第2章
Mytruenameissowellknownintherecordsorregisters
atNewgate，andintheOldBailey，andtherearesomethings
ofsuchconsequencestilldependingthere，relatingtomy
particularconduct，thatitisnotbeexpectedIshouldsetmy
nameortheaccountofmyfamilytothiswork；perhaps，after
mydeath，itmaybebetterknown；atpresentitwouldnotbe
proper，nonotthoughageneralpardonshouldbeissued，even
withoutexceptionsandreserveofpersonsorcrimes。
Itisenoughtotellyou，thatassomeofmyworstcomrades，
whoareoutofthewayofdoingmeharm(havinggoneoutof
theworldbythestepsandthestring，asIoftenexpectedtogo)，
knewmebythenameofMollFlanders，soyoumaygiveme
leavetospeakofmyselfunderthatnametillIdareownwho
Ihavebeen，aswellaswhoIam。
Ihavebeentoldthatinoneofneighbournations，whetherit
beinFranceorwhereelseIknownot，theyhaveanorderfrom
theking，thatwhenanycriminaliscondemned，eithertodie，
ortothegalleys，ortobetransported，iftheyleaveanychildren，
assucharegenerallyunprovidedfor，bythepovertyorforfeiture
oftheirparents，sotheyareimmediatelytakenintothecareof
theGovernment，andputintoahospitalcalledtheHouseof
Orphans，wheretheyarebredup，clothed，fed，taught，and
whenfittogoout，areplacedouttotradesortoservices，so
astobewellabletoprovideforthemselvesbyanhonest，
industriousbehaviour。
Hadthisbeenthecustominourcountry，Ihadnotbeenleft
apoordesolategirlwithoutfriends，withoutclothes，without
helporhelperintheworld，aswasmyfate；andbywhichI
wasnotonlyexposedtoverygreatdistresses，evenbeforeI
wascapableeitherofunderstandingmycaseorhowtoamend
it，butbroughtintoacourseoflifewhichwasnotonlyscandalous
initself，butwhichinitsordinarycoursetendedtotheswift
destructionbothofsoulandbody。
Butthecasewasotherwisehere。
Mymotherwasconvicted
offelonyforacertainpettytheftscarceworthnaming，viz。
havinganopportunityofborrowingthreepiecesoffineholland
ofacertaindraperinCheapside。
Thecircumstancesaretoo
longtorepeat，andIhaveheardthemrelatedsomanyways，
thatIcanscarcebecertainwhichistherightaccount。
Howeveritwas，thistheyallagreein，thatmymotherpleaded
herbelly，andbeingfoundquickwithchild，shewasrespited
foraboutsevenmonths；inwhichtimehavingbroughtmeinto
theworld，andbeingaboutagain，shewascalleddown，asthey
termit，toherformerjudgment，butobtainedthefavourof
beingtransportedtotheplantations，andleftmeabouthalfa
yearold；andinbadhands，youmaybesure。
Thisistoonearthefirsthoursofmylifeformetorelate
anythingofmyselfbutbyhearsay；itisenoughtomention，
thatasIwasborninsuchanunhappyplace，Ihadnoparish
tohaverecoursetoformynourishmentinmyinfancy；nor
canIgivetheleastaccounthowIwaskeptalive，otherthan
that，asIhavebeentold，somerelationofmymother’stook
meawayforawhileasanurse，butatwhoseexpense，orby
whosedirection，Iknownothingatallofit。
ThefirstaccountthatIcanrecollect，orcouldeverlearnof
myself，wasthatIhadwanderedamongacrewofthosepeople
theycallgypsies，orEgyptians；butIbelieveitwasbutavery
littlewhilethatIhadbeenamongthem，forIhadnothadmy
skindiscolouredorblackened，astheydoveryyoungtoallthe
childrentheycarryaboutwiththem；norcanItellhowIcame
amongthem，orhowIgotfromthem。
ItwasatColchester，inEssex，thatthosepeopleleftme；and
IhaveanotioninmyheadthatIleftthemthere(thatis，that
Ihidmyselfandwouldnotgoanyfartherwiththem)，butIam
notabletobeparticularinthataccount；onlythisIremember，
thatbeingtakenupbysomeoftheparishofficersofColchester，
IgaveanaccountthatIcameintothetownwiththegypsies，
butthatIwouldnotgoanyfartherwiththem，andthatsothey
hadleftme，butwhithertheyweregonethatIknewnot，nor
couldtheyexpectitofme；forthoughtheysendroundthe
countrytoinquireafterthem，itseemstheycouldnotbefound。
Iwasnowinawaytobeprovidedfor；forthoughIwasnota
parishchargeuponthisorthatpartofthetownbylaw，yetas
mycasecametobeknown，andthatIwastooyoungtodoany
work，beingnotabovethreeyearsold，compassionmovedthe
magistratesofthetowntoordersomecaretobetakenofme，
andIbecameoneoftheirownasmuchasifIhadbeenborn
intheplace。
Intheprovisiontheymadeforme，itwasmygoodhaptobe
puttonurse，astheycallit，toawomanwhowasindeedpoor
buthadbeeninbettercircumstances，andwhogotalittle
livelihoodbytakingsuchasIwassupposedtobe，andkeeping
themwithallnecessaries，tilltheywereatacertainage，in
whichitmightbesupposedtheymightgotoserviceorget
theirownbread。
Thiswomanhadalsohadalittleschool，whichshekeptto
teachchildrentoreadandtowork；andhaving，asIhavesaid，
livedbeforethatingoodfashion，shebredupthechildrenshe
tookwithagreatdealofart，aswellaswithagreatdealofcare。
Butthatwhichwasworthalltherest，shebredthemupvery
religiously，beingherselfaverysober，piouswoman，veryhouse-
wifelyandclean，andverymannerly，andwithgoodbehaviour。
Sothatinaword，expectingaplaindiet，coarselodging，and
meanclothes，wewerebroughtupasmannerlyandasgenteelly
asifwehadbeenatthedancing-school。
IwascontinuedheretillIwaseightyearsold，whenIwas
terrifiedwithnewsthatthemagistrates(asIthinktheycalled
them)hadorderedthatIshouldgotoservice。
Iwasableto
dobutverylittleservicewhereverIwastogo，exceptitwas
torunoferrandsandbeadrudgetosomecookmaid，andthis
theytoldmeofoften，whichputmeintoagreatfright；forI
hadathoroughaversiontogoingtoservice，astheycalledit
(thatis，tobeaservant)，thoughIwassoyoung；andItoldmy
nurse，aswecalledher，thatIbelievedIcouldgetmyliving
withoutgoingtoservice，ifshepleasedtoletme；forshehad
taughtmetoworkwithmyneedle，andspinworsted，which
isthechieftradeofthatcity，andItoldherthatifshewould
keepme，Iwouldworkforher，andIwouldworkveryhard。
Italkedtoheralmosteverydayofworkinghard；and，inshort，
Ididnothingbutworkandcryallday，whichgrievedthegood，
kindwomansomuch，thatatlastshebegantobeconcerned
forme，forshelovedmeverywell。
Onedayafterthis，asshecameintotheroomwhereallwe
poorchildrenwereatwork，shesatdownjustoveragainstme，
notinherusualplaceasmistress，butasifshesetherselfon
purposetoobservemeandseemework。
Iwasdoingsomething
shehadsetmeto；asIremember，itwasmarkingsomeshirts
whichshehadtakentomake，andafterawhileshebeganto
talktome。
’Thoufoolishchild，’saysshe，’thouartalways
crying(forIwascryingthen)；’prithee，whatdostcryfor？’
’Becausetheywilltakemeaway，’saysI，’andputmetoservice，
andIcan’tworkhousework。’
’Well，child，’saysshe，’but
thoughyoucan’tworkhousework，asyoucallit，youwilllearn
itintime，andtheywon’tputyoutohardthingsatfirst。’
’Yes，
theywill，’saysI，’andifIcan’tdoittheywillbeatme，andthe
maidswillbeatmetomakemedogreatwork，andIambuta
littlegirlandIcan’tdoit’；andthenIcriedagain，tillIcould
notspeakanymoretoher。
Thismovedmygoodmotherlynurse，sothatshefromthat
timeresolvedIshouldnotgotoserviceyet；soshebidmenot
cry，andshewouldspeaktoMr。Mayor，andIshouldnotgoto
servicetillIwasbigger。
Well，thisdidnotsatisfyme，fortothinkofgoingtoservice
wassuchafrightfulthingtome，thatifshehadassuredmeI
shouldnothavegonetillIwastwentyyearsold，itwouldhave
beenthesametome；Ishouldhavecried，Ibelieve，allthe
time，withtheveryapprehensionofitsbeingtobesoatlast。
WhenshesawthatIwasnotpacifiedyet，shebegantobe
angrywithme。
’Andwhatwouldyouhave？’saysshe；’don’t
Itellyouthatyoushallnotgotoservicetillyourarebigger？’
’Ay，’saidI，’butthenImustgoatlast。’
’Why，what？’saidshe；
’isthegirlmad？
Whatwouldyoube——agentlewoman？’
’Yes，’saysI，andcriedheartilytillIroardoutagain。
Thissettheoldgentlewomana-laughingatme，asyoumaybe
sureitwould。
’Well，madam，forsooth，’saysshe，gibingatme，
’youwouldbeagentlewoman；andprayhowwillyoucometo
beagentlewoman？
What！willyoudoitbyyourfingers’end？’
’Yes，’saysIagain，veryinnocently。
’Why，whatcanyouearn？’saysshe；’whatcanyougetatyour
work？’
’Threepence，’saidI，’whenIspin，andfourpencewhenIwork
plainwork。’
’Alas！poorgentlewoman，’saidsheagain，laughing，’whatwill
thatdoforthee？’
’Itwillkeepme，’saysI，’ifyouwillletmelivewithyou。’
And
thisIsaidinsuchapoorpetitioningtone，thatitmadethepoor
woman’sheartyearntome，asshetoldmeafterwards。
’But，’saysshe，’thatwillnotkeepyouandbuyyouclothes
too；andwhomustbuythelittlegentlewomanclothes？’says
she，andsmiledallthewhileatme。
’Iwillworkharder，then，’saysI，’andyoushallhaveitall。’
’Poorchild！itwon’tkeepyou，’saysshe；’itwillhardlykeep
youinvictuals。’
’ThenIwillhavenovictuals，’saysI，againveryinnocently；
’letmebutlivewithyou。’
’Why，canyoulivewithoutvictuals？’saysshe。
’Yes，’againsaysI，verymuchlikeachild，youmaybesure，
andstillIcriedheartily。
Ihadnopolicyinallthis；youmayeasilyseeitwasallnature；
butitwasjoinedwithsomuchinnocenceandsomuchpassion
that，inshort，itsetthegoodmotherlycreaturea-weepingtoo，
andshecriedatlastasfastasIdid，andthentookmeandled
meoutoftheteaching-room。
’Come，’saysshe，’youshan’t
gotoservice；youshalllivewithme’；andthispacifiedme
forthepresent。
Sometimeafterthis，shegoingtowaitontheMayor，and
talkingofsuchthingsasbelongedtoherbusiness，atlastmy
storycameup，andmygoodnursetoldMr。Mayorthewhole
tale。