’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