before，foreverynowandthenIsawhiltsofswords，spoons，
forks，tankards，andallsuchkindofwarebroughtin，nottobe
pawned，buttobesolddownright；andsheboughteverything
thatcamewithoutaskinganyquestions，buthadverygood
bargains，asIfoundbyherdiscourse。
Ifoundalsothatinfollowingthistradeshealwaysmelted
downtheplateshebought，thatitmightnotbechallenged；
andshecametomeandtoldmeonemorningthatshewas
goingtomelt，andifIwould，shewouldputmytankardin，
thatitmightnotbeseenbyanybody。
Itoldher，withallmy
heart；sosheweighedit，andallowedmethefullvalueinsilver
again；butIfoundshedidnotdothesametotherestofher
customers。
Sometimeafterthis，asIwasatwork，andverymelancholy，
shebeginstoaskmewhatthematterwas，asshewasusedto
do。
Itoldhermyheartwasheavy；Ihadlittlework，and
nothingtoliveon，andknewnotwhatcoursetotake。
She
laughed，andtoldmeImustgooutagainandtrymyfortune；
itmightbethatImightmeetwithanotherpieceofplate。
’Omother！’saysI，’thatisatradeIhavenoskillin，andifI
shouldbetakenIamundoneatonce。’
Saysshe，’Icouldhelp
youtoaschoolmistressthatshallmakeyouasdexterousas
herself。’
Itrembledat
thatproposal，forhithertoIhadhad
noconfederates，noranyacquaintanceamongthattribe。
But
sheconqueredallmymodesty，andallmyfears；andinalittle
time，bythehelpofthisconfederate，Igrewasimpudenta
thief，andasdexterousaseverMollCutpursewas，though，
iffamedoesnotbelieher，nothalfsohandsome。
Thecomradeshehelpedmetodealtinthreesortsofcraft，viz。
shoplifting，stealingofshop-booksandpocket-books，and
takingoffgoldwatchesfromtheladies’sides；andthislastshe
didsodexterouslythatnowomaneverarrivedtotheperformance
ofthatartsoastodoitlikeher。
Ilikedthefirstandthelast
ofthesethingsverywell，andIattendedhersometimeinthe
practice，justasadeputyattendsamidwife，withoutanypay。
Atlengthsheputmetopractice。
Shehadshownmeherart，
andIhadseveraltimesunhookedawatchfromherownside
withgreatdexterity。
Atlastsheshowedmeaprize，andthis
wasayoungladybigwithchild，whohadacharmingwatch。
Thethingwastobedoneasshecameoutofchurch。
Shegoes
ononesideofthelady，andpretends，justasshecametothe
steps，tofall，andfellagainsttheladywithsomuchviolence
asputherintoagreatfright，andbothcriedoutterribly。
In
theverymomentthatshejostledthelady，Ihadholdofthe
watch，andholdingittherightway，thestartshegavedrew
thehookout，andsheneverfeltit。
Imadeoffimmediately，
andleftmyschoolmistresstocomeoutofherpretendedfright
gradually，andtheladytoo；andpresentlythewatchwasmissed。
’Ay，’saysmycomrade，’thenitwasthoseroguesthatthrust
medown，Iwarrantye；Iwonderthegentlewomandidnotmiss
herwatchbefore，thenwemighthavetakenthem。’
Shehumouredthethingsowellthatnobodysuspectedher，
andIwasgothomeafullhourbeforeher。
Thiswasmyfirst
adventureincompany。
Thewatchwasindeedaveryfineone，
andhadagreatmanytrinketsaboutit，andmygoverness
allowedus#20forit，ofwhichIhadhalf。
AndthusIwas
enteredacompletethief，hardenedtothepitchaboveallthe
reflectionsofconscienceormodesty，andtoadegreewhich
ImustacknowledgeIneverthoughtpossibleinme。
Thusthedevil，whobegan，bythehelpofanirresistiblepoverty，
topushmeintothiswickedness，broughtmeontoaheight
beyondthecommonrate，evenwhenmynecessitieswerenot
sogreat，ortheprospectofmymiserysoterrifying；forIhad
nowgotintoalittleveinofwork，andasIwasnotataloss
tohandlemyneedle，itwasveryprobable，asacquaintance
camein，Imighthavegotmybreadhonestlyenough。
Imustsay，thatifsuchaprospectofworkhadpresenteditself
atfirst，whenIbegantofeeltheapproachofmymiserable
circumstances——Isay，hadsuchaprospectofgettingmybread
byworkingpresenteditselfthen，Ihadneverfallenintothis
wickedtrade，orintosuchawickedgangasIwasnowembarked
with；butpracticehadhardenedme，andIgrewaudaciousto
thelastdegree；andthemoresobecauseIhadcarrieditonso
long，andhadneverbeentaken；for，inaword，mynewpartner
inwickednessandIwentontogethersolong，withoutbeing
everdetected，thatwenotonlygrewbold，butwegrewrich，
andwehadatonetimeone-and-twentygoldwatchesinour
hands。
Irememberthatonedaybeingalittlemoreseriousthan
ordinary，andfindingIhadsogoodastockbeforehandasI
had，forIhadnear#200inmoneyformyshare，itcame
stronglyintomymind，nodoubtfromsomekindspirit，ifsuch
therebe，thatatfirstpovertyexcitedme，andmydistresses
drovemetothesedreadfulshifts；soseeingthosedistresses
werenowrelieved，andIcouldalsogetsomethingtowardsa
maintenancebyworking，andhadsogoodabanktosupport
me，whyshouldInownotleaveoff，astheysay，whileIwas
well？thatIcouldnotexpecttogoalwaysfree；andifIwas
oncesurprised，andmiscarried，Iwasundone。
Thiswasdoubtlessthehappyminute，when，ifIhadhearkened
totheblessedhint，fromwhatsoeverhaditcame，Ihadstilla
castforaneasylife。
Butmyfatewasotherwisedetermined；
thebusydevilthatsoindustriouslydrewmeinhadtoofast
holdofmetoletmegoback；butaspovertybroughtmeinto
themire，soavaricekeptmein，tilltherewasnogoingback。
Astothe
argumentswhichmyreasondictatedforpersuading
metolaydown，avaricesteppedinandsaid，’Goon，goon；
youhavehadverygoodluck；goontillyouhavegottenfour
orfivehundredpounds，andtheyyoushallleaveoff，andthen
youmayliveeasywithoutworkingatall。’
ThusI，thatwasonceinthedevil’sclutches，washeldfast
thereaswithacharm，andhadnopowertogowithoutthe
circle，tillIwasengulfedinlabyrinthsoftroubletoogreatto
getoutatall。
However，thesethoughtsleftsomeimpressionuponme，and
mademeactwithsomemorecautionthanbefore，andmore
thanmydirectorsusedforthemselves。
Mycomrade，asI
calledher，butrathersheshouldhavebeencalledmyteacher，
withanotherofherscholars，wasthefirstinthemisfortune；
for，happeningtobeuponthehuntforpurchase，theymade
anattemptuponalinen-draperinCheapside，butweresnapped
byahawk’s-eyedjourneyman，andseizedwithtwopiecesof
cambric，whichweretakenalsouponthem。
ThiswasenoughtolodgethembothinNewgate，wherethey
hadthemisfortunetohavesomeoftheirformersinsbrought
toremembrance。
Twootherindictmentsbeingbroughtagainst
them，andthefactsbeingproveduponthem，theywereboth
condemnedtodie。
Theybothpleadedtheirbellies，andwere
bothvotedquickwithchild；thoughmytutoresswasnomore
withchildthanIwas。
Iwentfrequentlytoseethem，andcondolewiththem，expecting
thatitwouldbemyturnnext；buttheplacegavemesomuch
horror，reflectingthatitwastheplaceofmyunhappybirth，
andofmymother’smisfortunes，andthatIcouldnotbearit，
soIwasforcedtoleaveoffgoingtoseethem。
Andoh！couldIhavebuttakenwarningbytheirdisasters，I
hadbeenhappystill，forIwasyetfree，andhadnothingbrought
againstme；butitcouldnotbe，mymeasurewasnotyetfilled
up。
Mycomrade，havingthebrandofanoldoffender，wasexecuted；
theyoungoffenderwasspared，havingobtainedareprieve，
butlaystarvingalongwhileinprison，tillatlastshegother
nameintowhattheycallacircuitpardon，andsocameoff。
Thisterribleexampleofmycomradefrightedmeheartily，and
foragoodwhileImadenoexcursions；butonenight，inthe
neighbourhoodofmygoverness’shouse，theycried“Fire。’
Mygovernesslookedout，forwewereallup，andcried
immediatelythatsuchagentlewoman’shousewasallofalight
fireatop，andsoindeeditwas。
Hereshegivesmeajob。
’Now，
child，’saysshe，’thereisarareopportunity，forthefirebeing
sonearthatyoumaygotoitbeforethestreetisblockedup
withthecrowd。’
Shepresentlygavememycue。
’Go，child，’
saysshe，’tothehouse，andruninandtellthelady，oranybody
yousee，thatyoucometohelpthem，andthatyoucamefrom
suchagentlewomanthatis，oneofheracquaintancefarther
upthestreet。’
Shegavemethelikecuetothenexthouse，
naminganothernamethatwasalsoanacquaintanceofthe
gentlewomanofthehouse。
AwayIwent，and，comingtothehouse，Ifoundthemallin
confusion，youmaybesure。
Iranin，andfindingoneofthe
maids，’Lord！sweetheart，’saysI，’howcamethisdismal
accident？
Whereisyourmistress？
Anyhowdoesshedo？
Isshesafe？
Andwherearethechildren？
Icomefrom
Madam——tohelpyou。’
Awayrunsthemaid。
’Madam，
madam，’saysshe，screamingasloudasshecouldyell，’here
isagentlewomancomefromMadamtohelpus。’
The
poorwoman，halfoutofherwits，withabundleunderherarm，
antwolittlechildren，comestowardme。
’Lord！madam，’says
I，’letmecarrythepoorchildrentoMadamshedesires
youtosendthem；she’lltakecareofthepoorlambs；’and
immediatelyItakesoneofthemoutofherhand，andshelifts
theotherupintomyarms。
’Ay，do，forGod’ssake，’saysshe，
’carrythemtoher。
Oh！thankherforherkindness。’
’Have
youanythingelsetosecure，madam？’saysI；’shewilltake
careofit。’
’Ohdear！ay，’saysshe，’Godblessher，andthank
her。Takethisbundleofplateandcarryittohertoo。
Oh，she
isagoodwoman。
OhLord！weareutterlyruined，utterly
undone！’
Andawaysherunsfrommeoutofherwits，and
themaidsafterher；andawaycomesIwiththetwochildren
andthebundle。
IwasnosoonergotintothestreetbutIsawanotherwoman
cometome。
’Oh！’saysshe，’mistress，’inapiteoustone，’you