old Nanny’s house; but the wind was very high, and I was not certain.  I stopped and listened, and it was repeated.  I gained the door.  It was so dark that I groped for the latch.  The door was open, and when I went in I heard a gurgling kind of noise and a rustling in her chamber.  “Who’s there?—­What’s this?” cried I; for I had a foreboding that something was wrong.  I tumbled over some old iron, knocked down the range of keys, and made a terrible din, when, of a sudden, just as I had recovered my legs, I was thrown down again by somebody who rushed by me and darted out of the door.  As the person rushed by me I attempted to seize his arm, but I received a severe blow on the mouth, which cut my lip through, and at first I thought I had lost all my front teeth.

I rose up.  I heard a heavy groaning; so, instead of pursuing the robber, I felt my way into Nanny’s chamber.  “Nanny,” said I, “mother, what’s the matter?” but there was no reply, except another groan.  I knew where she kept her tinderbox and matches; I found them, and struck a light; and by the light of the match I perceived the candle and candlestick lying on the floor.  I picked it up, lighted it, and then turned to the bed; the flock mattress was above all, and the groans proceeded from beneath.  I threw it off, and found old Nanny still breathing, but in a state of exhaustion and quite insensible.  By throwing water on her face, after some little while I brought her to her senses.  The flaring of the candle reminded me that the shop door was open.  I went and made it fast, and then spoke to her.  It was a long while before I could obtain any rational answer.  She continued to groan and cry at intervals, “Don’t leave me, Jack, don’t leave me.”  At last she fell into a sort of slumber from exhaustion, and in this state she remained for more than an hour.  One thing was evident to me, which was, that the party, whoever it might be, had attempted to smother the poor old woman, and that in a few seconds more he would have perpetrated the deed.

At last old Nanny roused up, and turning to me, said, “It’s Jack, is it not?  I thought so.  Oh, my poor head!  What has happened?”

“That’s what I want to know from you, mother,” replied I; “but first I will tell you what I know of the business.”  Which I did, to give her time to collect her thoughts.

“Yes,” said she, “so it was.  I was just in bed, and my candle was not out, when I heard a noise at the door, as if they were turning a key in it, and then a man entered; but he had something over his face, I thought, or he had blacked it.  ‘What do you want?’ cried I.  ’I come for a light, old woman,’ said he.  I cried ‘Thieves! murder!’ as loud as I could, and he ran up to me just as I was getting out of bed, and tried to smother me.  I don’t recollect anything more till I heard your voice.  Thank you, Jack, and God bless you; if you hadn’t come to the assistance of a poor old wretch like me, I should have been dead by this time.”