80 THE HISTORY OF

prayed him, for the sake of God, to depart.
He seemed to be touched by my grief: he beg-
ged my pardon for having caused me so much
trouble, and, at length, left the house.

As soon as he was gone, I locked the door
and bolted it, and then, throwing myself on my
knees, with my face on a chair, I thanked God
for having delivered me from this evil, and en-
abled me to endure this temptation; for I felt
that it was not in my own strength that I had
sustained it. ”

At last, being come to myself, I wiped away
my tears, and stirred the fire, thinking that my
mistress would be coming every minute; but
when I Inoked at the clock, and found that it
was nearly twelve, I thought that something
unexpected must have happened, to keep her
in town all night. I would not, however, go to
bed; indeed, all alone as I was, I should have
been afraid. I, therefore, sat down in my mis-
tress’s arm-chair, and, throwing my apron over
my head, I tried to sleep. But, at first, I
trembled so, that I could take no rest: I could
not help thinking of the Captain; and, although
he had been very wicked in coming to the cot-
tage, yet I thought that he had done better
than some persons would have done, in leaving
it at my desire.

I recollected that he had said he was soon
going to the wars, and felt sorry to think, that
he should be in danger of being killed: then I
thought, that, if I were a rich lady, and he
loved me, { would marry him, and try to make
him good; which was a foolish theught, and