The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

My gentlewoman guessed presently what was the matter, and sent her back

with a short note, that I might depend upon the honesty of her maid;

that she would be answerable for her upon all accounts; and that she

took no servants into her house without very good security for their

fidelity. I was then perfectly easy; and indeed the maid's behaviour

spoke for itself, for a modester, quieter, soberer girl never came into

anybody's family, and I found her so afterwards.

As soon as I was well enough to go abroad, I went with the maid to see

the house, and to see the apartment I was to have; and everything was

so handsome and so clean and well, that, in short, I had nothing to

say, but was wonderfully pleased and satisfied with what I had met

with, which, considering the melancholy circumstances I was in, was far

beyond what I looked for.

It might be expected that I should give some account of the nature of

the wicked practices of this woman, in whose hands I was now fallen;

but it would be too much encouragement to the vice, to let the world

see what easy measures were here taken to rid the women's unwelcome

burthen of a child clandestinely gotten. This grave matron had several

sorts of practice, and this was one particular, that if a child was

born, though not in her house (for she had occasion to be called to

many private labours), she had people at hand, who for a piece of money

would take the child off their hands, and off from the hands of the

parish too; and those children, as she said, were honestly provided for

and taken care of. What should become of them all, considering so

many, as by her account she was concerned with, I cannot conceive.

I had many times discourses upon that subject with her; but she was

full of this argument, that she save the life of many an innocent lamb,

as she called them, which would otherwise perhaps have been murdered;

and of many women who, made desperate by the misfortune, would

otherwise be tempted to destroy their children, and bring themselves to

the gallows. I granted her that this was true, and a very commendable

thing, provided the poor children fell into good hands afterwards, and

were not abused, starved, and neglected by the nurses that bred them

up. She answered, that she always took care of that, and had no nurses

in her business but what were very good, honest people, and such as

might be depended upon.

I could say nothing to the contrary, and so was obliged to say, 'Madam,

I do not question you do your part honestly, but what those people do

afterwards is the main question'; and she stopped my mouth again with

saying that she took the utmost care about it.