’All these things put together, excited their curiosity; and they engaged a peery servant, as they called a footman who was drinking with Kit. the hostler, at the tap-house, to watch all her motions.  This fellow reported the following particulars, as they re-reported to me: 

’She indeed went towards Hendon, passing by the sign of the Castle on the Heath; then, stopping, looked about her, and down into the valley before her.  Then, turning her face towards London, she seemed, by the motion of her handkerchief to her eyes, to weep; repenting [who knows?] the rash step she had taken, and wishing herself back again.’

Better for her, if she do, Jack, once more I say!—­Woe be to the girl who could think of marrying me, yet to be able to run away from me, and renounce me for ever!

’Then, continuing on a few paces, she stopt again—­and, as if disliking her road, again seeming to weep, directed her course back towards Hampstead.’

I am glad she wept so much, because no heart bursts, (be the occasion for the sorrow what it will,) which has that kindly relief.  Hence I hardly ever am moved at the sight of these pellucid fugitives in a fine woman.  How often, in the past twelve hours, have I wished that I could cry most confoundedly?

’She then saw a coach-and-four driving towards her empty.  She crossed the path she was in, as if to meet it, and seemed to intend to speak to the coachman, had he stopt or spoken first.  He as earnestly looked at her.—­Every one did so who passed her, (so the man who dogged her was the less suspected.’)—­Happy rogue of a coachman, hadst thou known whose notice thou didst engage, and whom thou mightest have obliged!—­It was the divine Clarissa Harlowe at whom thou gazest!—­Mine own Clarissa Harlowe!—­But it was well for me that thou wert as undistinguishing as the beasts thou drovest; otherwise, what a wild-goose chace had I been led?

’The lady, as well as the coachman, in short, seemed to want resolution; —­the horses kept on—­[the fellow’s head and eyes, no doubt, turned behind him,] and the distance soon lengthened beyond recall.  With a wistful eye she looked after him; sighed and wept again; as the servant who then slyly passed her, observed.

’By this time she had reached the houses.  She looked up at every one as she passed; now and then breathing upon her bared hand, and applying it to her swelled eyes, to abate the redness, and dry the tears.  At last, seeing a bill up for letting lodgings, she walked backwards and forwards half a dozen times, as if unable to determine what to do.  And then went farther into the town, and there the fellow, being spoken to by one of his familiars, lost her for a few minutes:  but he soon saw her come out of a linen-drapery shop, attended with a servant-maid, having, as it proved, got that maid-servant to go with her to the house she is now at.*

* See Letter XXI. of this volume.