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dark, I ftopped to recollect on which fide was the door opening to the lane that I had perceived the day before. Oh! there is no conveying an idea how my foolish heart beat, when, as I ftood in this old gloomy place, I heard the rustling of the dried pot herbs, and at length something move among them, and foftly, foftly, step among the matting; it was the garden cat; fhe came clofer, purring and careffing me, and I never remember a fenfation more welcome than the certainty that my fears had at that moment been excited only by this inoffenfive animal. I now acquired compofure enough to find the door; it was faftened, and dread again feized me. I felt about for the bolts, and found them, but could draw only one of them. All my efforts were fruitless with the other, though I applied my whole ftrength, and I then gave myself up for loft for a moment. I was under the neceffity of leaning againft the wall to recover my breath, and confider to what expedient I could have recourse. I thought

thought a ftone or an iron tool might affist me, and began, though in almost perfect darkness, to fearch for one, and fortunately I found in the window, to which the little light without doors guided me, a piece of a broken iron rake. I returned then with better hope to the inexorable bolt, and at length it gave way before my perfeverance. The door was open, and I was in the lane.

"I was again compelled to ftop to recover my breath. I looked round me, undetermined which way to go; and indeed I had not yet confidered whither to bend my steps if I fucceeded in efcaping from my prifon, the profpect of getting out alone filling my whole mind.

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My fituation was ftill moft diftreffing-I was alone, unprotected, and at ftranger-I had not the leaft idea which direction it would be fafe to take to lead me from my purfuers, and to fome place from whence I might find a conveyance to London. But it is, perhaps, only those who have felt themselves in the power

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power of people they at once dread and defpife, who can judge how much lefs wretched any fituation appeared than it would have been to have remained in the houfe I had left. I was, I hoped, free from that odious Darnell, and every other evil feemed light. *h to

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"Fortunately I took the way, though by mere chance, that led to a common; and in about half an hour I reached a more fandy and beaten tract, which would, I thought, if I followed it, con duct me to a village or a town. I went on near a mile, and approached the en trance of another lane, but I then found it neceffary to fit down, for I feared that if I fatigued myfelf too much, I should be overtaken by the morning light before I could reach any place that might be an afylum against purfuit. It was better to manage my ftrength, and not to exhauft it all at once.

"I refted myself, therefore, in a fort of hollow way worn by heavy carriages at the entrance of this lane, and liftened to the dull

dull night noises, congratulating myself that all was fo quiet; for only the bells of a few sheep that fed on the common, and at a great diftance the found of a water mill, and now and then the barking of a village watch dog, came in the paufes of the wind, which had now much abat ed of its violence; but judge, my dear friend, of my apprehenfion and aftonish ment, when all at once I heard, and as I thought immediately near me, the yell of human voices, of men and women, either in riotous frolic or drun-ken contention; fome laughed, fome hooted, others fang or fwore, and two or three were quarrelling and uttering words of abuse and menace.. I cannot defcribe what I felt at that moment; I Ι cannot recal it without fhuddering. The noife feemed, I thought, approaching

me.

Oh yes, there was no doubt but that it came nearer and nearer, and now it was fo near that I could diftinguifh oaths, curfes, and threats. How my heart fickened at the dread of falling into fuch hands! What or who N 6 could.

could they be? and was it of me they were in purfuit?-Away fled all the fortitude I fancied I had collected and could exert! Terror abfolutely deprived me of my breath. These people,

for I heard the voices of women among them, were either villagers fent in pursuit of me by Darnell, or they were night ruffians, vagabonds, gipfies, or fome fuch afsociated marauders; and the very idea of being in the power of fuch persons was more terrific than that of even Darnell himself, for of him my contempt abated my apprehenfion..

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I fat ftill, however, because I had no power to move, and thought that it was. impoffible I could efcape from this party, of whatsoever perfons it was composed; but fortunately they took the way above the excavation of fand-rock where I fat, and I crept closer within its crumbling hollows, as I heard them walking. immediately above my head. They paffed; I listened, and their voices became fainter and fainter, yet I continued to hear

them,

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