Iwalkedfrequentlyout
intothevillagesroundthetown，toseeifnothingwouldfall
inmywaythere；andgoingbyahousenearStepney，Isawon
thewindow-boardtworings，oneasmalldiamondring，and
theotheragoldring，tobesurelaidtherebysomethoughtless
lady，thathadmoremoneythenforecast，perhapsonlytill
shewashedherhands。
IwalkedseveraltimesbythewindowtoobserveifIcould
seewhethertherewasanybodyintheroomorno，andIcould
seenobody，butstillIwasnotsure。
Itcamepresentlyintomy
thoughtstorapattheglass，asifIwantedtospeakwith
somebody，andifanybodywastheretheywouldbesureto
cometothewindow，andthenIwouldtellthemtoremove
thoserings，forthatIhadseentwosuspiciousfellowstake
noticeofthem。
Thiswasareadythought。
Irappedonceor
twiceandnobodycame，when，seeingthecoastclear，Ithrust
hardagainstthesquareoftheglass，andbrokeitwithvery
littlenoise，andtook
outthetworings，andwalkedawaywith
themverysafe。
Thediamondringwasworthabout#3，and
theotherabout9s。
Iwasnowatalossforamarketformygoods，andespecially
formytwopiecesofsilk。
Iwasverylothtodisposeofthem
foratrifle，asthepoorunhappythievesingeneraldo，who，
aftertheyhaveventuredtheirlivesforperhapsathingofvalue，
arefaintosellitforasongwhentheyhavedone；butIwas
resolvedIwouldnotdothus，whatevershiftImade，unlessI
wasdriventothelastextremity。
However，Ididnotwellknow
whatcoursetotake。
AtlastIresolvedtogotomyoldgoverness，
andacquaintmyselfwithheragain。
Ihadpunctuallysupplied
the#5ayeartoherformylittleboyaslongasIwasable，but
atlastwasobligedtoputastoptoit。
However，Ihadwritten
alettertoher，whereinIhadtoldherthatmycircumstances
werereducedverylow；thatIhadlostmyhusband，andthatI
wasnotabletodoitanylonger，andsobeggedthatthepoor
childmightnotsuffertoomuchforitsmother’smisfortunes。
Inowmadeheravisit，andIfoundthatshedrovesomething
oftheoldtradestill，butthatshewasnotinsuchflourishing
circumstancesasbefore；forshehadbeensuedbyacertain
gentlemanwhohadhadhisdaughterstolenfromhim，andwho，
itseems，shehadhelpedtoconveyaway；anditwasvery
narrowlythatsheescapedthegallows。
Theexpensealsohad
ravagedher，andshewasbecomeverypoor；herhousewas
butmeanlyfurnished，andshewasnotinsuchreputeforher
practiceasbefore；however，shestooduponherlegs，asthey
say，andashewasastirring，bustlingwoman，andhadsome
stockleft，shewasturnedpawnbroker，andlivedprettywell。
Shereceivedmeverycivilly，andwithherusualobliging
mannertoldmeshewouldnothavethelessrespectformefor
mybeingreduced；thatshehadtakencaremyboywasvery
welllookedafter，thoughIcouldnotpayforhim，andthatthe
womanthathadhimwaseasy，sothatIneedednottotrouble
myselfabouthimtillImightbebetterabletodoiteffectually。
ItoldherthatIhadnotmuchmoneyleft，butthatIhadsome
thingsthatweremoney’sworth，ifshecouldtellmehowI
mightturnthemintomoney。
SheaskedmewhatitwasIhad。
Ipulledoutthestringofgoldbeads，andtoldheritwasone
ofmyhusband’spresentstome；thenIshowedherthetwo
parcelsofsilk，whichItoldherIhadfromIreland，andbrought
uptotownwithme；andthelittlediamondring。
Astothe
smallparcelofplateandspoons，Ihadfoundmeanstodispose
ofthemmyselfbefore；andasforthechildbed-linenIhad，she
offeredmetotakeitherself，believingittohavebeenmyown。
Shetoldmethatshewasturnedpawnbroker，andthatshe
wouldsellthosethingsformeaspawntoher；andsoshesent
presentlyforproperagentsthatboughtthem，beinginher
hands，withoutanyscruple，andgavegoodpricestoo。
Inowbegantothinkthisnecessarywomanmighthelpmea
littleinmylowconditiontosomebusiness，forIwouldgladly
haveturnedmyhandtoanyhonestemploymentifIcouldhave
gotit。
Buthereshewasdeficient；honestbusinessdidnot
comewithinherreach。
IfIhadbeenyounger，perhapsshe
mighthavehelpedmetoaspark，butmythoughtswereoff
thatkindoflivelihood，asbeingquiteoutofthewayafterfifty，
whichwasmycase，andsoItoldher。
Sheinvitedmeatlasttocome，andbeatherhousetillIcould
findsomethingtodo，anditshouldcostmeverylittle，andthis
Igladlyacceptedof。
Andnowlivingalittleeasier，Ientered
intosomemeasurestohavemylittlesonbymylasthusband
takenoff；andthisshemadeeasytoo，reservingapayment
onlyof#5ayear，ifIcouldpayit。
Thiswassuchahelptome，
thatforagoodwhileIleftoffthewickedtradethatIhadso
newlytakenup；andgladlyIwouldhavegotmybreadbythe
helpofmyneedleifIcouldhavegotwork，butthatwasvery
hardtodoforonethathadnomannerofacquaintanceinthe
world。
However，atlastIgotsomequiltingworkforladies’beds，
petticoats，andthelike；andthisIlikedverywell，andworked
veryhard，andwiththisIbegantolive；butthediligentdevil，
whoresolvedIshouldcontinueinhisservice，continually
promptedmetogooutandtakeawalk，thatistosay，tosee
ifanythingwouldofferintheoldway。
OneeveningIblindlyobeyedhissummons，andfetchedalong
circuitthroughthestreets，butmetwithnopurchase，andcame
homeverywearyandempty；butnotcontentwiththat，Iwent
outthenexteveningtoo，whengoingbyanalehouseIsawthe
doorofalittleroomopen，nexttheverystreet，andonthetable
asilvertankard，thingsmuchinuseinpublic-housesatthat
time。
Itseemssomecompanyhadbeendrinkingthere，andthe
carelessboyshadforgottotakeitaway。
Iwentintotheboxfrankly，andsettingthesilvertankardon
thecornerofthebench，Isatdownbeforeit，andknockedwith
myfoot；aboycamepresently，andIbadehimfetchmeapint
ofwarmale，foritwascoldweather；theboyran，andIheard
himgodownthecellartodrawtheale。
Whiletheboywas
gone，anotherboycameintotheroom，andcried，’D’yecall？’
Ispokewithamelancholyair，andsaid，’No，child；theboyis
goneforapintofaleforme。’
WhileIsathere，Iheardthewomaninthebarsay，’Arethey
allgoneinthefive？’whichwastheboxIsatin，andtheboy
said，’Yes。’
’Whofetchedthetankardaway？’saysthewoman。
’Idid，’saysanotherboy；’that’sit，’pointing，itseems，to
anothertankard，whichhehadfetchedfromanotherboxby
mistake；orelseitmustbe，thattherogueforgotthathehad
notbroughtitin，whichcertainlyhehadnot。
Iheardallthis，muchtomysatisfaction，forIfoundplainly
thatthetankardwasnotmissed，andyettheyconcludeditwas
fetchedaway；soIdrankmyale，calledtopay，andasIwent
awayIsaid，’Takecareofyourplate，child，’meaningasilver
pintmug，whichhebroughtmedrinkin。
Theboysaid，’Yes，
madam，verywelcome，’andawayIcame。
Icamehometomygoverness，andnowIthoughtitwasa
timetotryher，thatifImightbeputtothenecessityofbeing
exposed，shemightoffermesomeassistance。
WhenIhad
beenathomesometime，andhadanopportunityoftalkingto
her，ItoldherIhadasecretofthegreatestconsequenceinthe
worldtocommittoher，ifshehadrespectenoughformeto
keepitasecret。
Shetoldmeshehadkeptoneofmysecrets
faithfully；whyshouldIdoubtherkeepinganother？
Itoldher
thestrangestthingintheworldhadbefallenme，andthatit
hadmadeathiefofme，evenwithoutanydesign，andsotold
herthewholestoryofthetankard。
’Andhaveyoubroughtit
awaywithyou，mydear？’saysshe。
’TobesureIhave，’says
I，andshowedither。
’ButwhatshallIdonow，’saysI；’must
notcarryitagain？’
’Carryitagain！’saysshe。
’Ay，ifyouaremindedtobesent
toNewgateforstealingit。’
’Why，’saysI，’theycan’tbeso
basetostopme，whenIcarryittothemagain？’
’Youdon’t
knowthosesortofpeople，child，’saysshe；’they’llnotonly
carryyoutoNewgate，buthangyoutoo，withoutanyregard
tothehonestyofreturningit；orbringinanaccountofallthe
othertankardstheyhavelost，foryoutopayfor。’
’Whatmust
Ido，then？’saysI。
’Nay，’saysshe，’asyouhaveplayedthe
cunningpartandstoleit，youmuste’enkeepit；there’sno
goingbacknow。
Besides，child，’saysshe，’don’tyouwantit
morethantheydo？
Iwishyoucouldlightofsuchabargain
onceaweek。’
Thisgavemeanewnotionofmygoverness，andthatsince
shewasturnedpawnbroker，shehadasortofpeopleabout
herthatwerenoneofthehonestonesthatIhadmetwith
therebefore。
IhadnotbeenlongtherebutIdiscovereditmoreplainlythan