Didactic fiction; Domestic fiction; England -- Fiction; Married women -- Fiction
Just as the methodist had finished his discourse, a beautiful young
woman was ushered into the gaol. She was genteel and well drest, and
did not in the least resemble those females whom Mr. Booth had hitherto
seen. The constable had no sooner delivered her at the gate than she
asked with a commanding voice for the keeper; and, when he arrived, she
said to him, “Well, sir, whither am I to be conducted? I hope I am not
to take up my lodging with these creatures.” The keeper answered, with a
kind of surly respect, “Madam, we have rooms for those who can afford
to pay for them.” At these words she pulled a handsome purse from
her pocket, in which many guineas chinked, saying, with an air of
indignation, “That she was not come thither on account of poverty.” The
keeper no sooner viewed the purse than his features became all softened
in an instant; and, with all the courtesy of which he was master, he
desired the lady to walk with him, assuring her that she should have the
best apartment in his house.
Mr. Booth was now left alone; for the methodist had forsaken him,
having, as the phrase of the sect is, searched him to the bottom. In
fact, he had thoroughly examined every one of Mr. Booth’s pockets; from
which he had conveyed away a penknife and an iron snuff-box, these being
all the moveables which were to be found.
Booth was standing near the gate of the prison when the young lady above
mentioned was introduced into the yard. He viewed her features very
attentively, and was persuaded that he knew her. She was indeed so
remarkably handsome, that it was hardly possible for any who had ever
seen her to forget her. He enquired of one of the underkeepers if the
name of the prisoner lately arrived was not Matthews; to which he was
answered that her name was not Matthews but Vincent, and that she was
committed for murder.
The latter part of this information made Mr. Booth suspect his memory
more than the former; for it was very possible that she might have
changed her name; but he hardly thought she could so far have changed
her nature as to be guilty of a crime so very incongruous with her
former gentle manners: for Miss Matthews had both the birth and
education of a gentlewoman. He concluded, therefore, that he was
certainly mistaken, and rested satisfied without any further enquiry.
Chapter v.
_Containing certain adventures which befel Mr. Booth in the prison._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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