CHAPTER TWO A SHORT HINT CONCERNING POPULAR INGRATITUDE. MR. WILD'S ARRIVAL INTHE CASTLE, WITH OTHER OCCURRENCES TO BE FOUND IN NO OTHERHISTORY.
If we had any leisure we would here digress a little on thatingratitude which so many writers have observed to spring up inthe people in all free governments towards their great men; who,while they have been consulting the good of the public, by raisingtheir own greatness, in which the whole body (as the kingdom ofFrance thinks itself in the glory of their grand monarch) was sodeeply concerned, have been sometimes sacrificed by those verypeople for whose glory the said great men were so industriously atwork: and this from a foolish zeal for a certain ridiculousimaginary thing called liberty, to which great men are observed tohave a great animosity.
This law had been promulgated a very little time when Mr. Wild,having received from some dutiful members of the gang a valuablepiece of goods, did, for a consideration somewhat short of itsoriginal price, re-convey it to the right owner; for which fact,being ungratefully informed against by the said owner, he wassurprized in his own house, and, being overpowered by numbers, washurried before a magistrate, and by him committed to that castle,which, suitable as it is to greatness, we do not chuse to name toooften in our history, and where many great men at this timehappened to be assembled.
The governor, or, as the law more honourably calls him, keeper ofthis castle, was Mr. Wild's old friend and acquaintance. This madethe latter greatly satisfied with the place of his confinement, ashe promised himself not only a kind reception and handsomeaccommodation there, but even to obtain his liberty from him if hethought it necessary to desire it: but, alas! he was deceived; hisold friend knew him no longer, and refused to see him, and thelieutenant-governor insisted on as high garnish for fetters, andas exorbitant a price for lodging, as if he had had a finegentleman in custody for murder, or any other genteel crime.
To confess a melancholy truth, it is a circumstance much to belamented, that there is no absolute dependence on the friendshipof great men; an observation which hath been frequently made bythose who have lived in courts, or in Newgate, or in any otherplace set apart for the habitation of such persons.
The second day of his confinement he was greatly surprized atreceiving a visit from his wife; and more so, when, instead of acountenance ready to insult him, the only motive to which he couldascribe her presence, he saw the tears trickling down her lovelycheeks. He embraced her with the utmost marks of affection, anddeclared he could hardly regret his confinement, since it hadproduced such an instance of the happiness he enjoyed in her,whose fidelity to him on this occasion would, be believed, makehim the envy of most husbands, even in Newgate. He then begged herto dry her eyes, and be comforted; for that matters might gobetter with him than she expected. "No, no," says she, "I amcertain you would be found guilty. DEATH. I knew what it wouldalways come to. I told you it was impossible to carry on such atrade long; but you would not be advised, and now you see theconsequence-now you repent when it is too late. All the comfort Ishall have when you are NUBBED [Footnote: The cant word forhanging.] is, that I gave you a good advice. If you had alwaysgone out by yourself, as I would have had you, you might haverobbed on to the end of the chapter; but you was wiser than allthe world, or rather lazier, and see what your laziness is cometo--to the CHEAT, [Footnote: The gallows.] for thither you will gonow, that's infallible. And a just judgment on you for followingyour headstrong will; I am the only person to be pitied; poor I,who shall be scandalised for your fault. THERE GOES SHE WHOSEHUSBAND WAS HANGED: methinks I hear them crying so already." Atwhich words she burst into tears. He could not then forbearchiding her for this unnecessary concern on his account, andbegged her not to trouble him any more. She answered with somespirit, "On your account, and be d--d to you! No, if the old cullof a justice had not sent me hither, I believe it would have beenlong enough before I should have come hither to see after you; d--n me, I am committed for the FILINGLAY, [Footnote: Pickingpockets.] man, and we shall be both nubbed together. 'I faith, mydear, it almost makes me amends for being nubbed myself, to havethe pleasure of seeing thee nubbed too." "Indeed, my dear,"answered Wild, "it is what I have long wished for thee; but I donot desire to bear thee company, and I have still hopes to havethe pleasure of seeing you go without me; at least I will have thepleasure to be rid of you now." And so saying, he seized her bythe waist, and with strong arm flung her out of the room; but notbefore she had with her nails left a bloody memorial on his cheek:and thus this fond couple parted.