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Page 39
The young gentleman, who was no descendant of Solomon, or, if he
was, did not, any more than some other descendants of wise men,
inherit the wisdom of his ancestor, greatly approved Wild's
ingenuity, and, thanking him for his information, declared he
would follow his example when he returned into the country; by
which means he proposed to save the premium commonly taken for the
remittance. Wild had then no more to do but to inform himself
rightly of the time of the gentleman's journey, which he did with
great certainty before they separated.
At his arrival in town he fixed on two whom he regarded as the
most resolute of his gang for this enterprise; and, accordingly,
having summoned the principal, or most desperate, as he imagined
him, of these two (for he never chose to communicate in the
presence of more than one), he proposed to him the robbing and
murdering this gentleman.
Mr. Marybone (for that was the gentleman's name, to whom he
applied) readily agreed to the robbery, but he hesitated at the
murder. He said, as to robbery, he had, on much weighing and
considering the matter, very well reconciled his conscience to it;
for, though that noble kind of robbery which was executed on the
highway was, from the cowardice of mankind, less frequent, yet the
baser and meaner species, sometimes called cheating, but more
commonly known by the name of robbery within the law, was in a
manner universal. He did not therefore pretend to the reputation
of being so much honester than other people; but could by no means
satisfy himself in the commission of murder, which was a sin of
the most heinous nature, and so immediately prosecuted by God's
judgment that it never passed undiscovered or unpunished.
Wild, with the utmost disdain in his countenance, answered as
follows: "Art thou he whom I have selected out of my whole gang
for this glorious undertaking, and dost thou cant of God's revenge
against murder? You have, it seems, reconciled your conscience (a
pretty word) to robbery, from its being so common. Is it then the
novelty of murder which deters you? Do you imagine that guns, and
pistols, and swords, and knives, are the only instruments of
death? Look into the world and see the numbers whom broken
fortunes and broken hearts bring untimely to the grave. To omit
those glorious heroes who, to their immortal honour, have
massacred nations, what think you of private persecution,
treachery, and slander, by which the very souls of men are in a
manner torn from their bodies? Is it not more generous, nay, more
good-natured, to send a man to his rest, than, after having
plundered him of all he hath, or from malice or malevolence
deprived him of his character, to punish him with a languishing
death, or, what is worse, a languishing life? Murder, therefore,
is not so uncommon as you weakly conceive it, though, as you said
of robbery, that more noble kind which lies within the paw of the
law may be so. But this is the most innocent in him who doth it,
and the most eligible to him who is to suffer it. Believe me, lad,
the tongue of a viper is less hurtful than that of a slanderer,
and the gilded scales of a rattle-snake less dreadful than the
purse of the oppressor. Let me therefore hear no more of your
scruples; but consent to my proposal without further hesitation,
unless, like a woman, you are afraid of blooding your cloaths, or,
like a fool, are terrified with the apprehensions of being hanged
in chains. Take my word for it, you had better be an honest man
than half a rogue. Do not think of continuing in my gang without
abandoning yourself absolutely to my pleasure; for no man shall
ever receive a favour at my hands who sticks at anything, or is
guided by any other law than that of my will."
Wild then ended his speech, which had not the desired effect on
Marybone: he agreed to the robbery, but would not undertake the
murder, as Wild (who feared that, by Marybone's demanding to
search the gentleman's coat, he might hazard suspicion himself)
insisted. Marybone was immediately entered by Wild in his black-
book, and was presently after impeached and executed as a fellow
on whom his leader could not place sufficient dependance; thus
falling, as many rogues do, a sacrifice, not to his roguery, but
to his conscience.
CHAPTER FOUR
IN WHICH A YOUNG HERO, OF WONDERFUL GOOD PROMISE, MAKES HIS FIRST
APPEARANCE, WITH MANY OTHER GREAT MATTERS.
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