My curiosity was excited by her manner. I desired her to sit down, and
relate to me the particulars of her story.
She obeyed with a sensible politeness that pleased me.
About twelve years ago, said she, my father had a little cure in
Berkshire; he was reckoned a fine preacher and a very great scholar, and
what was more than either, one of the best of men. In the parish to
which my father belonged, lived a gentleman of a very great estate, his
name was Ware; he was himself a very worthy man, and had so high an
opinion of my father, that he pitched upon him to go abroad in quality
of governor to his only son, then a youth of about nineteen. As my
father had travelled in the same capacity once before, he was very well
qualified for the employment; and had no objection to the acceptance of
it but his leaving my mother, of whom he was very fond, and me his only
child, then scarcely more than an infant. The elder Mr Ware assured him
he would be a friend and guardian to us both (and so he was) and that he
would, in his absence, allow us double the income which my father
received from his cure.
This, together with the appointment, which he was to receive as his
son's governor was too handsome an offer to be refused, especially as
the gentleman promised he should never want a patron in him while he
lived; and every body knew he had interest enough to make this promise
of consequence. My father was then past fifty, but as he was of a very
healthy strong constitution, he did not think it too late to undertake,
for the good of his family, what he said was a very troublesome task.
I could not help interrupting the young gentlewoman to ask her how it
came to pass that her father, such a man as she represented him to be,
was no better provided for at this time of life, especially as she said
he had before been intrusted with the care of a pupil, whom I presumed
to be a person of fortune, as scarce any others are sent to travel.
She said, he had a small patrimony of his own, and that his original
design was to study physic; but being persuaded by the love he bore a
young gentleman, to whom he was private tutor at the university, to go
abroad with him, he had for some years, while they continued on their
travels, been obliged to decline this study. When he had brought his
pupil safe back to England, he intended to pursue it, and for this
purpose was preparing to go to Leyden; but the gentleman, who really had
an affection for him, declared he could not part with him; and that if
he would consent to stay and take holy orders, he would get him a living
which was in his father's gift (a nobleman then alive,) as soon as it
should become vacant, of which there was a good prospect, on account of
the age of the incumbent; and that in the mean time he should live with
him. As the young gentleman had been married immediately after his
return from his travels to a lady of vast fortune, and was settled with
a family of his own about him, my father who fondly loved him, did not
disrelish the proposal; and without much difficulty consented to it. He
now laid aside the thoughts of physic, and turned his attention to the
study of divinity; nor was he in haste for the promised living's being
vacated, as he was resolved not to take orders till he was properly
qualified for the holy profession he was now destined to. He continued
thus four years with his young patron; the gentleman who possessed the
living, though very sickly still holding it.
My father then being inclined to go into orders, his friend got him
nominated to a cure in town, the duties of which he constantly performed
for two years, still living with his benefactor: but it was his
misfortune then to lose him. He was drowned in crossing a deep water on
horse-back which he thought was fordable. My poor father had now lost,
as it proved, his only friend; though he then lamented him as a son he
loved; and I have heard him say he was more afflicted for his death,
than his real father was.
As that nobleman was well acquainted with his son's intentions in regard
to his tutor, my father had no doubts of his fulfilling them, especially
as he had given his promise to do so. About this time the curate of the
parish in Berkshire which I mentioned to you before, having a mind to
make an exchange for one in London where all his friends lived, proposed
it to my father who had been at college with him. As he had now no
attachment in town, and preferred a country life, he readily agreed to
the change; and having first waited on the father of his late friend to
remind him of his promise, which he again confirmed, he went down to
Berkshire. Here it was he fell in love with my mother, who was the
daughter of the rector whose cure he served; she liked him, and as her
father looked upon him as a man certain of preferment, and every way
esteemable in his character, he did not scruple to give her to him.
In a few months after their marriage, the incumbent of the long-promised
living died.
My father immediately waited on the nobleman, so sure of success that he
thought he should have nothing to do but to thank him for it; but that
Lord told him with a pretended concern, that he had disposed of it,
having heard that my father was well provided for in Berkshire, and had
married a lady of great fortune.
He returned home shocked and disappointed, more on account of the family
he had married into, than on his own. He now found himself at near forty
years of age, with a family coming on him, and no other provision than a
curacy of forty pounds a year. My grandfather pretended he had been
deceived by him, and made that excuse for withdrawing all his favour
from him. My mother had children pretty fast, but they all died young
excepting myself; and as he loved her too well to let her feel the
inconvenience of streightened circumstances, he was content to let his
own little patrimony, which he had preserved till now, gradually waste;
for my grandfather never gave her any fortune. At his death, which
happened a few years after, it appeared he could not, for he left but
little behind him. In this situation, my father having lost all hopes of
being better provided for, with the melancholy reflexion of having
thrown away the best part of his days in a fruitless attendance and
expectation, dragged on a life of obscurity and toil for eleven years;
and then it was that Mr Ware applied to him in the manner I have
mentioned.
I told this amiable girl, I was glad I had interrupted the thread of her
story, as by that means she had obliged me with so many interesting
particulars of her family, and then requested she would proceed. She
bowed with a pretty modest grace, and went on.
I informed you, Madam, that my father, having accepted of the tuition of
Mr Ware's son, prepared to attend him on his travels. He took his leave
very reluctantly of my poor mother and me, whom he tenderly recommended
to Mr Ware's patronage, and set out with the young gentleman, having
given up his cure, as his absence was to be of a long continuance.
Mr Ware, who was a truly good man, was punctual in the performance of
his promise towards my mother and me, and behaved while my father was
away like a second parent. His son continued abroad upwards of four
years, and returned a very accomplished gentleman.
Mr Ware was exceedingly pleased with my father's conduct, for which he
told him both his son and himself owed him the utmost gratitude. He was
now far advanced in years, and grown indolent from infirmities, he
thought it better to be himself the rewarder of my father's merit, than
take upon him the trouble of soliciting other people to provide for him;
and accordingly resolved to give him an annual income of two hundred
pounds during his life. He told him, at the same that as his estate was
entailed, it was not in his power to confirm this grant by a will; but
he was sure his son was too sensible of what he owed him, not to promise
in the most solemn manner to continue to him this income, when he should
come into his inheritance. The young gentleman, who was present,
handsomely acknowleged the obligations he had to my father, and assured
him he thought he could never sufficiently repay them.
My father, who now wished for nothing more than to sit down peacably on
a competency, thought himself very happy; he retired to his little house
in Berkshire, where my mother and I still lived, and gave himself up to
domestic contentment.
The old gentleman was punctual to his agreement, constantly paying my
father fifty pounds every quarter. He died in something less than three
years; his son immediately on his accession to his fortune, being at
that time in London, wrote my father a very affectionate letter,
assuring him of the continuance of his friendship. Nor did he fail in
his promise; for two years he was punctual in his remittances to my
father. He did not during that time come down to Berkshire, having
another country-seat, of which he was fonder. At this time I lost my
dear mother, who had been for some years in a declining way; and though
during her health, as she was an exceedingly good oeconomist, my
father might have laid by some of his income, yet the frequent journies
she was prescribed to Bath, and other places, for change of air,
together with the expence of physicians at home, put it out of his power
to save any thing: which on my account gave him great uneasiness; but as
he was still strong and hale, he was in hopes he might yet live to lay
by something for me. I was now about fifteen, and the darling of my
father's heart. He was inconsolable for my mother's death, but I
endeavoured to comfort him, and at last in some measure succeeded. Mr
Ware, whom my father had not seen since the death of the good old
gentleman, came down now to revisit his paternal seat. He would not omit
paying a visit of condolement to his old friend and tutor, and
accordingly came to our house the day after his arrival in the country.
Though I had seen him before, as it was in my childhood, I had taken but
little notice of him; he is indeed a handsome genteel young man.
The innocent girl blushed as she spoke these words, but I seemed not to
observe it.
She proceeded with a sigh. My father who loved him, was rejoiced to see
him; Mr Ware behaved with a tenderness and respect almost filial towards
him, and very obliging to me. He continued about a week in the country,
calling to ask my father how he did every day. When he was about to
return to London, he pressed my father to pass a few weeks with him in
town: you are melancholy here, said he, changing the scene a little,
will divert both your daughter and you.
My father thanked him for the honour he did him, but modestly declined
it.
Mr Ware guessed at his motive, and told him, smiling, I know your
objection, but to obviate it at once, I must tell you that I have
prevailed on my sister to come and keep house for me, and I expect to
find her at home on my return. I knew his sister, a maiden lady some
years older than himself, who had on the death of his father gone to
live with a near relation of theirs. My father smiling in his turn, told
him he had guessed his mind rightly, and since that was the case, he
would not deprive his poor girl (looking at me) of the happiness of the
good lady's company for a while.
Mr Ware said, we might go to town with him in his coach, and as we had
but little preparation to make, we set out with him next day.
When we arrived at his house in London, he welcomed us with all the
marks of politeness and respect. I was surprized we did not see his
sister the whole night, but as she was not apprized of our coming, I
thought that either she was abroad, or had not yet quitted her friend
with whom she lived.
The next morning at breakfast Mr Ware made an apology for his sister's
absence. He said, that the lady, at whose house she lived, was ill, and
that she could not possibly leave her till she was better, which he
supposed would be in a few days, as her sickness was no other than the
consequence of her lying-in; mean while he hoped Mr Price would not be
uneasy, as he was himself his daughter's guardian.
Though my father was not pleased at this excuse, he however concealed
his thoughts from Mr Ware; but told me if Miss Ware did not come home in
a few days, he purposed that we should take our leave and return into
the country.
We had very handsome apartments assigned us; and my father was put in
possession of Mr Ware's library; a very noble one, where that gentleman
knew he would pass his most agreeable hours.
For my part as I did not care to go abroad, 'till I had a proper person
for me to appear with, I declined the offer Mr Ware very obligingly made
of getting some ladies of his acquaintance to take me to public places.
I expected his sister every day, and if she came, as I knew my father
purposed staying for a month, I thought I should have time enough to see
every thing; so I chose to entertain myself with working, and reading in
my own room.
But, Madam, I soon found that Mr Ware was a very base man. The third day
after we came to his house, his behaviour towards me began to change
intirely from what it was before; he took every opportunity of being
particular to me in his compliments. I received them at first with that
distant civility which I thought would neither encourage nor offend; I
looked upon him as a worthy young man, and my father's friend and
benefactor; and thought in my humble station I should not be too quick
at taking exceptions, as there had nothing as yet appeared in his
behaviour which exceeded the bounds of respect: but he did not preserve
this long; on the fifth day he came into a closet where I was reading,
and there in the warmest manner declared himself my lover. I would fain
have turned his discourse into pleasantry, but he had recourse to oaths
and protestations, and swore he could not live without my favour. I
represented the cruelty of the insult he offered me in his own house,
and begged he would leave me, as I was determined to depart immediately.
I will not, Sir, said I, let my father know the unkind return you have
made for all his care of you, but I can easily prevail with him to leave
your house. He fell at my feet, begged my pardon, and talked all that
sort of stuff which I have read in romances. At length I got him out of
the closet, and locked the door; resolving never to sit alone, without
using the same precaution while we staid in his house, which I hoped
would not be above a day or two longer; for I concluded there was no
sister to come, and that this was only made use of as a snare to draw us
to town.
As I had a mind to try the young girl, I asked her, How came you to
receive Mr Ware's addresses in the manner you mentioned? how did you
know but he intended to marry you?
Ah no, Madam, said she, I could not entertain such a thought; I have not
troubled you with the particulars of what he said to me, but young as I
was, I knew too well what it tended to; besides the fear he shewed lest
my father should know of his pretended courtship, was enough to convince
me what his designs were, without any thing else to guide me.
Did you like him, I asked? The ingenuous young woman blushed.
I _could_ have liked him. Madam, she replied, better than any body I had
ever seen, if there had not been such a distance between us. I desired
her to proceed.
I told my father that same evening, that as I saw there was no
likelihood of the lady's coming to her brother; and as I led but a
melancholy life, having no woman to converse with, I had much rather be
at home amongst my neighbours and acquaintance, and begged he would
return to Berkshire.
My father said, it was what he had determined on after completing our
week in town, unless Miss Ware came in the interim; I have just told our
friend so, said he; he seems to take it unkindly, and says he is afraid
he has disobliged me; but I assured him my only reason was, that I did
not think the house of a handsome young batchelor, a proper place for a
pretty little country girl, even though her old father was with her. He
assures me his sister will come, and wants to protract our stay a few
days longer; I hardly know how to refuse his entreaties, but I shall be
uneasy till we are at home.
I told my father, Mr Ware had too much sense to take his refusal amiss,
and begged of him to stick to his day.
I gave Mr Ware no opportunity of speaking to me the remainder of that
day, nor all the next; though he came to my closet door where I always
sat, and entreated for admission; but I was peremptory in my denial, and
he went away reproaching me with cruelty.
Mr Ware made an apology to my father, on account of his being obliged to
spend the evening abroad, the first time that he had been absent from us
since we came to his house. He had twice entertained us with a very
agreeable concert, at which there was a great deal of company, both
gentlemen and ladies. He had got it performed at his own house, on
purpose to amuse my father, who was a great lover of music; but
excepting those two mornings, I had never seen any company with him, as
he said he would not invite strangers, 'till I had got a companion of my
own sex to keep me in countenance. My father and I supped alone; we were
to go out of town the next day, and we retired to our respective
chambers about eleven o'clock, in order to go to bed.
The poor girl paused at this part of her story, as if she were ashamed
to proceed.
I hope, said I, Mr Ware did not violate the laws of hospitality, by
intruding on you that night. Oh, Madam, he did, he did, said she; the
vile wretch hid himself somewhere, I know not where, for it was not in
my closet. The house-keeper slept in my room, in a little tent-bed,
which had been put up for that purpose; but she was not as yet come up
stairs. The chamber-maid, who had attended me to my room, told me there
was to be a great deal of company to dine with her master the next day,
and as the house-keeper was very busy in making jellies and pastry, she
was afraid she should sit up late, and hoped I should not be disturbed
at her coming into the room. I always dismissed the maid immediately, as
I was not used to have a person undress me. I went to bed, but not being
a very sound sleeper, and knowing a particularity I had, which was, that
if once rouzed, I could not compose myself to rest again, I resolved not
to attempt it at all 'till the house-keeper came to bed. I placed the
candle on a stand near me, and took up a book that I found on a chair,
by my bed-side, which I had been reading in the evening. I had been
about an hour thus employed, when I heard somebody treading softly in
the room: as I had not heard the door open, I called out, in a fright,
to know who was there. I received no answer; but immediately Mr Ware
presented himself, on his knees, at my bed-side, and half leaning on my
bed. I shrieked out; I knew not what he said, but I remember the most
wicked of men held me fast, and talked a great deal; I continued
shrieking incessantly, and struggling to get loose from him, which at
last I did, by giving a violent spring, which threw me out of bed on the
floor.
I had hurt myself sadly by the fall; but dragging the quilt off the bed
after me, I wrapped it about me and shrieked louder than before. The
vile man tried to pacify me, and said I should disturb my father.
Providentially for me, my dear father had not gone to bed, for his room
was a great way from mine, but was reading in the study, which was over
my bed-chamber. He had heard my shrieks from the first, but, little
dreaming it was his poor daughter's voice, he imagined the noise was in
the street, and had lifted up the sash, and looked out to try whence it
proceeded. Finding every thing quiet without doors, he ran down stairs,
and was led, by my cries, into my room, for my vile persecutor had not
locked the door, very well knowing none of his own people could dare to
molest him, and he did not think my cries would have reached my father's
ears, as indeed they would not, if he had gone to bed. Think, Madam,
what my poor father must feel, when he saw me on the floor (for I was
not able to rise) such a spectacle of horror; my cap was off, and my
nose bleeding with the fall.
The wretch was endeavouring to lift me up, and I trying to resist him.
Good God defend me! said my father, what is this I see? Oh, Sir, said I,
clinging round him, carry me out of the house! carry me out directly
from this monster! my father looked aghast. You do not mean Mr Ware, my
child, said he, it cannot be _He_ who has put you in this condition? Mr
Ware quitted the room the minute he saw my father, which was not till I
catched hold of him: for he had his back to the door, and, I suppose,
was in too much agitation to hear him coming in.
My poor father, speechless with astonishment, took me into his arms, and
put me sitting on the bed; then stepping into my closet, brought out a
bottle of water, some of which he made me drink, and afterwards washed
the blood from my face, which he soon found only proceeded from my
having hurt my nose a little.
When I had recovered breath enough, I told him all that had passed. His
despair, Madam, is not to be described; he tore his hair, and was like a
madman. Where is the ungrateful villain, said he? I will go this minute
and upbraid him with his treachery; he ran to the chamber-door, but it
was locked on the outside. My father thus prevented from going out, had
time to cool a little: he considered it would to be no purpose to
reproach a powerful tyrant with the injuries he did us; he resolved to
quit the inhospitable house as soon as any one in the family was up to
open the door to him, and without ever seeing his face again, commit
himself to providence for his future subsistence.
It would have been happy for us if he could have executed this design;
but the profligate man prevented us. We spent the remainder of the night
in lamenting our misery. At day-light Mr Ware entered the room in his
night-gown, for I suppose he had gone to rest after he left us.
He told my father he was sorry for what had passed, and imputed it to
his having drunk too much. I own, said he, I love your daughter to
distraction, and could not bear the thoughts of losing her, as I found
you resolved to go out of town so suddenly. My father answered, I will
not reproach you as I ought, but my tender care of your youth did not
deserve this return: suffer us to depart out of your house, and you
shall never more be troubled with us.
Mr Ware entreated to speak with my father by himself, and with much
difficulty prevailed on him to go into his study with him. They staid
together near half an hour, and I heard them talking high; my father
then entered my room with tears streaming from his eyes. He threw
himself into a chair in an agony of grief. The villain, said he, has
finished his work--he has stabbed your father's heart--I ran to him
almost frantic; I thought he had made an attempt upon his life. When I
found he was not hurt, I asked him the meaning of his words.
He would have me _sell_ you to him, said he; he would have bribed the
father to prostitute his child. Oh, Sir, said I, why, do we stay under
this detested roof? There is no safety for us here, said he, come, my
dear, let us get out of the house, and then we will consider which way
we are to turn ourselves.
My father laid hold of my hand, and I followed him, just as I was in my
morning gown. We thought if we could once find ourselves in the street,
we should be happy, though neither of us knew where to go, having no
acquaintance in London. I had never been there before, and my father had
been so long absent, that he was forgotten by every body.
We got out of my room into a little sort of anti-chamber, but found the
door of that fast locked.
We now gave ourselves up for lost; our despair is not to be expressed:
we sat down, and consulted what was best to be done. I saw now that
there was nothing that our base persecutor would not attempt, and I told
my father I was resolved at all events to make my escape.
He said that the shocking wretch had given him till the next day to
consider of his proposal; and he hoped, by that time, both father and
daughter would come enough to their senses, to think he had made them a
very advantageous offer.
I told him in that lucky interval I hoped to be able to affect my
deliverance; which I thought I might accomplish, with his assistance, by
tying the sheets of my bed together, and so from the window, sliding
into the street.
We were both pleased with this expedient; but the next thing to be
considered was, what place I should go to, as I could not make this
attempt till late at night, and must go alone; for my father being in
years, and pretty corpulent, I could not think of letting him run the
same hazard, which might have put his life into imminent danger,
especially as I could not give him the same help which he could afford
me. This was a difficulty, till I recollected a mantua-maker, who was
then making some clothes for me; and I happened to know where she lived.
To her house I resolved to go (having first settled all my previous
steps) and to remain concealed there till my father should get an
opportunity of coming to me. I told him as _I_ was the unhappy object on
whom Mr Ware had designs, I supposed he would not detain my father after
I was gone. He shook his head, but said, he hoped he would not.
Having now settled our little plan, we were more composed. A servant
brought breakfast into my apartment at the usual hour, and dinner, and
supper, in the like manner. We did not appear, troubled, but as
carefully avoided seeming chearful, for fear of giving suspicion.
The house-keeper was generally the last person up in the family; so that
I was either to seize the opportunity before she came up to my room, or
wait till she was asleep. The last I thought was the securest method, as
she was an extremely sound sleeper. I lifted up the sash in the
bed-chamber, to be in readiness, and closed the shutters again.
Very fortunately my father having received his quarterly payment from Mr
Ware just before we came to town, had fifty guineas in his purse, half
of which he insisted on my taking in case of any emergency.
About twelve o'clock the house-keeper came into the room where we were
sitting, as she was obliged to pass through that to go to the room where
we lay.
We heard her at the door, and my father suddenly changing the subject of
our discourse, made me a sign which I understood; and as the woman
entered, affected to be representing to me the charms of wealth and
grandeur, whilst I seemed to listen, with a sort of pleasure to him. He
stopped when the woman came in, but not till he was sure she had heard
what he said, for we observed that she staid at the outside of the door
a little while, as if to listen to our conversation. On seeing us
engaged in discourse, she made a motion to withdraw, saying she would
come up again when Mr Price was retired to rest; but I told her she
might if she pleased, then go to bed, as we should not sit up long. But
as I suppose she had orders to lock me in after my father had left me,
she did not chuse to do this. She said she was not sleepy, but would
come up in half an hour, and left the room smiling.
This was an opportunity which I thought was not to be lost. I repaired
to the window, and hearing a watchman cry the hour, I waited till he
came under it, and having prepared a piece of paper, in which I had put
a weight to carry it down, I lighted it and dropped it at his feet; it
was fastened to a string, and at some distance from it above, was
fastened another large piece of white paper folded up, in which I put a
guinea, and in two lines written in a large plain hand, beseeched him to
assist me in getting down, for which I would reward him with another
guinea.
The lighted paper (as I concluded it would) attracted the man's notice,
he stopped and took it up, and finding another paper hanging to the
string, looked up at the window. I leaned my body out as far as I could,
and, in a low voice, but loud enough for him to hear me, bid him read
it. He opened the paper, and, by the light of his own lantern, read the
lines, at the same time taking out the guineas, which I could perceive
he also examined by the same light. He then said, I'll help you, stay a
little.
He made what haste he could away, and I was now afraid he intended to
leave me, and return no more. My terror was inexpressible during the
man's absence, especially as several people in that interval passed by;
however, he soon returned with a companion; and the street being now
clear, I saw he had brought a sort of plank, or board, under his arm,
which he fixed from the iron pallisados a-cross to the stone-work which
jutted out from the bottom of the lower windows, on this he without
difficulty mounted, and being now much nearer to me, he told me he would
receive me, if I could contrive to get down to him.
My poor father hastily kissed, and blessed me, and having my apparatus
ready for descending, he had the farther precaution to fix some strong
ribbons, which I had tied together for the purpose under my arms; these
he held in his hands, whilst I slid down by the sheets which I had
fastened together corner-ways with a knot.
The trusty watchman caught me in his arms, and lifted me over the
pallisados, to his comrade, who set me safely down in the street.
It was very dark, but I could distinguish when my father drew in the
linen, and heard him shut the window. I then told my deliverer that I
must beg a farther act of kindness from him, which was to see me safe to
the street where I wanted to go.
He readily complied, and leaving it to his comrade to carry away the
plank, took me under the arm, and we got without being molested to the
mantua-maker's house. The family were all in bed; when after repeated
knocking, a maid looked out of an upper window, and asked us what we
wanted. I told her an acquaintance of her mistress had urgent business
with her, and begged she would step down and speak to me from the
parlour window. After keeping me a long while waiting, she at length
came down, I then gave the watchman the other guinea I had promised him,
and dismissed him, very well pleased with his night's adventure.
After he was gone, I told the woman my name, and begged she would let me
come in, which she immediately did. I without scruple acquainted her
with the manner of my escape, and the occasion of it; she was shocked
and affected with my story, and promised to keep me concealed till my
father should come to carry me to some place of greater safety; for she
said, as Mr Ware's house-keeper was her acquaintance I might be
discovered at her house.
This terrified me exceedingly, but the good-natured woman gave me the
most solemn assurances that I should be safe for the short time she
supposed I should stay with her. She invited me to part of her bed, as
she told me she had never a spare one, and I readily accepted of her
offer.
I remained all the next day in the utmost grief and anxiety, at hearing
nothing from my poor father. In the evening of the second day, a porter
brought a letter to the mantua-maker, which served only as a cover for a
note directed to me. Seeing it writ in my father's hand, I eagerly
opened it; but oh, Madam, how shall I tell you my grief, and horror,
when I saw it dated from a prison! My poor father told me, that our
cruel persecutor, enraged at my escape, had charged my father with it,
who immediately acknowleged he had assisted in delivering me from ruin;
that Mr Ware, after treating him with the most injurious language,
demanded payment of him for the sums he said he had lent him from time
to time since his father's death.
To this my father making no other reply, than that Mr Ware knew he had
it not in his power to refund any of that money, which, though it was a
free gift, he would restore sooner than lie under any obligation to such
a base man, the villain was barbarous enough to have him arrested, and
sent to jail, where he said he should remain till his stubborn spirit
should be glad to yield up his daughter to him.
My father desired me to come to him directly, and to bring some body
with me to protect me by the way. I instantly obeyed, and sending for a
hackney coach, the mantua-maker got her husband, a decent tradesman, and
his apprentice to accompany me. We drove directly to my poor father's
melancholy habitation, where they delivered me safe into his hands. His
joy at seeing me again, made him for a while forget the sorrows which
surrounded us.
He told me that after he had seen me get safe into the street, and had
recommended me to the care of providence, he had put every thing out of
the way which had assisted me in my escape; and putting out one of the
candles left it in my room, that the house-keeper, when she come up,
might suppose me in bed; he then went to his own. He concluded that the
woman, when she went into my room, supposed me asleep. Mr Ware was at
home the whole evening, and had before that retired to rest, so that
there was no discovery made that night.
My father now informed me that Mr Ware had said, when he first made the
odious proposal to him, that if I complied, he would allow my father
four hundred pounds a year, and settle the like sum upon me for life; at
the same time, in case of refusal, insinuating the threat which he
afterwards put into execution. Thinking, no doubt, he should by this
intimidate my poor father so much, that upon reflexion he would use his
endeavours to prevail on me to comply; and it was for this wicked
purpose he was permitted, or rather compelled to pass the whole day with
me. I would not, added my father relate this particular to you, for fear
your tenderness to me might shake your virtue; but the trial God be
praised! is now past; you are here my poor child at least in safety. We
have some money to support us for a while, perhaps the wicked wretch may
relent. If he gives me my liberty I may still obtain a livelihood; and
if I can get you received into some worthy family, that will protect you
from his violence, I shall be contented.
My father, unwilling to expose his ungrateful pupil, and thinking when
he cooled a little he would be ashamed of his conduct and release him,
resolved not to apprise any of his friends in Berkshire of his
situation; but wrote a long expostulatory letter to Mr Ware, which he
concluded with requesting no other favour but his liberty.
To this, Mr Ware wrote in answer, that he was still ready to make good
his first proposals, and since he now found that he had got his daughter
with him, he should obtain his liberty on no other terms.
My father still loath to believe him so lost to humanity as to persist
in this barbarous resolution, patiently waited another month; at the end
of which he again wrote him a very affecting letter; but to this he
received no answer, being told Mr Ware was gone into Berkshire. He wrote
to two or three gentlemen of his acquaintance there, informing them of
his deplorable situation, and begging them to use their influence with
Mr Ware on his behalf. He did not disclose the enormity of his
behaviour, but only said, that on a quarrel he had with him, he had
confined him under colour of a debt, which it was not in his power to
discharge; this he did as much in tenderness to Mr Ware's character, as
to avoid exasperating him more against him.
He ordered me at the same time to write to an old maid-servant, who took
care of our little house in the country, to send me my clothes, my
father's books, and such other things as belonged to him. As I had come
to town but for a month, and was in deep mourning for my mother, I had
left the best part of my apparel behind me, and I had taken nothing with
me from Mr Ware's but a little bundle of linnen; my father had been
permitted to carry his with him to the prison.
As the furniture in this little house was of no great value, my father
having purchased it as it stood in the house of the former curate, he
made a present of it to the old servant, who had lived with him from the
time he married.
He received no answer to any of the letters he wrote to the gentlemen;
but I got a letter from this old servant, at the same time that she sent
the things which I wrote for. And you will scarce believe, Madam, to
what a height this abandoned wretch carried his crimes.
Not contented with having plunged my poor father and me into the deepest
distress, he endeavoured to blast and destroy our characters in the
country. He gave out that my father, taking advantage of his (Mr Ware's)
being a little overcome with wine one night, had put his daughter to bed
to him, and would have insisted the next day that he had married them.
To punish the ungrateful designing old rogue, he said he had put him
into jail where he intended to keep him a month or two till he repented.
Though the respectable character my father bore in his neighbourhood
made this story incredible, yet Mr Ware's power and influence was such,
that people seemed to believe it, and applauded Mr Ware's clemency in my
father's punishment. No wonder then his letters were unanswered; they
were shewn to Mr Ware, and laughed at. The old servant, who was sure we
were both cruelly belied, lamented our unhappy fate, but poor creature
she could do nothing _but_ lament. This last blow quite subdued my
father's courage; he fell sick upon it, and languished many weeks in a
most melancholy condition.
When he recovered a little from his sickness, he was suddenly struck
with the dead palsey on one side, by which he lost the use of his right
hand; so that I am obliged to dress and undress him like a child.
When the money which we had brought with us to the prison was spent, we
were obliged to sell most of my father's books, and the best of my
clothes.
We had repeated messages from the merciless man, by his vile
house-keeper, who used all her rhetoric to persuade us to compliance;
but my father constantly repulsed her, with contempt and indignation;
'till at length Mr Ware, tired, I believe, with persecuting us, left us
to perish in peace. He supposed my father could not hold out long; and
he then concluded I should be at his mercy; for as I never stirred out
of the jail, he had no hopes of getting me into his power whilst my poor
father lived.
If I had even a place of refuge to go to, I could not think of leaving
him in the wretched hopeless condition to which he was now reduced. I
thought therefore of applying myself to something, by which I could
obtain bread for our support. I set about making those little artificial
flowers, which had formerly been one of my amusements; and a woman, who
was confined in the same prison with us, and worked for some shops,
undertook to dispose of them for me. She had a daughter, who came often
to see her, and used to carry her work and mine to the people who
bespoke it.
In this manner we have languished, Madam, near eighteen months; when
hearing lately that Mr Ware was gone to Bath, and the girl who used to
visit her mother being sick, I ventured out myself with the work. The
person who employs us did live in the city; but has lately taken a shop
in this street; and though it is a journey from what I now call my
dismal home, I have come to her once a week, for this month past, with
the product of my own, and, I may say, my fellow prisoner's labours. She
told me this day she was overstocked with such flowers as I brought her,
and, having picked out a few of the best of them, she left those, which
you see in my band-box, upon my hands. I was returning home very
disconsolate, when, to avoid your chariot, which drew up close to the
house, I stood up on one of your steps, not knowing it was going to
stop; and something in your countenance, Madam, I know not how,
encouraged me to offer my little ware to you.
I have given you this affecting story, my Cecilia, pretty nearly in the
girl's own words. I was much moved by it. If this be all fact, said I,
what monsters are there among mankind!
She replied, It was all very true.
Though the girl was very young, and, as I told you, had a modest and
ingenuous look, yet as I had seen such cheating faces before, I would
not yield up my belief implicitly. This story might be invented to move
compassion, at least, the most material circumstances of it; and though
I could not suppose she had contrived it on the spot, yet I did not know
but it might have been contrived for her.