g and
paid for it, and came away very sad-hearted indeed for the poor woman,
who was in tribulation for what I only had stolen.

Here again my old caution stood me in good stead; namely, that though I
often robbed with these people, yet I never let them know who I was, or
where I lodged, nor could they ever find out my lodging, though they
often endeavoured to watch me to it. They all knew me by the name of
Moll Flanders, though even some of them rather believed I was she than
knew me to be so. My name was public among them indeed, but how to
find me out they knew not, nor so much as how to guess at my quarters,
whether they were at the east end of the town or the west; and this
wariness was my safety upon all these occasions.

I kept close a great while upon the occasion of this woman's disaster.
I knew that if I should do anything that should miscarry, and should be
carried to prison, she would be there and ready to witness against me,
and perhaps save her life at my expense. I considered that I began to
be very well known by name at the Old Bailey, though they did not know
my face, and that if I should fall into their hands, I should be
treated as an old offender; and for this reason I was resolved to see
what this poor creature's fate should be before I stirred abroad,
though several times in her distress I conveyed money to her for her
relief.

At length she came to her trial. She pleaded she did not steal the
thing, but that one Mrs. Flanders, as she heard her called (for she did
not know her), gave the bundle to her after they came out of the shop,
and bade her carry it home to her lodging. They asked her where this
Mrs. Flanders was, but she could not produce her, neither could she
give the least account of me; and the mercer's men swearing positively
that she was in the shop when the goods were stolen, that they
immediately missed them, and pursued her, and found them upon her,
thereupon the jury brought her in guilty; but the Court, considering
that she was really not the person that stole the goods, an inferior
assistant, and that it was very possible she could not find out this
Mrs. Flanders, meaning me, though it would save her life, which indeed
was true--I say, considering all this, they allowed her to be
transported, which was the utmost favour she could obtain, only that
the Court told her that if she could in the meantime produce the said
Mrs. Flanders, they would intercede for her pardon; that