The messengers, seeing me disagreeable to their benefactors and
employers, seldom troubled me with a call, and I began to find
myself almost totally neglected.
'To contribute towards my support I was fain to sell my watch, rings,
trinkets, with the best part of my clothes; and I was one evening
musing by myself on misery before me when I received a message from
a tavern, whither I repaired in a chair, and was introduced to a
gentleman dressed like an officer, with whom I supped in a sumptuous
manner. In the morning, when I awoke, I found my gallant had got
up, and, drawing aside the curtain, could not perceive him in the
room. I waited a full hour for his return, and then in the greatest
perplexity, rose up and rang the bell. When the waiter came to the
door, he found it locked, and desired admittance, which I granted,
after observing, with great surprise, that the key remained on
the inside, as when we went to bed. I no sooner inquired for the
captain, than the fellow, staring with a distracted look, cried,
"How, madam, is he not abed?" And when he was satisfied as to that
particular, ran into a closet adjoining to the chamber, the window
of which he found open. Through this the adventurer had got upon
a wall, front whence he dropped down into a court and escaped,
leaving me to be answerable not only for the reckoning, but also
for a large silver tankard and posset-bowl, which he had carried
off with him.
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