebothatourpenitentials；
　　Icriedveryheartily，heexpressedhimselfverysorry；butthat
　　wasalleitherofuscoulddoatthattime，andthewaybeing
　　thuscleared，andthebarsofvirtueandconsciencethusremoved，
　　wehadthelessdifficultafterwardstostrugglewith。
　　Itwasbutadullkindofconversationthatwehadtogether
　　foralltherestofthatweek；Ilookedonhimwithblushes，and
　　everynowandthenstartedthatmelancholyobjection，’What
　　ifIshouldbewithchildnow？
　　Whatwillbecomeofmethen？’
　　Heencouragedmebytellingme，thataslongasIwastrueto
　　him，hewouldbesotome；andsinceitwasgonesuchalength
　　whichindeedheneverintended，yetifIwaswithchild，he
　　wouldtakecareofthat，andofmetoo。
　　Thishardenedusboth。
　　IassuredhimifIwaswithchild，Iwoulddieforwantofa
　　midwiferatherthannamehimasthefatherofit；andheassured
　　meIshouldneverwantifIshouldbewithchild。
　　Thesemutual
　　assuranceshardenedusinthething，andafterthiswerepeated
　　thecrimeasoftenaswepleased，tillatlength，asIhadfeared，
　　soitcametopass，andIwasindeedwithchild。
　　AfterIwassureitwasso，andIhadsatisfiedhimofittoo，
　　webegantothinkoftakingmeasuresforthemanagingit，and
　　Iproposedtrustingthesecrettomylandlady，andaskingher
　　advice，whichheagreedto。
　　Mylandlady，awomanasIfound
　　usedtosuchthings，madelightofit；shesaidsheknewitwould
　　cometothatatlast，andmadeusverymerryaboutit。
　　AsIsaid
　　above，wefoundheranexperiencedoldladyatsuchwork；she
　　undertookeverything，engagedtoprocureamidwifeandanurse，
　　tosatisfyallinquiries，andbringusoffwithreputation，andshe
　　didsoverydexterouslyindeed。
　　WhenIgrewnearmytimeshedesiredmygentlemantogo
　　awaytoLondon，ormakeasifhedidso。
　　Whenhewasgone，
　　sheacquaintedtheparishofficersthattherewasaladyready
　　tolieinatherhouse，butthatsheknewherhusbandverywell，
　　andgavethem，asshepretended，anaccountofhisname，which
　　shecalledSirWalterCleve；tellingthemhewasaveryworthy
　　gentleman，andthatshewouldanswerforallinquiries，andthe
　　like。