Jervis, and where every body loved me, what a
dreadful prospect have I now before me, in the hands of a woman that
seems to delight in filthiness!
O dear sirs! what shall I do! What shall I do!--Surely, I shall never be
equal to all these things!
About eight at night, we entered the court-yard of this handsome, large,
old, and lonely mansion, that looks made for solitude and mischief, as I
thought, by its appearance, with all its brown nodding horrors of lofty
elms and pines about it: and here, said I to myself, I fear, is to be the
scene of my ruin, unless God protect me, who is all-sufficient!
I was very sick at entering it, partly from fatigue, and partly from
dejection of spirits: and Mrs. Jewkes got me some mulled wine, and seemed
mighty officious to welcome me thither; and while she was absent,
ordering the wine, the wicked Robin came in to me, and said, I beg a
thousand pardons for my part in this affair, since I see your grief and
your distress; and I do assure you, that I am sorry it fell to my task.
Mighty well, Mr. Robert! said I; I never saw an execution but once, and
then the hangman asked the poor creature's pardon, and wiped his mouth,
as you do, and pleaded his duty, and then calmly tucked up the criminal.
But I am no criminal, as you all know: And if I could have thought it my
duty to obey a wicked master in his unlawful command, I had saved you all
the merit of this vile service.
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