'I wish it was,' said Amelia; 'but it is for no less than fifty pound.'
'Then,' cries the doctor, 'he hath been disingenuous with me. He told me he did not owe ten pounds in the world for which he was liable to be sued.'
'I know not what to say,' cries Amelia. 'Indeed, I am afraid to tell you the truth.'
'How, child?' said the doctor--'I hope you will never disguise it to any one, especially to me. Any prevarication, I promise you, will forfeit my friendship for ever.'
'I will tell you the whole,' cries Amelia, 'and rely entirely on your goodness.' She then related the gaming story, not forgetting to set in the fullest light, and to lay the strongest emphasis on, his promise never to play again.
The doctor fetched a deep sigh when he had heard Amelia's relation, and cried, 'I am sorry, child, for the share you are to partake in your husband's sufferings; but as for him, I really think he deserves no compassion. You say he hath promised never to play again, but I must tell you he hath broke his promise to me already; for I had heard he was formerly addicted to this vice, and had given him sufficient caution against it. You will consider, child, I am already pretty largely engaged for him, every farthing of which I am sensible I must pay. You know I would go to the utmost verge of prudence to serve you; but I must not exceed my ability, which is not very great; and I have several families on my hands who are by misfortune alone brought to want. I do assure you I cannot at present answer for such a sum as this without distressing my own circumstances.'
'Then Heaven have mercy upon us all!' cries Amelia, 'for we have no other friend on earth: my husband is undone, and these poor little wretches must be starved.'
The doctor cast his eyes on the children, and then cried, 'I hope not so. I told you I must distress my circumstances, and I will distress them this once on your account, and on the account of these poor little babes. But things must not go on any longer in this way. You must take an heroic resolution. I will hire a coach for you to-morrow morning which shall carry you all down to my parsonage-house. There you shall have my protection till something can be done for your husband; of which, to be plain with you, I at present see no likelihood.'
Amelia fell upon her knees in an ecstasy of thanksgiving to the doctor, who immediately raised her up, and placed her in her chair. She then recollected herself, and said, 'O my worthy friend, I have still another matter to mention to you, in which I must have both your advice and assistance. My soul blushes to give you all this trouble; but what other friend have I?--indeed, what other friend could I apply to so properly on such an occasion?'
The doctor, with a very kind voice and countenance, desired her to speak. She then said, 'O sir! that wicked colonel whom I have mentioned to you formerly hath picked some quarrel with my husband (for she did not think proper to mention the cause), and hath sent him a challenge. It came to my hand last night after he was arrested: I opened and read it.'
'Give it me, child,' said the doctor.
She answered she had burnt it, as was indeed true. 'But I remember it was an appointment to meet with sword and pistol this morning at Hyde- park.'
'Make yourself easy, my dear child,' cries the doctor; 'I will take care to prevent any mischief.'
'But consider, my dear sir,' said she, 'this is a tender matter. My husband's honour is to be preserved as well as his life.'
'And so is his soul, which ought to be the dearest of all things,' cries the doctor. 'Honour! nonsense! Can honour dictate to him to disobey the express commands of his Maker, in compliance with a custom established by a set of blockheads, founded on false principles of virtue, in direct opposition to the plain and positive precepts of religion, and tending manifestly to give a sanction to ruffians, and to protect them in all the ways of impudence and villany?'
