lling out my key, told him he might satisfy himself immediately,
though he would not find it so easy to satisfy me for the injury my
reputation had suffered from his unjust suspicion. He took the key and
mounted up to my chamber, attended by the whole family, saying, "Eh
bien, nous verrons--nous verrons." But what was my horror and amazement,
when, opening my chest, he pulled out a handful of the very things that
were missing, and pronounced, "Ah, ha, vous etes bienvenu--mardy, Mons.
Roderique, you be fort innocent!" I had not power to utter one word in
my own vindication, but stood motionless and silent, while everybody
present made their respective remarks on what appeared against me.
The servants said they were sorry for my misfortune, and went away
repeating, "Who would have thought it?" My mistress took occasion from
this detection to rail against the practice of employing strangers in
general; and Mrs. Gawky, after having observed that she never had a good
opinion of my fidelity, proposed to have me carried before the justice
and committed to Newgate immediately. Her husband was actually upon the
stairs in his way for a constable, when Mr. Lavement knowing the cost
ant trouble of a prosecution to which he must bind himself, and at the
same time dreading lest some particulars of my confession might affect
his practice, called out. "Restez, mon fils! restez, it be veritablement
one grand crime which dis pauvre diable have committed--bot peut-etre de
good God give him de penitence, and me vill not have upon mine head de
blood of one sinner." The captain and his lady used all the Christian
arguments their zeal could suggest to prevail upon the apothecary to
pursue me to destruction, and represented the injustice he did to the
community of which he was a member, in letting a villain escape, who
would not fail of doing more mischief in the world when he should
reflect on his coming off so easily now; but their eloquence made no
impression on my master, who turning to me said, "Go, miserable, go
from mine house quick, quick!--and make reparation for your mauvaise
actions." By this time my indignation had roused me from the
stupefaction in which I had hitherto remained and I began in this
manner:--"Sir, appearances I own condemn me; but you are imposed upon
as much as I am abused: I have fallen a sacrifice to the rancour of that
scoundrel" (pointing to Gawky) "who has found means to convey your
goods hither, that the detect