’She then went up half a dozen stairs in her way to her own apartment:  but, as if she had bethought herself, down she stept again, and proceeded towards the street-parlour; saying, as she passed by the infamous Dorcas, I’ll make myself protectors, though the windows suffer.  But that wench, of her own head, on the lady’s going out of that parlour to Mrs. Sinclair’s, had locked the door, and taken out the key:  so that finding herself disappointed, she burst into tears, and went sobbing and menacing up stairs again.

’She made no other attempt till the effectual one.  Your letters and messages, they suppose, coming so fast upon one another (though she would not answer one of them) gave her some amusement, and an assurance to them, that she would at last forgive you; and that then all would end as you wished.

’The women, in pursuance of your orders, offered not to obtrude themselves upon her; and Dorcas also kept out of her sight all the rest of Sunday; also on Monday and Tuesday.  But by the lady’s condescension, (even to familiarity) to Mabell, they imagined, that she must be working in her mind all that time to get away.  They therefore redoubled their cautions to the wench; who told them so faithfully all that passed between her lady and her, that they had no doubt of her fidelity to her wicked trust.

’’Tis probable she might have been contriving something all this time; but saw no room for perfecting any scheme.  The contrivance by which she effected her escape seems to me not to have been fallen upon till the very day; since it depended partly upon the weather, as it proved.  But it is evident she hoped something from Mabell’s simplicity, or gratitude, or compassion, by cultivating all the time her civility to her.

’Polly waited on her early on Wednesday morning; and met with a better reception than she had reason to expect.  She complained however, with warmth, of her confinement.  Polly said there would be an happy end to it (if it were a confinement,) next day, she presumed.  She absolutely declared to the contrary, in the way Polly meant it; and said, That Mr. Lovelace, on his return [which looked as if she intended to wait for it] should have reason to repent the orders he had given, as they all should their observance of them:  let him send twenty letters, she would not answer one, be the consequence what it would; nor give him hope of the least favour, while she was in that house.  She had given Mrs. Sinclair and themselves fair warning, she said:  no orders of another ought to make them detain a free person:  but having made an open attempt to go, and been detained by them, she was the calmer, she told Polly; let them look to the consequence.

’But yet she spoke this with temper; and Polly gave it as her opinion, (with apprehension for their own safety,) that having so good a handle to punish them all, she would not go away if she might.  And what, inferred Polly, is the indemnity of a man who has committed the vilest of rapes on a person of condition; and must himself, if prosecuted for it, either fly, or be hanged?