Part 16 (1/2)

We have already recorded divers instances of his conduct to prove that there was an intemperance in his blood, which often interfered with his caution; and although he had found means to render this heat sometimes subservient to his interest, yet, in all probability, Heaven redient in his constitution, on purpose to counteract his consummate craft, defeat the villany of his intention, and at least expose him to the justice of the law, and the contempt of his fellow-creatures

Stimulated as he was by the beauty of the incomparable Monimia, he foresaw that the conquest of her heart would cost him a thousand times more labour and address than all the victories he had ever achieved; for, besides her superior understanding, her sentiion, and pride of birth, her heart was already engaged by the tenderest ties of love and obligation, to a man whose person and acquired accomplishments at least equalled his own; and whose connexion with him was of such a nature as raised an aln; because, hat face could he commence rival to the person whose faenerosity had rescued hi these reflections, he would not lay aside an idea which so agreeably flattered his iination He, like every other projector in the same circumstances, was so partial to his own qualifications, as to think the lady would soon perceive a difference between hie in her opinion He depended a good deal on the levity and inconstancy of the sex; and did not doubt that, in the course of their acquaintance, he should profit by that languor which often creeps upon and flattens the intercourse of lovers cloyed with the sight and conversation of each other

This way of arguing was very natural to a man who had never known other motives than those of sensuality and convenience; and perhaps, upon these ht have succeeded with nine-tenths of the fair sex But, for once, he erred in his calculation; Moninable His first approaches were, as usual, performed by the method of insinuation, which succeeded so well, that in a few days he actually acquired a very distinguished share of her favour and esteem

To this he had been reco friendshi+p, by her dear Renaldo; so that, placing the rity, and being almost quite destitute of acquaintance, sheherself pleased with his coed in point of opportunity She had too reeable address, and too much susceptibility to observe thearded him as the confidant of her lover, but admired him as a person whose attachment did honour to Count Melvil's choice She found his discourse renified with an air of uncommon sincerity, and she was ravished with his skill in music, an art of which she was deeply enaratiated himself with the fair Moni extre found a friend who could amuse and protect the dear creature in his absence

That she ht be the better prepared for the tean to be less frequent in his visits, or rather to interrupt, by gradual intermissions, the constant attendance he had bestowed upon her since her mother's death This alteration she was enabled to bear by the assiduities of Fathom, when she understood that her lover was indispensably e a sue This was really the case; for, as the reader hath been already inforency was expended in behalf of our adventurer; and the persons of who of the use to which it was put, and acco him with a fresh supply, reproached him with his benevolence as an act of dishonesty to the this second application, threatened to distress him for what he had already received While he endeavoured to surmount these difficulties, his small reversion was quite exhausted, and he saw hi the common necessaries of life

There was no difficulty which he could not have encountered with fortitude, had he alone been concerned But his affection and regard for Moni able to bear the prospect of her wanting the least convenience, he could not endure that she should suspect her situation cost hi her gentle heart with unspeakable anguish and vexation This, therefore, he endeavoured to anticipate by expressions of confidence in the Eoodness and security of that credit from which he derived his present subsistence

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

ANECDOTES OF POVERTY, AND EXPERIMENTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

His affairs being thus circumstanced, it is not to be supposed that he passed his time in tranquillity Every day ushered in new deal, it could not be supported without money; and now not only his funds were drained, but also his private friends tired of relieving his doan to relinquish his company, which formerly they had coveted; and those who still favoured hireeable advice, led with iainst the last instance of his friendshi+p for Fathoance, which neither his fortune could afford nor his conscience excuse; and alleged that such specienerosity are vicious in any man, let his finances be never so opulent, if he has any relations of his oho need his assistance; but altogether scandalous, not to say unjust, in a person who depends for his own support on the favour of his friends

These expostulations did not even respect the beauteous, the accoh they owned her perfections, and did not deny that it would be highly meritorious in any man of fortune to make her happy, they disapproved of Renaldo's attachht of that intimate union of hearts which subsisted between the two lovers, and which no hu them, in the consummation of their prudence, ventured to hint a proposal of providing for her in the service of some lady of fashi+on

Any reader of sensibility will easily conceive how these adentleman whose pride was indoid and romantic, whose teestion was as a dagger to his soul; and what rendered the torture ations to those very persons whose selfish and sordid sentiratitude fronation, and his forlorn circumstances would not perled with these rew more and more importunate, and his creditors becarievances were disclosed, lamented his hard hap with all the demonstrations of sympathy which he could expect to find in such a zealous adherent He upbraided himself incessantly as the cause of his patron's distress; took God to witness that he would rather have perished in gaol than have enjoyed his liberty, had he known it would have cost his dearest friend and benefactor one-tenth part of the anguish he no hilowed to such a degree, that he offered to beg, steal, or plunder on the highway, for Renaldo's assistance

Certain it is, he reeable expedient than any of these to alleviate the pangs of this unhappy lover; for, at that very period he was possessed of reater sus of the Count's misfortune But, whether he did not reflect upon this resource, or illing to let Melvil be better acquainted with adversity, which is the great school of life, I shall leave the reader to deter Hungarian, that he did not scruple to receive a share of the entleman made shi+ft to extort from the complaisance of a few companions, whose countenance he still enjoyed

Renaldo's life was now beconant distress

Alrossed by a double sche his efforts to render his departure practicable, and his expedients for raising the ard to the first, he exerted hi a set of merchants, some of whom knew his family and expectations; and, for the last, he was fain to depend upon the assistance of a few intimates, ere not in a condition to furnish hiradually dropped off, on pretence of friendly resentment for his indiscreet conduct; so that he found himself naked and deserted by all his forentleman, hom he had lived in the most unreserved correspondence, as with a person of the warmest friendshi+p, and the most unbounded benevolence; nay, he had actually experienced repeated proofs of his generosity; and such were the Count's sentiratitude, love, and esteeations, that he would have willingly laid down his own life for his interest or advantage He had already been at different times accom in the whole to about forty or fifty pounds; and so fearful was he of taking any step by which he led with unparelleled difficulty and vexation, before he could prevail upon himself to put his liberality to another proof

What maxie!

Reduced to the alternative of applying once more to that beneficence which had never failed hi Monimia starve, he chose the first, as of two evils the least, and intrusted Fatho the bitterness of his case It was not without trepidation that he received in the evening froer an answer to this billet; but ere his pangs when he learned the contents! The gentle professed hiave him to understand, that he was resolved for the future to detach himself from every correspondence which would be inconvenient for him to maintain; that he considered his intiht; yet, nevertheless, if his distress was really as great as he had described it, he would still contribute soly had sent by the bearer five guineas for that purpose; but desired hi, he laid hirief and mortification at this disappointment were unspeakable He no demolished the last screen betwixt hience and woe; he beheld the mistress of his soul abandoned to the bleakest scenes of poverty and want; and he deeply resented the lofty strain of the letter, by which he conceived hiar Though his purse was exhausted to the last shi+lling; though he was surrounded with necessities and demands, and knew not how to provide another estions and eloquence of Fathom, despatched hi, in the most respectful terms, that he approved of his friend's new-adopted maxim, which, for the future, he should always take care to remember; and that he had sent back the last instance of his bounty, as a proof how little he was disposed to incoh sincerely entlerateful piece of irony, and in that opinion complained to several persons of the Count's acquaintance, who unaniainst hiate knave, that abused and reviled those very people who had generously befriended hiance with further supplies Notwithstanding these accumulated oppressions, he still persevered with fortitude in his endeavours to disentangle hied by a letter which about this tiood reason to believe the real will of her father had been suppressed for certain sinister views; and desiring hiary, where he would still find so to support his cause He had some trinkets left; the pawnbroker's shop was still open; and hitherto he made shi+ft to conceal from Monimia the extent of his affliction

Theamused him with a variety of sche his own job, at length undertook to make him acquainted with a set ofsums upon personal security; he was therefore introduced to their club in the most favourable manner, after the broker had endeavoured to prepossess thenificent ideas of his family and fortune--By means of this anticipation he was received with a manifest relaxation of that severity which people of this class eneral; and they even vied with each other in their demonstrations of hospitality and respect; for every one in particular looked upon hie at cent per cent

Renaldo, buoyed up with these exterior civilities, began to flatter himself with hopes of success, which, however, were soon checked by the nature of the conversation; during which the chair once lent forty pounds upon slight security The person accused alleged, in his own defence, that the borroas his own kinsranted his bond, and been at the expense of insuring his life for the reat punctuality These allegations were not deemed exculpatory by the rest of the asseuilty of unwarrantable rashness and indiscretion, which, in ti, must undoubtedly operate to the prejudice of his character and credit

This was a bitter declaration to the young Count, who nevertheless endeavoured to i their co to their discourse When he had cultivated thereat assiduity for the space of so invitations, and received repeated offers of service and friendshi+p, believing that things were now ripe for the purpose, he, one day, at a tavern to which he had invited him to dinner, ventured to disclose his situation to hi; and as he introduced the business with a proposal of borrowing money, he perceived his eyes sparkle with a visible alacrity, froe

But, alas! this was no leam of sunshi+ne, which was suddenly obumbrated by the sequel of his explanation; insomuch, that, when the e was involved in a loom, and his eyes distorted into a most hideous obliquity of vision; indeed, he squinted so horribly, that Renaldo was ahted at his looks, until he perceived that this distortion proceeded from concern for a silver tobacco box which he had laid down by hi filled his pipe

As the youth proceeded to unfold his necessities, the other becaradually alarmed for this utensil, to which he darted his eyes askance in this preternatural direction, until he had slyly secured it in his pocket