se, than, seized with
insupportable sorrow at the prospect of my misery, he burst into tears,
and asked what I proposed to do after the small sum he could raise on
the sword should be spent. "On my own account" said he, "I am quite
unconcerned; for, while God spares me health and these ten fingers, I
can earn a comfortable subsistence anywhere; but what must become of
you, who have less humility to stoop, and more appetites to gratify?"
Here I interrupted him, by saying, with a gloomy aspect, I should never
want a resource while I had a loaded pistol in possession. Stupified
with horror at this dreadful insinuation, he stood mute for some
time and then broke out into "God of his infinite mercy enable you
to withstand that temptation of the devil! Consider your immortal
soul--there's no repentance in the grave! O Lord! that we ever should
have come to this! Are we not enjoined to resign ourselves to the will
of Heaven?--where is your patience?--Durum patientia frango--you are but
a young man--there may be many good things in store for you--accidit
in puncto quo non speratur in anno--remember your uncle, Mr. Bowling;
perhaps he is now on his voyage homeward, pleasing himself with the
hopes of seeing and relieving you; nay, peradventure, he has already
arrived, for the ship was expected about this time." A ray of hope
shot athwart my soul at this suggestion; I thanked my friend for
this seasonable recollection, and, after having promised to take no
resolution till his return, dismissed him to Wapping for intelligence.

In his absence I was visited by Banter, who, being informed of my bad
luck at play, told me that fortune would probably be one day weary of
persecuting me. "In the meantime," said he, "here's a letter for you,
which I received just now inclosed in one from Freeman." I snatched
it with eagerness, and knowing the superscription to be of Narcissa's
handwriting, kissed it with transport, and, having opened it, read,

"It is with great difficulty that I have stolen, from the
observation of those spies who are set over me, this opportunity
of telling you, that I was suddenly carried away from Bath
by my brother, who was informed of our correspondence by Lord
Quiverwit whom, I since understand, you have wounded in a duel
on my account. As I am fully convinced of your honour and love,
I hope I shall never hear of such desperate proofs of either for
the future. I am so strictly watche