the expedition of humphry clinker-第44章

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stay　at　London　for　some　weeks；　till　this　poor　devil　comes　to　his
trial　at　Rochester；　so　that；　in　all　probability；　my　northern
expedition　is　blown　up。

If　you　can　find　any　thing　in　your　philosophical　budget；　to
console　me　in　the　midst　of　these　distresses　and　apprehensions；
pray　let　it　be　communicated　to

Your　unfortunate　friend；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
LONDON；　June　12。



To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　of　Jesus　college；　Oxon。

DEAR　WAT；

The　farce　is　finished；　and　another　piece　of　a　graver　cast　brought
upon　the　stage。　　Our　aunt　made　a　desperate　attack　upon　Barton；
who　had　no　other　way　of　saving　himself；　but　by　leaving　her　in
possession　of　the　field；　and　avowing　his　pretensions　to　Liddy；　by
whom　he　has　been　rejected　in　his　turn。　　Lady　Griskin　acted　as　his
advocate　and　agent　on　this　occasion；　with　such　zeal　as　embroiled
her　with　Mrs　Tabitha；　and　a　high　scene　of　altercation　passed
betwixt　these　two　religionists；　which　might　have　come　to　action；
had　not　my　uncle　interposed。　They　are　however　reconciled；　in
consequence　of　an　event　which　hath　involved　us　all　in　trouble　and
disquiet。　You　must　know；　the　poor　preacher；　Humphry　Clinker；　is
now　exercising　his　ministry　among　the　felons　in　Clerkenwell
prison　　A　postilion　having　sworn　a　robbery　against　him；　no　bail
could　be　taken；　and　he　was　committed　to　jail；　notwithstanding　all
the　remonstrances　and　interest　my　uncle　could　make　in　his　behalf。

All　things　considered；　the　poor　fellow　cannot　possibly　be　guilty；
and　yet；　I　believe；　he　runs　some　risque　of　being　hanged。　Upon　his
examination；　he　answered　with　such　hesitation　and　reserve　as
persuaded　most　of　the　people；　who　crowded　the　place；　that　he　was
really　a　knave；　and　the　justice's　remarks　confirmed　their
opinion。　Exclusive　of　my　uncle　and　myself；　there　was　only　one
person　who　seemed　inclined　to　favour　the　culprit。　　He　was　a　young
man；　well　dressed；　and；　from　the　manner　in　which　he　cross…examined
the　evidence；　we　took　it　for　granted；　that　he　was　a
student　in　one　of　the　inns　of　court。　　He　freely　checked　the
justice　for　some　uncharitable　inferences　he　made　to　the　prejudice
of　the　prisoner；　and　even　ventured　to　dispute　with　his　worship　on
certain　points　of　law。

My　uncle；　provoked　at　the　unconnected　and　dubious　answers　of
Clinker；　who　seemed　in　danger　of　falling　a　sacrifice　to　his　own
simplicity；　exclaimed；　'In　the　name　of　God；　if　you　are　innocent；
say　so。'　'No　（cried　he）　God　forbid　that　I　should　call　myself
innocent；　while　my　conscience　is　burthened　with　sin。'　'What　then；
you　did　commit　this　robbery？'　resumed　his　master。　'No；　sure　（said
he）　blessed　be　the　Lord；　I'm　free　of　that　guilt。'

Here　the　justice　interposed；　observing；　that　the　man　seemed
inclined　to　make　a　discovery　by　turning　king's　evidence；　and
desired　the　clerk　to　take　his　confession；　upon　which　Humphry
declared；　that　he　looked　upon　confession　to　be　a　popish　fraud；
invented　by　the　whore　of　Babylon。　The　Templar　affirmed；　that　the
poor　fellow　was　non　compos；　and　exhorted　the　justice　to　discharge
him　as　a　lunatic。　　'You　know　very　well　（added　he）　that　the
robbery　in　question　was　not　committed　by　the　prisoner。'

The　thief…takers　grinned　at　one　another；　and　Mr　Justice　Buzzard
replied　with　great　emotion；　'Mr　Martin；　I　desire　you　will　mind
your　own　business；　I　shall　convince　you　one　of　these　days　that　I
understand　mine。'　In　short；　there　was　no　remedy；　the　mittimus　was
made　out；　and　poor　Clinker　sent　to　prison　in　a　hackney…coach；
guarded　by　the　constable；　and　accompanied　by　your　humble　servant。
By　the　way；　I　was　not　a　little　surprised　to　hear　this　retainer　to
justice　bid　the　prisoner　to　keep　up　his　spirits；　for　that　he　did
not　at　all　doubt　but　that　he　would　get　off　for　a　few　weeks
confinement　　He　said；　his　worship　knew　very　well　that　Clinker　was
innocent　of　the　fact；　and　that　the　real　highwayman　who　robbed　the
chaise；　was　no　other　than　that　very　individual　Mr　Martin；　who　had
pleaded　so　strenuously　for　honest　Humphry。

Confounded　at　this　information；　I　asked；　'Why　then　is　he　suffered
to　go　about　at　his　liberty；　and　this　poor　innocent　fellow　treated
as　a　malefactor？'　'We　have　exact　intelligence　of　all　Mr　Martin's
transactions　（said　he）；　but　as　yet　there　is　not　evidence
sufficient　for　his　conviction；　and　as　for　this　young　man；　the
justice　could　do　no　less　than　commit　him；　as　the　postilion　swore
point…blank　to　his　identity。'　'So　if　this　rascally　postilion
should　persist　in　the　falsity　to　which　he　is　sworn　（said　I）；　this
innocent　lad　may　be　brought　to　the　gallows。'

The　constable　observed；　that　he　would　have　time　enough　to　prepare
for　his　trial；　and　might　prove　an　alibi；　or；　perhaps；　Martin
might　be　apprehended　and　convicted　for　another　fact；　in　which
case；　he　might　be　prevailed　upon　to　take　this　affair　upon
himself；　or；　finally；　if　these　chances　should　fail；　and　the
evidence　stand　good　against　Clinker；　the　jury　might　recommend　him
to　mercy；　in　consideration　of　his　youth；　especially　if　this
should　appear　to　be　the　first　fact　of　which　he　had　been　guilty。

Humphry　owned　he　could　not　pretend　to　recollect　where　he　had　been
on　the　day　when　the　robbery　was　committed；　much　less　prove　a
circumstance　of　that　kind　so　far　back　as　six　months；　though　he
knew　he　had　been　sick　of　the　fever　and　ague；　which；　however；　did
not　prevent　him　from　going　about　　then；　turning　up　his　eyes；　he
ejaculated；　'The　Lord's　will　be　done！　if　it　be　my　fate　to　suffer；
I　hope　I　shall　not　disgrace　the　faith　of　which；　though　unworthy；
I　make　profession。'

When　I　expressed　my　surprize　that　the　accuser　should　persist　in
charging　Clinker；　without　taking　the　least　notice　of　the　real
robber　who　stood　before　him；　and　to　whom；　indeed；　Humphry　bore
not　the　smallest　resemblance；　the　constable　（who　was　himself　a
thief…taker）　gave　me　to　understand；　that　Mr　Martin　was　the　best
qualified　for　business　of　all　the　gentlemen　on　the　road　he　had
ever　known；　that　he　had　always　acted　on　his　own　bottom；　without
partner　or　correspondent；　and　never　went　to　work　but　when　he　was
cool　and　sober；　that　his　courage　and　presence　of　mind　never
failed　him；　that　his　address　was　genteel；　and　his　behaviour　void
of　all　cruelty　and　insolence；　that　he　never　encumbered　himself
with　watches　or　trinkets；　nor　even　with　bank…notes；　but　always
dealt　for　ready　money；　and　that　in　the　current　coin　of　the
kingdom；　and　that　he　could　disguise　himself　and　his　horse　in　such
a　manner；　that；　after　the　action；　it　was　impossible　to　recognize
either　the　one　or　the　other　　'This　great　man　（said　he）　has
reigned　paramount　in　all　the　roads　within　fifty　miles　of　London
above　fifteen　months；　and　has　done　more　business　in　that　time；
than　all　the　rest　of　the　profession　put　together；　for　those　who
pass　through　his　hands　are　so　delicately　dealt　with；　that　they
have　no　desire　to　give　him　the　least　disturbance；　but　for　all
that；　his　race　is　almost　run　　he　is　now　fluttering　about　justice；
like　a　moth　about　a　candle　　there　are　so　many　lime…twigs　laid　in
his　way；　that　I'll　bet　a　cool　hundred；　he　swings　before
Christmas。'

Shall　I　own　to　you；　that　this　portrait；　drawn　by　a　ruffian；
heightened　by　what　I　myself　had　observed　in　his　deportment；　has
interested　me　warmly　in　the　fate　of　poor　Martin；　whom　nature
seems　to　have　intended　for　a　useful　and　honourable　member　of　that
community　upon　which　he　now　preys　for　subsistence？　It　seems；　he
lived　some　time　as　a　clerk　to　a　timber…merchant；　whose　daughter
Martin　having　privately　married；　was　discarded；　and　his　wife
turned　out　of　doors。　She　did　not　long　survive　her　marriage；　and
Martin；　turning　fortune…hunter；　could　not　supply　his　occasions
any　other　way；　than　by　taking　to　the　road；　in　which　he　has
travelled　hitherto　with　uncommon　success。　　He　pays　his　respects
regularly　to　Mr　Justice　Buzzard；　the　thief…catcher…general　of
this　metropolis；　and　sometimes　they　smoke　a　pipe　together　very
lovingly；　when　the　conversation　generally　turns　upon　the　nature
of　evidence。　　The　justice　has　given　him　fair　warning　to　take　care
of　himself；　and　he　has　received　his　caution　in　good　part。　
Hitherto　he　has　baffled　all　the　vigilance；　art；　and　activity　of
Buzzard　and　his　emissaries；　with　such　conduct　as　would　have　done
honour　to　the　genius　of　a　Caesar　or　a　Turenne；　but　h