gave more
animation to my fingers. He went down into the kitchen, and the cook,
probably by his desire, came to me, to know what I would please to order
for dinner. Mr. Venables came into the parlour again, with apparent
carelessness. I perceived that the cunning man was over-reaching himself;
and I gave my directions as usual, and left the room.

"While I was making some alteration in my dress, Mr. Venables peeped in,
and, begging my pardon for interrupting me, disappeared. I took up some
work (I could not read), and two or three messages were sent to me,
probably for no other purpose, but to enable Mr. Venables to ascertain
what I was about.

"I listened whenever I heard the street-door open; at last I imagined I
could distinguish Mr. Venables' step, going out. I laid aside my work;
my heart palpitated; still I was afraid hastily to enquire; and I waited
a long half hour, before I ventured to ask the boy whether his master was
in the counting-house?

"Being answered in the negative, I bade him call me a coach, and
collecting a few necessaries hastily together, with a little parcel of
letters and papers which I had collected the preceding evening, I hurried
into it, desiring the coachman to drive to a distant part of the town.

"I almost feared that the coach would break down before I got out of the
street; and, when I turned the corner, I seemed to breathe a freer air. I
was ready to imagine that I was rising above the thick atmosphere of
earth; or I felt, as wearied souls might be supposed to feel on entering
another state of existence.

"I stopped at one or two stands of coaches to elude pursuit, and then
drove round the skirts of the town to seek for an obscure lodging, where
I wished to remain concealed, till I could avail myself of my uncle's
protection. I had resolved to assume my own name immediately, and openly
to avow my determination, without any formal vindication, the moment I
had found a home, in which I could rest free from the daily alarm of
expecting to see Mr. Venables enter.

"I looked at several lodgings; but finding that I could not, without a
reference to some acquaintance, who might inform my tyrant, get
admittance into a decent apartment--men have not all this trouble--I
thought of a woman whom I had assisted to furnish a little haberdasher's
shop, and who I knew had a first floor to let.

"I went to her, and though I could not persuade her, that the quarrel
between me and Mr. Venables w