herYes，Iwaitedformymistress，thatwascomingtogoto
Barnet。
Sheaskedmewhowasmymistress，andItoldher
anymadam’snamethatcamenextme；butasitseemed，I
happeneduponaname，afamilyofwhichnamelivedat
Hadley，justbeyondBarnet。
Isaidnomoretoher，orshetome，agoodwhile；butbyand
by，somebodycallingheratadooralittlewayoff，shedesired
methatifanybodycalledfortheBarnetcoach，Iwouldstep
andcallheratthehouse，whichitseemswasanalehouse。
I
saidYes，veryreadily，andawayshewent。
Shewasnosoonergonebutcomesawenchandachild，puffing
andsweating，andasksfortheBarnetcoach。
Ianswered
presently，’Here。’
’DoyoubelongtotheBarnetcoach？’says
she。
’Yes，sweetheart，’saidI；’whatdoyewant？’
’Iwant
roomfortwopassengers，’saysshe。
’Wherearethey，sweetheart？’
saidI。
’Here’sthisgirl，praylethergointothecoach，’says
she，’andI’llgoandfetchmymistress。’
’Makehaste，then，
sweetheart，’saysI，’forwemaybefullelse。’
Themaidhad
agreatbundleunderherarm；sosheputthechildintothe
coach，andIsaid，’Youhadbestputyourbundleintothecoach
too。’
’No，’saysshe，’Iamafraidsomebodyshouldslipitaway
fromthechild。’
’Givetome，then，’saidI，’andI’lltakecare
ofit。’
’Do，then，’saysshe，’andbesureyoutakeofit。’
’I’ll
answerforit，’saidI，’ifitwerefor#20value。’
“There，take
it，then，’saysshe，andawayshegoes。
AssoonasIhadgotthebundle，andthemaidwasoutofsight，
Igoesontowardsthealehouse，wheretheporter’swifewas，
sothatifIhadmether，Ihadthenonlybeengoingtogiveher
thebundle，andtocallhertoherbusiness，asifIwasgoing
away，andcouldstaynolonger；butasIdidnotmeether，I
walkedaway，andturningintoCharterhouseLane，then
crossedintoBatholomewClose，sointoLittleBritain，and
throughtheBluecoatHospital，intoNewgateStreet。
Topreventmybeingknown，Ipulledoffmyblueapron，and
wrappedthebundleinit，whichbeforewasmadeupinapiece
ofpaintedcalico，andveryremarkable；Ialsowrappedupmy
strawhatinit，andsoputthebundleuponmyhead；anditwas
verywellthatIdidthus，forcomingthroughtheBluecoat
Hospital，whoshouldImeetbutthewenchthathadgivenme
thebundletohold。
Itseemsshewasgoingwithhermistress，
whomshehadbeengonetofetch，totheBarnetcoaches。
Isawshewasinhaste，andIhadnobusinesstostopher；so
awayshewent，andIbroughtmybundlesafehometomy
governess。
Therewasnomoney，norplate，orjewelsinthe
bundle，butaverygoodsuitofIndiandamask，agownanda
petticoat，alaced-headandrufflesofverygoodFlanderslace，
andsomelinenandotherthings，suchasIknewverywellthe
valueof。
Thiswasnotindeedmyowninvention，butwasgivenmeby
onethathadpractiseditwithsuccess，andmygovernessliked
itextremely；andindeedItrieditagainseveraltimes，though
nevertwicenearthesameplace；forthenexttimeItrieditin
WhiteChapel，justbythecornerofPetticoatLane，wherethe
coachesstandthatgoouttoStratfordandBow，andthatside
ofthecountry，andanothertimeattheFlyingHorse，without
Bishopgate，wheretheChestoncoachesthenlay；andIhad
alwaysthegoodlucktocomeoffwithsomebooty。
AnothertimeIplacedmyselfatawarehousebythewaterside，
wherethecoastingvesselsfromthenorthcome，suchasfrom
Newcastle-upon-Tyne，Sunderland，andotherplaces。
Here，
thewarehousesbeingshut，comesayoungfellowwithaletter；
andhewantedaboxandahamperthatwascomefrom
Newcastle-upon-Tyne。
Iaskedhimifhehadthemarksofit；
soheshowsmetheletter，byvirtueofwhichhewastoask
forit，andwhichgaveanaccountofthecontents，thebox
beingfulloflinen，andthehamperfullofglassware。
Iread
theletter，andtookcaretoseethename，andthemarks，the
nameofthepersonthatsentthegoods，thenameoftheperson
thattheyweresentto；thenIbadethemessengercomeinthe
morning，forthatthewarehouse-keeperwouldnotbethere
anymorethatnight。
AwaywentI，andgettingmaterialsinapublichouse，Iwrote
aletterfromMr。JohnRichardsonofNewcastletohisdear
cousinJemmyCole，inLondon，withanaccountthathesent
bysuchavesselforIrememberedalltheparticularstoatitle，
somanypiecesofhuckabacklinen，somanyellsofDutch
hollandandthelike，inabox，andahamperofflintglasses
fromMr。Henzill’sglasshouse；andthattheboxwasmarked
I。C。No。1，andthehamperwasdirectedbyalabelonthe
cording。
Aboutanhourafter，Icametothewarehouse，foundthe
warehouse-keeper，andhadthegoodsdeliveredmewithout
anyscruple；thevalueofthelinenbeingabout#22。
Icouldfillupthiswholediscoursewiththevarietyofsuch
adventures，whichdailyinventiondirectedto，andwhichI
managedwiththeutmostdexterity，andalwayswithsuccess。
Atlength-aswhendoesthepitchercomesafehomethatgoes
soveryoftentothewell？-Ifellintosomesmallbroils，which
thoughtheycouldnotaffectmefatally，yetmademeknown，
whichwastheworstthingnexttobeingfoundguiltythat
couldbefallme。
Ihadtakenupthedisguiseofawidow’sdress；itwaswithout
anyrealdesigninview，butonlywaitingforanythingthat
mightoffer，asIoftendid。
IthappenedthatwhileIwasgoing
alongthestreetinCoventGarden，therewasagreatcryof
’Stopthief！
Stopthief！’
someartistshad，itseems，putatrick
uponashopkeeper，andbeingpursued，someofthemfled
oneway，andsomeanother；andoneofthemwas，theysaid，
dressedupinwidow’sweeds，uponwhichthemobgathered
aboutme，andsomesaidIwastheperson，otherssaidno。
Immediatelycamethemercer’sjourneyman，andheswore
aloudIwastheperson，andsoseizedonme。
However，when
Iwasbroughtbackbythemobtothemercer’sshop，the
masterofthehousesaidfreelythatIwasnotthewomanthat
wasinhisshop，andwouldhaveletmegoimmediately；but
anotherfellowsaidgravely，’PraystaytillMr——’meaning
thejourneyman’comesback，forheknowsher。’
Sothey
keptmebyforcenearhalfanhour。
Theyhadcalledaconstable，
andhestoodintheshopasmyjailer；andintalkingwiththe
constableIinquiredwherehelived，andwhattradehewas；
themannotapprehendingintheleastwhathappenedafterwards，
readilytoldmehisname，andtrade，andwherehelived；and
toldmeasajest，thatImightbesuretohearofhisnamewhen
IcametotheOldBailey。
Someoftheservantslikewiseusedmesaucily，andhadmuch
adotokeeptheirhandsoffme；themasterindeedwasciviller
tomethanthey，buthewouldnotyetletmego，thoughhe
ownedhecouldnotsayIwasinhisshopbefore。
Ibegantobealittlesurlywithhim，andtoldhimIhopedhe
wouldnottakeitillifImademyselfamendsuponhimina
morelegalwayanothertime；anddesiredImightsendfor
friendstoseemehaverightdoneme。
No，hesaid，hecould
givenosuchliberty；ImightaskitwhenIcamebeforethe
justiceofpeace；andseeingIthreatenedhim，hewouldtake
careofmeinthemeantime，andwouldlodgemesafein
Newgate。
Itoldhimitwashistimenow，butitwouldbe
minebyandby，andgovernedmypassionaswellasIwasable。
However，Ispoketotheconstabletocallmeaporter，which
hedid，andthenIcalledforpen，ink，andpaper，butthey
wouldletmehavenone。
Iaskedtheporterhisname，and
wherehelived，andthepoormantolditmeverywillingly。
IbadehimobserveandrememberhowIwastreatedthere；
thathesawIwasdetainedtherebyforce。
ItoldhimIshould
wanthisevidenceinanotherplace，anditshouldnotbethe
worseforhimtospeak。
Theportersaidhewouldserveme
withallhisheart。
’But，madam，’sayshe，’letmehearthem
refusetoletyougo，thenImaybeabletospeaktheplainer。’
WiththatIspokealoudtothemasteroftheshop，andsaid，
’Sir，youknowinyourownconsciencethatIamnotthe
personyoulookfor，andthatIwasnotinyourshopbefore，
thereforeIdemandthatyoudetainmeherenolonger，ortell
methereasonofyourstoppingme。’
Thefellowgrewsurlier
uponthisthanbefore，andsaidhewoulddoneithertillhe
thoughtfit。
’Verywell，’saidItotheconstableandtothe
porter；’youwillbepleasedtorememberthis，gentlemen，
anothertime。’
Theportersaid，’Yes，madam’；andthe
constablebegannottolikeit，andwouldhavepersuadedthe
mercertodismisshim，andletmego，since，ashesaid，he
ownedIwasnottheperson。
’Good，sir，’saysthemercerto
himtauntingly，’areyouajusticeofpeaceoraconstable？