Part 31 (1/2)

'I therefore once more warn you, Mr Trevor, that law is a pernicious mass of errors; and that the practitioners of it can only thrive by the mischiefs which they theate, and the erous doctrine to the preacher, were it heard in Westminster hall'

'I aer froood!'

CHAPTER XI

_Painfulwealth: A journey to Bath_

That the reader uments of Turl, I have been anxious to state theressions, commentaries, cavils, and violent opposition theyas they did at the very root of all my pro as they did allhopes at a breath, what could I do but rave? When er were exhausted, I sat silent for a while, sunk in th I recovered myself so far as to endeavour to console Mr Wilmot, offer him every assistance in my power, and persuade hiuments of Turl, this purpose ith some little difficulty effected, and I returned home to relate to Miss Wilmot what had happened

In very bitterness of soul I then began to meditate on the prospect before onizing! Could I even have renounced faned myself to live in obscure poverty, yet to live, as in such a case I uments could induce ht visions fled? Poor Willes, talents neglected, and genius trampled in the dust! Was there n himself without a murmur, and to be happy in despite of fate But he had no Olivia to regret! If he had, happiness without her would be i fears that hurried and agitated my mind, on this occasion, were fruitless Suffice it to say, this was one of those severe conflicts to which by education and accident I was subject; and it was not the least painful part of the present one that I could come to no decision

I persuadedwas much too severe and absolute It was true I could not but own that laas inclined to debase and corrupt the morals of its practitioners; but surely there were exceptions, and if I pursued the lahy should not I be one of them If therefore the happiness at which I aimed were attainable by this means, I asserted to ht to deterthe law

In the mean time, I had conceived a project that related to the is; the acuteness of which I was obliged to seek soone to Bath, with her aunt; and thither I was detern, I dispatched Philip with orders that a post chaise should be ready at the door by nine o'clock the next ; after which, to rid hts that haunted me, I once more went in search of the false Beled at play The betting was high, he appeared to be overonist, who like himself was a first rate player, triumphed My passions were always of the touch-wood kind Rouzed and teht suddenly occurred how possible it was for a man of penetration, who could keep himself perfectly cool, as I was persuaded I could (What was there indeed that I persuaded ! I did not indeed call it by the odious terht, acuteness of discernment Myby this new and surprisingly certain source of wealth! and so avaricious of the ratification of all my desires!

I had not frequented a billiard table without have exercised my own skill, learned the odds, and obtained a tolerable knowledge of the gaan with the caution of a black-leg; made a bet, and thetheed; and thus made myself a certain winner I exulted in my own clearness of perception! and wondered that so palpable ashould escape even an idiot!

The experience however of a few gaht me that my discovery was not quite of so lucrative a nature as I had supposed The odds did not every game vary, from side to side; people were not always inclined to bet the odds; and, if I would run no great risk, I even found it necessary to bet them sometimes myself Every man who has made the experiment knows that the thirst of lucre, when thus awakened in a young mind, is insatiable, iains, and riches by retail The ardour hich I examined the players, and each circumstance as it occurred, persuaded ht discover the winning party I had on forame alternately, even when they leave off equal; but that success has a tide, with a kind of periodical ebb and flow This said I may be attributed to the tery to attend with sufficient caution to his gaainst him, strikes at randorows careless, loses a ga inby reasoning so deep, I detere nohad by nohis antagonist To one of the bets I offered, he said, 'Done;' and, though I felt a reluctance to win his entle in my own acuteness and certainty, intreated him in pity to desist He refused, and I pleaded the pain I felt at winning the money of a friend Beside, it was not only dishonourable but dishonest; it was absolutely picking his pocket!

My triuan to win I was then willing to have taken the other side, but could not procure a bet He bantering bademy friend'shis pocket Piqued by his sarcasuineas; and then my vexation and pride, which almost foamed at the suspicion of ain, again resorted to the same desperate remedy, and met with the saed hionist would play no more, and I was left to reflect that my calculations and avaricious arts to rob fools and outwit knaves were as crude as they were conte as I was to the heart, I was ashauineas in the least affected me Belmont insisted that I should sup with him, and when I attempted to decline his invitation banteredif I had parted withsupper I informed him of my intended journey to Bath; and he i me that he had hireed, and I left him early and retired to bed; but not to rest The quick decay of my small substance, the helpless state in which I found myself, the impatience hich I desired wealth and power, and the increasing distance at which I seemed to be thrown from Olivia by this last act of folly, kept ht

The next day we set off, and arrived at Bath the sa; where the first inquiries I made were at the Pued So inconsiderate and eager were my desires, that I endeavoured to obtain apartments in the same house; but ineffectually, they were all let I was recommended to others however in Milsom-street, in which I fixed s on the South Parade

CHAPTER XII

_Desperate measures: Olivia and her aunt: A rash accusation; and its strange consequences: Affairs brought to a crisis_

Before I proceed to the history of my Bath adventures, it is necessary to take a brief retrospect of the state of my affairs The total of my expences, from the time that I received the four hundred and fifty pounds of Thornby, to my arrival at Bath, was about two hundred and forty pounds, including the su my pamphlet (the last sheet of which I corrected before I left town) thirty pounds that in consequence of a letter from my mother I remitted to her, and twenty for the purchase of a lottery ticket; for, aested itself to er fancy

The quick decay ofat my heart, and prompted me to a thousand different scheeneral propensity however was more to the desperate, which should at once be decisive, than to the slow and lingering plans of timid prudence In reality both see was the best At solow of hope, which had lately been so fervid, would return, and those powers of thought that seelorious success; but these were only flashes of lightening darting through a ht sky, the texture of which was deep obscurity; 'darkness visible'

To one point however I was fixed, that of using every endeavour to learn the true sentimy own To effect this I resolved, since I knew not what better method to take, that I would watch the few public places to which all the visitors at Bath resort

I therefore immediately subscribed to the upper and lower rooms, and traversed the city in every direction