om of the house looked into the street, and my new spouse
being belowstairs, I had walked to the end of the room; and it being a
pleasant, warm day, I had opened the window, and was standing at it for
some air, when I saw three gentlemen come by on horseback and go into
an inn just against us.

It was not to be concealed, nor was it so doubtful as to leave me any
room to question it, but the second of the three was my Lancashire
husband. I was frightened to death; I never was in such a
consternation in my life; I though I should have sunk into the ground;
my blood ran chill in my veins, and I trembled as if I had been in a
cold fit of ague. I say, there was no room to question the truth of
it; I knew his clothes, I knew his horse, and I knew his face.

The first sensible reflect I made was, that my husband was not by to
see my disorder, and that I was very glad of it. The gentlemen had not
been long in the house but they came to the window of their room, as is
usual; but my window was shut, you may be sure. However, I could not
keep from peeping at them, and there I saw him again, heard him call
out to one of the servants of the house for something he wanted, and
received all the terrifying confirmations of its being the same person
that were possible to be had.

My next concern was to know, if possible, what was his business there;
but that was impossible. Sometimes my imagination formed an idea of
one frightful thing, sometimes of another; sometime I thought he had
discovered me, and was come to upbraid me with ingratitude and breach
of honour; and every moment I fancied he was coming up the stairs to
insult me; and innumerable fancies came into my head of what was never
in his head, nor ever could be, unless the devil had revealed it to him.

I remained in this fright nearly two hours, and scarce ever kept my eye
from the window or door of the inn where they were. At last, hearing a
great clatter in the passage of their inn, I ran to the window, and, to
my great satisfaction, saw them all three go out again and travel on
westward. Had they gone towards London, I should have been still in a
fright, lest I should meet him on the road again, and that he should
know me; but he went the contrary way, and so I was eased of that
disorder.

We resolved to be going the next day, but about six o'clock at night we
were alarmed with a great uproar in the street, and people riding as if
they had been out of their wits