"poor Children," at which Words the Tears gushed from his Eyes. The other begged him not to admit any fuch Apprehenfions; for that he would employ his utmost Diligence in his Service, and doubted not but to fubvert any villainous Defign laid for his Deftruction, and to make his Innocence appear to the World as white as it was in his own Opinion.

many

WE cannot help mentioning a Circumftance here, though we doubt it will appear very unnatural and incredible to our Reader; which is, that, notwithstanding the former Character and Behaviour of Heartfree, this Story of his embezzling was fo far from furprizing his Neighbours, that of them declared they expected no better from him. Some were affured he could pay forty Shillings in the Pound, if he would. Others had overheard Hints formerly pafs between him and Mrs. Heartfree, which had given them Sufpicions. And, what is most astonishing of all is, that many of those who had before cenfured him for an extravagant heedlefs Fool,

now

now no less confidently abused him for a cunning, tricking, avaricious Knave.

CHA P. XIII.

Something concerning Fireblood, which will furprize; and fomewhat touching one of the Mifs Snaps, which will greatly concern the Reader.

OWEVER, notwithstanding all those Cenfures abroad, and in Despight of all his Misfortunes at home, Heartfree in Newgate enjoyed a quiet, undisturbed Repofe; while our Hero, nobly disdaining Reft, lay fleepless all Night; partly from the Apprehenfions of Mrs. Heartfree's Return before he had executed his Scheme; and partly from a Sufpicion left Fireblood fhould betray him; of whofe Infidelity he had, nevertheless, no other Caufe to maintain any Fear, but from his knowing him to be an accomplished Rafcal, as the Vulgar

HOWEVER,
Henfares abroad,

&

term it, a complete GREAT Man in our Language. And indeed, to confefs the Truth, these Doubts were not without fome Foundation; for the very fame Thought unluckily entred the Head of that noble Youth, who confidered, whether he might not poffibly fell himself for fome Advantage to the other Side, as he had yet no Promife from Wild; but this was, by the Sagacity of the latter, prevented in the Morning with a Profufion of Promises, which fhewed him to be of the most generous Temper in the World, with which Fireblood was extremely well fatisfied; and made use of so many Proteftations of his Faithfulness, that he convinced Wild of the Injustice of his Sufpicions.

Ar this Time an Accident happened, which, though not immediately affecting our Hero, we cannot avoid relating, as it occafioned great Confufion in his Family, as well as in the Family of Snap. - It is indeed a Calamity highly to be lamented, when it stains untainted Blood, and happens to an honourable Houfe. An Injury never to be repaired. A Blot never to be wiped

out.

out. A Sore never to be healed. To detain my Reader no longer: Mifs Theodofia Snap was now fafely delivered of a Male-Infant, the Product of an Amour which that beautiful (O that I could fay, virtuous) Creature had with the Count;

MR. Wild and his Lady were at Breakfaft, when Mr. Snap, with all the Agonies of Despair both in his Voice and Countenance, brought them this melancholy News. Our Hero, who had (as we have faid) wonderful Good-nature when his GREATNESS or Intereft was not concerned, instead of reviling his Sifter-in-Law, afked with a Smile: "Who was the Fa"ther?" But the chafte Lætitia, we repeat the chafte, for well did fhe now deserve that Epithet; received it in another. Manner. She fell into the utmost Fury at the Relation, reviled her Sifter in the bittereft Terms, and vowed fhe would never fee nor speak to her more. Then burst into Tears, and lamented over her Father, that fuch a Difhonour fhould ever happen to him and herself. At length the fell feverely on her Husband, for the light Treatment

Treatment which he gave this fatal Accident. She told him, he was unworthy of the Honour he enjoyed, of marrying into a chafte Family. That fhe looked on it as an Affront to her Virtue. That if he had married one of the naughty Huffies of the Town, he could not have behaved to her in a worse Manner. She concluded with defiring her Father to make an Example of the Slut, and turn her out of Doors; for that fhe would not otherwife enter his House, being refolved never to fet her Foot within the fame Threshold with the Trollop, whom the detefted fo much the more, because (which was perhaps true) fhe was her own Sister.

So violent, and indeed fo outragious was this chafte Lady's Love of Virtue, that she could not forgive a fingle Slip (indeed the only one Theodofia had ever made) in her own Sifter, in a Sifter who loved her, and to whom the owed a thousand Obligations.

PERHAPS the Severity of Mr. Snap, who greatly felt the Injury done to the Ho

VOL. III.

T

nour