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Page 61
CHAPTER FIVE
CONTAINING VARIOUS MATTERS.
The day was now come when poor Heartfree was to suffer an
ignominious death. Friendly had in the strongest manner confirmed
his assurance of fulfilling his promise of becoming a father to
one of his children and a husband to the other. This gave him
inexpressible comfort, and he had, the evening before, taken his
last leave of the little wretches with a tenderness which drew a
tear from one of the keepers, joined to a magnanimity which would
have pleased a stoic. When he was informed that the coach which
Friendly had provided for him was ready, and that the rest of the
prisoners were gone, he embraced that faithful friend with great
passion, and begged that he would leave him here; but the other
desired leave to accompany him to his end, which at last he was
forced to comply with. And now he was proceeding towards the coach
when he found his difficulties were not yet over; for now a friend
arrived of whom he was to take a harder and more tender leave than
he had yet gone through. This friend, reader, was no other than
Mrs. Heartfree herself, who ran to him with a look all wild,
staring, and frantic, and having reached his arms, fainted away in
them without uttering a single syllable. Heartfree was, with great
difficulty, able to preserve his own senses in such a surprize at
such a season. And indeed our good-natured reader will be rather
inclined to wish this miserable couple had, by dying in each
other's arms, put a final period to their woes, than have survived
to taste those bitter moments which were to be their portion, and
which the unhappy wife, soon recovering from the short
intermission of being, now began to suffer. When she became first
mistress of her voice she burst forth into the following accents:--
"O my husband! Is this the condition in which I find you after
our cruel separation? Who hath done this? Cruel Heaven! What is
the occasion? I know thou canst deserve no ill. Tell me, somebody
who can speak, while I have my senses left to understand, what is
the matter?" At which words several laughed, and one answered,
"The matter! Why no great matter. The gentleman is not the first,
nor won't be the last: the worst of the matter is, that if we are
to stay all the morning here I shall lose my dinner." Heartfree,
pausing a moment and recollecting himself, cryed out, "I will bear
all with patience." And then, addressing himself to the commanding
officer, begged he might only have a few minutes by himself with
his wife, whom he had not seen before since his misfortunes. The
great man answered, "He had compassion on him, and would do more
than he could answer; but he supposed he was too much a gentleman
not to know that something was due for such civility." On this
hint, Friendly, who was himself half dead, pulled five guineas out
of his pocket, which the great man took, and said he would be so
generous to give him ten minutes; on which one observed that many
a gentleman had bought ten minutes with a woman dearer, and many
other facetious remarks were made, unnecessary to be here related.
Heartfree was now suffered to retire into a room with his wife,
the commander informing him at his entrance that he must be
expeditious, for that the rest of the good company would be at the
tree before him, and he supposed he was a gentleman of too much
breeding to make them wait.
This tender wretched couple were now retired for these few
minutes, which the commander without carefully measured with his
watch; and Heartfree was mustering all his resolution to part with
what his soul so ardently doated on, and to conjure her to support
his loss for the sake of her poor infants, and to comfort her with
the promise of Friendly on their account; but all his design was
frustrated. Mrs. Heartfree could not support the shock, but again
fainted away, and so entirely lost every symptom of life that
Heartfree called vehemently for assistance. Friendly rushed first
into the room, and was soon followed by many others, and, what was
remarkable, one who had unmoved beheld the tender scene between
these parting lovers was touched to the quick by the pale looks of
the woman, and ran up and down for water, drops, &c., with the
utmost hurry and confusion. The ten minutes were expired, which
the commander now hinted; and seeing nothing offered for the
renewal of the term (for indeed Friendly had unhappily emptied his
pockets), he began to grow very importunate, and at last told
Heartfree he should be ashamed not to act more like a man.
Heartfree begged his pardon, and said he would make him wait no
longer. Then, with the deepest sigh, cryed, "Oh, my angel!" and,
embracing his wife with the utmost eagerness, kissed her pale lips
with more fervency than ever bridegroom did the blushing cheeks of
his bride. He then cryed, "The Almighty bless thee! and, if it be
his pleasure, restore thee to life; if not, I beseech him we may
presently meet again in a better world than this." He was breaking
from her, when, perceiving her sense returning, he could not
forbear renewing his embrace, and again pressing her lips, which
now recovered life and warmth so fast that he begged one ten
minutes more to tell her what her swooning had prevented her
hearing. The worthy commander, being perhaps a little touched at
this tender scene, took Friendly aside, and asked him what he
would give if he would suffer his friend to remain half-an-hour?
Friendly answered, anything; that he had no more money in his
pocket, but he would certainly pay him that afternoon. "Well,
then, I'll be moderate," said he; "twenty guineas." Friendly
answered, "It is a bargain." The commander, having exacted a firm
promise, cryed, "Then I don't care if they stay a whole hour
together; for what signifies hiding good news? the gentleman is
reprieved;" of which he had just before received notice in a
whisper. It would be very impertinent to offer at a description of
the joy this occasioned to the two friends, or to Mrs. Heartfree,
who was now again recovered. A surgeon, who was happily present,
was employed to bleed them all. After which the commander, who had
his promise of the money again confirmed to him, wished Heartfree
joy, and, shaking him very friendly by the hands, cleared the room
of all the company, and left the three friends together.
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