148 CHEATING 



me Avlien he could, which I, as often as I could, ma- 

 ncEUvred to prevent. He had a bold, familiar air, 

 and a fluent as well as specious tongue, which, with a 

 tolerably good-looking face, and no small share of im- 

 pudence, caused him to pass current with many as a 

 man of some import, though it did not require a very 

 keen observer to detect the vulvar character beneath 

 the assumed garb of gentility. His conversation was at 

 all times in derision of morality and religion, and, con- 

 cluding "all men Avere liars," he thought himself justified 

 in practising every sort of deception upon the simple 

 and unwary, that he might despoil them of their coin 

 — always taking care to keep within the pale of the law. 



He was quite an adept in the art possessed by one 

 of Dickens's heroes — that of making exchanges in hats, 

 great-coats, whips, and even a set of harness he has been 

 known to purloin in this way. Horse-stealing was too 

 «asy of detection, and led to too serious a result, for him 

 to encounter the risk. I believe he delighted in dis- 

 honesty ; for he would show as much ingenuity, and 

 take as much trouble, to rob a chimney-sweep of six- 

 pence, as he would one of his own class of one hundred 

 pounds. 



He occupied a farm in the Fens, and on one occasion, 

 when he had purchased some bullocks of a neighbouring 

 farmer, he offered in payment a bill, which the other, 

 having been assured that it was as good as money, 

 readily agreed to take. He ignorantly signed his name, 

 accordingly, to what he supposed was a regular draft at 

 two months, which, when it had come to maturity, 

 turned out to be a receipt for the money — £250. 



