thegoodnewsofhisbeingverywell，buthadthebadnews
　　thathisbusinesswouldnotpermithimtocomeawaysosoon
　　asheexpected，andsoIwasliketogobackagainwithouthim。
　　Mylandladycomplimentedmeuponthegoodnewshowever，
　　thatIhadheardhewaswell。
　　’ForIhaveobserved，madam，’
　　saysshe，’youhadn’tbeensopleasantasyouusedtobe；you
　　havebeenoverheadandearsincareforhim，Idaresay，’says
　　thegoodwoman；’’tiseasytobeseenthere’sanalterationin
　　youforthebetter，’saysshe。
　　’Well，Iamsorrytheesquire
　　can’tcomeyet，’saysmylandlord；’Ishouldhavebeenheartily
　　gladtohaveseenhim。
　　ButIhope，whenyouhavecertain
　　newsofhiscoming，you’lltakeastephitheragain，madam，’
　　sayshe；’youshallbeverywelcomewheneveryoupleaseto
　　come。；
　　Withallthesefinecomplimentsweparted，andIcamemerry
　　enoughtoLondon，andfoundmygovernessaswellpleased
　　asIwas。
　　Andnowshetoldmeshewouldneverrecommend
　　anypartnertomeagain，forshealwaysfound，shesaid，that
　　IhadthebestluckwhenIventuredbymyself。
　　Andsoindeed
　　Ihad，forIwasseldominanydangerwhenIwasbymyself，
　　orifIwas，IgotoutofitwithmoredexteritythanwhenIwas
　　entangledwiththedullmeasuresofotherpeople，whohad
　　perhapslessforecast，andweremorerashandimpatientthan
　　I；forthoughIhadasmuchcouragetoventureasanyofthem，
　　yetIusedmorecautionbeforeIundertookathing，andhad
　　morepresenceofmindwhenIwastobringmyselfoff。
　　Ihaveoftenwonderedevenatmyownhardinessanother
　　way，thatwhenallmycompanionsweresurprisedandfellso
　　suddenlyintothehandofjustice，andthatIsonarrowlyescaped，
　　yetIcouldnotallthiswhileenterintooneseriousresolution
　　toleaveoffthistrade，andespeciallyconsideringthatIwas
　　nowveryfarfrombeingpoor；thatthetemptationofnecessity，
　　whichisgenerallytheintroductionofallsuchwickedness，was
　　nowremoved；forIhadnear#500bymeinreadymoney，on
　　whichImighthavelivedverywell，ifIhadthoughtfittohave
　　retired；butIsay，Ihadnotsomuchastheleastinclinationto
　　leaveoff；no，notsomuchasIhadbeforewhenIhadbut#200
　　beforehand，andwhenIhadnosuchfrightfulexamplesbefore
　　myeyesasthesewere。
　　Fromhence’tisevidenttome，that
　　whenoncewearehardenedincrime，nofearcanaffectus，
　　noexamplegiveusanywarning。
　　Ihadindeedonecomradewhosefatewentverynearmefor
　　agoodwhile，thoughIworeitofftoointime。
　　Thatcasewas
　　indeedveryunhappy。
　　Ihadmadeaprizeofapieceofvery
　　gooddamaskinamercer’sshop，andwentclearoffmyself，
　　buthadconveyedthepiecetothiscompanionofminewhen
　　wewentoutoftheshop，andshewentonewayandIwent
　　another。
　　Wehadnotbeenlongoutoftheshopbutthemercer
　　missedhispieceofstuff，andsenthismessengers，oneone
　　wayandoneanother，andtheypresentlyseizedherthathad
　　thepiece，withthedamaskuponher。
　　Asforme，Ihadvery
　　luckilysteppedintoahousewheretherewasalacechamber，
　　uponepairofstairs，andhadthesatisfaction，ortheterror
　　indeed，oflookingoutofthewindowuponthenoisethey
　　made，andseeingthepoorcreaturedraggedawayintriumph
　　tothejustice，whoimmediatelycommittedhertoNewgate。
　　Iwascarefultoattemptnothinginthelacechamber，but
　　tumbledtheirgoodsprettymuchtospendtime；thenbought
　　afewyardsofedgingandpaidforit，andcameawayvery
　　sad-heartedindeedforthepoorwoman，whowasintribulation
　　forwhatIonlyhadstolen。
　　Hereagainmyoldcautionstoodmeingoodstead；namely，
　　thatthoughIoftenrobbedwiththesepeople，yetIneverlet
　　themknowwhoIwas，orwhereIlodged，norcouldtheyever
　　findoutmylodging，thoughtheyoftenendeavouredtowatch
　　metoit。
　　TheyallknewmebythenameofMollFlanders，
　　thoughevensomeofthemratherbelievedIwasshethanknew
　　metobeso。
　　Mynamewaspublicamongthemindeed，but
　　howtofindmeouttheyknewnot，norsomuchashowto
　　guessatmyquarters，whethertheywereattheeastendofthe
　　townorthewest；andthiswarinesswasmysafetyuponall
　　theseoccasions。
　　Ikeptcloseagreatwhileupontheoccasionofthiswoman’s
　　disaster。
　　IknewthatifIshoulddoanythingthatshould
　　miscarry，andshouldbecarriedtoprison，shewouldbethere
　　andreadytowitnessagainstme，andperhapssaveherlifeat
　　myexpense。
　　IconsideredthatIbegantobeverywellknown
　　bynameattheOldBailey，thoughtheydidnotknowmyface，
　　andthatifIshouldfallintotheirhands，Ishouldbetreatedas
　　anoldoffender；andforthisreasonIwasresolvedtoseewhat
　　thispoorcreature’sfateshouldbebeforeIstirredabroad，
　　thoughseveraltimesinherdistressIconveyedmoneytoher
　　forherrelief。
　　Atlengthshecametohertrial。
　　Shepleadedshedidnotsteal
　　thething，butthatoneMrs。Flanders，assheheardhercalled
　　forshedidnotknowher，gavethebundletoherafterthey
　　cameoutoftheshop，andbadehercarryithometoherlodging。
　　TheyaskedherwherethisMrs。Flanderswas，butshecould
　　notproduceher，neithercouldshegivetheleastaccountof
　　me；andthemercer’smenswearingpositivelythatshewasin
　　theshopwhenthegoodswerestolen，thattheyimmediately
　　missedthem，andpursuedher，andfoundthemuponher，
　　thereuponthejurybroughtheringuilty；buttheCourt，
　　consideringthatshewasreallynotthepersonthatstolethe
　　goods，aninferiorassistant，andthatitwasverypossibleshe
　　couldnotfindoutthisMrs。Flanders，meaningme，thoughit
　　wouldsaveherlife，whichindeedwastrue——Isay，considering
　　allthis，theyallowedhertobetransported，whichwasthe
　　utmostfavourshecouldobtain，onlythattheCourttoldher
　　thatifshecouldinthemeantimeproducethesaidMrs。Flanders，
　　theywouldintercedeforherpardon；thatistosay，ifshecould
　　findmeout，andhandme，sheshouldnotbetransported。
　　This
　　Itookcaretomakeimpossibletoher，andsoshewasshipped
　　offinpursuanceofhersentencealittlewhileafter。
　　Imustrepeatitagain，thatthefateofthispoorwomantroubled
　　meexceedingly，andIbegantobeverypensive，knowingthat
　　Iwasreallytheinstrumentofherdisaster；butthepreservation
　　ofmyownlife，whichwassoevidentlyindanger，tookoffall
　　mytenderness；andseeingthatshewasnotputtodeath，Iwas
　　veryeasyathertransportation，becauseshewasthenoutof
　　thewayofdoingmeanymischief，whatevershouldhappen。
　　Thedisasterofthiswomanwassomemonthsbeforethatof
　　thelast-recitedstory，andwasindeedpartlyoccasionofmy
　　governessproposingtodressmeupinmen’sclothes，thatI
　　mightgoaboutunobserved，asindeedIdid；butIwassoon
　　tiredofthatdisguise，asIhavesaid，forindeeditexposedme
　　totoomanydifficulties。
　　Iwasnoweasyastoallfearofwitnessesagainstme，forall
　　thosethathadeitherbeenconcernedwithme，orthatknew
　　mebythenameofMollFlanders，wereeitherhangedor
　　transported；andifIshouldhavehadthemisfortunetobe
　　taken，Imightcallmyselfanythingelse，aswellasMollFlanders，
　　andnooldsinscouldbeplacedintomyaccount；soIbegan
　　toruna-tickagainwiththemorefreedom，andseveral
　　successfuladventuresImade，thoughnotsuchasIhadmade
　　before。
　　Wehadatthattimeanotherfirehappenednotagreatwayoff
　　fromtheplacewheremygovernesslived，andImadeanattempt
　　there，asbefore，butasIwasnotsoonenoughbeforethecrowd
　　ofpeoplecamein，andcouldnotgettothehouseIaimedat，
　　insteadofaprize，Igotamischief，whichhadalmostputaperiod
　　tomylifeandallmywickeddoingstogether；forthefirebeing
　　veryfurious，andthepeopleinagreatfrightinremovingtheir
　　goods，andthrowingthemoutofwindow，awenchfromout
　　ofawindowthrewafeather-bedjustuponme。
　　Itistrue，the
　　bedbeingsoft，itbrokenobones；butastheweightwasgreat，
　　andmadegreaterbythefall，itbeatmedown，andlaidme
　　deadforawhile。
　　Nordidthepeopleconcernthemselvesmuch
　　todelivermefromit，ortorecovermeatall；butIlaylikeone
　　deadandneglectedagoodwhile，tillsomebodygoingto
　　removethebedoutoftheway，helpedmeup。
　　Itwasindeed
　　awonderthepeopleinthehousehadnotthrownothergoods
　　outafterit，andwhichmighthavefallenuponit，andthenI
　　hadbeeninevitablykilled；butIwasreservedforfurther
　　afflictions。
　　Thisaccident，however，spoiledmymarketforthattime，and
　　Icamehometomygovernessverymuchhurtandbruised，
　　andfrightedtothelastdegree，anditwasagoodwhilebefore
　　shecouldsetmeuponmyfeetagain。
　　Itwasnowamerrytimeoftheyear，andBartholomewFair
　　wasbegun。
　　Ihadnevermadeanywalksthatway，norwas
　　thecommonpartofthefairofmuchadvantagetome；butI
　　tookaturnthisyearintothecloisters，andamongtherestI
　　fellintooneoftherafflingshops。
　　Itwasathingofnogreat
　　consequencetome，nordidIexpecttomakemuchofit；but
　　therecameagentlemanextremelywelldressedandveryrich，
　　andas’tisfrequenttotalktoeverybodyinthoseshops，he
　　singledmeout，andwasveryparticularwithme。
　　Firsthetold
　　mehewouldputinformetoraffle，anddidso；andsome
　　smallmattercomingtohislot，hepresentedittomeIthink
　　itwasafeathermuff；thenhecontinuedtokeeptalkingto
　　mewithamorethancommonappearanceofrespect，butstill
　　verycivil，andmuchlikeagentleman。
　　Heheldmeintalksolong，tillatlasthedrewmeoutofthe
　　rafflingplacetotheshop-door，andthentoawalkinthecloister，
　　stilltalkingofathousandthingscursorilywithoutanythingto
　　thepurpose。
　　Atlasthetoldmethat，withoutcompliment，he
　　wascharmedwithmycompany，andaskedmeifIdursttrust