Isuppose
　　itwas，forIdidnothearitsoastounderstandit，whichwas
　　thegentlewomanthatsenthim；forthemessengersaid，’There
　　sheis，sir’；atwhichhecomesdirectlyuptome，kissesme，
　　tookmeinhisarms，andembracedmewithsomuchpassion
　　thathecouldnotspeak，butIcouldfeelhisbreastheaveand
　　throblikeachild，thatcries，butsobs，andcannotcryitout。
　　Icanneitherexpressnordescribethejoythattouchedmyvery
　　soulwhenIfound，foritwaseasytodiscoverthatpart，that
　　hecamenotasastranger，butasasontoamother，andindeed
　　asasonwhohadneverbeforeknownwhatamotherofhis
　　ownwas；inshort，wecriedoveroneanotheraconsiderable
　　while，whenatlasthebrokeoutfirst。
　　’Mydearmother，’says
　　he，’areyoustillalive？
　　Ineverexpectedtohaveseenyour
　　face。’
　　Asforme，Icouldsaynothingagreatwhile。
　　Afterwehadbothrecoveredourselvesalittle，andwereable
　　totalk，hetoldmehowthingsstood。AstowhatIhadwritten
　　tohisfather，hetoldmehehadnotshowedmylettertohis
　　father，ortoldhimanythingaboutit；thatwhathisgrandmother
　　leftmewasinhishands，andthathewoulddomejusticeto
　　myfullsatisfaction；thatastohisfather，hewasoldandinfirm
　　bothinbodyandmind；thathewasveryfretfulandpassionate，
　　almostblind，andcapableofnothing；andhequestioned
　　whetherhewouldknowhowtoactinanaffairwhichwasof
　　soniceanatureasthis；andthatthereforehehadcomehimself，
　　aswelltosatisfyhimselfinseeingme，whichhecouldnot
　　restrainhimselffrom，asalsotoputitintomypowertomake
　　ajudgment，afterIhadseenhowthingswere，whetherIwould
　　discovermyselftohisfatherorno。
　　Thiswasreallysoprudentlyandwiselymanaged，thatIfound
　　mysonwasamanofsense，andneedednodirectionfromme。
　　ItoldhimIdidnotwonderthathisfatherwasashehad
　　describedhim，forthathisheadwasalittletouchedbeforeI
　　wentaway；andprincipallyhisdisturbancewasbecauseI
　　couldnotbepersuadedtoconcealourrelationandtolivewith
　　himasmyhusband，afterIknewthathewasmybrother；that
　　asheknewbetterthanIwhathisfather’spresentcondition
　　was，Ishouldreadilyjoinwithhiminsuchmeasureashe
　　woulddirect；thatIwasindifferentastoseeinghisfather，
　　sinceIhadseenhimfirst，andhecouldnothavetoldmebetter
　　newsthantotellmethatwhathisgrandmotherhadleftme
　　wasentrustedinhishands，who，Idoubtednot，nowheknew
　　whoIwas，would，ashesaid，domejustice。
　　Iinquiredthen
　　howlongmymotherhadbeendead，andwhereshedied，and
　　toldsomanyparticularsofthefamily，thatIlefthimnoroom
　　todoubtthetruthofmybeingreallyandtrulyhismother。
　　MysontheninquiredwhereIwas，andhowIhaddisposed
　　myself。
　　ItoldhimIwasontheMarylandsideofthebay，at
　　theplantationofaparticularfriendwhocamefromEngland
　　inthesameshipwithme；thatasforthatsideofthebaywhere
　　hewas，Ihadnohabitation。
　　HetoldmeIshouldgohome
　　withhim，andlivewithhim，ifIpleased，aslongasIlived；
　　thatastohisfather，heknewnobody，andwouldneverso
　　muchasguessatme。
　　Iconsideredofthatalittle，andtold
　　him，thatthoughitwasreallynoconcerntometoliveata
　　distancefromhim，yetIcouldnotsayitwouldbethemost
　　comfortablethingintheworldtometoliveinthehousewith
　　him，andtohavethatunhappyobjectalwaysbeforeme，which
　　hadbeensuchablowtomypeacebefore；thatthoughIshould
　　begladtohavehiscompanymyson，ortobeasnearhimas
　　possiblewhileIstayed，yetIcouldnotthinkofbeinginthe
　　housewhereIshouldbealsounderconstantrestraintforfear
　　ofbetrayingmyselfinmydiscourse，norshouldIbeableto
　　refrainsomeexpressionsinmyconversingwithhimasmy
　　son，thatmightdiscoverthewholeaffair，whichwouldbyno
　　meansbeconvenient。
　　HeacknowledgedthatIwasrightinallthis。
　　’Butthen，dear
　　mother，’sayshe，’youshallbeasnearmeasyoucan。’
　　Sohe
　　tookmewithhimonhorsebacktoaplantationnexttohisown，
　　andwhereIwasaswellentertainedasIcouldhavebeeninhis
　　own。
　　Havingleftmetherehewentawayhome，tellingmewe
　　wouldtalkofthemainbusinessthenextday；andhavingfirst
　　calledmehisaunt，andgivenachargetothepeople，whoit
　　seemswerehistenants，totreatmewithallpossiblerespect。
　　Abouttwohoursafterhewasgone，hesentmeamaid-servant
　　andaNegroboytowaitonme，andprovisionsreadydressed
　　formysupper；andthusIwasasifIhadbeeninanewworld，
　　andbegansecretlynowtowishthatIhadnotbroughtmy
　　LancashirehusbandfromEnglandatall。
　　However，thatwishwasnotheartyneither，forIlivedmy
　　Lancashirehusbandentirely，asindeedIhadeverdonefrom
　　thebeginning；andhemeritedfrommeasmuchasitwas
　　possibleforamantodo；butthatbytheway。
　　Thenextmorningmysoncametovisitmeagainalmostas
　　soonasIwasup。
　　Afteralittlediscourse，hefirstofallpulled
　　outadeerskinbag，andgaveitme，withfive-and-fiftySpanish
　　pistolesinit，andtoldmethatwastosupplymyexpensesfrom
　　England，forthoughitwasnothisbusinesstoinquire，yethe
　　oughttothinkIdidnotbringagreatdealofmoneyoutwith
　　me，itnotbeingusualtobringmuchmoneyintothatcountry。
　　Thenhepulledouthisgrandmother’swill，andreaditoverto
　　me，wherebyitappearedthatshehadleftasmallplantation，
　　ashecalledit，onYorkRiver，thatis，wheremymotherlived，
　　tome，withthestockofservantsandcattleuponit，andgiven
　　itintrusttothissonofmineformyuse，wheneverheshould
　　hearofmybeingalive，andtomyheirs，ifIhadanychildren，
　　andindefaultofheirs，towhomsoeverIshouldbywilldispose
　　ofit；butgavetheincomeofit，tillIshouldbeheardof，or
　　found，tomysaidson；andifIshouldnotbeliving，thenitwas
　　tohim，andhisheirs。
　　Thisplantation，thoughremotefromhim，hesaidhedidnot
　　letout，butmanageditbyahead-clerksteward，ashedid
　　anotherthatwashisfather’s，thatlayhardbyit，andwentover
　　himselfthreeorfourtimesayeartolookafterit。
　　Iaskedhim
　　whathethoughttheplantationmightbeworth。
　　Hesaid，ifI
　　wouldletitout，hewouldgivemeabout60ayearforit；but
　　ifIwouldliveonit，thenitwouldbeworthmuchmore，and，
　　hebelieved，wouldbringmeinabout#150ayear。
　　Butseeing
　　Iwaslikelyeithertosettleontheothersideofthebay，or
　　mightperhapshaveamindtogobacktoEnglandagain，ifI
　　wouldlethimbemystewardhewouldmanageitforme，as
　　hehaddoneforhimself，andthathebelievedheshouldbe
　　abletosendmeasmuchtobaccotoEnglandfromitaswould
　　yieldmeabout#100ayear，sometimesmore。
　　Thiswasallstrangenewstome，andthingsIhadnotbeen
　　usedto；andreallymyheartbegantolookupmoreseriously
　　thanIthinkiteverdidbefore，andtolookwithgreatthankfulness
　　tothehandofProvidence，whichhaddonesuchwondersfor
　　me，whohadbeenmyselfthegreatestwonderofwickedness
　　perhapsthathadbeensufferedtoliveintheworld。
　　AndImust
　　againobserve，thatnotonthisoccasiononly，butevenonall
　　otheroccasionsofthankfulness，mypastwickedandabominable
　　lifeneverlookedsomonstroustome，andIneversocompletely
　　abhorredit，andreproachedmyselfwithit，aswhenIhada
　　senseuponmeofProvidencedoinggoodtome，whileIhad
　　beenmakingthosevilereturnsonmypart。
　　ButIleavethereadertoimprovethesethoughts，asnodoubt
　　theywillseecause，andIgoontothefact。
　　Myson’stender
　　carriageandkindoffersfetchedtearsfromme，almostallthe
　　whilehetalkedwithme。
　　Indeed，Icouldscarcediscourse
　　withhimbutintheintervalsofmypassion；however，atlength
　　Ibegan，andexpressingmyselfwithwonderatmybeingso
　　happytohavethetrustofwhatIhadleft，putintothehands
　　ofmyownchild，Itoldhim，thatastotheinheritanceofit，I
　　hadnochildbuthimintheworld，andwasnowpasthaving
　　anyifIshouldmarry，andthereforewoulddesirehimtoget
　　awritingdrawn，whichIwasreadytoexecute，bywhichI
　　would，afterme，giveitwhollytohimandtohisheirs。
　　And
　　inthemeantime，smiling，Iaskedhimwhatmadehimcontinue
　　abachelorsolong。
　　Hisanswerwaskindandready，that
　　Virginiadidnotyieldanygreatplentyofwives，andthatsince
　　ItalkedofgoingbacktoEngland，Ishouldsendhimawife
　　fromLondon。
　　Thiswasthesubstanceofourfirstday’sconversation，the
　　pleasantestdaythateverpassedovermyheadinmylife，and
　　whichgavemethetruestsatisfaction。
　　Hecameeveryday
　　afterthis，andspentgreatpartofhistimewithme，andcarried
　　meabouttoseveralofhisfriends’houses，whereIwas
　　entertainedwithgreatrespect。
　　AlsoIdinesseveraltimesat
　　hisownhouse，whenhetookcarealwaystoseehishalf-dead
　　fathersooutofthewaythatIneversawhim，orheme。
　　I
　　madehimonepresent，anditwasallIhadofvalue，andthat
　　wasoneofthegoldwatches，ofwhichImentionedabove，
　　thatIhadtwoinmychest，andthisIhappenedtohavewith
　　me，andIgaveithimathisthirdvisit。
　　ItoldhimIhadnothing
　　ofanyvaluetobestowbutthat，andIdesiredhewouldnow
　　andthenkissitformysake。
　　IdidnotindeedtellhimthatI
　　hadstoleitfromagentlewoman’sside，atameeting-housein
　　London。
　　That’sbytheway。