ndeed made me appear to be more wicked than thou was, that I being
a handsome fellow, and thou an ugly one, when we had started a game, and
hunted it down, the poor frighted puss generally threw herself into my
paws, rather than into thine: and then, disappointed, hast thou wiped thy
blubber-lips, and marched off to start a new game, calling me a wicked
fellow all the while.

In short, Belford, thou wert an excellent starter and setter. The old
women were not afraid for their daughters, when they saw such a face as
thine. But, when I came, whip was the key turned upon the girls. And
yet all signified nothing; for love, upon occasion, will draw an elephant
through a key-hole. But for thy HEART, Belford, who ever doubted the
wickedness of that?

Nor even in this affair, that sticks most upon me, which my conscience
makes such a handle of against me, art thou so innocent as thou fanciest
thyself. Thou wilt stare at this: but it is true; and I will convince
thee of it in an instant.

Thou sayest, thou wouldst have saved the lady from the ruin she met with.
Thou art a pretty fellow for this: For how wouldst thou have saved her?
What methods didst thou take to save her?

Thou knewest my designs all along. Hadst thou a mind to make thyself a
good title to the merit to which thou now pretendest to lay claim, thou
shouldest, like a true knight-errant, have sought to set the lady free
from the enchanted castle. Thou shouldst have apprized her of her
danger; have stolen in, when the giant was out of the way; or, hadst thou
had the true spirit of chivalry upon thee, and nothing else would have
done, have killed the giant; and then something wouldst thou have had to
brag of.

'Oh! but the giant was my friend: he reposed a confidence in me: and I
should have betrayed my friend, and his confidence!' This thou wouldst
have pleaded, no doubt. But try this plea upon thy present principles,
and thou wilt see what a caitiff thou wert to let it have weight with
thee, upon an occasion where a breach of confidence is more excusable
than to keep the secret. Did not the lady herself once putt his very
point home upon me? And didst thou not, on that occasion, heavily blame
thyself?*

* See Vol. VII. Letter XXI.

Thou canst not pretend, and I know thou wilt not, that thou wert afraid
of thy life by taking such a measure: for a braver fellow lives not, nor
a more fearless, than Jack Belford. I remember several instances, and