n I come
in?--So I arose, and she muttered to herself all the way, She to be a
Jezebel with me, that had used me so well! and such like.

When I came near the house, I said, sitting down upon a settle-bench,
Well, I will not go in, till you say you forgive me, Mrs. Jewkes.--If
you will forgive my calling you that name, I will forgive your beating
me.--She sat down by me, and seemed in a great pucker, and said, Well,
come, I will forgive you for this time: and so kissed me, as a mark of
reconciliation.--But pray, said I, tell me where I am to walk and go,
and give me what liberty you can; and when I know the most you can
favour me with, you shall see I will be as content as I can, and not ask
you for more.

Ay, said she, this is something like: I wish I could give you all the
liberty you desire; for you must think it is no pleasure to me to tie
you to my petticoat, as it were, and not let you stir without me.--But
people that will do their duties, must have some trouble: and what I
do, is to serve as good a master, to be sure, as lives.--Yes, said I, to
every body but me! He loves you too well, to be sure, returned she;
and that's the reason: so you ought to bear it. I say, love! replied I.
Come, said she, don't let the wench see you have been crying, nor tell
her any tales: for you won't tell them fairly, I am sure: and I'll send
her, and you shall take another walk in the garden, if you will: May be
it will get you a stomach to your dinner: for you don't eat enough
to keep life and soul together. You are beauty to the bone, added the
strange wretch, or you could not look so well as you do, with so little
stomach, so little rest, and so much pining and whining for nothing at
all. Well, thought I, say what thou wilt, so I can be rid of thy bad
tongue and company: and I hope to find some opportunity now to come at
my sunflower. But I walked the other way, to take that in my return, to
avoid suspicion.

I forced my discourse to the maid; but it was all upon general things;
for I find she is asked after every thing I say and do. When I came near
the place, as I had been devising, I said, Pray step to the gardener,
and ask him to gather a sallad for me to dinner. She called out, Jacob!
said I, He can't hear you so far off; and pray tell him, I should like
a cucumber too, if he has one. When she had stept about a bow-shot from
me, I popt down, and whipt my fingers under the upper tile, and pulled
out a letter without direc