bedone，’andsowepartedforthatnight。
　　Ilayintheprisonnearfifteenweeksafterthisorderfor
　　transportationwassigned。
　　Whatthereasonofitwas，Iknow
　　not，butattheendofthistimeIwasputonboardofashipin
　　theThames，andwithmeagangofthirteenashardenedvile
　　creaturesaseverNewgateproducedinmytime；anditwould
　　reallywelltakeupahistorylongerthanminetodescribethe
　　degreesofimpudenceandaudaciousvillainythatthosethirteen
　　werearrivedto，andthemanneroftheirbehaviourinthe
　　voyage；ofwhichIhaveaverydivertingaccountbyme，which
　　thecaptainoftheshipwhocarriedthemovergavemethe
　　minutesof，andwhichhecausedhismatetowritedownatlarge。
　　Itmayperhapsbethoughttriflingtoenterhereintoarelation
　　ofallthelittleincidentswhichattendedmeinthisintervalof
　　mycircumstances；Imean，betweenthefinalorderofmy
　　transporationandthetimeofmygoingonboardtheship；and
　　Iamtooneartheendofmystorytoallowroomforit；but
　　somethingrelatingtomeanymyLancashirehusbandImust
　　notomit。
　　Hehad，asIhaveobservedalready，beencarriedfromthe
　　master’ssideoftheordinaryprisonintothepress-yard，with
　　threeofhiscomrades，fortheyfoundanothertoaddtothem
　　aftersometime；here，forwhatreasonIknewnot，theywere
　　keptincustodywithoutbeingbroughttotrialalmostthree
　　months。
　　Itseemstheyfoundmeanstobribeorbuyoffsome
　　ofthosewhowereexpectedtocomeinagainstthem，andthey
　　wantedevidenceforsometimetoconvictthem。
　　Aftersome
　　puzzleonthisaccount，atfirsttheymadeashifttogetproof
　　enoughagainsttwoofthemtocarrythemoff；buttheother
　　two，ofwhichmyLancashirehusbandwasone，laystillin
　　suspense。
　　Theyhad，Ithink，onepositiveevidenceagainst
　　eachofthem，butthelawstrictlyobligingthemtohavetwo
　　witnesses，theycouldmakenothingofit。
　　Yetitseemsthey
　　wereresolvednottopartwiththemenneither，notdoubting
　　butafurtherevidencewouldatlastcomein；andinorderto
　　this，Ithinkpublicationwasmade，thatsuchprisonersbeing
　　taken，anyonethathadbeenrobbedbythemmightcometo
　　theprisonandseethem。
　　Itookthisopportunitytosatisfymycuriosity，pretendingthat
　　IhadbeenrobbedintheDunstablecoach，andthatIwouldgo
　　toseethetwohighwaymen。
　　ButwhenIcameintothepress-yard，
　　Isodisguisedmyself，andmuffledmyfaceupso，thathecould
　　seelittleofme，andconsequentlyknewnothingofwhoIwas；
　　andwhenIcameback，IsaidpubliclythatIknewthemverywell。
　　ImmediatelyitwasrumouredallovertheprisonthatMoll
　　Flanderswouldturnevidenceagainstoneofthehighwaymen，
　　andthatIwastocomeoffbyitfromthesentenceoftransportation。
　　Theyheardofit，andimmediatelymyhusbanddesiredtosee
　　thisMrs。Flandersthatknewhimsowell，andwastobean
　　evidenceagainsthim；andaccordinglyIhadleavegiventogo
　　tohim。
　　IdressedmyselfupaswellasthebestclothesthatI
　　sufferedmyselfevertoappearintherewouldallowme，and
　　wenttothepress-yard，buthadforsometimeahoodovermy
　　face。
　　Hesaidlittletomeatfirst，butaskedmeifIknewhim。
　　Itoldhim，Yes，verywell；butasIconcealedmyface，soI
　　counterfeitedmyvoice，thathehadnottheleastguessatwho
　　Iwas。
　　HeaskedmewhereIhadseenhim。
　　Itoldhimbetween
　　DunstableandBrickhill；butturningtothekeeperthatstood
　　by，IaskedifImightnotbeadmittedtotalkwithhimalone。
　　HesaidYes，yes，asmuchasIpleased，andsoverycivilly
　　withdrew。
　　Assoonashewasgone，Ihadshutthedoor，Ithrewoffmy
　　hood，andburstingoutintotears，’Mydear，’saysI，’doyounot
　　knowme？’
　　Heturnedpale，andstoodspeechless，likeone
　　thunderstruck，and，notabletoconquerthesurprise，saidno
　　morebutthis，’Letmesitdown’；andsittingdownbyatable，
　　helaidhiselbowuponthetable，andleaninghisheadonhis
　　hand，fixedhiseyesonthegroundasonestupid。
　　Icriedso
　　vehemently，ontheotherhand，thatitwasagoodwhileereI
　　couldspeakanymore；butafterIhadgivensomeventtomy
　　passionbytears，Irepeatedthesamewords，’Mydear，doyou
　　notknowme？’
　　Atwhichheanswered，Yes，andsaidnomore
　　agoodwhile。
　　Aftersometimecontinuinginthesurprise，asabove，hecast
　　uphiseyestowardsmeandsaid，’Howcouldyoubesocruel？’
　　Ididnotreadilyunderstandwhathemeant；andIanswered，
　　’Howcanyoucallmecruel？
　　WhathaveIbeencrueltoyouin？’
　　’Tocometome，’sayshe，’insuchaplaceasthis，isitnotto
　　insultme？
　　Ihavenotrobbedyou，atleastnotonthehighway。’
　　Iperceivedbythisthatheknewnothingofthemiserable
　　circumstancesIwasin，andthoughtthat，havinggotsome
　　intelligenceofhisbeingthere，Ihadcometoupbraidhim
　　withhisleavingme。
　　ButIhadtoomuchtosaytohimtobe
　　affronted，andtoldhiminfewwords，thatIwasfarfrom
　　comingtoinsulthim，butatbestIcametocondolemutually；
　　thathewouldbeeasilysatisfiedthatIhadnosuchview，
　　whenIshouldtellhimthatmyconditionwasworsethanhis，
　　andthatmanyways。
　　Helookedalittleconcernedatthe
　　generalexpressionofmyconditionbeingworsethanhis，but，
　　withakindsmile，lookedalittlewildly，andsaid，’Howcan
　　thatbe？
　　Whenyouseemefettered，andinNewgate，andtwo
　　ofmycompanionsexecutedalready，canyoucanyourcondition
　　isworsethanmine？’
　　’Come，mydear，’saysI，’wehavealongpieceofworktodo，
　　ifIshouldbetorelated，oryoutohear，myunfortunatehistory；
　　butifyouaredisposedtohearit，youwillsoonconcludewith
　　methatmyconditionisworsethanyours。’
　　’Howisthatpossible，’
　　saysheagain，’whenIexpecttobecastformylifethevery
　　nextsessions？’
　　’Yes，saysI，’’tisverypossible，whenIshall
　　tellyouthatIhavebeencastformylifethreesessionsago，
　　andamundersentenceofdeath；isnotmycaseworsethanyours？’
　　Thenindeed，hestoodsilentagain，likeonestruckdumb，and
　　afterawhilehestartsup。
　　’Unhappycouple！’sayshe。
　　’How
　　canthisbepossible？’
　　Itookhimbythehand。
　　’Come，my
　　dear，’saidI，’sitdown，andletuscompareoursorrows。
　　Iam
　　aprisonerinthisveryhouse，andinmuchworsecircumstances
　　thanyou，andyouwillbesatisfiedIdonotcometoinsultyou，
　　whenItellyoutheparticulars。’
　　Anywiththiswesatdown
　　together，andItoldhimsomuchofmystoryasIthoughtwas
　　convenient，bringingitatlasttomybeingreducedtogreat
　　poverty，andrepresentingmyselfasfallenintosomecompany
　　thatledmetorelievemydistressesbywaythatIhadbeen
　　utterlyunacquaintedwith，andthattheymakinganattemptat
　　atradesman’shouse，Iwasseizeduponforhavingbeenbut
　　justatthedoor，themaid-servantpullingmein；thatIneither
　　hadbrokeanylocknortakenanythingaway，andthat
　　notwithstandingthat，Iwasbroughtinguiltyandsentenced
　　todie；butthatthejudges，havingbeenmadesensibleofthe
　　hardshipofmycircumstances，hadobtainedleavetoremitthe
　　sentenceuponmyconsentingtobetransported。
　　ItoldhimIfaredtheworseforbeingtakenintheprisonfor
　　oneMollFlanders，whowasafamoussuccessfulthief，that
　　allofthemhadheardof，butnoneofthemhadeverseen；but
　　that，asheknewwell，wasnoneofmyname。
　　ButIplacedall
　　totheaccountofmyillfortune，andthatunderthisnameI
　　wasdealtwithasanoldoffender，thoughthiswasthefirst
　　thingtheyhadeverknownofme。
　　Igavehimalongparticular
　　ofthingsthathadbefallenmesinceIsawhim，butItoldhim
　　ifIhadseenhimsincehemightthingIhad，andthengave
　　himanaccounthowIhadseenhimatBrickhill；howfuriously
　　hewaspursued，andhow，bygivinganaccountthatIknew
　　him，andthathewasaveryhonestgentleman，oneMr——，
　　thehue-and-crywasstopped，andthehighconstablewent
　　backagain。
　　Helistenedmostattentivelytoallmystory，andsmiledat
　　mostoftheparticulars，beingallofthempettymatters，and
　　infinitelybelowwhathehadbeenattheheadof；butwhenI
　　cametothestoryofBrickhill，hewassurprised。
　　’Andwasit
　　you，mydear，’saidhe，’thatgavethechecktothemobthat
　　wasatourheelsthere，atBrickhill？’
　　’Yes，’saidI，’itwasI
　　indeed。’
　　AndthenItoldhimtheparticularswhichIhad
　　observedhimthere。
　　’Why，then，’saidhe，’itwasyouthat
　　savedmylifeatthattime，andIamgladIowemylifetoyou，
　　forIwillpaythedebttoyounow，andI’lldeliveryoufrom
　　thepresentconditionyouarein，orIwilldieintheattempt。’
　　Itoldhim，bynomeans；itwasarisktoogreat，notworthhis
　　runningthehazardof，andforalifenotworthhissaving。
　　’Twasnomatterforthat，hesaid，itwasalifeworthallthe
　　worldtohim；alifethathadgivenhimanewlife；’for，’says
　　he，’Iwasneverinrealdangerofbeingtaken，butthattime，
　　tillthelastminutewhenIwastaken。’
　　Indeed，hetoldmehis
　　dangerthenlayinhisbelievinghehadnotbeenpursuedthat
　　way；fortheyhadgonefromHockeyquiteanotherway，and
　　hadcomeovertheenclosedcountryintoBrickhill，notbythe
　　road，andweresuretheyhadnotbeenseenbyanybody。
　　Herehegavemealonghistoryofhislife，whichindeedwould
　　makeaverystrangehistory，andbeinfinitelydiverting。