chargedyouwithher；praydoyoudoyourduty。’
Theconstable
toldhim，alittlemoved，butveryhandsomely，’Iknowmy
duty，andwhatIam，sir；Idoubtyouhardlyknowwhatyou
aredoing。’
Theyhadsomeotherhardwords，andinthe
meantimethejourneyman，impudentandunmanlytothelast
degree，usedmebarbarously，andoneofthem，thesamethat
firstseizeduponme，pretendedhewouldsearchme，andbegan
tolayhandsonme。
Ispitinhisface，calledouttotheconstable，
andbadehimtotakenoticeofmyusage。
’Andpray，Mr。
Constable，’saidI，’askthatvillain’sname，’pointingtothe
man。
Theconstablereprovedhimdecently，toldhimthathe
didnotknowwhathedid，forheknewthathismaster
acknowledgedIwasnotthepersonthatwasinhisshop；’and，’
saystheconstable，’Iamafraidyourmasterisbringinghimself，
andmetoo，intotrouble，ifthisgentlewomancomestoprove
whosheis，andwhereshewas，anditappearsthatsheisnot
thewomanyoupretendto。’
’Damnher，’saysthefellowagain，
withaimpudent，hardenedface，’sheisthelady，youmaydepend
uponit；I’llswearsheisthesamebodythatwasintheshop，
andthatIgavethepiecesofsatinthatislostintoherownhand。
YoushallhearmoreofitwhenMr。WilliamandMr。Anthony
those
wereotherjourneymencomeback；theywillknowher
againaswellasI。’
Justastheinsolentroguewastalkingthustotheconstable，
comesbackMr。WilliamandMr。Anthony，ashecalledthem，
andagreatrabblewiththem，bringingalongwiththemthe
truewidowthatIwaspretendedtobe；andtheycamesweating
andblowingintotheshop，andwithagreatdealoftriumph，
draggingthepoorcreatureinthemostbutcherlymannerup
towardstheirmaster，whowasinthebackshop，andcried
outaloud，’Here’sthewidow，sir；wehavecatcherheratlast。’
’Whatdoyemeanbythat？’saysthemaster。
’Why，wehave
heralready；thereshesits，’sayshe，’andMr——，’sayshe，
’canswearthisisshe。’
Theotherman，whomtheycalledMr。
Anthony，replied，’Mr——maysaywhathewill，andswear
whathewill，butthisisthewoman，andthere’stheremnant
ofsatinshestole；Itookitoutofherclotheswithmyownhand。’
Isatstillnow，andbegantotakeabetterheart，butsmiledand
saidnothing；themasterlookedpale；theconstableturned
aboutandlookedatme。
’Let’emalone，Mr。Constable，’said
I；’let’emgoon。’
Thecasewasplainandcouldnotbedenied，
sotheconstablewaschargedwiththerightthief，andthe
mercertoldmeverycivillyhewassorryforthemistake，and
hopedIwouldnottakeitill；thattheyhadsomanythingsof
thisnatureputuponthemeveryday，thattheycouldnotbe
blamedforbeingverysharpindoingthemselvesjustice。
’Not
takeitill，sir！’saidI；’howcanItakeitwell！
Ifyouhad
dismissedmewhenyourinsolentfellowseizedonmeitthe
street，andbroughtmetoyou，andwhenyouyourself
acknowledgedIwasnottheperson，Iwouldhaveputitby，
andnottakenitill，becauseofthemanyillthingsIbelieve
youhaveputuponyoudaily；butyourtreatmentofmesince
hasbeeninsufferable，andespeciallythatofyourservant；I
mustandwillhavereparationforthat。’
Thenbebegantoparleywithme，saidhewouldmakemeany
reasonablesatisfaction，andwouldfainhavehadmetellhim
whatitwasIexpected。
ItoldhimthatIshouldnotbemy
ownjudge，thelawshoulddecideitforme；andasIwastobe
carriedbeforeamagistrate，Ishouldlethimheartherewhat
Ihadtosay。
Hetoldmetherewasnooccasiontogobefore
thejusticenow，IwasatlibertytogowhereIpleased；andso，
callingtotheconstable，toldhimhemightletmego，forI
wasdischarge。
Theconstablesaidcalmlytohim，’sir，you
askedmejustnowifIknewwhetherIwasaconstableor
justice，andbademedomyduty，andchargedmewiththis
gentlewomanasaprisoner。
Now，sir，Ifindyoudonot
understandwhatismyduty，foryouwouldmakemeajustice
indeed；butImusttellyouitisnotinmypower。
Imaykeep
aprisonerwhenIamchargedwithhim，but’tisthelawand
themagistratealonethatcandischargethatprisoner；therefore
’tisamistake，sir；Imustcarryherbeforeajusticenow，
whetheryouthinkwellofitornot。’
Themercerwasvery
highwiththeconstableatfirst；buttheconstablehappening
tobenotahiredofficer，butagood，substantialkindofman
Ithinkhewasacorn-handler，andamanofgoodsense，
stoodtohisbusiness，wouldnotdischargemewithoutgoing
toajusticeofthepeace；andIinsisteduponittoo。
Whenthe
mercersawthat，’Well，’sayshetotheconstable，’youmay
carryherwhereyouplease；Ihavenothingtosaytoher。’
’But，sir，’saystheconstable，’youwillgowithus，Ihope，for
’tisyouthatchargedmewithher。’
’No，notI，’saysthe
mercer；’ItellyouIhavenothingtosaytoher。’
’Butpray，sir，
do，’saystheconstable；’Idesireitofyouforyourownsake，
forthejustice
candonothingwithoutyou。’
’Prithee，fellow，’
saysthemercer，’goaboutyourbusiness；ItellyouIhave
nothingtosaytothegentlewoman。
Ichargeyouintheking’s
nametodismissher。’
’Sir，’saystheconstable，’Ifindyou
don’tknowwhatitistobeconstable；Ibegofyoudon’toblige
metoberudetoyou。’
’IthinkIneednot；youarerudeenough
already，’saysthemercer。
’No，sir，’saystheconstable，’Iam
notrude；youhavebrokenthepeaceinbringinganhonest
womanoutofthestreet，whenshewasaboutherlawful
occasion，confiningherinyourshop，andill-usingherhere
byyourservants；andnowcanyousayIamrudetoyou？
I
thinkIamciviltoyouinnotcommandingorchargingyouin
theking’snametogowithme，andchargingeverymanIsee
thatpassesyourdoortoaidandassistmeincarryingyouby
force；thisyoucannotbutknowIhavepowertodo，andyetI
forbearit，andoncemoreentreatyoutogowithme。’
Well，he
wouldnotforallthis，andgavetheconstableilllanguage。
However，theconstablekepthistemper，andwouldnotbe
provoked；andthenIputinandsaid，’Come，Mr。Constable，
lethimalone；Ishallfindwaysenoughtofetchhimbeforea
magistrate，Idon’tfearthat；butthere’sthefellow，’saysI，
’hewasthemanthatseizedonmeasIwasinnocentlygoing
alongthestreet，andyouareawitnessoftheviolencewith
mesince；givemeleavetochargeyouwithhim，andcarry
himbeforethejustice。’
’Yes，madam，’saystheconstable；
andturningtothefellow’Come，younggentleman，’sayshe
tothejourneyman，’youmustgoalongwithus；Ihopeyou
arenotabovetheconstable’spower，thoughyourmasteris。’
Thefellowlookedlikeacondemnedthief，andhungback，
thenlookedathismaster，asifhecouldhelphim；andhe，like
afool，encouragethefellowtoberude，andhetrulyresisted
theconstable，andpushedhimbackwithagoodforcewhen
hewenttolayholdonhim，atwhichtheconstableknocked
himdown，andcalledoutforhelp；andimmediatelytheshop
wasfilledwithpeople，andtheconstableseizedthemaster
andman，andallhisservants。
Thisfirstillconsequenceofthisfraywas，thatthewoman
theyhadtaken，whowasreallythethief，madeoff，andgot
clearawayinthecrowd；andtwootherthattheyhadstopped
also；whethertheywerereallyguiltyornot，thatIcansay
nothingto。
Bythistimesomeofhisneighbourshavingcomein，and，
uponinquiry，seeinghowthingswent，hadendeavouredto
bringthehot-brainedmercertohissenses，andhebeganto
beconvincedthathewasinthewrong；andsoatlengthwe
wentallveryquietlybeforethejustice，withamobofabout
fivehundredpeopleatourheels；andallthewayIwentI
couldhearthepeopleaskwhatwasthematter，andotherreply
andsay，amercerhadstoppedagentlewomaninsteadofa
thief，andhadafterwardstakenthethief，andnowthe
gentlewomanhadtakenthemercer，andwascarryinghim
beforethejustice。
Thispleasedthepeoplestrangely，and
madethecrowdincrease，andtheycriedoutastheywent，
’Whichistherogue？
whichisthemercer？’
and
especially
thewomen。
Thenwhentheysawhimtheycriedout，’That’s
he，that’she’；andeverynowandthencameagooddabof
dirtathim；andthuswemarchedagoodwhile，tillthemercer
thoughtfittodesiretheconstabletocallacoachtoprotect
himselffromtherabble；sowerodetherestoftheway，the
constableandI，andthemercerandhisman。
Whenwecametothejustice，whichwasanancientgentleman
inBloomsbury，theconstablegivingfirstasummaryaccount
ofthematter，thejusticebademespeak，andtellwhatIhad
tosay。
Andfirstheaskedmyname，whichIwasverylothto
give，buttherewasnoremedy，soItoldhimmynamewas
MaryFlanders，thatIwasawidow，myhusbandbeingasea
captain，diedonavoyagetoVirginia；andsomeother
circumstancesItoldwhichhecouldnevercontradict，and
thatIlodgedatpresentintownwithsuchaperson，naming
mygoverness；butthatIwaspreparingtogoovertoAmerica，
wheremyhusband’seffectslay，andthatIwasgoingthatday
tobuysomeclothestoputmyselfintosecondmourning，but
hadnotyetbeeninanyshop，whenthatfellow，pointingto
themercer’sjourneyman，camerushinguponmewithsuch
furyasverymuchfrightedme，andcarriedmebacktohis
master’sshop，where，thoughhismasteracknowledgedIwas
nottheperson，yethewouldnotdismissme，butchargeda