I went. My aunt said, Yes, and that she
would bring me herself. I felt highly pleased
at the idea of going to school. After I returned
from church in the morning, Jane
Marke brought me a note from Mrs. Mulraine.
I do not recollect what I did with
it, but fancy that I put it into a small red
trunk where I used sometimes to put my
letters in, as near as I can recollect. The
note was about James Bowditch, still speaking
in the same manner of James Bowditch,
saying he would have me; that there would
be no use in my telling my aunt and uncle;
that they were going to take me away, but
when she could not state; it might be the
latter end of the week, or the beginning of
next. My aunt had said that I was to go
to Chelsea very early in the week, and told
Mrs. Bowditch so. I went to bed about
nine or ten, and on my oath did not know
what was to happen that night. I was
more happy and tranquil than I had been
before, from the idea of going to school,
and so escape danger from these people.
My two little cousins slept in the room with
me. I shut the door, but was never in the
habit of locking it. My bedroom was next
to my uncle's. My aunt always locked
her door. After I had fallen asleep, Jane
Marke came and awoke me. Jane Marke
had no light with her, but it was a moonlight
night. I should not have known it
was Jane Marke but by her voice. She
appeared much taller, and had something
covering over her face like a handkerchief.
She said, ' Get up; they are all waiting;
get up. You know what James Bowditch
has said; come, come at once.' She
then lifted me out of bed. I felt quite
unable either to speak or cry. She then
put on my clothes, without either tying or
lacing any of them. I have a confused
recollection of her going to my drawers (I
always kept my drawers open), and hearing
her pushing from one end of the drawers
to the other end, pushing about something;
but whether it was my clothes, or not, I
do not know. She then took me by the
arm and pulled me down the stairs; when
I was about half-way down, I spoke in a
whisper, for I could not speak loud, though
I tried several times. I said, ' Oh, Jane!'
upon which she pushed me down the remainder
of the stairs. I was sensible of
the great noise made by pushing me, and
I saw the door of my uncle's office, which
was the back parlour, wide open, and
the window-shutters open. The window
was down to the ground of the garden.
Jane Marke then took me up, and put me
out of the window; and I saw some person
in the gravel-walk, whom I found was Mr.
James Bowditch. There were several persons
outside the gate, and Mr. William
Bowditch was on the step of my uncle's
garden. The other persons were Mrs.
Mulraine, Betsy Bowditch, Jane Bowditch,
and several persons whom I did not know.
James Bowditch took my arm and pulled
me down the garden; William Bowditch
took the other arm. The door of the
garden was wide open. I have no recollection
after that of anything more. I do
not recollect how it was, or where they
took me. The first thing I remember after
coming to my senses was, sitting on a step,
and Betsy Bowditch putting on one of my
shoes. Mrs. Mulraine was there, and said,
' Only think of her walking all the way
without her shoes!' and Betsy Bowditch
said, 'Her feet must be blistered.' They
then took me to a house, where I saw Mr.
William Bowditch. It was not daylight
then. I did not stay there long, but went
to Holway Farm into Mrs. Mulraine's bedroom.
Mrs. Owen was in bed with Mrs.
Mulraine. I said to Mrs. Mulraine, ' What
will become of me! Oh! that I could but
go to my uncle's.' She then said, 'You
had better not let Mr. Bowditch hear this.'
Mrs. Owen then said to Mrs. Mulraine,
' This is a most scandalous and abominable
thing for a young creature like this to
be left in this way—such a young thing
as she is.' Old Mrs. Bowditch came upstairs,
and said, ' Come with me, directly.'
When I went down-stairs, I saw the
two Bowditches in the kitchen, and Mrs.
Bowditch took from the table a cup
which had something black in it. She
then desired me to drink it, which I did.
It was something bitter. One of the Mr.
Bowditches—I think it was James—came
and said, ' Now it is time for us to be off.'
The two Bowditches took me by the arms
down the garden, and through a field at the
end of the garden, and there I saw a gig.
James Bowditch lifted me into the gig, and
then old Mrs. Bowditch threw up the
leather, and stood upon the step of the gig,
and gave me something of the same which
she had before given me in the cup. I
refused to drink it at first, but she made
me. I recollect the gig setting off, and
passing through some fields, but nothing
further, till I heard James Bowditch calling
out to know what o'clock it was, but I did
not hear any answer. I saw a man riding
before the gig at some distance, andafterwards found it was William Bowditch. We