Mr. Heartfree,—­I beg you would not acquaint my husband of the trifling debt between us; for, as I know you to be a very good-natured man, I will trust you with a secret; he gave me the money long since to discharge it, which I had the ill luck to lose at play.  You may be assured I will satisfy you the first opportunity, and am, sir, your very humble servant,

        CATH.  Rubbers.

  Please to present my compliments to Mrs. Heartfree.

LETTER IV.

Mr. Thomas Heartfree, sir,—­Yours received:  but as to sum mentioned therein, doth not suit at present.  Your humble servant, Peter pounce.

LETTER V.

Sir,—­I am sincerely sorry it is not at present possible for me to comply with your request, especially after so many obligations received on my side, of which I shall always entertain the most greateful memory.  I am very greatly concerned at your misfortunes, and would have waited upon you in person, but am not at present very well, and besides, am obliged to go this evening to Vauxhall.  I am, sir, your most obliged humble servant,

          Cha.  Easy.

P.S.—­I hope good Mrs. Heartfree and the dear little ones are well.

There were more letters to much the same purpose; but we proposed giving our readers a taste only.  Of all these, the last was infinitely the most grating to poor Heartfree, as it came from one to whom, when in distress, he had himself lent a considerable sum, and of whose present flourishing circumstances he was well assured.

CHAPTER EIGHT

In which our hero carries greatness to an immoderate height.

Let us remove, therefore, as fast as we can, this detestable picture of ingratitude, and present the much more agreeable portrait of that assurance to which the French very properly annex the epithet of good.  Heartfree had scarce done reading his letters when our hero appeared before his eyes; not with that aspect with which a pitiful parson meets his patron after having opposed him at an election, or which a doctor wears when sneaking away from a door when he is informed of his patient’s death; not with that downcast countenance which betrays the man who, after a strong conflict between virtue and vice, hath surrendered his mind to the latter, and is discovered in his first treachery; but with that noble, bold, great confidence with which a prime minister assures his dependent that the place he promised him was disposed of before.  And such concern and uneasiness as he expresses in his looks on those occasions did Wild testify on the first meeting of his friend.  And as the said prime minister chides you for neglect