was resolved to find
me out, whether I would or no. I desired the girl to describe the young
woman she mentioned, which she did, and I was convinced it was my own
daughter. I asked in what manner she travelled, and whether she had any
company. I was answered that she was on foot, and that she had no
company; but that she always travelled from place to place in company;
that her method was, when she came into any town, to go to the best inns
and inquire for the lady she sought; and then, when she had satisfied
herself that the lady, whom she called her mother, was not to be found
in that town or neighbourhood, she then begged the favour of the
landlady of the inn where she was, to put her into such a company that
she knew that she might go safe to the next town; that this was the
manner of her proceeding at her house, and she believed she had
practised it ever since she set out from London; and she hoped to meet
with her mother, as she called her, upon the road.

I asked my landlady whether she described our coach and equipage, but
she said the young woman did not inquire concerning equipage, but only
described a lady "so like your ladyship, that I have often, since I saw
your ladyship, took you to be the very person she was looking for."

Amidst the distractions of my mind, this afforded me some comfort, that
my daughter was not in the least acquainted with the manner in which we
travelled. My husband and the landlord returned, and that put an end to
the discourse.

I left this town with a heavy heart, feeling my daughter would
infallibly find me out at Canterbury; but, as good luck would have it,
she had left that city before we came thither, some time. I was very
short in one thing, that I had not asked my landlady at Sittingbourne
how long it was since my daughter was there. But when I came to
Canterbury I was a very anxious and indefatigable in inquiring after my
daughter, and I found that she had been at the inn where we then were,
and had inquired for me, as I found by the description the people gave
of myself.

Here I learnt my daughter had left Canterbury a week. This pleased me;
and I was determined to stay in Canterbury one day, to view the
cathedral, and see the antiquities of this metropolis.

As we had sixteen miles to our journey's end that night, for it was near
four o'clock before we got into our coach again, the coachman drove with
great speed, and at dusk in the evening we entered the west gate of