_Live gaily for a few weeks on the Spoils of my late
Excursion.—Again obliged to seek Employment.—Engage with
a Conveyancer in the Temple.—Apprehended by my late
Master.—Compromise the Affair through the Friendship of a
Relation._
I went immediately in quest of a lodging, and found one to my mind in
Roll’s Buildings, Fetter-Lane; but as this was a respectable house, the
landlady required a reference to character, before she would admit me as
a lodger. I therefore gave her the address of my friend and relation Mr.
Presland, whom I formerly served in Lincoln’s Inn. That gentleman having
satisfied her inquiries, I removed my baggage from the pawnbroker’s, and
took possession of my new apartment.
The next day I examined the contents of Mr. Dalton’s portmanteau,
and found the whole of the articles to be as he had described them,
nearly new, and all excellent in their kind. As I was not at this time
acquainted with a _Fence_[16], to whom I could dispose of this property,
I had no other means of turning them into money, than by pledging them
at different pawnbrokers, which I did, one or two at a time, for as much
as I could get, taking out with me every morning three or four articles
in a bundle, so that in a few days I had obtained money for the whole.
I had now a good stock of clothes of my own, a handsome watch in my
pocket, and some pounds in money, exclusive of the daily supplies I
derived from pledging Mr. Dalton’s apparel: I therefore began to enjoy
myself in the course of life in which I always found the greatest
satisfaction; breakfasting at a coffee-house, dining at a tavern, and
taking my tea in the neighbourhood of the theatres, to one of which I
went almost every night. In the intervals of these occupations, I amused
myself in walking about town, or viewing public exhibitions, but chiefly
in reading books of entertainment and instruction, to the purchase of
which, especially periodical works, I every day devoted a small sum: so
that upon the whole, though I obtained my money by dishonourable means,
yet the manner in which I spent my life was harmless to myself; nor did I
ever, in the most vicious part of my subsequent career, give myself up to
debauchery or intoxication, the idea of which always disgusted me.
In this manner I lived happily for about five or six weeks, when finding
my ready money nearly exhausted, I judged it expedient to look out for
some employment which might contribute to my support. I therefore
made inquiry among the law offices, and was referred to Mr. Preston,
an eminent conveyancer in King’s Bench Walk, who engaged me as a
transcribing clerk at a guinea a week. I attended the office from ten
till five daily, and spent my evenings in rational recreation. I must
here observe that the office of Mr. Preston was within two doors of the
chambers of Messrs. Dalton and Edwards, the latter of whom had engaged me
for the Bury expedition; and it was certainly an act of impolicy in me to
accept a situation so immediately contiguous, after the manner in which
I had behaved to Mr. Dalton, as it was highly probable the latter would
write to Mr. Edwards, and desire him to use means for my apprehension.
However this never once struck me, or if it did, I thought it possible
that I might, in a place so constantly thronged with passengers, go and
come unobserved by him a thousand times. In addition to this, I had never
been seen by Mr. Edwards but in that one interview, which lasted but half
an hour; and I had assumed on that occasion, the name of Smith, whereas I
had now resumed my own. But fate had decreed that I should suffer for my
want of caution, and thus it happened.
In going to and from the office of Mr. Preston, I passed commonly four
times a day by the chambers of Dalton and Edwards, but the avenue in
front of the latter being very extensive, I always contrived to give
them a wide birth, as the sailors term it, and their chambers being on
the first floor, it was not likely that I should be observed, who was
so much below them, and surrounded by numbers of persons continually
passing. It happened, however, that my way to and from the office,
lay through a narrow passage called Mitre Court, leading into Fleet
Street. In this passage I frequently encountered a young man having the
appearance of a lawyer’s clerk, whose face I thought I was familiar with;
and he, on his part, always looked earnestly at me. As this was by no
means uncommon amongst young men similarly employed, I concluded he had
known me by sight, during my service in a former office, and therefore
paid no attention to the circumstance.
One morning, about nine weeks after my return from Bury, I entered
the office at the usual hour, and I had scarcely taken my seat at the
desk, when Mr. Preston opening the door of his own apartment, which was
immediately adjoining that in which the clerks wrote, desired me to
step into his room, which I should not have thought extraordinary, had
not he at the same moment placed himself between me and the outer door
leading to the street, and made a motion with his hand for me to walk
in first: I had, therefore, no alternative, but entered the room. Mr.
Preston followed, and, immediately shutting the door, locked it after
him; upon which I turned my head, and saw, to my no small surprise and
confusion, Mr. Dalton himself from Bury St. Edmund’s. That gentleman
advanced towards me, and began to reproach me in strong terms for my
misconduct; then seeing the chain of my watch hanging out, he immediately
drew it from my fob, saying that he should restore it to the person whom
I had defrauded of it. He next desired to know what I had done with
his trunk of clothes: at first I maintained a sullen silence, and then
denied any knowledge of his meaning: upon which he assured me that he had
strong proofs; that if I did not restore them he would prosecute, and
transport me at the least; but that it was probable I should be hanged
for forging a post-mark to the letter; for that the book-keeper at the
Blue Boar would swear to my person, and that I had shewn him a post-mark
which induced him to deliver the portmanteau. I smiled at the latter
part of this threat, knowing the law too well to be intimidated by it;
but upon Mr. Dalton observing that he knew where I lodged, and doubted
not of finding traces of the property, on searching my apartment, I gave
myself up for lost, as I had imprudently preserved all the duplicates of
the articles pledged, which were now deposited in my bureau. I, however,
continued mute, and Mr. Dalton requested Mr. Preston to send one of his
clerks for a constable; on the arrival of whom, he gave me in charge,
and, accompanied by both gentlemen, I walked to my lodgings, the young
man I formerly mentioned (who proved to be a clerk to Messrs. Dalton
and Edwards, and who, as well as Mr. Edwards, were also sent for by Mr.
Preston,) leading the way.
I afterwards ascertained that Mr. Dalton having, on my elopement, come to
a knowledge of the frauds I had practised on the Bury tradesmen, and by
some accident found out that his trunk had not been received by Mr. Lyne,
had written to Mr. Edwards an account of the whole, and that his clerk
having recollected my person, had watched me home a few days before;
and Mr. Dalton having then been summoned to town, had arrived that very
morning, and proceeded to apprehend me.
Having entered my apartment, Mr. Dalton demanded my keys, which, as
I found it useless longer to dissimulate, I gave up, and my drawers
being searched, the unlucky duplicates were immediately found, and in
my trunk two or three articles of apparel, which I had intended to
have had altered for my own wear, and which Mr. Dalton identified. I
therefore confessed the truth, and that those duplicates would lead to
the recovery of all the property, except the uniform, which I had sold to
a Jew, (in the street I said, but this was because I would not implicate
the man, who kept a respectable sale-shop near Covent-garden,) and the
portmanteau itself, which I told him I had destroyed. Mr. Dalton had now
some conversation with the constable apart, the result of which was,
that the latter was ordered to retain me in custody; and this officer
pretending to pity my youth, and to wish, if possible, that the affair
might be compromised without public disgrace, offered to confine me in
his own house, which was in Chancery-lane, till Mr. Dalton had considered
further on the subject. This having been agreed to, I accompanied the
constable to his house, where I had an apartment assigned me, and was
left (like Captain Macheath,) to my private meditations: these, it may be
conjectured, were not the most agreeable, as this was the first time of
my ever being “in durance vile.”
I heard no more of Mr. Dalton till the next morning, when I was not a
little surprised to see him accompanied by my friend Mr. Presland. It
seems that the former, prior to his apprehending me, had an interview
with my landlady in Roll’s buildings, and had learnt from her, that she
had obtained a character of me from the latter gentleman, on my taking
her apartments. Mr. Dalton in consequence, after consigning me to the
constable’s care, had waited on Mr. Presland, and informed him of the
disgraceful situation in which I was then placed. The result of their
interview was the visit I am now going to describe. Mr. Presland, after
expressing his concern at the state in which he saw me, and his anxious
wish to save me from the disgrace of a public prosecution, inquired
if I could undertake to recover the whole of Mr. Dalton’s property,
in case I was furnished with pecuniary means; on my answering in the
affirmative, (with the exceptions before mentioned,) this truly generous
friend told me that Mr. Dalton had consented to forego a prosecution,
provided he had his property restored, and was reimbursed the expenses
of his journey to London and back again; and that, from motives of
regard for the credit of our family, he, Mr. Presland, had agreed to
disburse a sum of money adequate to the occasion, and would trust to
the chance of being repaid by my relations at some future period, when
he had broke the matter to them in as delicate a manner as possible. He
added, that he trusted my future conduct would never again place me in so
perilous and dishonourable a situation. I, of course, expressed the most
heartfelt gratitude for such an act of unmerited generosity, and it was
settled that the constable should immediately attend me to the different
pawnbrokers’ at which the articles were pledged, for the purpose of
redeeming them. I was accordingly supplied with money by Mr. Presland,
and having received the duplicates, we set out on our expedition. As I
had pledged the property in various parts of the town, and some of them
very remote, this task occupied three whole days, during which time I
dieted and lodged at the constable’s house, my kind relation having
become responsible for every expense. The whole of the articles pledged
having been redeemed, were restored to Mr. Dalton, and Mr. Presland
indemnified that gentleman for those which were irrecoverable. The
aggregate of the expense incurred on this occasion, including principal
and interest to the pawnbrokers, expenses to Mr. Dalton, and compensation
to the constable for his attendance, amounted to upwards of thirty
pounds. Every thing being finally settled, I was seriously admonished
by Mr. Presland, who, on my enlargement from custody, presented me with
five guineas, and made me promise that I would immediately set out for
S⸺shire, and endeavour to obtain an appointment in the country; being
much afraid, he said, that if I continued in town, my total ruin would be
the inevitable consequence.