New Instances of Friendly’s Folly1, Etc.
To return to my history, which, having rested itself a little, is now ready to proceed on its journey: Fireblood was the person chosen by Wild for this service. He had, on a late occasion, experienced the talents of this youth for a good round perjury2. He immediately, therefore, found him out, and proposed it to him; when, receiving his instant assent3, they consulted together, and soon framed an evidence, which, being communicated to one of the most bitter and severe creditors4 of Heartfree, by him laid before a magistrate5, and attested6 by the oath of Fireblood, the justice granted his warrant: and Heartfree was accordingly apprehended8 and brought before him.
When the officers came for this poor wretch9 they found him meanly diverting himself with his little children, the younger of whom sat on his knees, and the elder was playing at a little distance from him with Friendly. One of the officers, who was a very good sort of a man, but one very laudably severe in his office, after acquainting Heartfree with his errand, bad him come along and be d — d, and leave those little bastards10, for so, he said, he supposed they were, for a legacy11 to the parish. Heartfree was much surprized at hearing there was a warrant for felony against him; but he shewed less concern than Friendly did in his countenance12. The elder daughter, when she saw the officer lay hold on her father, immediately quitted her play, and, running to him and bursting into tears, cried out, “You shall not hurt poor papa.” One of the other ruffians offered to take the little one rudely from his knees; but Heartfree started up, and, catching13 the fellow by the collar, dashed his head so violently against the wall, that, had he had any brains, he might possibly have lost them by the blow.
The officer, like most of those heroic spirits who insult men in adversity, had some prudence14 mixt with his zeal15 for justice. Seeing, therefore, this rough treatment of his companion, he began to pursue more gentle methods, and very civilly desired Mr. Heartfree to go with him, seeing he was an officer, and obliged to execute his warrant; that he was sorry for his misfortune, and hoped he would be acquitted16. The other answered, “He should patiently submit to the laws of his country, and would attend him whither he was ordered to conduct him;” then, taking leave of his children with a tender kiss, he recommended them to the care of Friendly, who promised to see them safe home, and then to attend him at the justice’s, whose name and abode17 he had learned of the constable18.
Friendly arrived at the magistrate’s house just as that gentleman had signed the mittimus against his friend; for the evidence of Fireblood was so clear and strong, and the justice was so incensed19 against Heartfree, and so convinced of his guilt20, that he would hardly hear him speak in his own defence, which the reader perhaps, when he hears the evidence against him, will be less inclined to censure21: for this witness deposed22, “That he had been, by Heartfree himself, employed to carry the orders of embezzling23 to Wild, in order to be delivered to his wife: that he had been afterwards present with Wild and her at the inn when they took coach for Harwich, where she shewed him the casket of jewels, and desired him to tell her husband that she had fully24 executed his command;” and this he swore to have been done after Heartfree had notice of the commission, and, in order to bring it within that time, Fireblood, as well as Wild, swore that Mrs. Heartfree lay several days concealed25 at Wild’s house before her departure for Holland.
When Friendly found the justice obdurate26, and that all he could say had no effect, nor was it any way possible for Heartfree to escape being committed to Newgate, he resolved to accompany him thither27; where, when they arrived, the turnkey would have confined Heartfree (he having no money) amongst the common felons28; but Friendly would not permit it, and advanced every shilling he had in his pocket, to procure29 a room in the press-yard for his friend, which indeed, through the humanity of the keeper, he did at a cheap rate.
They spent that day together, and in the evening the prisoner dismissed his friend, desiring him, after many thanks for his fidelity30, to be comforted on his account. “I know not,” says he, “how far the malice31 of my enemy may prevail; but whatever my sufferings are, I am convinced my innocence32 will somewhere be rewarded. If, therefore, any fatal accident should happen to me (for he who is in the hands of perjury may apprehend7 the worst), my dear Friendly, be a father to my poor children;” at which words the tears gushed33 from his eyes. The other begged him not to admit any such apprehensions34, for that he would employ his utmost diligence in his service, and doubted not but to subvert35 any villanous design laid for his destruction, and to make his innocence appear to the world as white as it was in his own opinion.
We cannot help mentioning a circumstance here, though we doubt it will appear very unnatural36 and incredible to our reader; which is, that, notwithstanding the former character and behaviour of Heartfree, this story of his embezzling was so far from surprizing his neighbours, that many of them declared they expected no better from him. Some were assured he could pay forty shillings in the pound if he would. Others had overheard hints formerly37 pass between him and Mrs. Heartfree which had given them suspicions. And what is most astonishing of all is, that many of those who had before censured38 him for an extravagant39 heedless fool, now no less confidently abused him for a cunning, tricking, avaricious40 knave41.
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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perjury
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| n.伪证；伪证罪 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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creditors
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| n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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attested
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| adj.经检验证明无病的，经检验证明无菌的v.证明( attest的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
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apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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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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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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bastards
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| 私生子( bastard的名词复数 )； 坏蛋； 讨厌的事物； 麻烦事 （认为别人走运或不幸时说）家伙 | |
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legacy
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| n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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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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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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censure
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| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
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22
deposed
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| v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证 | |
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embezzling
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| v.贪污，盗用（公款）( embezzle的现在分词 ) | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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obdurate
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| adj.固执的，顽固的 | |
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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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felons
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| n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎 | |
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29
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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30
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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31
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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33
gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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35
subvert
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| v.推翻；暗中破坏；搅乱 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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censured
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| v.指责，非难，谴责( censure的过去式 ) | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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avaricious
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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41
knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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