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Page 15
Mr. Snap's house being now very full of good company, he was
obliged to introduce Mr. Bagshot into the count's apartment, it
being, as he said, the only chamber he had to LOCK UP in. Mr. Wild
no sooner saw his friend than he ran eagerly to embrace him, and
immediately presented him to the count, who received him with
great civility.
CHAPTER TWELVE
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 VIRTUE 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
ardent 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 inclination, many other young
ladies being her rivals in this matter, who had all the great and
noble qualifications necessary to form a true gallant, 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
calves, broad shoulders, a ruddy complexion, with brown curled
hair, a modest assurance, and clean linen. 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
amazement at this discovery, and answered, with a most serious
countenance, "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 enraged
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
disclaim 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 resolute 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 spoke 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 prosecuting 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 prosecution.
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 concealment: 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
apprehend you have a better opinion of my understanding than to
imagine I would prosecute 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 reimbursement; 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.
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