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Reginald Glanville personally,' said he 'in private as in public life, I have always thought him the most upright and honourable of men. I feel the greatest pain in saying, that it will be my duty fully to commit him for trial.'

I interrupted the magistrate; I demanded that Dawson should be produced. I have already,' said he, 'inquired of Thornton respecting that person, whose testimony is of evident importance; he tells me that Dawson has left the country, and can give me no clue to his address.'

'He lies!' cried I, in the abrupt anguish of my heart; 'his associate shall be produced. Hear me; I have been, next to Thornton, the chief witness against the prisoner, and when I swear to you, that, in spite of all appearances, I most solemnly believe in his innocence, you may rely on my assurance, that there are circumstances in his favour which have not yet been considered, but which I will pledge myself hereafter to adduce.' I then related to the private ear of the magistrate my firm conviction of the guilt of the accuser himself. I dwelt forcibly upon the circumstance of Tyrrell's having mentioned to me, that Thornton was aware of the large sum he had on his person, and of the strange disappearance of that sum, when his body was examined in the fatal field. After noting how impossible it was that Glanville could have stolen the money, I insisted strongly on the distressed circumstances -the dissolute habits and the hardened character, of Thornton-I recalled to the mind of the magistrate the singularity of Thornton's absence from home when I called there, and the doubtful nature of his excuse: much more I said, but all equally in vain. The only point where I was successful, was in pressing for a delay, which was granted to the passionate manner in which I expressed my persuasion that I could confirm my suspicions by much stronger data before the reprieve expired.

It is very true,' said the righteous magistrate, that there are appearances somewhat against the witness; but certainly not tantamount to anything above a slight suspicion. If, however, you positively think you can ascertain any facts to elucidate this mysterious crime, and point the inquiries of justice to another quarter, I will so far strain the question, as to remand the prisoner to another day-let us say the day after to-morrow. If nothing important can before then be found in his favour, he must be committed for trial.'

CHAPTER LXXIX

Nihil est furacius illo:

Non fuit Autolyci tam piceata manus.-Martial.

Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo ?-Horat.

WHEN I left the magistrate, I knew not whither my next step should tend. There was, however, no time to indulge the idle stupor which Glanville's situation at first occasioned; with a violent effort I shook it off, and bent all my mind to discover the best method to avail myself, to the utmost, of the short reprieve I had succeeded in obtaining. At length, one of those sudden thoughts, which, from their suddenness, appear more brilliant than they really are, flashed upon my mind. I remembered the accomplished character of Mr. Job Jonson, and the circumstance of my having seen him in company with Thornton. Now, although it was not very likely that Thornton should have made Mr. Jonson his confidant in any of those affairs which it was so essentially his advantage to confine exclusively to himself, yet the acuteness and penetration visible in the character of the worthy Job, might not have lain so fallow during his companionship with Thornton, but that it might have made some discoveries which would considerably assist me in my researches; besides, as it is literally true in the systematised roguery of London, that birds of a feather flock together,' it was by no means unlikely that the honest Job might be honoured with the friendship of Mr. Dawson, as well as the company of Mr. Thornton; in which case I looked forward with greater confidence to the detection of the notable pair.

I could not, however, conceal from myself, that this was but a very unstable and ill-linked chain of reasoning, and there were moments, when the appearances against Glanville wore so close a semblance of truth, that all my friendship could scarcely drive from my mind an intrusive suspicion that he might have deceived me, and that the accusation might not be groundless.

This unwelcome idea did not, however, at all lessen the rapidity with which I hastened towards the memorable ginshop, where I had whilom met Mr. Gordon: there I hoped to find either the address of that gentleman, or of the

BB

'Club,' to which he had taken me, in company with Tringle and Dartmore: either at this said club, or of that said gentleman, I thought it not unlikely that I might hear some tidings of the person of Mr. Job Jonson-if not, I was resolved to return to the office, and employ Mr. my mulberry-cheeked acquaintance of the last night, in search after the holy Job.

Fate saved me a world of trouble: as I was hastily walking onwards, I happened to turn my eyes on the opposite side of the way, and discovered a man dressed in what the newspapers term the very height of fashion, viz. in the most ostentatious attire that ever flaunted at Margate, or blazed in the Palais Royal. The nether garments of this petit-maître consisted of a pair of blue tight pantaloons, profusely braided, and terminating in Hessian boots, adorned with brass spurs of the most burnished resplendency; a black velvet waistcoat, studded with gold stars, was backed by a green frock coat covered, notwithstanding the heat of the weather, with fur, and frogged and cordonné with the most lordly indifference, both as to taste and expense; a small French hat, which might not have been much too large for my lord of was set jauntily in the centre of a system of long black curls, which my eye, long accustomed to penetrate the arcana of habilatory art, discovered at once to be a wig. A fierce black mustachio, very much curled, wandered lovingly from the upper lip towards the eyes, which had an unfortunate prepossession for eccentricity in their direction. To complete the picture, we must suppose some colouring and this consisted in a very nice and delicate touch of the rouge pot, which could not be called by so harsh a term as paint ;-say rather that it was a tinge!

No sooner had I set my eyes upon this figure, than I crossed over to the side of the way which it was adorning, and followed its motions at a respectful but observant distance.

At length my freluquet marched into a jeweller's shop in Oxford Street; with a careless air, I affected, two minutes afterwards, to saunter into the same shop; the shopman was showing his bijouterie to him of the Hessians with the greatest respect; and, beguiled by the splendour of the wig and waistcoat, turned me over to his apprentice. Another time I might have been indignant at perceiving that the air

noble, on which I so much piqued myself, was by no meansso universally acknowledged as I had vainly imagined :—at that moment I was too occupied to think of my insulted dignity. While I was pretending to appear wholly engrossed with some seals, I kept a vigilant eye on my superb fellow-customer; at last, I saw him secrete a diamond ring, and thrust it, by a singular movement of the fore-finger, up the fur cuff of his capacious sleeve; presently, some other article of minute size disappeared in the like manner.

The gentleman then rose, expressed himself very well satisfied by the great taste of the jeweller, said he should look in again on Saturday, when he hoped the set he had ordered would be completed, and gravely took his departure amidst the prodigal bows of the shopman and his helpmates. Meanwhile, I bought a seal of small value, and followed my old acquaintance, for the reader has doubtless discovered, long before this, that the gentleman was no other than Mr. Job Jonson.

Slowly and struttingly did the man of two virtues perform the whole pilgrimage of Oxford Street. He stopped at Cumberland Gate, and looking round, with an air of gentlemanlike indecision, seemed to consider whether or not he should join the loungers in the park fortunately for the well-bred set, his doubts terminated in their favour, and Mr. Job Jonson entered the park. Every one happened to be thronging to Kensington Gardens, and the man of two virtues accordingly cut across the park as the shortest, but the least frequented way thither, in order to confer upon the seekers of pleasure the dangerous honour of his company.

As soon as I perceived that there were but few persons in the immediate locality to observe me, and that those consisted of a tall guardsman and his wife, a family of young children with their nursery-maid, and a debilitated East-India captain, walking for the sake of his liver, I overtook the incomparable Job, made him a low bow, and thus reverently accosted him—

'Mr. Jonson, I am delighted once more to meet yousuffer me to remind you of the very pleasant morning I passed with you in the neighbourhood of Hampton Court. I perceive, by your mustachios and military dress, that you have entered the army, since that day; I congratulate the British troops on so admirable an acquisition.'

Mr. Jonson's assurance forsook him for a moment, but he lost no time in regaining a quality which was so natural to his character. He assumed a fierce look, and, relevant sa moustache, sourit amèrement, like Voltaire's governor.'‘D——me, sir,' he cried, 'do you mean to insult me? I know none of your Mr. Jonsons, and I never set my eyes upon you before.'

'Look ye, my dear Mr. Job Jonson,' replied I, 'as I can prove not only all I say, but much more that I shall not say-such as your little mistakes just now, at the jeweller's shop in Oxford Street, &c. &c., perhaps it would be better for you not to oblige me to create a mob, and give you in charge-pardon my abruptness of speech-to a constable-Surely there will be no need of such a disagreeable occurrence, when I assure you, in the first place, that I perfectly forgive you for ridding me of the unnecessary comforts of a pocket-book and handkerchief, the unphilosophical appendage of a purse, and the effeminate lovetoken of a gold locket; nor is this all-it is perfectly indifferent to me, whether you levy contributions on jewellers or gentlemen, and I am very far from wishing to intrude upon your harmless occupations, or to interfere with your innocent amusements. I see, Mr. Jonson, that you are beginning to understand me; let me facilitate so desirable an end by an additional information, that, since it is preceded with a promise to open my purse, may tend somewhat to open your heart; I am at this moment in great want of your assistance-favour me with it, and I will pay you to your soul's content. Are we friends now, Mr. Job Jonson?'

My old friend burst out into a loud laugh. Well, sir, I must say that your frankness enchants me. I can no longer dissemble with you; indeed, I perceive it would be useless; besides, I always adored candour-it is my favourite virtue. Tell me how I can help you, and you may command my services.'

'One word,' said I: 'will you be open and ingenuous with me? I shall ask you certain questions, not in the least affecting your own safety, but to which, if you would serve me, you must give me (and, since candour is your favourite virtue, this will be no difficult task) your most candid replies. To strengthen you in so righteous a

1 Don Ferdinand d'Ibarra, in the Candide.