The History of the Life of the Late Mr Jonathan Wild the Great by Henry Fielding


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Page 52

When Friendly found the justice obdurate, 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
thither; where, when they arrived, the turnkey would have confined
Heartfree (he having no money) amongst the common felons; but
Friendly would not permit it, and advanced every shilling he had
in his pocket, to procure 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
fidelity, to be comforted on his account. "I know not," says he,
"how far the malice of my enemy may prevail; but whatever my
sufferings are, I am convinced my innocence will somewhere be
rewarded. If, therefore, any fatal accident should happen to me
(for he who is in the hands of perjury may apprehend the worst),
my dear Friendly, be a father to my poor children;" at which words
the tears gushed from his eyes. The other begged him not to admit
any such apprehensions, for that he would employ his utmost
diligence in his service, and doubted not but to subvert 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 unnatural 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 formerly 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 censured him for an extravagant heedless fool, now no less
confidently abused him for a cunning, tricking, avaricious knave.




CHAPTER THIRTEEN

SOMETHING CONCERNING FIREBLOOD WHICH WILL SURPRIZE; AND SOMEWHAT
TOUCHING ONE OF THE MISS SNAPS, WHICH WILL GREATLY CONCERN THE
READER.


However, notwithstanding all these censures abroad, and in
despight of all his misfortunes at home, Heartfree in Newgate
enjoyed a quiet, undisturbed repose; while our hero, nobly
disdaining rest, lay sleepless all night, partly from the
apprehensions of Mrs. Heartfree's return before he had executed
his scheme, and partly from a suspicion lest Fireblood should
betray him; of whose infidelity he had, nevertheless, no other
cause to maintain any fear, but from his knowing him to be an
accomplished rascal, as the vulgar term it, a complete GREAT MAN
in our language. And indeed, to confess the truth, these doubts
were not without some foundation; for the very same thought
unluckily entered the head of that noble youth, who considered
whether he might not possibly sell himself for some advantage to
the other side, as he had yet no promise from Wild; but this was,
by the sagacity of the latter, prevented in the morning with a
profusion of promises, which shewed him to be of the most generous
temper in the world, with which Fireblood was extremely well
satisfied, and made use of so many protestations of his
faithfulness that he convinced Wild of the justice of his
suspicions.

At this time an accident happened, which, though it did not
immediately affect our hero, we cannot avoid relating, as it
occasioned great confusion in his family, as well as in the family
of Snap. It is indeed a calamity highly to be lamented, when it
stains untainted blood, and happens to an honourable house--an
injury never to be repaired--a blot never to be wiped out--a sore
never to be healed. To detain my reader no longer, Miss Theodosia
Snap was now safely delivered of a male infant, the product of an
amour which that beautiful (O that I could say virtuous!) creature
had with the count.

Mr. Wild and his lady were at breakfast when Mr. Snap, with all
the agonies of despair both in his voice and countenance, brought
them this melancholy news. Our hero, who had (as we have said)
wonderful good-nature when his greatness or interest was not
concerned, instead of reviling his sister-in-law, asked with a
smile, "Who was the father?" But the chaste Laetitia, we repeat
the chaste, for well did she now deserve that epithet, received it
in another manner. She fell into the utmost fury at the relation,
reviled her sister in the bitterest terms, and vowed she would
never see nor speak to her more; then burst into tears and
lamented over her father that such dishonour should ever happen to
him and herself. At length she fell severely on her husband for
the light treatment which he gave this fatal accident. She told
him he was unworthy of the honour he enjoyed of marrying into a
chaste family. That she looked on it as an affront to her virtue.
That if he had married one of the naughty hussies of the town he
could have behaved to her in no other manner. She concluded with
desiring her father to make an example of the slut, and to turn
her out of doors; for that she would not otherwise enter his
house, being resolved never to set her foot within the same
threshold with the trollop, whom she detested so much the more
because (which was perhaps true) she was her own sister.

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Books | Photos | Paul Mutton | Tue 17th Feb 2026, 18:34