26 Sample of some Gentleman s Autobiography. 



adopt the knife, but he would not let her soil her hands with me ; a clean, 

 accidental death, would be best i f it could be managed : but if not 



At this point of his soliloquy I pretended to awake, and coming for- 

 ward, rather staggered him by my presence. After a little talk, which 

 I purposely led to the subject of money, I told him, as a matter of confi- 

 dence, about the cash I possessed, and added, that, as carrying such a sum 

 on my person deprived me of sleep, I had determined on placing it for 

 security in his hands. Juno's eyes glistened as I drew it forth j she 

 seemed to know what I was saying ; and simply with a view to save my 

 life, which was evidently in jeopardy, I threw it into her lap. If I re- 

 claimed it, Gideon could, and doubtless would, deny the deposit ; he had 

 therefore no temptation to put himself to the trouble of depriving me of 

 life, and feeling as easy as a man could be expected to feel after having 

 relinquished so important an amount, I returned to my couch by the side 

 of the young elephant, resolving never to quit Gideon, until, by force or 

 fraud, I had compelled him to refund. Strange to say, I could still have 

 loved his Titaness, if she would have let me, but the magnificent fiend 

 gave me no hopes. 



Even had I been a pickpocket in principle, and a Barrington in dex- 

 terity, I could not have done myself justice; for night and day Gideon's 

 money was safe. He carried it in a tin box, covered with a skin of bull's 

 hide, and bound by stout straps to the inside of a leather waistcoat, which 

 he wore next his skin. To cut it out clandestinely during his waking 

 hours, w r as impossible j and he slept only at odd times, when there was 

 nothing else to do, usually with his head in Juno's lap, and always under 

 the protection of her wary eye. He was an adept at put, and some other 

 low games ; and, I suppose to satisfy his conscience, played with me at 

 night when business was over, on the recumbent dromedary's bunch, for such 

 high stakes, that, as he always won, he soon had a score of losses against 

 me sufficient to balance my deposit. I fell into his humour for prudential 

 motives, without, however, suffering myself to think that, by his exploits 

 at put, he had acquired any stronger right to my money than he had 

 previously possessed. I passed whole nights in endeavouring to devise 

 schemes for redress, but nothing feasible occurred to my imagination, 

 and at last I began to despair. The fellow even refused to give me 50/. 

 and let me seek my fortunes, alleging that I was too valuable a servant 

 to be lost lightly. The fact is, I had become so debased in his contagious 

 society, as to pick up young farmers at fairs, and bring them into the 

 caravan, after the day's work was done, under the pretence of seeing the 

 beasts fed. Jovial Gideon, on these occasions, generally broached a brandy 

 keg, and soon had them safe at put. 'Tis true he allowed me a slice of 

 the spoil, but it was scarcely worth acceptance ; for after having taken 

 the lion's share himself, he divided the residue into three parts, of which 

 I took one, and Juno two, one for herself to buy finery, and the other to 

 expend in confectionary, for our nimble accomplice, Macaroon, a spider 

 monkey. 



One night, after having exhibited at a fair, within twenty miles of the 

 metropolis, which we had been gradually approaching, I found a familiar 

 eye fixed upon mine: it was that of the bald gentleman who had come on 

 the box of a post chariot to the Redstart. I believe I forgot to mention, 

 that his name was Thornhose, the friend who had sold me the Claudes, 

 and called me impostor. I made a hideous grimace, and he turned away. 



