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第8章

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In the meantime; my governess; faithful to the last moment; 

conveyed my letter to the prison to my husband; and got an 

answer to it; and the next day came down herself to the ship; 

bringing me; in the first place; a sea…bed as they call it; and 

all its furniture; such as was convenient; but not to let the 

people think it was extraordinary。  She brought with her a 

sea…chestthat is; a chest; such as are made for seamen; with 

all the conveniences in it; and filled with everything almost 

that I could want; and in one of the corners of the chest; where 

there was a private drawer; was my bank of moneythis is to 

say; so much of it as I had resolved to carry with me; for I 

ordered a part of my stock to be left behind me; to be sent 

afterwards in such goods as I should want when I came to 

settle; for money in that country is not of much use where all 

things are brought for tobacco; much more is it a great loss 

to carry it from hence。



But my case was particular; it was by no means proper to me 

to go thither without money or goods; and for a poor convict; 

that was to be sold as soon as I came on shore; to carry with 

me a cargo of goods would be to have notice taken of it; and 

perhaps to have them seized by the public; so I took part of my 

stock with me thus; and left the other part with my governess。



My governess brought me a great many other things; but it 

was not proper for me to look too well provided in the ship; 

at least till I knew what kind of a captain we should have。  

When she came into the ship; I thought she would have died 

indeed; her heart sank at the sight of me; and at the thoughts 

of parting with me in that condition; and she cried so intolerably; 

I could not for a long time have any talk with her。



I took that time to read my fellow…prisoner's letter; which; 

however; greatly perplexed me。  He told me was determined 

to go; but found it would be impossible for him to be discharged 

time enough for going in the same ship; and which was more 

than all; he began to question whether they would give him 

leave to go in what ship he pleased; though he did voluntarily 

transport himself; but that they would see him put on board 

such a ship as they should direct; and that he would be charged 

upon the captain as other convict prisoners were; so that he 

began to be in despair of seeing me till he came to Virginia; 

which made him almost desperate; seeing that; on the other 

hand; if I should not be there; if any accident of the sea or of 

mortality should take me away; he should be the most undone 

creature there in the world。



This was very perplexing; and I knew not what course to take。  

I told my governess the story of the boatswain; and she was 

mighty eager with me treat with him; but I had no mind to it; 

till I heard whether my husband; or fellow…prisoner; so she 

called him; could be at liberty to go with me or no。  At last I 

was forced to let her into the whole matter; except only that 

of his being my husband。  I told her I had made a positive 

bargain or agreement with him to go; if he could get the liberty 

of going in the same ship; and that I found he had money。



Then I read a long lecture to her of what I proposed to do 

when we came there; how we could plant; settle; and; in short; 

grow rich without any more adventures; and; as a great secret; 

I told her that we were to marry as soon as he came on board。



She soon agreed cheerfully to my going when she heard this; 

and she made it her business from that time to get him out of 

the prison in time; so that he might go in the same ship with 

me; which at last was brought to pass; though with great 

difficulty; and not without all the forms of a transported 

prisoner…convict; which he really was not yet; for he had not 

been tried; and which was a great mortification to him。  As 

our fate was now determined; and we were both on board; 

actually bound to Virginia; in the despicable quality of 

transported convicts destined to be sold for slaves; I for five 

years; and he under bonds and security not to return to England 

any more; as long as he lived; he was very much dejected and 

cast down; the mortification of being brought on board; as he 

was; like a prisoner; piqued him very much; since it was first 

told him he should transport himself; and so that he might go 

as a gentleman at liberty。  It is true he was not ordered to be 

sold when he came there; as we were; and for that reason he 

was obliged to pay for his passage to the captain; which we 

were not; as to the rest; he was as much at a loss as a child 

what to do with himself; or with what he had; but by directions。



Our first business was to compare our stock。  He was very 

honest to me; and told me his stock was pretty good when he 

came into the prison; but the living there as he did in a figure 

like a gentleman; and; which was ten times as much; the 

making of friends; and soliciting his case; had been very 

expensive; and; in a word; all his stock that he had left was 

#108; which he had about him all in gold。



I gave him an account of my stock as faithfully; that is to say; 

of what I had taken to carry with me; for I was resolved; 

whatever should happen; to keep what I had left with my 

governess in reserve; that in case I should die; what I had with 

me was enough to give him; and that which was left in my 

governess's hands would be her own; which she had well 

deserved of me indeed。



My stock which I had with me was #246 some odd shillings; 

so that we had #354 between us; but a worse gotten estate was 

scarce ever put together to being the world with。



Our greatest misfortune as to our stock was that it was all in 

money; which every one knows is an unprofitable cargo to be 

carried to the plantations。  I believe his was really all he had 

left in the world; as he told me it was; but I; who had between 

#700 and #800 in bank when this disaster befell me; and who 

had one of the faithfullest friends in the world to manage it 

for me; considering she was a woman of manner of religious 

principles; had still #300 left in her hand; which I reserved as 

above; besides; some very valuable things; as particularly two 

gold watches; some small pieces of plate; and some ringsall

stolen goods。  The plate; rings; and watches were put in my 

chest with the money; and with this fortune; and in the 

sixty…first year of my age; I launched out into a new world; 

as I may call it; in the condition (as to what appeared) only 

of a poor; naked convict; ordered to be transported in respite 

from the gallows。  My clothes were poor and mean; but not 

ragged or dirty; and none knew in the whole ship that I had 

anything of value about me。



However; as I had a great many very good clothes and linen 

in abundance; which I had ordered to be packed up in two 

great boxes; I had them shipped on board; not as my goods; 

but as consigned to my real name in Virginia; and had the 

bills of loading signed by a captain in my pocket; and in these 

boxes was my plate and watches; and everything of value 

except my money; which I kept by itself in a private drawer 

in my chest; which could not be found; or opened; if found; 

with splitting the chest to pieces。



In this condition I lay for three weeks in the ship; not knowing 

whether I should have my husband with me or no; and therefore 

not resolving how or in what manner to receive the honest 

boatswain's proposal; which indeed he thought a little strange 

at first。



At the end of this time; behold my husband came on board。  

He looked with a dejected; angry countenance; his great heart 

was swelled with rage and disdain; to be dragged along with 

three keepers of Newgate; and put on board like a convict; 

when he had not so much as been brought to a trial。  He made 

loud complaints of it by his friends; for it seems he had som

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