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Page 21
Thus did our hero execute the greatest exploits with the utmost
ease imaginable, by means of those transcendent qualities which
nature had indulged him with, viz., a bold heart, a thundering
voice, and a steady countenance.
Wild now returned to the count, and informed him that he had got
ten guineas of Bagshot; for, with great and commendable prudence,
he sunk the other eleven into his own pocket, and told him with
that money he would procure him bail, which he after prevailed on
his father, and another gentleman of the same occupation, to
become, for two guineas each, so that he made lawful prize of six
more, making Bagshot debtor for the whole ten; for such were his
great abilities, and so vast the compass of his understanding,
that he never made any bargain without overreaching (or, in the
vulgar phrase, cheating) the person with whom he dealt.
The count being, by these means, enlarged, the first thing they
did, in order to procure credit from tradesmen, was the taking a
handsome house ready furnished in one of the new streets; in which
as soon as the count was settled, they proceeded to furnish him
with servants and equipage, and all the insignia of a large estate
proper to impose on poor Heartfree. These being all obtained, Wild
made a second visit to his friend, and with much joy in his
countenance acquainted him that he had succeeded in his
endeavours, and that the gentleman had promised to deal with him
for the jewels which he intended to present his bride, and which
were designed to be very splendid and costly; he therefore
appointed him to go to the count the next morning, and carry with
him a set of the richest and most beautiful jewels he had, giving
him at the same time some hints of the count's ignorance of that
commodity, and that he might extort what price of him he pleased;
but Heartfree told him, not without some disdain, that he scorned
to take any such advantage; and, after expressing much gratitude
to his friend for his recommendation, he promised to carry the
jewels at the hour and to the place appointed.
I am sensible that the reader, if he hath but the least notion of
greatness, must have such a contempt for the extreme folly of this
fellow, that he will be very little concerned at any misfortunes
which may befal him in the sequel; for to have no suspicion that
an old schoolfellow, with whom he had, in his tenderest years,
contracted a friendship, and who, on the accidental renewing of
their acquaintance, had professed the most passionate regard for
him, should be very ready to impose on him; in short, to conceive
that a friend should, of his own accord, without any view to his
own interest, endeavour to do him a service, must argue such
weakness of mind, such ignorance of the world, and such an
artless, simple, undesigning heart, as must render the person
possessed of it the lowest creature and the properest object of
contempt imaginable, in the eyes of every man of understanding and
discernment.
Wild remembered that his friend Heartfree's faults were rather in
his heart than in his head; that, though he was so mean a fellow
that he was never capable of laying a design to injure any human
creature, yet was he by no means a fool, nor liable to any gross
imposition, unless where his heart betrayed him. He therefore
instructed the count to take only one of his jewels at the first
interview, and reject the rest as not fine enough, and order him
to provide some richer. He said this management would prevent
Heartfree from expecting ready money for the jewel he brought with
him, which the count was presently to dispose of, and by means of
that money, and his great abilities at cards and dice, to get
together as large a sum as possible, which he was to pay down to
Heartfree at the delivery of the set of jewels, who would be thus
void of all manner of suspicion and would not fail to give him
credit for the residue.
By this contrivance, it will appear in the sequel that Wild did
not only propose to make the imposition on Heartfree, who was
(hitherto) void of all suspicion, more certain; but to rob the
count himself of this sum. This double method of cheating the very
tools who are our instruments to cheat others is the superlative
degree of greatness, and is probably, as far as any spirit crusted
over with clay can carry it, falling very little short of
diabolism itself.
This method was immediately put in execution, and the count the
first day took only a single brilliant, worth about three hundred
pounds, and ordered a necklace, earrings, and solitaire, of the of
three thousand more, to be prepared by that day sevennight.
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