it，withacandleinmyhand，andsoreachedthepiecesoutto
　　him，takingcareasIgavehimsomesotosecureasmuchabout
　　myselfasIcouldconvenientlydisposeof。
　　Therewasnear
　　worthoflaceinthehole，andIsecuredabout#50worth
　　ofittomyself。
　　Thepeopleofthehousewerenotownersof
　　thelace，butamerchantwhohadentrustedthemwithit；so
　　thattheywerenotsosurprisedasIthoughttheywouldbe。
　　Ilefttheofficeroverjoyedwithhisprize，andfullysatisfied
　　withwhathehadgot，andappointedtomeethimatahouse
　　ofhisowndirecting，whereIcameafterIhaddisposedofthe
　　cargoIhadaboutme，ofwhichhehadnottheleastsuspicion。
　　WhenIcametohimhebegantocapitulatewithme，believing
　　IdidnotunderstandtherightIhadtoashareintheprize，and
　　wouldfainhaveputmeoffwith#20，butIlethimknowthatI
　　wasnotsoignorantashesupposedIwas；andyetIwasglad，
　　too，thatheofferedtobringmetoacertainty。
　　Iasked#100，andheroseupto#30；Ifellto#80，andherose
　　againto#40；inaword，heoffered#50，andIconsented，only
　　demandingapieceoflace，whichIthoughcametoabout#8
　　or#9，asifithadbeenformyownwear，andheagreedtoit。
　　SoIgot#50inmoneypaidmethatsamenight，andmadean
　　endofthebargain；nordidheeverknowwhoIwas，orwhere
　　toinquireforme，sothatifithadbeendiscoveredthatpartof
　　thegoodswereembezzled，hecouldhavemadenochallenge
　　uponmeforit。
　　Iverypunctuallydividedthisspoilwithmygoverness，andI
　　passedwithherfromthistimeforaverydexterousmanager
　　inthenicestcases。
　　Ifoundthatthislastwasthebestand
　　easiestsortofworkthatwasinmyway，andImadeitmy
　　businesstoinquireoutprohibitedgoods，andafterbuying
　　some，usuallybetrayedthem，butnoneofthesediscoveries
　　amountedtoanythingconsiderable，notlikethatIrelatedjust
　　now；butIwaswillingtoactsafe，andwasstillcautiousof
　　runningthegreatriskswhichIfoundothersdid，andinwhich
　　theymiscarriedeveryday。
　　Thenextthingofmomentwasanattemptatagentlewoman’s
　　goodwatch。
　　Ithappenedinacrowd，atameeting-house，
　　whereIwasinverygreatdangerofbeingtaken。
　　Ihadfull
　　holdofherwatch，butgivingagreatjostle，asifsomebody
　　hadthrustmeagainsther，andinthejuncturegivingthewatch
　　afairpull，Ifounditwouldnotcome，soIletitgothatmoment，
　　andcriedoutasifIhadbeenkilled，thatsomebodyhadtrod
　　uponmyfoot，andthattherewerecertainlypickpocketsthere，
　　forsomebodyorotherhadgivenapullatmywatch；foryou
　　aretoobservethatontheseadventureswealwayswentvery
　　welldressed，andIhadverygoodclotheson，andagoldwatch
　　bymyside，aslikealadyasotherfold。
　　Ihadnosoonersaidso，buttheothergentlewomancriedout
　　’Apickpocket’too，forsomebody，shesaid，hadtriedtopull
　　herwatchaway。
　　WhenItouchedherwatchIwasclosetoher，butwhenIcried
　　outIstoppedasitwereshort，andthecrowdbearingher
　　forwardalittle，shemadeanoisetoo，butitwasatsomedistance
　　fromme，sothatshedidnotintheleastsuspectme；butwhen
　　shecriedout’Apickpocket，’somebodycried，’Ay，andhere
　　hasbeenanother！thisgentlewomanhasbeenattemptedtoo。’
　　Atthatveryinstance，alittlefartherinthecrowd，andvery
　　luckilytoo，theycriedout’Apickpocket，’again，andreally
　　seizedayoungfellowintheveryact。
　　This，thoughunhappy
　　forthewretch，wasveryopportunelyformycase，thoughI
　　hadcarrieditoffhandsomelyenoughbefore；butnowitwas
　　outofdoubt，andalltheloosepartofthecrowdranthatway，
　　andthepoorboywasdelivereduptotherageofthestreet，
　　whichisacrueltyIneednotdescribe，andwhich，however，
　　theyarealwaysgladof，ratherthantobesenttoNewgate，
　　wheretheylieoftenalongtime，tilltheyarealmostperished，
　　andsometimestheyarehanged，andthebesttheycanlookfor，
　　iftheyareconvicted，istobetransported。
　　Thiswasanarrowescapetome，andIwassofrightedthatI
　　venturednomoreatgoldwatchesagreatwhile。
　　Therewas
　　indeedagreatmanyconcurringcircumstancesinthisadventure
　　whichassistedtomyescape；butthechiefwas，thatthewoman
　　whosewatchIhadpulledatwasafool；thatistosay，shewas
　　ignorantofthenatureoftheattempt，whichonewouldhave
　　thoughtsheshouldnothavebeen，seeingshewaswiseenough
　　tofastenherwatchsothatitcouldnotbeslippedup。
　　Butshe
　　wasinsuchafrightthatshehadnothoughtaboutherproper
　　forthediscovery；forshe，whenshefeltthepull，screamedout，
　　andpushedherselfforward，andputallthepeopleaboutherinto
　　disorder，butsaidnotawordofherwatch，orofapickpocket，
　　foraleasttwominutes’time，whichwastimeenoughforme，
　　andtospare。
　　ForasIhadcriedoutbehindher，asIhavesaid，
　　andboremyselfbackinthecrowdassheboreforward，there
　　wereseveralpeople，atleastsevenoreight，thethrongbeing
　　stillmovingon，thatweregotbetweenmeandherinthattime，
　　andthenIcryingout’Apickpocket，’rathersoonerthanshe，
　　oratleastassoon，shemightaswellbethepersonsuspected
　　asI，andthepeoplewereconfusedintheirinquiry；whereas，
　　hadshewithapresenceofmindneedfulonsuchanoccasion，
　　assoonasshefeltthepull，notscreamedoutasshedid，but
　　turnedimmediatelyroundandseizedthenextbodythatwas
　　behindher，shehadinfalliblytakenme。
　　Thisisadirectionnotofthekindestsorttothefraternity，but
　　’tiscertainlyakeytotheclueofapickpocket’smotions，and
　　whoevercanfollowitwillascertainlycatchthethiefashe
　　willbesuretomissifhedoesnot。
　　Ihadanotheradventure，whichputsthismatteroutofdoubt，
　　andwhichmaybeaninstructionforposterityinthecaseofa
　　pickpocket。
　　Mygoodoldgoverness，togiveashorttouchat
　　herhistory，thoughshehadleftoffthetrade，was，asImaysay，
　　bornapickpocket，and，asIunderstoodafterwards，hadrun
　　throughalltheseveraldegreesofthatart，andyethadnever
　　beentakenbutonce，whenshewassogrosslydetected，that
　　shewasconvictedandorderedtobetransported；butbeinga
　　womanofararetongue，andwithalhavingmoneyinherpocket，
　　shefoundmeans，theshipputtingintoIrelandforprovisions，
　　togetonshorethere，whereshelivedandpractisedherold
　　tradeforsomeyears；whenfallingintoanothersortofbad
　　company，sheturnedmidwifeandprocuress，andplayeda
　　hundredpranksthere，whichshegavemealittlehistoryofin
　　confidencebetweenusaswegrewmoreintimate；anditwas
　　tothiswickedcreaturethatIowedalltheartanddexterityI
　　arrivedto，inwhichtherewerefewthateverwentbeyondme，
　　orthatpractisedsolongwithoutanymisfortune。
　　ItwasafterthoseadventuresinIreland，andwhenshewas
　　prettywellknowninthatcountry，thatsheleftDublinand
　　cameovertoEngland，where，thetimeofhertransportation
　　beingnotexpired，sheleftherformertrade，forfearoffalling
　　intobadhandsagain，forthenshewassuretohavegoneto
　　wreck。
　　Hereshesetupthesametradeshehadfollowedin
　　Ireland，inwhichshesoon，byheradmirablemanagementand
　　goodtongue，arrivedtotheheightwhichIhavealready
　　described，andindeedbegantoberich，thoughhertradefell
　　offagainafterwards，asIhavehintedbefore。
　　Imentionedthusmuchofthehistoryofthiswomanhere，the
　　bettertoaccountfortheconcernshehadinthewickedlifeI
　　wasnowleading，intoalltheparticularsofwhichsheledme，
　　asitwere，bythehand，andgavemesuchdirections，andIso
　　wellfollowedthem，thatIgrewthegreatestartistofmytime
　　andworkedmyselfoutofeverydangerwithsuchdexterity，
　　thatwhenseveralmoreofmycomradesranthemselvesinto
　　Newgatepresently，andbythattimetheyhadbeenhalfayear
　　atthetrade，Ihadnowpractisedupwardsoffiveyears，and
　　thepeopleatNewgatedidnotsomuchasknowme；theyhad
　　heardmuchofmeindeed，andoftenexpectedmethere，butI
　　alwaysgotoff，thoughmanytimesintheextremestdanger。
　　OneofthegreatestdangersIwasnowin，wasthatIwastoo
　　wellknownamongthetrade，andsomeofthem，whosehatred
　　wasowingrathertoenvythananyinjuryIhaddonethem，
　　begantobeangrythatIshouldalwaysescapewhentheywere
　　alwayscatchedandhurriedtoNewgate。
　　Theseweretheythat
　　gavemethenameofMollFlanders；foritwasnomoreof
　　affinitywithmyrealnameorwithanyofthenameIhadever
　　goneby，thanblackisofkintowhite，exceptthatonce，as
　　before，IcalledmyselfMrs。Flanders；whenIshelteredmyself
　　intheMint；butthattheseroguesneverknew，norcouldIever
　　learnhowtheycametogivemethename，orwhattheoccasion
　　ofitwas。
　　Iwassooninformedthatsomeofthesewhoweregottenfast
　　intoNewgatehadvowedtoimpeachme；andasIknewthat
　　twoorthreeofthemwerebuttooabletodoit，Iwasunder
　　agreatconcernaboutit，andkeptwithindoorsforagood
　　while。
　　Butmygoverness——whomIalwaysmadepartnerinmy
　　success，andwhonowplayedasuregamewithme，forthat
　　shehadashareofthegainandnoshareinthehazard——Isay，
　　mygovernesswassomethingimpatientofmyleadingsucha
　　useless，unprofitablelife，asshecalledit；andshelaidanew
　　contrivanceformygoingabroad，andthiswastodressmeup
　　inmen’sclothes，andsoputmeintoanewkindofpractice。
　　Iwastallandpersonable，butalittletoosmooth-facedfora
　　man；however，Iseldomwentabroadbutinthenight，itdid
　　wellenough；butitwasalongtimebeforeIcouldbehavein
　　mynewclothes——Imean，astomycraft。
　　Itwasimpossibleto
　　besonimble，soready，sodexterousatthesethingsinadress
　　socontrarytonature；andIdideverythingclumsily，soIhad
　　neitherthesuccessnortheeasinessofescapethatIhadbefore，
　　andIresolvedtoleaveitoff；butthatresolutionwasconfirmed
　　soonafterbythefollowingaccident。
　　Asmygovernessdisguisedmelikeaman，soshejoinedme
　　withaman，ayoungfellowthatwasnimbleenoughathis
　　business，andforaboutthreeweekswedidverywelltogether。
　　Ourprincipaltradewaswatchingshopkeepers’counters，and
　　slippingoffanykindofgoodswecouldseecarelesslylaid
　　anywhere，andwemadeseveralgoodbargains，aswecalled
　　them，atthiswork。
　　Andaswekeptalwaystogether，sowe
　　grewveryintimate，yetheneverknewthatIwasnotaman，