saysthealderman，takinghimshort，’nowyoucontradict
yourself，forjustnowyousaidshewasintheshopwithher
backtoyou，anddidnotseeyoutillyoucameuponher。’
Now
itwastruethatmybackwaspartlytothestreet，butyetasmy
businesswasofakindthatrequiredmetohavemyeyesevery
way，soIreallyhadaglanceofhimrunningover，asIsaid
before，thoughhedidnotperceiveit。
Afterafullhearing，thealdermangaveitashisopinionthat
hisneighbourwasunderamistake，andthatIwasinnocent，
andthegoldsmithacquiescedinittoo，andhiswife，andso
Iwasdismissed；butasIwasgoingtodepart，Mr。Alderman
said，’Buthold，madam，ifyouweredesigningtobuyspoons，
Ihopeyouwillnotletmyfriendherelosehiscustomerby
themistake。’
Ireadilyanswered，’No，sir，I’llbuythespoons
still，ifhecanmatchmyoddspoon，whichIbroughtfora
pattern’；andthegoldsmithshowedmesomeoftheverysame
fashion。
Soheweighedthespoons，andtheycametofive-and-thirty
shillings，soIpullsoutmypursetopayhim，inwhichIhad
neartwentyguineas，forIneverwentwithoutsuchasum
aboutme，whatevermighthappen，andIfounditofuseat
othertimesaswellasnow。
WhenMr。Aldermansawmymoney，hesaid，’Well，madam，
nowIamsatisfiedyouwerewronged，anditwasforthis
reasonthatImovedyoushouldbuythespoons，andstayed
tillyouhadboughtthem，forifyouhadnothadmoneytopay
forthem，Ishouldhavesuspectedthatyoudidnotcomeinto
theshopwithanintenttobuy，forindeedthesortofpeople
whocomeuponthesedesignsthatyouhavebeencharged
with，areseldomtroubledwithmuchgoldintheirpockets，
asIseeyouare。’
Ismiled，andtoldhisworship，thatthenIowedsomethingof
hisfavourtomymoney，butIhopedhesawreasonalsoin
thejusticehehaddonemebefore。
Hesaid，yes，hehad，but
thishadconfirmedhisopinion，andhewasfullysatisfiednow
ofmyhavingbeeninjured。
SoIcameoffwithflyingcolours，
thoughfromanaffairinwhichIwasattheverybrinkof
destruction。
Itwasbutthreedaysafterthis，thatnotatallmadecautious
bymyformerdanger，asIusedtobe，andstillpursuingthe
artwhichIhadsolongbeenemployedin，Iventuredintoa
housewhereIsawthedoorsopen，andfurnishedmyself，as
Ithoughverilywithoutbeingperceived，withtwopiecesof
floweredsilks，suchastheycallbrocadedsilk，veryrich。
It
wasnotamercer’sshop，norawarehouseofamercer，but
lookedlikeaprivatedwelling-house，andwas，itseems，
inhabitedbyamanthatsoldgoodsfortheweaverstothe
mercers，likeabrokerorfactor。
ThatImaymakeshortofthisblackpartofthisstory，Iwas
attackedbytwowenchesthatcameopen-mouthedatmejust
asIwasgoingoutatthedoor，andoneofthempulledme
backintotheroom，whiletheothershutthedooruponme。
Iwouldhavegiventhemgoodwords，buttherewasnoroom
forit，twofierydragonscouldnothavebeenmorefurious
thantheywere；theytoremyclothes，bulliedandroaredasif
theywouldhavemurderedme；themistressofthehousecame
next，andthenthemaster，andalloutrageous，forawhileespecially。
Igavethemasterverygoodwords，toldhimthedoorwas
open，andthingswereatemptationtome，thatIwaspoorand
distressed，andpovertywaswhenmanycouldnotresist，and
beggedhimwithtearstohavepityonme。
Themistressof
thehousewasmovedwithcompassion，andinclinedtohave
letmego，andhadalmostpersuadedherhusbandtoitalso，
butthesaucywencheswererun，evenbeforetheyweresent，
andhadfetchedaconstable，andthenthemastersaidhecould
notgoback，Imustgobeforeajustice，andansweredhiswife
thathemightcomeintotroublehimselfifheshouldletmego。
Thesightoftheconstable，indeed，struckmewithterror，and
IthoughtIshouldhavesunkintotheground。
Ifellinto
faintings，andindeedthepeoplethemselvesthoughtIwould
havedied，whenthewomanarguedagainforme，andentreated
herhusband，seeingtheyhadlostnothing，toletmego。
I
offeredhimtopayforthetwopieces，whateverthevaluewas，
thoughIhadnotgotthem，andarguedthatashehadhisgoods，
andhadreallylostnothing，itwouldbecrueltopursuemeto
death，andhavemybloodforthebareattemptoftakingthem。
IputtheconstableinmindthatIhadbrokenodoors，nor
carriedanythingaway；andwhenIcametothejustice，and
pleadedtherethatIhadneitherbrokenanythingtogetin，nor
carriedanythingout，thejusticewasinclinedtohavereleased
me；butthefirstsaucyjadethatstoppedme，affirmingthatI
wasgoingoutwiththegoods，butthatshestoppedmeand
pulledmebackasIwasuponthethreshold，thejusticeupon
thatpointcommittedme，andIwascarriedtoNewgate。
That
horridplace！myverybloodchillsatthementionofitsname；
theplacewheresomanyofmycomradeshadbeenlockedup，
andfromwhencetheywenttothefataltree；theplacewhere
mymothersufferedsodeeply，whereIwasbroughtintothe
world，andfromwhenceIexpectednoredemptionbutbyan
infamousdeath:
toconclude，theplacethathadsolong
expectedme，andwhichwithsomuchartandsuccessIhad
solongavoided。
Iwasnotfixedindeed；’tisimpossibletodescribetheterror
ofmymind，whenIwasfirstbroughtin，andwhenIlooked
arounduponallthehorrorsofthatdismalplace。
Ilookedon
myselfaslost，andthatIhadnothingtothinkofbutofgoing
outoftheworld，andthatwiththeutmostinfamy:
thehellish
noise，theroaring，swearing，andclamour，thestenchand
nastiness，andallthedreadfulcrowdofafflictingthingsthat
Isawthere，joinedtogethertomaketheplaceseemanemblem
ofhellitself，andakindofanentranceintoit。
NowIreproachedmyselfwiththemanyhintsIhadhad，asI
havementionedabove，frommyownreason，fromthesense
ofmygoodcircumstances，andofthemanydangersIhad
escaped，toleaveoffwhileIwaswell，andhowIhadwithstood
themall，andhardenedmythoughtsagainstallfear。
Itseemed
tomethatIwashurriedonbyaninevitableandunseenfate
tothisdayofmisery，andthatnowIwastoexpiateallmy
offencesatthegallows；thatIwasnowtogivesatisfactionto
justicewithmyblood，andthatIwascometothelasthourof
mylifeandofmywickednesstogether。
Thesethingspoured
themselvesinuponmythoughtsinaconfusedmanner，and
leftmeoverwhelmedwithmelancholyanddespair。
ThemIrepentedheartilyofallmylifepast，butthatrepentance
yieldedmenosatisfaction，nopeace，no，notintheleast，
because，asIsaidtomyself，itwasrepentingafterthepower
offurthersinningwastakenaway。
Iseemednottomournthat
Ihadcommittedsuchcrimes，andforthefactasitwasan
offenceagainstGodandmyneighbour，butImournedthatI
wastobepunishedforit。
Iwasapenitent，asIthought，not
thatIhadsinned，butthatIwastosuffer，andthistookaway
allthecomfort，andeventhehopeofmyrepentanceinmy
ownthoughts。
IgotnosleepforseveralnightsordaysafterIcameintothat
wretchedplace，andgladIwouldhavebeenforsometimeto
havediedthere，thoughIdidnotconsiderdyingasitoughtto
beconsideredneither；indeed，nothingcouldbefilledwith
morehorrortomyimaginationthantheveryplace，nothing
wasmoreodioustomethanthecompanythatwasthere。
Oh！
ifIhadbutbeensenttoanyplaceintheworld，andnotto
Newgate，Ishouldhavethoughtmyselfhappy。
Inthenextplace，howdidthehardenedwretchesthatwere
therebeforemetriumphoverme！
What！Mrs。Flanderscome
toNewgateatlast？
What！Mrs。Mary，Mrs。Molly，andafter
thatplainMollFlanders？Theythoughtthedevilhadhelped
me，theysaid，thatIhadreignedsolong；theyexpectedme
theremanyyearsago，andwasIcomeatlast？
Thenthey
floutedmewithmydejections，welcomedmetotheplace，
wishedmejoy，bidmehaveagoodheart，nottobecastdown，
thingsmightnotbesobadasIfeared，andthelike；thencalled
forbrandy，anddranktome，butputitalluptomyscore，for
theytoldmeIwasbutjustcometothecollege，astheycalled
it，andsureIhadmoneyinmypocket，thoughtheyhadnone。
Iaskedoneofthiscrewhowlongshehadbeenthere。
She
saidfourmonths。Iaskedherhowtheplacelookedtoher
whenshefirstcameintoit。
’Justasitdidnowtoyou，’says
she，dreadfulandfrightful’；thatshethoughtshewasinhell；
’andIbelievesostill，’addsshe，’butitisnaturaltomenow，I
don’tdisturbmyselfaboutit。’
’Isuppose，’saysI，’youarein
nodangerofwhatistofollow？’
’Nay，’saysshe，’foryouare
mistakenthere，Iassureyou，forIamundersentence，onlyI
pleadedmybelly，butIamnomorewithchildthanthejudge
thattriedme，andIexpecttobecalleddownnextsessions。’
This’callingdown’iscallingdowntotheirformerjudgment，
whenawomanhasbeenrespitedforherbelly，butprovesnot
tobewithchild，orifshehasbeenwithchild，andhasbeen
broughttobed。
’Well，’saysI，’areyouthuseasy？’
’Ay，’says
she，’Ican’thelpmyself；whatsignifiesbeingsad？
IfIam
hanged，there’sanendofme，’saysshe；andawaysheturns
dancing，andsingsasshegoesthefollowingpieceofNewgate
