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Page 30
This was a degree of impudence beyond poor Mrs. Heartfree's
imagination. Though she had before vented the most violent
execrations on Wild, she was now thoroughly satisfied of his
innocence, and begged him not to insist any longer on what he
perceived so deeply affected her husband. She said trade could not
be carried on without credit, and surely he was sufficiently
justified in giving it to such a person as the count appeared to
be. Besides, she said, reflections on what was past and
irretrievable would be of little service; that their present
business was to consider how to prevent the evil consequences
which threatened, and first to endeavour to procure her husband
his liberty. "Why doth he not procure bail?" said Wild. "Alas!
sir," said she, "we have applied to many of our acquaintance in
vain; we have met with excuses even where we could least expect
them." "Not bail!" answered Wild, in a passion; "he shall have
bail, if there is any in the world. It is now very late, but trust
me to procure him bail to-morrow morning."
Mrs. Heartfree received these professions with tears, and told
Wild he was a friend indeed. She then proposed to stay that
evening with her husband, but he would not permit her on account
of his little family, whom he would not agree to trust to the care
of servants in this time of confusion.
A hackney-coach was then sent for, but without success; for these,
like hackney-friends, always offer themselves in the sunshine, but
are never to be found when you want them. And as for a chair, Mr.
Snap lived in a part of the town which chairmen very little
frequent. The good woman was therefore obliged to walk home,
whither the gallant Wild offered to attend her as a protector.
This favour was thankfully accepted, and, the husband and wife
having taken a tender leave of each other, the former was locked
in and the latter locked out by the hands of Mr. Snap himself.
As this visit of Mr. Wild's to Heartfree may seem one of those
passages in history which writers, Drawcansir-like, introduce only
BECAUSE THEY DARE; indeed, as it may seem somewhat contradictory
to the greatness of our hero, and may tend to blemish his
character with an imputation of that kind of friendship which
savours too much of weakness and imprudence, it may be necessary
to account for this visit, especially to our more sagacious
readers, whose satisfaction we shall always consult in the most
especial manner. They are to know then that at the first interview
with Mrs. Heartfree Mr. Wild had conceived that passion, or
affection, or friendship, or desire, for that handsome creature,
which the gentlemen of this our age agreed to call LOVE, and which
is indeed no other than that kind of affection which, after the
exercise of the dominical day is over, a lusty divine is apt to
conceive for the well-drest sirloin or handsome buttock which the
well-edified squire in gratitude sets before him, and which, so
violent is his love, he devours in imagination the moment he sees
it. Not less ardent was the hungry passion of our hero, who, from
the moment he had cast his eyes on that charming dish, had cast
about in his mind by what method he might come at it. This, as he
perceived, might most easily be effected after the ruin of
Heartfree, which, for other considerations, he had intended. So he
postponed all endeavours for this purpose till he had first
effected that, by order of time, was regularly to precede this
latter design; with such regularity did this our hero conduct all
his schemes, and so truly superior was he to all the efforts of
passion, which so often disconcert and disappoint the noblest
views of others.
CHAPTER NINE
MORE GREATNESS IN WILD. A LOW SCENE BETWEEN MRS. HEARTFREE AND HER
CHILDREN, AND A SCHEME OF OUR HERO WORTHY THE HIGHEST ADMIRATION,
AND EVEN ASTONISHMENT.
When first Wild conducted his flame (or rather his dish, to
continue our metaphor) from the proprietor, he had projected a
design of conveying her to one of those eating-houses in Covent-
garden, where female flesh is deliciously drest and served up to
the greedy appetites of young gentlemen; but, fearing lest she
should not come readily enough into his wishes, and that, by too
eager and hasty a pursuit, he should frustrate his future
expectations, and luckily at the same time a noble hint suggesting
itself to him, by which he might almost inevitably secure his
pleasure, together with his profit, he contented himself with
waiting on Mrs. Heartfree home, and, after many protestations of
friendship and service to her husband, took his leave, and
promised to visit her early in the morning, and to conduct her
back to Mr. Snap's.
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