|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 55
But neither did the one nor the other part of this character
prevail on Friendly to abandon his old master. He spent his whole
time with him, except only those hours when he was absent for his
sake, in procuring evidence for him against his trial, which was
now shortly to come on. Indeed this young man was the only
comfort, besides a clear conscience and the hopes beyond the
grave, which this poor wretch had; for the sight of his children
was like one of those alluring pleasures which men in some
diseases indulge themselves often fatally in, which at once
flatter and heighten their malady.
Friendly being one day present while Heartfree was, with tears in
his eyes, embracing his eldest daughter, and lamenting the hard
fate to which he feared he should be obliged to leave her, spoke
to him thus: "I have long observed with admiration the magnanimity
with which you go through your own misfortunes, and the steady
countenance with which you look on death. I have observed that all
your agonies arise from the thoughts of parting with your
children, and of leaving them in a distrest condition; now, though
I hope all your fears will prove ill grounded, yet, that I may
relieve you as much as possible from them, be assured that, as
nothing can give me more real misery than to observe so tender and
loving a concern in a master, to whose goodness I owe so many
obligations, and whom I so sincerely love, so nothing can afford
me equal pleasure with my contributing to lessen or to remove it.
Be convinced, therefore, if you can place any confidence in my
promise, that I will employ my little fortune, which you know to
be not entirely inconsiderable, in the support of this your little
family. Should any misfortune, which I pray Heaven avert, happen
to you before you have better provided for these little ones, I
will be myself their father, nor shall either of them ever know
distress if it be any way in my power to prevent it. Your younger
daughter I will provide for, and as for my little prattler, your
elder, as I never yet thought of any woman for a wife, I will
receive her as such at your hands; nor will I ever relinquish her
for another." Heartfree flew to his friend, and embraced him with
raptures of acknowledgment. He vowed to him that he had eased
every anxious thought of his mind but one, and that he must carry
with him out of the world. "O Friendly!" cried he, "it is my
concern for that best of women, whom I hate myself for having ever
censured in my opinion. O Friendly! thou didst know her goodness;
yet, sure, her perfect character none but myself was ever
acquainted with. She had every perfection, both of mind and body,
which Heaven hath indulged to her whole sex, and possessed all in
a higher excellence than nature ever indulged to another in any
single virtue. Can I bear the loss of such a woman? Can I bear the
apprehensions of what mischiefs that villain may have done to her,
of which death is perhaps the lightest?" Friendly gently
interrupted him as soon as he saw any opportunity, endeavouring to
comfort him on this head likewise, by magnifying every
circumstance which could possibly afford any hopes of his seeing
her again.
By this kind of behaviour, in which the young man exemplified so
uncommon an height of friendship, he had soon obtained in the
castle the character of as odd and silly a fellow as his master.
Indeed they were both the byword, laughing-stock, and contempt of
the whole place.
The sessions now came on at the Old Bailey. The grand jury at
Hicks's-hall had found the bill of indictment against Heartfree,
and on the second day of the session he was brought to his trial;
where, notwithstanding the utmost efforts of Friendly and the
honest old female servant, the circumstances of the fact
corroborating the evidence of Fireblood, as well as that of Wild,
who counterfeited the most artful reluctance at appearing against
his old friend Heartfree, the jury found the prisoner guilty.
Wild had now accomplished his scheme; for as to remained, it was
certainly unavoidable, seeing Heartfree was entirely void of
interest with the and was besides convicted on a statute the
infringers of which could hope no pardon.
The catastrophe to which our hero had reduced this wretch was so
wonderful an effort of greatness, that it probably made Fortune
envious of her own darling; but whether it was from this envy, or
only from that known inconstancy and weakness so often and
judiciously remarked in that lady's temper, who frequently lifts
men to the summit of human greatness, only
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|