Mrs. Jewkes had the portmanteau brought into my closet, and she shewed me
what was in it; but then locked it up, and said, she would let me have
what I would out of it, when I asked; but if I had the key, it might make
me want to go abroad, may be; and so the confident woman put it in her
pocket.
I gave myself over to sad reflections upon this strange and surprising
discovery of John's, and wept much for him, and for myself too; for now I
see, as he says, my ruin has been long hatching, that I can make no doubt
what my master's honourable professions will end in. What a heap of hard
names does the poor fellow call himself! But what must they deserve,
then, who set him to work? O what has this wicked master to answer for,
to be so corrupt himself, and to corrupt others, who would have been all
innocent; and to carry on a poor plot, I am sure for a gentleman, to ruin
a poor creature, who never did him harm, nor wished him any; and who can
still pray for his happiness, and his repentance?
I can't but wonder what these gentlemen, as they are called, can think of
themselves for these vile doings! John had some inducement; for he hoped
to please his master, who rewarded him and was bountiful to him; and the
same may be said, bad as she is, for this same odious Mrs.
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