第 3 节
作者:中国必胜      更新:2021-02-20 05:34      字数:9322
  sense of it; and not able to express what I had in my heart; for
  the passions on such occasions as these are certainly so agitated
  as not to be able presently to regulate their own motions。
  All the while the poor condemned creatures were preparing
  to their death; and the ordinary; as they call him; was busy
  with them; disposing them to submit to their sentenceI say;
  all this while I was seized with a fit of trembling; as much as
  I could have been if I had been in the same condition; as to be
  sure the day before I expected to be; I was so violently agitated
  by this surprising fit; that I shook as if it had been in the cold
  fit of an ague; so that I could not speak or look but like one
  distracted。  As soon as they were all put into carts and gone;
  which; however; I had not courage enough to seeI say; as
  soon as they were gone; I fell into a fit of crying involuntarily;
  and without design; but as a mere distemper; and yet so violent;
  and it held me so long; that I knew not what course to take;
  nor could I stop; or put a check to it; no; not with all the
  strength and courage I had。
  This fit of crying held me near two hours; and; as I believe;
  held me till they were all out of the world; and then a most
  humble; penitent; serious kind of joy succeeded; a real transport
  it was; or passion of joy and thankfulness; but still unable to
  give vent to it by words; and in this I continued most part of
  the day。
  In the evening the good minister visited me again; and then
  fell to his usual good discourses。  He congratulated my having
  a space yet allowed me for repentance; whereas the state of
  those six poor creatures was determined; and they were now
  past the offers of salvation; he earnestly pressed me to retain
  the same sentiments of the things of life that I had when I had
  a view of eternity; and at the end of all told me I should not
  conclude that all was over; that a reprieve was not a pardon;
  that he could not yet answer for the effects of it; however; I
  had this mercy; that I had more time given me; and that it was
  my business to improve that time。
  This discourse; though very seasonable; left a kind of sadness
  on my  heart; as if I might expect the affair would have a
  tragical issue still; which; however; he had no certainty of;
  and I did not indeed; at that time; question him about it; he
  having said that he would do his utmost to bring it to a good
  end; and that he hoped he might; but he would not have me
  be secure; and the consequence proved that he had reason for
  what he said。
  It was about a fortnight after this that I had some just apprehensions
  that I should be included in the next dead warrant at the ensuing
  sessions; and it was not without great difficulty; and at last a
  humble petition for transportation; that I avoided it; so ill was
  I beholding to fame; and so prevailing was the fatal report of
  being an old offender; though in that they did not do me strict
  justice; for I was not in the sense of the law an old offender;
  whatever I was in the eye of the judge; for I had never been
  before them in a judicial way before; so the judges could not
  charge me with being an old offender; but the Recorder was
  pleased to represent my case as he thought fit。
  I had now a certainty of life indeed; but with the hard conditions
  of being ordered for transportation; which indeed was hard
  condition in itself; but not when comparatively considered;
  and therefore I shall make no comments upon the sentence;
  nor upon the choice I was put to。  We shall all choose anything
  rather than death; especially when 'tis attended with an
  uncomfortable prospect beyond it; which was my case。
  The good minister; whose interest; though a stranger to me;
  had obtained me the reprieve; mourned sincerely for this part。
  He was in hopes; he said; that I should have ended my days
  under the influence of good instruction; that I should not have
  been turned loose again among such a wretched crew as they
  generally are; who are thus sent abroad; where; as he said; I
  must have more than ordinary secret assistance from the grace
  of God; if I did not turn as wicked again as ever。
  I have not for a good while mentioned my governess; who
  had during most; if not all; of this part been dangerously sick;
  and being in as near a view of death by her disease as I was
  by my sentence; was a great penitentI say; I have not mentioned
  her; nor indeed did I see her in all this time; but being now
  recovering; and just able to come abroad; she came to see me。
  I told her my condition; and what a different flux and reflux
  of tears and hopes I had been agitated with; I told her what I
  had escaped; and upon what terms; and she was present when
  the minister expressed his fears of my relapsing into wickedness
  upon my falling into the wretched companies that are generally
  transported。  Indeed I had a melancholy reflection upon it in
  my own mind; for I knew what a dreadful gang was always
  sent away together; and I said to my governess that the good
  minister's fears were not without cause。  'Well; well;' says  she;
  'but I hope you will not be tempted with such a horrid example
  as that。'  And as soon as the minister was gone; she told me she
  would not have me discouraged; for perhaps ways and means
  might be found out to dispose of me in a particular way; by
  myself; of which she would talk further to me afterward。
  I looked earnestly at her; and I thought she looked more cheerful
  than she usually had done; and I entertained immediately a
  thousand notions of being delivered; but could not for my life
  image the methods; or think of one that was in the least feasible;
  but I was too much concerned in it to let her go from me without
  explaining herself; which; though she was very loth to do; yet
  my importunity prevailed; and; while I was still pressing; she
  answered me in a few words; thus:  'Why; you have money;
  have you not?  Did you ever know one in your life that was
  transported and had a hundred pounds in his pocket; I'll warrant
  you; child?'says she。
  I understood her presently; but told her I would leave all that
  to her; but I saw no room to hope for anything but a strict
  execution of the order; and as it was a severity that was
  esteemed a mercy; there was no doubt but it would be strictly
  observed。  She said no more but this:  'We will try what can
  be done;' and so we parted for that night。
  I lay in the prison near fifteen weeks after this order for
  transportation was signed。  What the reason of it was; I know
  not; but at the end of this time I was put on board of a ship in
  the Thames; and with me a gang of thirteen as hardened vile
  creatures as ever Newgate produced in my time; and it would
  really well take up a history longer than mine to describe the
  degrees of impudence and audacious villainy that those thirteen
  were arrived to; and the manner of their behaviour in the
  voyage; of which I have a very diverting account by me; which
  the captain of the ship who carried them over gave me the
  minutes of; and which he caused his mate to write down at large。
  It may perhaps be thought trifling to enter here into a relation
  of all the little incidents which attended me in this interval of
  my circumstances; I mean; between the final order of my
  transporation and the time of my going on board the ship; and
  I am too near the end of my story to allow room for it; but
  something relating to me any my Lancashire husband I must
  not omit。
  He had; as I have observed already; been carried from the
  master's side of the ordinary prison into the press…yard; with
  three of his comrades; for they found another to add to them
  after some time; here; for what reason I knew not; they were
  kept in custody without being brought to trial almost three
  months。  It seems they found means to bribe or buy off some
  of those who were expected to come in against them; and they
  wanted evidence for some time to convict them。  After some
  puzzle on this account; at first they made a shift to get proof
  enough against two of them to carry them off; but the other
  two; of which my Lancashire husband was one; lay still in
  suspense。  They had; I think; one positive evidence against
  each of them; but the law strictly obliging them to have two
  witnesses; they could make nothing of it。  Yet it seems they
  were resolved not to part with the men neither; not doubting
  but a further evidence would at last come in; and in order to
  this; I think publication was made; that such prisoners being
  taken; any one that had been robbed by them might come to
  the prison and see them。
  I took this opportunity to satisfy my curiosity; pretending that
  I had been robbed in the Dunstable coach; and that I would go
  to see the two highwaymen。  But when I came into the press…ya