Other Particulars Relating to Miss Tishy, which Perhaps May Not Greatly Surprise After the Former. The Description of a Very Fine Gentleman. And a Dialogue Between Wild and the Count, in which Public Virtue1 is Just Hinted At, With, Etc.
Mr. Snap had turned the key a very few minutes before a servant of the family called Mr. Bagshot out of the room, telling him there was a person below who desired to speak with him; and this was no other than Miss Laetitia Snap, whose admirer Mr. Bagshot had long been, and in whose tender breast his passion had raised a more ardent2 flame than that which any of his rivals had been able to raise. Indeed, she was so extremely fond of this youth, that she often confessed to her female confidents, if she could ever have listened to the thought of living with any one man, Mr. Bagshot was he. Nor was she singular in this inclination3, many other young ladies being her rivals in this matter, who had all the great and noble qualifications necessary to form a true gallant4, and which nature is seldom so extremely bountiful as to indulge to any one person. We will endeavour, however, to describe them all with as much exactness as possible. He was then six feet high, had large calves5, broad shoulders, a ruddy complexion6, with brown curled hair, a modest assurance, and clean linen7. He had indeed, it must be confessed, some small deficiencies to counterbalance these heroic qualities; for he was the silliest fellow in the world, could neither write nor read, nor had he a single grain or spark of honour, honesty, or good-nature, in his whole composition.
As soon as Mr. Bagshot had quitted the room the count, taking Wild by the hand, told him he had something to communicate to him of very great importance. “I am very well convinced,” said he, “that Bagshot is the person who robbed me.” Wild started with great amazement8 at this discovery, and answered, with a most serious countenance9, “I advise you to take care how you cast any such reflections on a man of Mr. Bagshot’s nice honour, for I am certain he will not bear it.” “D— n his honour!” quoth the enraged10 count; “nor can I bear being robbed; I will apply to a justice of peace.” Wild replied, with great indignation, “Since you dare entertain such a suspicion against my friend, I will henceforth disclaim11 all acquaintance with you. Mr. Bagshot is a man of honour, and my friend, and consequently it is impossible he should be guilty of a bad action.” He added much more to the same purpose, which had not the expected weight with the count; for the latter seemed still certain as to the person, and resolute12 in applying for justice, which, he said, he thought he owed to the public as well as to himself. Wild then changed his countenance into a kind of derision, and spoke13 as follows: “Suppose it should be possible that Mr. Bagshot had, in a frolic (for I will call it no other), taken this method of borrowing your money, what will you get by prosecuting14 him? Not your money again, for you hear he was stripped at the gaming-table (of which Bagshot had during their short confabulation informed them); you will get then an opportunity of being still more out of pocket by the prosecution15. Another advantage you may promise yourself is the being blown up at every gaming-house in town, for that I will assure you of; and then much good may it do you to sit down with the satisfaction of having discharged what it seems you owe the public. I am ashamed of my own discernment when I mistook you for a great man. Would it not be better for you to receive part (perhaps all) of your money again by a wise concealment16: for, however seedy [Footnote: Poor.] Mr. Bagshot may be now, if he hath really played this frolic with you, you may believe he will play it with others, and when he is in cash you may depend on a restoration; the law will be always in your power, and that is the last remedy which a brave or a wise man would resort to. Leave the affair therefore to me; I will examine Bagshot, and, if I find he hath played you this trick, I will engage my own honour you shall in the end be no loser.” The count answered, “If I was sure to be no loser, Mr. Wild, I apprehend17 you have a better opinion of my understanding than to imagine I would prosecute18 a gentleman for the sake of the public. These are foolish words of course, which we learn a ridiculous habit of speaking, and will often break from us without any design or meaning. I assure you, all I desire is a reimbursement19; and if I can by your means obtain that, the public may —;” concluding with a phrase too coarse to be inserted in a history of this kind.
They were now informed that dinner was ready, and the company assembled below stairs, whither the reader may, if he please, attend these gentlemen.
There sat down at the table Mr. Snap, and the two Miss Snaps his daughters, Mr. Wild the elder, Mr. Wild the younger, the count, Mr. Bagshot, and a grave gentleman who had formerly20 had the honour of carrying arms in a regiment21 of foot, and who was now engaged in the office (perhaps a more profitable one) of assisting or following Mr. Snap in the execution of the laws of his country.
Nothing very remarkable22 passed at dinner. The conversation (as is usual in polite company) rolled chiefly on what they were then eating and what they had lately eaten. In this the military gentleman, who had served in Ireland, gave them a very particular account of a new manner of roasting potatoes, and others gave an account of other dishes. In short, an indifferent by-stander would have concluded from their discourse23 that they had all come into this world for no other purpose than to fill their bellies24; and indeed, if this was not the chief, it is probable it was the most innocent design Nature had in their formation.
As soon as THE DISH was removed, and the ladies retired25, the count proposed a game at hazard, which was immediately assented26 to by the whole company, and, the dice27 being immediately brought in, the count took up the box and demanded who would set him: to which no one made any answer, imagining perhaps the count’s pockets to be more empty than they were; for, in reality, that gentleman (notwithstanding what he had heartily28 swore to Mr. Wild) had, since his arrival at Mr. Snap’s, conveyed a piece of plate to pawn29, by which means he had furnished himself with ten guineas. The count, therefore, perceiving this backwardness in his friends, and probably somewhat guessing at the cause of it, took the said guineas out of his pocket, and threw them on the table; when lo, (such is the force of example) all the rest began to produce their funds, and immediately, a considerable sum glittering in their eyes, the game began.
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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3
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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5
calves
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| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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8
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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disclaim
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| v.放弃权利，拒绝承认 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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13
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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14
prosecuting
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| 检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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prosecute
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| vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官 | |
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reimbursement
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| n.偿还，退还 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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24
bellies
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| n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的 | |
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25
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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26
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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29
pawn
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| n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押 | |
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