I had now spoken with so great
an emphasis, to be my settled resolution, and the fault should not lie
on his side if it miscarried being put in practice.

The next morning he went out to see some merchants, who had received
advice of the arrival of some shipping which had been in great danger at
sea, and whose insurance had run very high; and it was this interval
that gave me an opportunity of my coming to a final resolution. I now
told the Quaker, as she was sitting at work in her parlour, that we
should very speedily leave her, and although she daily expected it, yet
she was really sorry to hear that we had come to a full determination;
she said abundance of fine things to me on the happiness of the life I
did then, and was going to live; believing, I suppose, that a countess
could not have a foul conscience; but at that very instant, I would
have, had it been in my power, resigned husband, estate, title, and all
the blessings she fancied I had in the world, only for her real virtue,
and the sweet peace of mind, joined to a loving company of children,
which she really possessed.

When my husband returned, he asked me at dinner if I persevered in my
resolution of leaving England; to which I answered in the affirmative.
"Well," says he, "as all my affairs will not take up a week's time to
settle, I will be ready to go from London with you in ten days' time."
We fixed upon no particular place or abode, but in general concluded to
go to Dover, cross the Channel to Calais, and proceed from thence by
easy journeys to Paris, where after staying about a week, we intended to
go through part of France, the Austrian Netherlands, and so on to
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, or the Hague, as we were to settle before we went
from Paris. As my husband did not care to venture all our fortune in one
bottom, so our goods, money, and plate were consigned to several
merchants, who had been his intimates many years, and he took notes of a
prodigious value in his pocket, besides what he gave me to take care of
during our journey. The last thing to be considered was, how we should
go ourselves, and what equipage we should take with us; my thoughts were
wholly taken up about it some time; I knew I was going to be a countess,
and did not care to appear anything mean before I came to that honour;
but, on the other hand, if I left London in any public way, I might
possibly hear of inquiries after me in the road, that I had been
acquainted with before.