illanous plot (although in the morning, to blind them, I pretended to
think it otherwise) they would have been alarmed as much as I; and have
run in, hearing me scream, to comfort me, supposing my terror was the
fire; to relieve me, supposing it was any thing else. But the vile
Dorcas went away as soon as she saw the wretch throw his arms about me!--
Bless me, my dear, I had only my slippers and an under-petticoat on. I
was frighted out of my bed, by her cries of fire; and that I should be
burnt to ashes in a moment--and she to go away, and never to return, nor
any body else! And yet I heard women's voices in the next room; indeed
I did--an evident contrivance of them all:--God be praised, I am out of
their house!

My terror is not yet over: I can hardly think myself safe: every well-
dressed man I see from my windows, whether on horseback or on foot, I
think to be him.

I know you will expedite an answer. A man and horse will be procured me
to-morrow early, to carry this. To be sure, you cannot return an answer
by the same man, because you must see Mrs. Townsend first: nevertheless,
I shall wait with impatience till you can; having no friend but you to
apply to; and being such a stranger to this part of the world, that I
know not which way to turn myself; whither to go; nor what to do--What a
dreadful hand have I made of it!

Mrs. Moore, at whose house I am, is a widow, and of good character: and
of this one of her neighbours, of whom I bought a handkerchief, purposely
to make inquiry before I would venture, informed me.

I will not set my foot out of doors, till I have your direction: and I am
the more secure, having dropt words to the people of the house where the
coach set me down, as if I expected a chariot to meet me in my way to
Hendon; a village a little distance from this. And when I left their
house, I walked backward and forward upon the hill; at first, not knowing
what to do; and afterwards, to be certain that I was not watched before I
ventured to inquire after a lodging.

You will direct for me, my dear, by the name of Mrs. Harriot Lucas.

Had I not made my escape when I did, I was resolved to attempt it again
and again. He was gone to the Commons for a license, as he wrote me
word; for I refused to see him, notwithstanding the promise he extorted
from me.

How hard, how next to impossible, my dear, to avoid many lesser
deviations, when we are betrayed into a capital one!

For fear I should