The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

The truth is, the circumstances he was in, the passionate expressions

of his letter, the kind, gentlemanly treatment I had from him in all

the affair, with the concern he showed for me in it, his manner of

parting with that large share which he gave me of his little stock

left--all these had joined to make such impressions on me, that I

really loved him most tenderly, and could not bear the thoughts of

parting with him.

Two days after this we quitted Chester, I in the stage-coach, and he on

horseback. I dismissed my maid at Chester. He was very much against

my being without a maid, but she being a servant hired in the country,

and I resolving to keep no servant at London, I told him it would have

been barbarous to have taken the poor wench and have turned her away as

soon as I came to town; and it would also have been a needless charge

on the road, so I satisfied him, and he was easy enough on the score.

He came with me as far as Dunstable, within thirty miles of London, and

then he told me fate and his own misfortunes obliged him to leave me,

and that it was not convenient for him to go to London, for reasons

which it was of no value to me to know, and I saw him preparing to go.

The stage-coach we were in did not usually stop at Dunstable, but I

desiring it but for a quart of an hour, they were content to stand at

an inndoor a while, and we went into the house.

Being in the inn, I told him I had but one favour more to ask of him,

and that was, that since he could not go any farther, he would give me

leave to stay a week or two in the town with him, that we might in that

time think of something to prevent such a ruinous thing to us both, as

a final separation would be; and that I had something of moment to

offer him, that I had never said yet, and which perhaps he might find

practicable to our mutual advantage.

This was too reasonable a proposal to be denied, so he called the

landlady of the house, and told her his wife was taken ill, and so ill

that she could not think of going any farther in the stage-coach, which

had tired her almost to death, and asked if she could not get us a

lodging for two or three days in a private house, where I might rest me

a little, for the journey had been too much for me. The landlady, a

good sort of woman, well-bred and very obliging, came immediately to

see me; told me she had two or three very good rooms in a part of the

house quite out of the noise, and if I saw them, she did not doubt but

I would like them, and I should have one of her maids, that should do

nothing else but be appointed to wait on me. This was so very kind,

that I could not but accept of it, and thank her; so I went to look on

the rooms and liked them very well, and indeed they were

extraordinarily furnished, and very pleasant lodgings; so we paid the

stage-coach, took out our baggage, and resolved to stay here a while.