Part 7 (2/2)

Horse-Gode! I was more than half afraid she meant me--'Not all of them I hope,' said I, as soon as I could recollectlady, with a gentle s

My flow of spirits being soentlemen, I sat silent, and they fell into conversation; by which I learned that one of thereat fortune in Wales, and the other a captain in the army, and that they ell acquainted with London, Dublin, Bath, Brighthel lady too had not only been at each of them, but had visited Paris, and mentioned many persons of quality, hom, as it appeared from her discourse, she was quite familiar

It was evident, frouish the well bred and the polite She was ienteel _and low_: it was prodigiously horrid The whole discourse indeed convinced me that they were all people of consequence; and that entle however surprised me, and particularly drew es, and the quickness of lish, they introduced occasional words and phrases which to ible

One especially of these phrases seeain It was--_The kinchin will bite the bubble_--I pondered, and fifty times questioned--'Who is _the kinchin_? What is _bite the bubble_? I But in vain: it was incomprehensible!

We did not stop to dine till between four and five o'clock, and then the young lady at alighting was entlemen asked me if I would take a turn to the river side, at the back of the inn; and I, to shew that I now understood their characters better, willingly co the, plucked nificantly after entleht it strange; the second I exclaiuessed hoas: I soon found them out! But, if they have any tricks to play, they shall find I a as they The landlord need not have cautioned ht'

Thus fortified, I proceeded boldly; and we had not walked two hundred yards before one of them who had stepped forward, stooped and picked up a piece of paper, which he instantly began to read 'S'death!'

exclaiht, for fifteen guineas; drawn on Fairlamb and Company, bankers at Oxford

You are acquainted with country bills, captain,' said he, presenting it to his coood one?' His coht and froood as the bank! But we must share?' 'To be sure we must,' said the finder 'Why should you doubt it? 'Tis a trifle; five guineas a piece; but it will serve to pay travelling expences'

They laughed, and I was staggered at this honourable and generous conduct I have proceeded too hastily, thought I; and the landlord is own cousin to our lawyer; he thinks every ue Their liberality is proof sufficient in their favour--'Coentleman of Wales to the captain--'I have no ready cash,' answered he 'I never chuse, when I a, to have h for expences'--'That is exactly entle friend may be less cautious, and uineas,' said I, 'when I left home'--'Oh, that will just do,' answered the captain 'We turn off to- to Oxford, otherwise our luck would have been lost upon us, for ould not have gone a mile out of our road for such a trifle'

My hand was in ers, when nificant 'Take care of yourself young gentleave e phrase of _bite the bubble_, all rose to my recollection They shall not entleed me by the elbow, and said--'Come, come; we must dispatch: dinner is on the table by this time, and the coach will not wait a minute'--'Those who think nation in my countenance, 'will find themselves deceived'--'What do you uage, for a gentleman!'

I stopped a moment: my conscience sentleht I, my behaviour will appear conteentleman of Wales--The captain once ht his eye; he winked to his coentleman knows better'--'Yes,' answered I, instantly fired; 'I know better than to give my money to sharpers'--'Sharpers!' retorted one--'Sharpers!' re-echoed the other, and began mutually to hustle me--My valour was roused: I faced about, with the first blow laid the gentle, and with the second made the captain's eyes strike fire The attack was infinitely orous and powerful than they could have expected The Welsh gentleman shook his ears; the captain clapped his white handkerchief to his eyes They swore a few oaths in concert, but neither of them seemed desirous to continue the co was quite out of all calculation If however I could guess their motives from their manner, they were rather those of caution than of cowardice Be that as it will, I could better deal out hard blows than utter coarse expressions, and I left the the dinner roo lady and told her the story She was all astonishment! Could not believe her ears! Was never so deceived in her life! Was ilad that she no her coined theentleether at such public places! She was sorry to ride in the sae with theht be permitted that honour; and she readily replied, 'Certainly, Sir: you are a gentleuished, after dinner, I insisted on paying the bill, and she still more strenuously insisted I should not She pulled out her purse, which seemed well filled, and put down her quota, which no entreaties could prevail on her to take back It was her rule

The horses being ready, ere suentle in sullen silence, and the young lady not deigning to address a word to theain paired off, and I was ad to treat me, since their detection, with aover and the lady, unfortunately as she said for her, being to travel the Cirencester road with those odious sharpers, I was again exceedingly desirous to shew so the bill; which she again pere to draw her purse as before, she could not find it!--'It was exceedingly strange!--Infinitely distressing! What could have becouineas were but a trifle, but to lose theain, and having no better success her features assuical cast

None but a heart of stone could endure, unmoved, the anxiety and distress of so kind, so auineas, s, told her it was all I had, but intreated she would not putthe little supply I had to afford

She thanked me infinitely; recollected she had left her purse when she retired after dinner to co taken it out with the co to London, for which a single guinea would perhaps be sufficient; but unfortunately she was obliged to pass through Cirencester, having a poor relation there, that was sick and in absolute want, and to whouineas, with an intention of further support However she could not think of accepting e an appearance! And she would rather suffer any thing than forfeit the good opinion of a gentleood for nothing , and had therefore supposed no hared on both sides with alth however I prevailed on her to take ten of the eleven guineas; but not till she had given ned Harriet Palmer, which she assured me would be honoured the instant it should be presented I took it to satisfy her scruples, but I had read the old roentle it to the use she intended

I lingered and knew not how to take leave; but the coach would only allow her three hours repose, I therefore reluctantly bade her good night, and we parted withfor so our acquaintance

CHAPTER XIV

_Morning thoughts: Conjectures and expectations A speci another new lesson_

Left byinday, I had occasional doubts, which had I suffered the The young lady was certainly a beautiful lady: wasto impeach her virtue: on the contrary, it had been the principal topic of our discourse 'Tis true I had, as became me, been too respectful to put her chastity to any proof I was not so discourteous a knight