on. But in the meantime, her own experience
of life let her see, that any attempt, however indirect or disguised,
to divert or break, at least presently, so strong a cement of hearts
as ours was, could only end in losing two lodgers, of whom she had made
very competent advantages, if either of us came to smoke her commission,
for a commission she had from one of her customers, either to debauch,
or get me away from my keeper at any rate.

But the barbarity of my fate soon saved her the task of disuniting us.
I had now been eleven months with this life of my life, which had passed
in one continued rapid stream of delight: but nothing so violent was
ever made to last. I was about three months gone with a child by him,
a circumstances would have added to his tenderness, had he ever left
me room to believe it could receive an addition, when the mortal, the
unexpected blow of separation fell upon us. I shall gallop post-over
the particulars, which I shudder yet to think of, and cannot; to this
instant, reconcile myself how, or by what means I could out-live it.

Two live-long days had I lingered through without hearing from him, I
who breathed, who existed but in him, and had never yet seen twenty-four
hours pass without seeing or hearing from him. The third day my
impatience was so strong, my alarms had been so severe, that I perfectly
sickened with them; and being unable to support the shock longer, I sunk
upon the bed, and ringing for Mrs. Jones, who had far from comforted
me under my anxieties, she came up, and I had scarce breath and spirit
enough to find words to beg of her, if she would save my life, to fall
upon some means of finding out, instantly, what was become of its
only prop and comfort. She pitied me in a way that rather sharpened my
affliction than suspended it, and went out upon this commission.

For she had but to go to Charles's house, who lived but an easy
distance, in one of the streets that run into Covent Garden. There she
went into a public house, and from thence sent for a mid servant, whose
name I had given her, as the properest to inform her.

The maid readily came, and as readily, when Mrs. Jones enquired of her
what had become of Mr. Charles, or whether he was gone out of town,
acquainted her with the disposal of her master's son, which, the very
day after, was no secret to the servants. Such sure measures had he
taken, for the most cruel punishment of his child for having more
interest with