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Page 62
CHAPTER SIX
IN WHICH THE FOREGOING HAPPY INCIDENT IS ACCOUNTED FOR.
But here, though I am convinced my good-natured reader may almost
want the surgeon's assistance also, and that there is no passage
in this whole story which can afford him equal delight, yet, lest
our reprieve should seem to resemble that in the Beggars' Opera, I
shall endeavour to shew him that this incident, which is
undoubtedly true, is at least as natural as delightful; for we
assure him we would rather have suffered half mankind to be
hanged, than have saved one contrary to the strictest rules of
writing and probability.
Be it known, then (a circumstance which I think highly credible),
that the great Fireblood had been, a few days before, taken in the
fact of a robbery, and carried before the same justice of peace
who had, on his evidence, committed Heartfree to prison. This
magistrate, who did indeed no small honour to the commission he
bore, duly considered the weighty charge committed to him, by
which he was entrusted with decisions affecting the lives,
liberties, and properties of his countrymen. He therefore examined
always with the utmost diligence and caution into every minute
circumstance. And, as he had a good deal balanced, even when he
committed Heartfree, on the excellent character given him by
Friendly and the maid; and as he was much staggered on finding
that, of the two persons on whose evidence alone Heartfree had
been committed, and had been since convicted, one was in Newgate
for a felony, and the other was now brought before him for a
robbery, he thought proper to put the matter very home to
Fireblood at this time. The young Achates was taken, as we have
said, in the fact; so that denial he saw was in vain. He therefore
honestly confessed what he knew must be proved; and desired, on
the merit of the discoveries he made, to be admitted as an
evidence against his accomplices. This afforded the happiest
opportunity to the justice to satisfy his conscience in relation
to Heartfree. He told Fireblood that, if he expected the favour he
solicited, it must be on condition that he revealed the whole
truth to him concerning the evidence which he had lately given
against a bankrupt, and which some circumstances had induced a
suspicion of; that he might depend on it the truth would be
discovered by other means, and gave some oblique hints (a deceit
entirely justifiable) that Wild himself had offered such a
discovery. The very mention of Wild's name immediately alarmed
Fireblood, who did not in the least doubt the readiness of that
GREAT MAN to hang any of the gang when his own interest seemed to
require it. He therefore hesitated not a moment; but, having
obtained a promise from the justice that he should be accepted as
an evidence, he discovered the whole falsehood, and declared that
he had been seduced by Wild to depose as he had done.
The justice, having thus luckily and timely discovered this scene
of villany, alias greatness, lost not a moment in using his utmost
endeavours to get the case of the unhappy convict represented to
the sovereign, who immediately granted him that gracious reprieve
which caused such happiness to the persons concerned; and which we
hope we have now accounted for to the satisfaction of the reader.
The good magistrate, having obtained this reprieve for Heartfree,
thought it incumbent on him to visit him in the prison, and to
sound, if possible, the depth of this affair, that, if he should
appear as innocent as he now began to conceive him, he might use
all imaginable methods to obtain his pardon and enlargement.
The next day therefore after that when the miserable scene above
described had passed, he went to Newgate, where he found those
three persons, namely, Heartfree, his wife, and Friendly, sitting
together. The justice informed the prisoner of the confession of
Fireblood, with the steps which he had taken upon it. The reader
will easily conceive the many outward thanks, as well as inward
gratitude, which he received from all three; but those were of
very little consequence to him compared with the secret
satisfaction he felt in his mind from reflecting on the
preservation of innocence, as he soon after very clearly perceived
was the case.
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