chosen a more convenient opportunity of
introducing them; and that the question now was whether or no he found
himself disposed to lend me any assistance. "Disposed!" replied he with
great emotion; "I thought you had known me so well as to assure yourself
without asking, that I, and all that belongs to me, are at your command.
In the meantime you shall dine with me, and I will tell you something
that, perhaps, will not be displeasing unto you." Then, wringing my
hand, he said, "It makes my heart bleed to see you in that garb!"
I thanked him for his invitation, which, I observed, could not be
unwelcome to a person who had not eaten a comfortable meal these seven
months; but I had another request to make, which I begged he would grant
before dinner, and that was the loan of a shirt; for although my back
had been many weeks a stranger to any comfort of that kind, my skin was
not yet familiarised to the want of it. He stared in my face, with a
woful countenance, at this declaration, which he could scarce believe,
until I explained it by unbuttoning my coat and disclosing my naked
body--a circumstance which shocked the tender-hearted Strap, who, with
tears in his eyes, ran to a chest of drawers, and taking out some linen,
presented to me a very fine ruffled Holland shirt and cambric neckcloth,
assuring me he had three dozen of the same kind at my service.

I was ravished at this piece of good news and, having accommodated
myself in a moment, hugged my benefactor for his generous offer, saying,
I was overjoyed to find him undebauched by prosperity, which seldom
fails to corrupt the heart. He bespoke for dinner some soup and bouilli,
a couple of pullets roasted, and a dish of asparagus, and in the
interim entertained me with biscuit and Burgundy, after which repast he
entreated me to gratify his longing desire of knowing every circumstance
of my fortune since his departure from London. This request I complied
with, beginning at the adventure of Gawky, and relating every particular
event in which I had been concerned from that day to the present hour.
During the recital, my friend was strongly affected, according to the
various situations described. He stared with surprise, glowed with
indignation, gaped with curiosity, smiled with pleasure, trembled with
fear, and wept with sorrow, as the vicissitudes of my life inspired
these different passions; and, when my story was ended, signified his
amazement on the whole, by lifting up