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’scoachandfourhorses，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