The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

However, during this interval I confined myself pretty much at home; at

least, being thus provided for, I made no adventures, no, not for a

quarter of a year after he left me; but then finding the fund fail, and

being loth to spend upon the main stock, I began to think of my old

trade, and to look abroad into the street again; and my first step was

lucky enough.

I had dressed myself up in a very mean habit, for as I had several

shapes to appear in, I was now in an ordinary stuff-gown, a blue apron,

and a straw hat and I placed myself at the door of the Three Cups Inn

in St. John Street. There were several carriers used the inn, and the

stage-coaches for Barnet, for Totteridge, and other towns that way

stood always in the street in the evening, when they prepared to set

out, so that I was ready for anything that offered, for either one or

other. The meaning was this; people come frequently with bundles and

small parcels to those inns, and call for such carriers or coaches as

they want, to carry them into the country; and there generally attend

women, porters' wives or daughters, ready to take in such things for

their respective people that employ them.

It happened very oddly that I was standing at the inn gate, and a woman

that had stood there before, and which was the porter's wife belonging

to the Barnet stage-coach, having observed me, asked if I waited for

any of the coaches. I told her Yes, I waited for my mistress, that was

coming to go to Barnet. She asked me who was my mistress, and I told

her any madam's name that came next me; but as it seemed, I happened

upon a name, a family of which name lived at Hadley, just beyond Barnet.

I said no more to her, or she to me, a good while; but by and by,

somebody calling her at a door a little way off, she desired me that if

anybody called for the Barnet coach, I would step and call her at the

house, which it seems was an alehouse. I said Yes, very readily, and

away she went.

She was no sooner gone but comes a wench and a child, puffing and

sweating, and asks for the Barnet coach. I answered presently, 'Here.'

'Do you belong to the Barnet coach?' says she. 'Yes, sweetheart,' said

I; 'what do ye want?' 'I want room for two passengers,' says she.

'Where are they, sweetheart?' said I. 'Here's this girl, pray let her

go into the coach,' says she, 'and I'll go and fetch my mistress.'

'Make haste, then, sweetheart,' says I, 'for we may be full else.' The

maid had a great bundle under her arm; so she put the child into the

coach, and I said, 'You had best put your bundle into the coach too.'

'No,' says she, 'I am afraid somebody should slip it away from the

child.' 'Give to me, then,' said I, 'and I'll take care of it.' 'Do,

then,' says she, 'and be sure you take of it.' 'I'll answer for it,'

said I, 'if it were for #20 value.' 'There, take it, then,' says she,

and away she goes.