ANOTHER PROVIDENTIAL DELIVERANCE FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE SMUGGLER'S
INGENIOUS CONJECTURE.
During these deliberations, the wine merchant, with a view to make a
parade of his superior parts and breeding, as well as to pave the way for
a match at backgammon, made a tender of his snuff-box to our adventurer,
and asked, in bad French, how he travelled from Paris. This question
produced a series of interrogations concerning the place of Ferdinand's
abode in that city, and his business in England, so that he was fain to
practise the science of defence, and answered with such ambiguity, as
aroused the suspicion of the smuggler, who began to believe our hero had
some very cogent reason for evading his curiosity; he immediately set his
reflection at work, and, after various conjectures, fixed upon Fathom's
being the Young Pretender. Big with this supposition, he eyed him with
the most earnest attention, comparing his features with those of the
Chevalier's portrait which he had seen in France, and though the faces
were as unlike as any two human faces could be, found the resemblance so
striking as to dispel all his doubts, and persuade him to introduce the
stranger to some justice on the road; a step by which he would not only
manifest his zeal for the Protestant succession, but also acquire the
splendid reward proposed by parliament to any person who should apprehend
that famous adventurer.
These ideas intoxicated the brain of this man to such a pitch of
enthusiasm, that he actually believed himself in possession of the thirty
thousand pounds, and amused his fancy with a variety of magnificent
projects to be executed by means of that acquisition, until his reverie
was interrupted by the halting of the coach at the inn where the
passengers used to eat their breakfasts. Waked as he was from the dream
of happiness, it had made such impression upon his mind, that, seeing
Fathom rise up with an intention to alight, he took it for granted his
design was to escape, and seizing him by the collar, called aloud for
assistance in the King's name.
Our hero, whose sagacity and presence of mind very often supplied the
place of courage, instead of being terrified at this assault, which might
have disturbed the tranquillity of an ordinary villain, was so perfectly
master of every circumstance of his own situation, as to know at once
that the aggressor could not possibly have the least cause of complaint
against him; and therefore, imputing this violence either to madness or
mistake, very deliberately suffered himself to be made prisoner by the
people of the house, who ran to the coach door in obedience to the
summons of the wine merchant. The rest of the company were struck dumb
with surprise and consternation at this sudden adventure; and the quaker,
dreading some fell resistance on the side of the outlandish man, unpinned
the other coach door in the twinkling of an eye, and trundled himself
into the mud for safety. The others, seeing the temper and resignation
of the prisoner, soon recovered their recollection, and began to inquire
into the cause of his arrest, upon which, the captor, whose teeth
chattered with terror and impatience, gave them to understand that he was
a state criminal, and demanded their help in conveying him to justice.
Luckily for both parties, there happened to be at the inn a company of
squires just returned from the death of a leash of hares, which they had
ordered to be dressed for dinner, and among these gentlemen was one of
the quorum, to whom the accuser had immediate recourse, marching before
the captive, who walked very peaceably between the landlord and one of
his waiters, and followed by a crowd of spectators, some of whom had
secured the faithful Maurice, who in his behaviour closely imitated the
deliberation of his master. In this order did the procession advance to
the apartment in which the magistrate, with his fellows of the chase, sat
smoking his morning pipe over a tankard of strong ale, and the smuggler
being directed to the right person, "May it please your worship," said
he, "I have brought this foreigner before you, on a violent suspicion of
his being a proclaimed outlaw; and I desire, before these witnesses, that
my title may be made good to the reward that shall become due upon his
conviction."
"Friend," replied the justice, "I know nothing of you or your titles; but
this I know, if you have any information to give in, you must come to my
house when I am at home, and proceed in a lawful way, that is, d'ye mind
me, if you swear as how this here person is an outlaw; then if so be as
he has nothing to say to the contrary, my clerk shall make out a
mittimus, and so to jail with him till next 'size." "But, sir," answered
the impeacher, "this is a case that admits of no delay; the person I have
apprehended is a prisoner of consequence to the state." "How, fellor!"
cried the magistrate, interrupting him, "is there any person of more
consequence than one of his Majesty's justices of the peace, who is
besides a considerable member of the landed interest! D'ye know, sirrah,
who you are talking to? If you don't go about your business, I believe I
shall lay you by the heels."
The smuggler, fearing his prize would escape through the ignorance,
pride, and obstinacy of this country justice, approached his worship, and
in a whisper which was overheard by all the company, assured him he had
indubitable reason to believe the foreigner was no other than the
Pretender's eldest son. At mention of this formidable name, every
individual of the audience started, with signs of terror and amazement.
The justice dropped his pipe, recoiled upon his chair, and, looking most
ridiculously aghast, exclaimed, "Seize him, in the name of God and his
Majesty King George! Has he got no secret arms about him!"
Fathom being thus informed of the suspicion under which he stood, could
not help smiling at the eagerness with which the spectators flew upon
him, and suffered himself to be searched with great composure, well
knowing they would find no moveables about his person, but such as upon
examination would turn to his account; he therefore very calmly presented
to the magistrate his purse, and a small box that contained his jewels,
and in the French language desired they might be preserved from the hands
of the mob. This request was interpreted by the accuser, who, at the
same time, laid claim to the booty. The justice took charge of the
deposit, and one of his neighbours having undertaken the office of clerk,
he proceeded to the examination of the culprit, whose papers were by this
time laid on the table before him. "Stranger," said he, "you stand
charged with being son of the Pretender to these realms; what have you to
say in your own defence?" Our hero assured him, in the French language,
that he was falsely impeached, and demanded justice on the accuser, who,
without the least reason, had made such a malicious attack upon the life
and honour of an innocent gentleman.
The smuggler, instead of acting the part of a faithful interpreter, told
his worship, that the prisoner's answer was no more than a simple denial,
which every felon would make who had nothing else to plead in his own
behalf, and that this alone was a strong presumption of his guilt,
because, if he was not really the person they suspected him to be, the
thing would speak for itself, for, if he was not the Young Pretender, who
then was he? This argument had great weight with the justice, who,
assuming a very important aspect, observed, "Very true, friend, if you
are not the Pretender, in the name of God, who are you? One may see with
half an eye that he is no better than a promiscuous fellow."
Ferdinand now began to repent of having pretended ignorance of the
English language, as he found himself at the mercy of a rascal, who put a
false gloss upon all his words, and addressed himself to the audience
successively in French, High Dutch, Italian, and Hungarian Latin,
desiring to know if any person present understood any of these tongues,
that his answers might be honestly explained to the bench. But he might
have accosted them in Chinese with the same success: there was not one
person present tolerably versed in his mother-tongue, much less
acquainted with any foreign language, except the wine merchant, who,
incensed at this appeal, which he considered as an affront to his
integrity, gave the judge to understand, that the delinquent, instead of
speaking to the purpose, contumaciously insulted his authority in sundry
foreign lingos, which he apprehended was an additional proof of his being
the Chevalier's son, inasmuch as no person would take the pains to learn
such a variety of gibberish, except with some sinister intent.
This annotation was not lost upon the squire, who was too jealous of the
honour of his office to overlook such a flagrant instance of contempt.
His eyes glistened, his cheeks were inflated with rage. "The case is
plain," said he; "having nothing of signification to offer in his own
favour, he grows refractory, and abuses the court in his base Roman
Catholic jargon; but I'll let you know, for all you pretend to be a
prince, you are no better than an outlawed vagrant, and I'll show you
what a thing you are when you come in composition with an English
justice, like me, who have more than once extinguished myself in the
service of my country. As nothing else accrues, your purse, black box,
and papers shall be sealed up before witnesses, and sent by express to
one of his Majesty's secretaries of state; and, as for yourself, I will
apply to the military at Canterbury, for a guard to conduct you to
London."
This was a very unwelcome declaration to our adventurer, who was on the
point of haranguing the justice and spectators in their own language,
when he was relieved from the necessity of taking that step by the
interposition of a young nobleman just arrived at the inn, who, being
informed of this strange examination, entered the court, and, at first
sight of the prisoner, assured the justice he was imposed upon; for that
he himself had often seen the Young Pretender in Paris, and that there
was no kind of resemblance between that adventurer and the person now
before him. The accuser was not a little mortified at his lordship's
affirmation, which met with all due regard from the bench, though the
magistrate took notice, that, granting the prisoner was not the Young
Chevalier himself, it was highly probable he was an emissary of that
house, as he could give no satisfactory account of himself, and was
possessed of things of such value as no honest man could expose to the
accidents of the road.
Fathom, having thus found an interpreter, who signified to him, in the
French tongue, the doubts of the justice, told his lordship, that he
was a gentleman of a noble house in Germany, who, for certain reasons,
had come abroad incognito, with a view to see the world; and that,
although the letters they had seized would prove the truth of that
assertion, he should be loth to expose his private concerns to the
knowledge of strangers, if he could possibly be released without that
mortification. The young nobleman explained his desire to the court;
but, his own curiosity being interested, observed, at the same time,
that the justice could not be said to have discharged the duties of his
station, until he should have examined every circumstance relating to the
prisoner. Upon which remonstrance, he was requested by the bench to
peruse the papers, and accordingly communicated the substance of one
letter to this effect:--
"MY DEAR SON,--Though I am far from approving the rash step you have
taken in withdrawing yourself from your father's house, in order to avoid
an engagement which would have been equally honourable and advantageous
to your family, I cannot so far suppress my affection, as to bear the
thought of your undergoing those hardships which, for your disobedience,
you deserve to suffer. I have therefore, without the knowledge of your
father, sent the bearer to attend you in your peregrinations; his
fidelity you know hath been tried in a long course of service, and I have
entrusted to his care, for your use, a purse of two hundred ducats, and a
box of jewels to the value of twice that sum, which, though not
sufficient to support an equipage suitable to your birth, will, at least
for some time, preserve you from the importunities of want. When you are
dutiful enough to explain your designs and situation, you may expect
further indulgence from your tender and disconsolate mother,--
COUNTESS OF FATHOM."
This letter, which, as well as the others, our hero had forged for the
purpose, effectually answered his intent, in throwing dust in the eyes
and understanding of the spectators, who now regarded the prisoner with
looks of respectful remorse, as a man of quality who had been falsely
accused. His lordship, to make a parade of his own politeness and
importance, assured the bench, he was no stranger to the family of the
Fathoms, and, with a compliment, gave Ferdinand to understand he had
formerly seen him at Versailles. There being no longer room for
suspicion, the justice ordered our adventurer to be set at liberty, and
even invited him to be seated, with an apology for the rude manner in
which he had been treated, owing to the misinformation of the accuser,
who was threatened with the stocks, for his malice and presumption.
But this was not the only triumph our hero obtained over the wine
merchant. Maurice was no sooner unfettered, than, advancing into the
middle of the room, "My lord," said he, addressing himself in French to
his master's deliverer, "since you have been so generous as to protect a
noble stranger from the danger of such a false accusation, I hope you
will still lay an additional obligation upon the Count, by retorting the
vengeance of the law upon his perfidious accuser, whom I know to be a
trader in those articles of merchandise which are prohibited by the
ordinances of this nation. I have seen him lately at Boulogne, and am
perfectly well acquainted with some persons who have supplied him with
French lace and embroidery; and, as a proof of what I allege, I desire
you will order him and this barber, who is his understrapper, to be
examined on the spot."
This charge, which was immediately explained to the bench, yielded
extraordinary satisfaction to the spectators, one of whom, being an
officer of the customs, forthwith began to exercise his function upon the
unlucky perruquier, who, being stripped of his upper garments, and even
of his shirt, appeared like the mummy of an Egyptian king, most curiously
rolled up in bandages of rich figured gold shalloon, that covered the
skirts of four embroidered waistcoats. The merchant, seeing his
expectation so unhappily reversed, made an effort to retire with a most
rueful aspect, but was prevented by the officer, who demanded the
interposition of the civil power, that he might undergo the same
examination to which the other had been subjected. He was accordingly
rifled without loss of time, and the inquiry proved well worth the care
of him who made it; for a considerable booty of the same sort of
merchandise was found in his boots, breeches, hat, and between the
buckram and lining of his surtout. Yet, not contented with this prize,
the experienced spoiler proceeded to search his baggage, and, perceiving
a false bottom in his portmanteau, detected beneath it a valuable
accession to the plunder he had already obtained.