Page:Life and unparalleled adventures of Ambrose Gwinnett.pdf/5

 AMEROSE GWENNETT. 5 me what was the matter. I informed him, and at the same time begged he would direct me to the necessary. He told me that, when down stairs, I must turn to my right hand, and go straight into the garden, at the end of which it was, just over the water ; but, added he, you may possibly find some difficulty in opening the door, the string being broken which pulls up the latch, I will give you a penknife with which you may open it, through a chink in the boards. So saying, he put his hand into his waist- coat pocket, which lay over him on the bed, and gave me a middling-sized penknife. I hurried on a few of my clothes, and went down stairs; but I must observe that, unclasping the pen- knife to open the door of the necessary, according to his direction, a piece of money, which had stuck be- tween the blade and the groove in the handle, fell into my hand. I did not examine what it was, nor, indeed, could I well see, there being then but a very faint moonlight, so I put them very carelessly together in my pocket. I apprehend I stayed in the garden about half an hour, for I was extremely ill, and, by overheating myself with walking the preceding day, brought on the piles, a disorder I was subject to from my youth. These seem trifling circumstances, but they after- wards turned out of infinite importance to me. When I returned to my chamber, I was surprised to find my bedfellow gone. I called several times, but not receiving any answer, I took it for granted that he had withdrawn into some adjoining closet for his private occasions. I therefore went to bed again, and fell asleep. About six o'clock I arose, nobody being yet up in the house. The gentleman was not yet returned to bed, or if he was, had again left it. I then dressed myself with what haste I could, being impatient to see my sister, and the reckoning being paid over- night, I let myself out at the street-door.