t the poor gentleman have notice
of my master's resentment; and let him fly the country, and not be
thrown into gaol. This will answer my master's end as well; for it will
as effectually hinder him from assisting me, as if he was in a prison.

Ask me, said she, to do any thing that is in my power, consistent with
my duty and trust, and I will do it: for I am sorry for you both. But,
to be sure, I shall keep no correspondence with him, nor let you. I
offered to talk of a duty superior to that she mentioned, which would
oblige her to help distressed innocence, and not permit her to go the
lengths enjoined by lawless tyranny; but she plainly bid me be silent on
that head: for it was in vain to attempt to persuade her to betray her
trust:--All I have to advise you, said she, is to be easy; lay aside
all your contrivances and arts to get away, and make me your friend,
by giving me no reason to suspect you; for I glory in my fidelity to my
master: And you have both practised some strange sly arts, to make such
a progress as he has owned there was between you, so seldom as I thought
you saw one another; and I must be more circumspect than I have been.

This doubled my concern; for I now apprehended I should be much closer
watched than before.

Well, said I, since I have, by this strange accident, discovered my hard
destiny; let me read over again that fearful letter of yours, that I
may get it by heart, and with it feed my distress, and make calamity
familiar to me. Then, said she, let me read yours again. I gave her
mine, and she lent me hers: and so I took a copy of it, with her leave;
because, as I said I would, by it, prepare myself for the worst. And
when I had done, I pinned it on the head of the couch: This, said I, is
the use I shall make of this wretched copy of your letter; and here you
shall always find it wet with my tears.

She said she would go down to order supper; and insisted upon my company
to it. I would have excused myself; but she began to put on a commanding
air, that I durst not oppose. And when I went down, she took me by the
hand, and presented me to the most hideous monster I ever saw in my
life. Here, Monsieur Colbrand, said she, here is your pretty ward and
mine; let us try to make her time with us easy. He bowed, and put on his
foreign grimaces, and seemed to bless himself; and, in broken English,
told me, I was happy in de affections of de finest gentleman in de
varld!--I was quite frightened,