’Why，’saysherfriend，’hehadbeenatHampsteadto
　　visitagentlemanofhisacquaintance，andashecameback
　　againhewassetuponandrobbed；andhavinggotalittledrink
　　too，astheysuppose，theroguesabusedhim，andheisveryill。’
　　’Robbed！’saysmygoverness，’andwhatdidtheytakefrom
　　him？’
　　’Why，’saysherfriend，’theytookhisgoldwatchand
　　hisgoldsnuff-box，hisfineperiwig，andwhatmoneyhehad
　　inhispocket，whichwasconsiderable，tobesure，forSir——
　　nevergoeswithoutapurseofguineasabouthim。’
　　’Pshaw！’saysmyoldgoverness，jeering，’Iwarrantyouhe
　　hasgotdrunknowandgotawhore，andshehaspickedhis
　　pocket，andsohecomeshometohiswifeandtellsherhehas
　　beenrobbed。
　　That’sanoldsham；athousandsuchtricksare
　　putuponthepoorwomeneveryday。’
　　’Fie！’saysherfriend，’Ifindyoudon’tknowSir——；whyhe
　　isacivilagentleman，thereisnotafinerman，norasoberer，
　　graver，modesterpersoninthewholecity；heabhorssuchthings；
　　there’snobodythatknowshimwillthinksuchathingofhim。’
　　’Well，well，’saysmygoverness，’that’snoneofmybusiness；
　　ifitwas，IwarrantIshouldfindtherewassomethingofthat
　　kindinit；yourmodestmenincommonopinionaresometimes
　　nobetterthanotherpeople，onlytheykeepabettercharacter，
　　or，ifyouplease，arethebetterhypocrites。’
　　’No，no，’saysherfriend，’IcanassureyouSir——isno
　　hypocrite，heisreallyanhonest，sobergentleman，andhehas
　　certainlybeenrobbed。’
　　’Nay，’saysmygoverness，’itmaybe
　　hehas；itisnobusinessofmine，Itellyou；Ionlywantto
　　speakwithhim；mybusinessisofanothernature。’
　　’But，’says
　　herfriend，’letyourbusinessbeofwhatnatureitwill，you
　　cannotseehimyet，forheisnotfittobeseen，forheisvery
　　ill，andbruisedverymuch，’
　　’Ay，’saysmygoverness，’nay，
　　thenhehasfallenintobadhands，tobesure，’
　　Andthenshe
　　askedgravely，’Pray，whereishebruised？’
　　’Why，inthehead，’
　　saysherfriend，’andoneofhishands，andhisface，forthey
　　usedhimbarbarously。’
　　’Poorgentleman，’saysmygoverness，
　　’Imustwait，then，tillherecovers’；andadds，’Ihopeitwill
　　notbelong，forIwantverymuchtospeakwithhim。’
　　Awayshecomestomeandtellsmethisstory。
　　’Ihavefound
　　outyourfinegentleman，andafinegentlemanhewas，’says
　　she；’but，mercyonhim，heisinasadpicklenow。
　　Iwonder
　　whatthed——lyouhavedonetohim；why，youhavealmost
　　killedhim。’
　　Ilookedatherwithdisorderenough。
　　’Ikilled
　　him！’saysI；’youmustmistaketheperson；IamsureIdid
　　nothingtohim；hewasverywellwhenIlefthim，’saidI，’only
　　drunkandfastasleep。’
　　’Iknownothingofthat，’saysshe，
　　’butheisinasadpicklenow’；andsoshetoldmeallthather
　　friendhadsaidtoher。
　　’Well，then，’saysI，’hefellintobad
　　handsafterIlefthim，forIamsureIlefthimsafeenough。’
　　Abouttendaysafter，oralittlemore，mygovernessgoesagain
　　toherfriend，tointroducehertothisgentleman；shehad
　　inquiredotherwaysinthemeantime，andfoundthathewas
　　aboutagain，ifnotabroadagain，soshegotleavetospeak
　　withhim。
　　Shewasawomanofaadmirableaddress，andwantednobody
　　tointroduceher；shetoldhertalemuchbetterthanIshallbe
　　abletotellitforher，forshewasamistressofhertongue，as
　　Ihavesaidalready。
　　Shetoldhimthatshecame，thougha
　　stranger，withasingledesignofdoinghimaserviceandhe
　　shouldfindshehadnootherendinit；thatasshecamepurely
　　onsofriendlyanaccount，shebeggedpromisefromhim，that
　　ifhedidnotacceptwhatsheshouldofficiouslyproposehe
　　wouldnottakeitillthatshemeddledwithwhatwasnother
　　business。
　　Sheassuredhimthataswhatshehadtosaywasa
　　secretthatbelongedtohimonly，sowhetherheacceptedher
　　offerornot，itshouldremainasecrettoalltheworld，unless
　　heexposedithimself；norshouldhisrefusingherserviceinit
　　makehersolittleshowherrespectastodohimtheleastinjury，
　　sothatheshouldbeentirelyatlibertytoactashethoughtfit。
　　Helookedveryshyatfirst，andsaidheknewnothingthat
　　relatedtohimthatrequiredmuchsecrecy；thathehadnever
　　doneanymananywrong，andcarednotwhatanybodymight
　　sayofhim；thatitwasnopartofhischaractertobeunjustto
　　anybody，norcouldheimagineinwhatanymancouldrender
　　himanyservice；butthatifitwassodisinterestedaserviceas
　　shesaid，hecouldnottakeitillfromanyonethattheyshould
　　endeavourtoservehim；andso，asitwere，leftheraliberty
　　eithertotellhimornottotell，asshethoughtfit。
　　Shefoundhimsoperfectlyindifferent，thatshewasalmost
　　afraidtoenterintothepointwithhim；but，however，after
　　someothercircumlocutionsshetoldhimthatbyastrangeand
　　unaccountableaccidentshecametohaveaparticularknowledge
　　ofthelateunhappyadventurehehadfalleninto，andthatinsuch
　　amanner，thattherewasnobodyintheworldbutherselfand
　　himthatwereacquaintedwithit，no，nottheverypersonthat
　　waswithhim。
　　Helookedalittleangrilyatfirst。
　　’Whatadventure？’saidhe。
　　’Why，’saidshe，’ofyourbeingrobbedcomingfromKnightbr——；
　　Hampstead，sir，Ishouldsay，’saysshe。
　　’Benotsurprised，sir，’
　　saysshe，’thatIamabletotellyoueverystepyoutookthat
　　dayfromthecloisterinSmithfieldtotheSpringGardenat
　　Knightsbridge，andthencetothe——intheStrand，andhow
　　youwereleftasleepinthecoachafterwards。
　　Isay，letnot
　　thissurpriseyou，for，sir，Idonotcometomakeabootyof
　　you，Iasknothingofyou，andIassureyouthewomanthat
　　waswithyouknowsnothingwhoyouare，andnevershall；
　　andyetperhapsImayserveyoufurtherstill，forIdidnotcome
　　barelytoletyouknowthatIwasinformedofthesethings，as
　　ifIwantedabridetoconcealthem；assureyourself，sir，’said
　　she，’thatwhateveryouthinkfittodoorsaytome，itshallbe
　　allasecretasitis，asmuchasifIwereinmygrave。’
　　Hewasastonishedatherdiscourse，andsaidgravelytoher，
　　’Madam，youareastrangertome，butitisveryunfortunate
　　thatyoushouldbeletintothesecretoftheworstactionof
　　mylife，andathingthatIamsojustlyashamedof，thatthe
　　onlysatisfactionofittomewas，thatIthoughtitwasknown
　　onlytoGodanymyownconscience。’
　　’Pray，sir，’saysshe，
　　’donotreckonthediscoveryofittometobeanypartofyour
　　misfortune。
　　Itwasathing，Ibelieve，youweresurprisedinto，
　　andperhapsthewomanusedsomearttopromptyoutoit；
　　however，youwillneverfindanyjustcause，’saidshe，’to
　　repentthatIcametohearofit；norcanyourownmouthbe
　　moresilentinitthatIhavebeen，andevershallbe。’
　　’Well，’sayshe，’butletmedosomejusticetothewomantoo；
　　whoeversheis，Idoassureyoushepromptedmetonothing，
　　sheratherdeclinedme。
　　Itwasmyownfollyandmadnessthat
　　broughtmeintoitall，ay，andbroughtherintoittoo；Imust
　　giveherherduesofar。
　　Astowhatshetookfromme，Icould
　　expectnolessfromherintheconditionIwasin，andtothis
　　hourIknownotwhethersherobbedmeorthecoachman；if
　　shedidit，Iforgiveher，andIthinkallgentlementhatdoso
　　shouldbeusedinthesamemanner；butIammoreconcerned
　　forsomeotherthingsthatIamforallthatshetookfromme。’
　　Mygovernessnowbegantocomeintothewholematter，and
　　heopenedhimselffreelytoher。
　　Firstshesaidtohim，inanswer
　　towhathehadsaidaboutme，’Iamglad，sir，youaresojust
　　tothepersonthatyouwerewith；Iassureyousheisa
　　gentlewoman，andnowomanofthetown；andhoweveryou
　　prevailedwithhersofarasyoudid，Iamsure’tisnother
　　practice。
　　Youranagreatventureindeed，sir；butifthatbe
　　anypartofyourcare，Iampersuadedyoumaybeperfectly
　　easy，forIdareassureyounomanhastouchedher，before
　　you，sinceherhusband，andhehasbeendeadnowalmost
　　eightyears。’
　　Itappearedthatthiswashisgrievance，andthathewasina
　　verygreatfrightaboutit；however，whenmygovernesssaid
　　thistohim，heappearedverywellpleased，andsaid，’Well，
　　madam，tobeplainwithyou，ifIwassatisfiedofthat，Ishould
　　notsomuchvaluewhatIlost；for，astothat，thetemptation
　　wasgreat，andperhapsshewaspoorandwantedit。’
　　’Ifshe
　　hadnotbeenpoor，sir——，’saysmygoverness，’Iassureyou
　　shewouldneverhaveyieldedtoyou；andasherpovertyfirst
　　prevailedwithhertoletyoudoasyoudid，sothesamepoverty
　　prevailedwithhertopayherselfatlast，whenshesawyou
　　wasinsuchacondition，thatifshehadnotdoneit，perhaps
　　thenextcoachmanmighthavedoneit。’
　　’Well，’sayshe，’muchgoodmayitdoher。
　　Isayagain，allthe
　　gentlementhatdosooughttobeusedinthesamemanner，
　　andthentheywouldbecautiousofthemselves。
　　Ihaveno
　　moreconcernaboutit，butonthescorewhichyouhintedat
　　before，madam。’
　　Hereheenteredintosomefreedomswith
　　heronthesubjectofwhatpassedbetweenus，whicharenot
　　soproperforawomantowrite，andthegreatterrorthatwas
　　uponhismindwithrelationtohiswife，forfearheshouldhave
　　receivedanyinjuryfromme，andshouldcommunicateiffarther；
　　andaskedheratlastifshecouldnotprocurehimanopportunity
　　tospeakwithme。
　　Mygovernessgavehimfurtherassurances
　　ofmybeingawomanclearfromanysuchthing，andthathe
　　wasasentirelysaveinthatrespectashewaswithhisown
　　lady；butasforseeingme，shesaiditmightbeofdangerous