290 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



home there are creditors who will not wait. Fifty 

 pounds, my lord, would indeed do what no thought 

 or tongue besides my own can feel or express.' 



" ' Well, sir, I take you at your word, and, upon 

 my honour, if you will compose yourself for a day 



or two, and then call on me at , what I have 



now given shall be made up to that sum. Trust 

 me ; I will not deceive you.' 



" The amateur highwayman looked at him, was 

 silent, and went off, and at the time appointed actually 

 waited on the Archbishop, received the money, and 

 assured his lordship that he hoped his words had 

 left impressions which no inducement could ever 

 efface. 



" Nothing more transpired of this for a year and 

 a half, when one morning he knocked at his Grace's 

 gate, and, with a peculiar earnestness of voice and 

 countenance, desired to see him. The Archbishop 

 ordered the stranger to be introduced. He had 

 scarcely entered the room when his countenance 

 changed, his knees tottered, and he sank almost 

 breathless on the floor. On recovery he requested 

 an audience in private. This being granted, he said : 



" ' My lord, you cannot have forgotten the circum- 

 stance of having relieved a highwayman. Gratitude 

 will never suffer it to be obliterated from my mind. 

 In me, my lord, you now behold that once most 

 wretched, most despicable of mankind ; but now, 

 by your inexpressible humanity, rendered equal, per- 

 haps superior, to millions. Oh, my lord, 'tis you, 

 'tis you, 'tis you who have saved me, body and soul ; 

 'tis you that have saved a much-loved wife and a little 

 brood of innocent children, whom I love dearer than 

 my own life. Here, my lord, is the fifty pounds, but 



