d, and of her circumstances in England, which were bad enough,
the daughter-in-law began to be very much surprised and uneasy; and, in
short, examining further into things, it appeared past all
contradiction that the old gentlewoman was her own mother, and that
consequently that son was his wife's own brother, which struck the
whole family with horror, and put them into such confusion that it had
almost ruined them all. The young woman would not live with him; the
son, her brother and husband, for a time went distracted; and at last
the young woman went away for England, and has never been heard of
since.'

It is easy to believe that I was strangely affected with this story,
but 'tis impossible to describe the nature of my disturbance. I seemed
astonished at the story, and asked her a thousand questions about the
particulars, which I found she was thoroughly acquainted with. At last
I began to inquire into the circumstances of the family, how the old
gentlewoman, I mean my mother, died, and how she left what she had; for
my mother had promised me very solemnly, that when she died she would
do something for me, and leave it so, as that, if I was living, I
should one way or other come at it, without its being in the power of
her son, my brother and husband, to prevent it. She told me she did
not know exactly how it was ordered, but she had been told that my
mother had left a sum of money, and had tied her plantation for the
payment of it, to be made good to the daughter, if ever she could be
heard of, either in England or elsewhere; and that the trust was left
with this son, who was the person that we saw with his father.

This was news too good for me to make light of, and, you may be sure,
filled my heart with a thousand thoughts, what course I should take,
how, and when, and in what manner I should make myself known, or
whether I should ever make myself know or no.

Here was a perplexity that I had not indeed skill to manage myself in,
neither knew I what course to take. It lay heavy upon my mind night
and day. I could neither sleep nor converse, so that my husband
perceived it, and wondered what ailed me, strove to divert me, but it
was all to no purpose. He pressed me to tell him what it was troubled
me, but I put it off, till at last, importuning me continually, I was
forced to form a story, which yet had a plain truth to lay it upon too.
I told him I was troubled because I found we must shift our quarters