Containing Many Surprising Adventures, which Our Hero, with Great Greatness, Achieved.
We will now leave our hero to take a short repose1, and return to Mr. Snaps’ where, at Wild’s departure, the fair Theodosia had again betaken herself to her stocking, and Miss Letty had retired2 up stairs to Mr. Bagshot; but that gentleman had broken his parole, and, having conveyed himself below stairs behind a door, he took the opportunity of Wild’s sally to make his escape. We shall only observe that Miss Letty’s surprize was the greater, as she had, notwithstanding her promise to the contrary, taken the precaution to turn the key; but, in her hurry, she did it ineffectually. How wretched must have been the situation of this young creature, who had not only lost a lover on whom her tender heart perfectly3 doated, but was exposed to the rage of an injured father, tenderly jealous of his honour, which was deeply engaged to the sheriff of London and Middlesex for the safe custody4 of the said Bagshot, and for which two very good responsible friends had given not only their words but their bonds.
But let us remove our eyes from this melancholy5 object and survey our hero, who, after a successless search for Miss Straddle, with wonderful greatness of mind and steadiness of countenance6 went early in the morning to visit his friend Heartfree, at a time when the common herd7 of friends would have forsaken8 and avoided him. He entered the room with a chearful air, which he presently changed into surprize on seeing his friend in a night-gown, with his wounded head bound about with linen9, and looking extremely pale from a great effusion of blood. When Wild was informed by Heartfree what had happened he first expressed great sorrow, and afterwards suffered as violent agonies of rage against the robbers to burst from him. Heartfree, in compassion10 to the deep impression his misfortunes seemed to make on his friend, endeavoured to lessen11 it as much as possible, at the same time exaggerating the obligation he owed to Wild, in which his wife likewise seconded him, and they breakfasted with more comfort than was reasonably to be expected after such an accident; Heartfree expressing great satisfaction that he had put the count’s note in another pocket-book; adding, that such a loss would have been fatal to him; “for, to confess the truth to you, my dear friend,” said he, “I have had some losses lately which have greatly perplexed12 my affairs; and though I have many debts due to me from people of great fashion, I assure you I know not where to be certain of getting a shilling.” Wild greatly felicitated him on the lucky accident of preserving his note, and then proceeded, with much acrimony, to inveigh13 against the barbarity of people of fashion, who kept tradesmen out of their money.
While they amused themselves with discourses14 of this kind, Wild meditating15 within himself whether he should borrow or steal from his friend, or indeed whether he could not effect both, the apprentice16 brought a bank-note of L500 in to Heartfree, which he said a gentlewoman in the shop, who had been looking at some jewels, desired him to exchange. Heartfree, looking at the number, immediately recollected17 it to be one of those he had been robbed of. With this discovery he acquainted Wild, who, with the notable presence of mind and unchanged complexion18 so essential to a great character, advised him to proceed cautiously; and offered (as Mr. Heartfree himself was, he said, too much flustered19 to examine the woman with sufficient art) to take her into a room in his house alone. He would, he said, personate the master of the shop, would pretend to shew her some jewels, and would undertake to get sufficient information out of her to secure the rogues20, and most probably all their booty. This proposal was readily and thankfully accepted by Heartfree. Wild went immediately up stairs into the room appointed, whither the apprentice, according to appointment, conducted the lady.
The apprentice was ordered down stairs the moment the lady entered the room; and Wild, having shut the door, approached her with great ferocity in his looks, and began to expatiate21 on the complicated baseness of the crime she had been guilty of; but though he uttered many good lessons of morality, as we doubt whether from a particular reason they may work any very good effect on our reader, we shall omit his speech, and only mention his conclusion, which was by asking her what mercy she could now expect from him? Miss Straddle, for that was the young lady, who had had a good education, and had been more than once present at the Old Bailey, very confidently denied the whole charge, and said she had received the note from a friend. Wild then, raising his voice, told her she should be immediately committed, and she might depend on being convicted; “but,” added he, changing his tone, “as I have a violent affection for thee, my dear Straddle, if you will follow my advice, I promise you, on my honour, to forgive you, nor shall you be ever called in question on this account.” “Why, what would you have me to do, Mr. Wild?” replied the young lady, with a pleasanter aspect. “You must know then,” said Wild, “the money you picked out of my pocket (nay, by G— d you did, and if you offer to flinch22 you shall be convicted of it) I won at play of a fellow who it seems robbed my friend of it; you must, therefore, give an information on oath against one Thomas Fierce, and say that you received the note from him, and leave the rest to me. I am certain, Molly, you must be sensible of your obligations to me, who return good for evil to you in this manner.” The lady readily consented, and advanced to embrace Mr. Wild, who stepped a little back and cryed, “Hold, Molly; there are two other notes of L200 each to be accounted for — where are they?” The lady protested with the most solemn asseverations that she knew of no more; with which, when Wild was not satisfied, she cried, “I will stand search.” “That you shall,” answered Wild, “and stand strip too.” He then proceeded to tumble and search her, but to no purpose, till at last she burst into tears, and declared she would tell the truth (as indeed she did); she then confessed that she had disposed of the one to Jack23 Swagger, a great favourite of the ladies, being an Irish gentleman, who had been bred clerk to an attorney, afterwards whipt out of a regiment24 of dragoons, and was then a Newgate solicitor25, and a bawdy26 house bully27; and, as for the other, she had laid it all out that very morning in brocaded silks and Flanders lace. With this account Wild, who indeed knew it to be a very probable one, was forced to be contented28: and now, abandoning all further thoughts of what he saw was irretrievably lost, he gave the lady some further instructions, and then, desiring her to stay a few minutes behind him, he returned to his friend, and acquainted him that he had discovered the whole roguery; that the woman had confessed from whom she had received the note, and promised to give an information before a justice of peace; adding, he was concerned he could not attend him thither29, being obliged to go to the other end of the town to receive thirty pounds, which he was to pay that evening. Heartfree said that should not prevent him of his company, for he could easily lend him such a trifle. This was accordingly done and accepted, and Wild, Heartfree, and the lady went to the justice together.
The warrant being granted, and the constable30 being acquainted by the lady, who received her information from Wild, of Mr. Fierce’s haunts, he was easily apprehended31, and, being confronted by Miss Straddle, who swore positively32 to him, though she had never seen him before, he was committed to Newgate, where he immediately conveyed an information to Wild of what had happened, and in the evening received a visit from him.
Wild affected33 great concern for his friend’s misfortune, and as great surprize at the means by which it was brought about. However, he told Fierce that he must certainly be mistaken in that point of his having had no acquaintance with Miss Straddle: but added, that he would find her out, and endeavour to take off her evidence, which, he observed, did not come home enough to endanger him; besides, be would secure him witnesses of an alibi34, and five or six to his character; so that he need be under no apprehension35, for his confinement36 till the sessions would be his only punishment.
Fierce, who was greatly comforted by these assurances of his friend, returned him many thanks, and, both shaking each other very earnestly by the hand, with a very hearty37 embrace they separated.
The hero considered with himself that the single evidence of Miss Straddle would not be sufficient to convince Fierce, whom he resolved to hang, as he was the person who had principally refused to deliver him the stipulated38 share of the booty; he therefore went in quest of Mr. James Sly, the gentleman who had assisted in the exploit, and found and acquainted him with the apprehending39 of Fierce. Wild then, intimating his fear least Fierce should impeach40 Sly, advised him to be beforehand, to surrender himself to a justice of peace and offer himself as an evidence. Sly approved Mr. Wild’s opinion, went directly to a magistrate41, and was by him committed to the Gatehouse, with a promise of being admitted evidence against his companion.
Fierce was in a few days brought to his trial at the Old Bailey, where, to his great confusion, his old friend Sly appeared against him, as did Miss Straddle. His only hopes were now in the assistances which our hero had promised him. These unhappily failed him: so that, the evidence being plain against him, and he making no defence, the jury convicted him, the court condemned42 him, and Mr. Ketch executed him.
With such infinite address did this truly great man know how to play with the passions of men, to set them at variance43 with each other, and to work his own purposes out of those jealousies44 and apprehensions45 which he was wonderfully ready at creating by means of those great arts which the vulgar call treachery, dissembling, promising46, lying, falsehood, &c., but which are by great men summed up in the collective name of policy, or politics, or rather pollitrics; an art of which, as it is the highest excellence47 of human nature, perhaps our great man was the most eminent48 master.
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1
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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3
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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4
custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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6
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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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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10
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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12
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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inveigh
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| v.痛骂 | |
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discourses
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| 论文( discourse的名词复数 )； 演说； 讲道； 话语 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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flustered
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| adj.慌张的；激动不安的v.使慌乱，使不安( fluster的过去式和过去分词) | |
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rogues
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| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
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expatiate
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| v.细说，详述 | |
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flinch
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| v.畏缩，退缩 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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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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solicitor
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| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
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bawdy
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| adj.淫猥的，下流的；n.粗话 | |
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bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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30
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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31
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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alibi
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| n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明；借口 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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apprehending
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的现在分词 )； 理解 | |
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impeach
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| v.弹劾；检举 | |
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41
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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42
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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44
jealousies
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| n.妒忌( jealousy的名词复数 )；妒羡 | |
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45
apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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46
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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47
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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48
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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