Part 13 (2/2)
He was not so much surprised as afflicted at this decision, because he saw it gradually approaching frohts were now e about for some method of deliverance froled To escape, he foresaould be impracticable, as Trapould undoubtedly be prepared for arresting him before he could quit Westminster Hall; he was too well acquainted with Ratchcali's principles, to expect any assistance from that quarter in money matters; and he was utterly averse to the payainst him, which would have exhausted his whole fortune He therefore resolved to try the friendshi+p of some persons of fashi+on, hom he had maintained an intimacy of correspondence Should they fail him in the day of his necessity, he proposed to have recourse to his former sureties, one of whoht accompany him in his retreat; or, should both these expedients miscarry, he detero thethe jailor's connivance at his escape
These resolutions being taken, he reat fortitude and equanimity, and calmly suffered himself to be conveyed to the house of a sheriff's officer, who, as heto his own expectation, executed a writ against him, at the suit of Trapwell, for a debt of two thousand pounds To this place he was followed by his solicitor, as allured by the prospect of another job, and ith great deratulated hi to hiht thousand pounds in the article of daes, by the previous steps he had taken, and the noble defence that he and his friends the counsel had made for their client; he even hinted an expectation of receiving a gratuity for his extraordinary care and discretion
Fathoed at the effrontery of this pettifogger, maintained a serenity of countenance, and sent the attorney with a ner, and could not be supposed to have so much cash about him, as to spare fifteen hundred pounds frorant hi which period he should be able to procure a proper remittance frootiation, he despatched his valet-de-chambre to one noble the nature of the verdict which his adversary had obtained, and desiring that each would lend hiotiate bills upon the Continent
His three ers returned almost at the saht back
Trapwell absolutely rejected his personal security; and threatened him with all the horrors of a jail, unless he would ie the debt, or procure sufficient bondsmen; and one of his quality friends favoured him with this reply to his request:--
”MY DEAR COUNT!--I arined at the triumph you have furnished to that rascally citizen By the lard! the judge must have been in the terrors of cuckoldom, to influence the decision; and the jury ain such a barbarous verdict
Egad! at this rate, no gentleman will be able to lie with another man's wife, but at the risk of a cursed prosecution But to waive this disagreeable circuet; I declare reater, because I cannot at present supply you with the trifle your present exigency requires; for, to tell you a secret, my own finances are in daure and address can never be puzzled for the want of such a paltry sum Adieu, my dear Count! we shall, I suppose, have the pleasure of seeing you to-morrow at White's: meanwhile, I have the honour to be, with the most perfect attachment, yours, GRIZZLEGRIN”
The other noble peer, to whom he addressed himself on this occasion, cherished the saenerosity; but his expression was so different, that we shall, for the edification of the reader, transcribe his letter in his oords:--
”SIR,--I was never more astonished than at the receipt of your very extraordinary billet, wherein you solicit the loan of a thousand pounds, which you desire may be sent with the bearer on the faith of your parole
Sir, I have nosuch a strange and unwarranted demand 'Tis true, I may have made professions of friendshi+p, while I looked upon you as a person of honour and good rant violation of the laws of that kingdom where you have been treated with such hospitality and respect, I think myself fully absolved from any such conditional promise, which indeed is never interpreted into any other than a bare compliment I am sorry you have involved your character and fortune in such a disagreeable affair, and am, Sir, yours, etc
TROMPINGTON”
Ferdinand was not such a novice in the world as to be disappointed at these repulses; especially as he had laid very little stress upon the application, which was ratitude or caprice of those two nobleed with the sah not to such a considerable a further to expect from the fashi+onable world, he sent the Tyrolese to the person who had been bail for his appearance, with full instructions to explain his present occasion in the ht, and desire he would reinforce the credit of the Count with his security; but that gentleh he placed the most perfect confidence on the honour of our hero, and would have willingly entered into bonds again for his personal appearance, was not quite so well satisfied of his circumstances, as to become liable for the payment of two thousand pounds, an expense which, in his opinion, the finances of no foreign Count were able to defray He therefore lent a deaf ear to theremonstrances of the ambassador, who had recourse to several other merchants, with the sa of bail, endeavoured to persuade Ratchcali, that it would be his interest to contribute a thousand pounds towards his discharge, that he race, and execute his part of the plan they had projected
So powerful was his eloquence on the occasion, and such strength of argument did he use, that even the Tyrolese seereed to advance the necessary su disabled froed to intrust Ratchcali with his keys, papers, and power of attorney, under the check and inspection of his faithful Maurice and the solicitor, whose fidelity he bespoke with the promise of an ample recompense
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
THE BITER IS BIT
Yet, he had no sooner committed his effects to the care of this trius, which produced cold sweats and palpitations, and threw hionies of apprehension as he had never known before He remembered the former desertion of the Tyrolese, the recent villany of the solicitor, and recollected the remarks he had made upon the disposition and character of his valet, which evinced him a fit companion for the other two
Alare his, and even offered one hundred guineas as a gratification for his compliance But the officer, who had formerly lost a considerable sum by the escape of a prisoner, would not run any risk in an affair of such consequence, and our hero was obliged to sub fears After he had waited five hours in theimpatience, he saw the attorney enter with all the ue, and consternation, and heard hientleation, to which he answered in a tone of horror and disentleer in suspense” ”Robbed!” cried the attorney, ”the Lord forbid! I hope you can depend upon the person you empowered to receive your jewels and cash? I s are a little extraordinary; for after he had rued your scrutoire, from which, in presence of uineas, a parcel of dia to this here inventory, which I wrote with my own hand, and East India bonds to the tune of five hundred more, we adjourned to Garraway's, where he leftto a broker of his acquaintance who lived in the neighbourhood, while the valet, as I iined, waited for us in the alley Well, sir, he stayed so long, that I began to be uneasy, and at length resolved to send the servant in quest of him, but when I went out for that purpose, deuce a servant was to be found; though I in person inquired for him at every alehouse within half a mile of the place I then despatched no less than five ticket porters upon the scent after them, and I nior Ratchcali's lodgings, where, as they toldUpon this intiive you timely notice, that you may without delay takeyou can do, is to take out writs for apprehending him, in the counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Kent, and Essex, and I shall put theent officers, ill soon ferret hi-place, provided he skulks within ten miles of the bills of mortality To be sure, the job will be expensive; and all these runners must be paid beforehand But what then? the defendant is worth powder, and if we can once secure him, I'll warrant the prosecution will quit cost”
Fathom was almost choked with concern and resentment at the news of this mischance, so that he could not utter one word until this narrative was finished Nor was his suspicion confined to the Tyrolese and his own lacquey; he considered the solicitor as their accomplice and director, and was so ue, that his discretion see the attorney, ”Villain!” said he, ”you yourself have been a principal actor in this robbery” Then turning to the bystanders, ”and I desire in the King's naistrate in support of the charge If you refuse your assistance in detaining him, I will make immediate application to one of the secretaries of state, who is my particular friend, and he will see justice done to all parties”
At mention of this formidable name, the bailiff and his whole family were in cohast and trerasp of our adventurer But, soon as he found himself delivered from this embrace, by the interposition of the spectators, and collected his spirits, which had been suddenly dissipated by Fathoan to display one art of his occupation, which he always reserved for extraordinary occasions This was the talent of abuse, which he poured forth with such fluency of opprobrious language, that our hero, s as he was, and almost desperate with his loss, deviated from that temperance of behaviour which he had hitherto preserved, and snatching up the poker, with one stroke opened a deep trench upon the attorney's skull, that extended from the hind head almost to the upper part of the nose, upon each side of which it discharged a sanguine strea the pain of this application, the solicitor was transported with joy at the sense of the sratulated himself upon the appearance of his own blood, which he no sooner perceived, than he exclaimed, ”I'th
Ihbourhood, who, having exaerous depression of the first table of the skull, and that, if he could save the patient's life without the application of the trepan, it would be one of the greatest cures that ever were perfor overblown, he summoned up his whole resolution, and reflected upon his own ruin with that fortitude which had never failed hinostic of the surgeon, which he considered in the right point of view; ”Sir,” said he, ”I am not so unacquainted with the resistance of an attorney's skull, as to believe the chastiseer his life, which is in reater jeopardy fro this accident, I am determined to prosecute the rascal for robbery with the utmost severity of the law; and, that I may have a sufficient fund left for that prosecution, I shall not at present throay one farthing in unnecessary expense, but insist upon being conveyed to prison without farther delay”
This declaration was equally unwelcoeon, and solicitor, who, upon the supposition that the Count was a person of fortune, and would rather part with an inoraceful lawsuit, had resolved to fleece hi him determined to set his fate at defiance, and to retort upon hian to repent heartily of the provocation he had given, and to think seriously on soner With this viehile the bailiff conducted him to bed in another apartment, he desired the catchpole to act the part of mediator between him and the Count, and furnished hily the landlord, on his return, told Fathom that he was sure the solicitor was not a man for this world; for that he had left hireat devotion for mercy to his murderer He then exhorted him, with many protestations of friendshi+p, to co releases with the attorney before his deliriu hierous premunire, whether the plaintiff should die of his wound, or live to prosecute hiainst him,” said he, ”as it is no more than a base suspicion, unsupported by the least shadow of evidence, the bill would be thrown out, and then he es I therefore, out of pure friendshi+p and good-nature, advise you to compromise the affair, and, if you think proper, will endeavour to bring about a mutual release”