Американские боги

           Suspicionimmediatelyfelluponsomeoneinthehouse,foritwasapparentthatsomeonemusthaveopenedthedoor(whichthesquire’swifedistinctlyrememberedhavingboltedherself),andsomeonemusthaveknownwherethesquirekepthissilverplate,andthedrawerinwhichhekepthiscoinsandhispromissorynotes.Still,Essie,byresolutelydenyingeverything,wasconvictedofnothinguntilMasterJosiahHornerwascaught,inachandler’sinExeter,passingoneofthesquire’snotes.Thesquireidentifieditashis,andHornerandEssiewenttotrial.

           Hornerwasconvictedatthelocalassizes,andwas,astheslangofthetimesocruellyandsocasuallyhadit,turnedoff,butthejudgetookpityonEssie,becauseofherageorherchestnuthair,andhesentencedhertosevenyears’transportation.ShewastobetransportedonashipcalledtheNeptune,underthecommandofoneCaptainClarke.SoEssiewenttotheCarolinas;andonthewaysheconceivedanalliancewiththeselfsamecaptain,andprevaileduponhimtoreturnhertoEnglandwithhim,ashiswife,andtotakehertohismother’shouseinLondon,wherenomanknewher.Thejourneyback,whenthehumancargohadbeenexchangedforcottonandtobacco,wasapeacefultimeandahappyoneforthecaptainandhisnewbride,whowereastwolovebirdsorcourtingbutterflies,unabletoceasefromtouchingeachotherorgivingeachotherlittlegiftsandendearments.

           WhentheyreachedLondon,CaptainClarkelodgedEssiewithhismother,whotreatedherinallwaysasherson’snewwife.