thin
five miles of his house, where we remained till the twilight, at which
time we set forward, and, by the favour of a dark night, reached a copse
about half-a-mile from the village where Mrs. Sagely lived. Here we
left our horses tied to a tree, and went directly to the house of my
old benefactress, Strap trembling all the way, and venting ejaculatory
petitions to heaven for our safety. Her habitation being quite solitary,
we arrived at the door without being observed, when I ordered my
companion to enter by himself; and, in case there should be company
with her, deliver a letter which I had writ for that purpose, and say
that a friend of hers in London, understanding that he intended to
travel this road, had committed it to his care. He rapped at the door,
to which the good old matron coming, told him that, being a lone woman,
he must excuse her, if she did not open it, until he had declared his
name and business. He answered, that his name was unknown to her, and
that his business was to deliver a letter, which (to free her from all
apprehension) he would convey to her through the space between the door
and threshold. This he instantly performed: and she no sooner read the
contents, which specified my being present, than she cried, "If the
person who wrote this letter be at hand, let him speak, that I may be
assured by his voice whether or not I may safely admit him." I forthwith
applied my mouth to the keyhole, and pronounced, "Dear mother, you need
not be afraid, it is I, so much indebted to your goodness, who now
crave admittance." She knew my voice, and opening the door immediately,
received me with a truly maternal affection, manifesting, by the tears
she let fall, her concern lest I should be discovered, for she had been
informed of everything that had happened between Narcissa and me from
the dear captive's own mouth. When I explained the motive of my journey,
which was no other than a desire of seeing the object of my love before
I should quit the kingdom, that I might in person convince her of the
necessity I was under to leave her, reconcile her to that event, by
describing the advantages that in all probability would attend it,
repeat my vows of eternal constancy, and enjoy the melancholy pleasure
of a tender embrace at parting. I say, when I had thus signified my
intention, Mrs. Sagely told me, that Narcissa, upon her return from
Bath, had been so strictly watched that nobody but one or two of the
servan