 France, she could blast Mr. Gloss's hopes whenever she pleased; she told Mr. Gloss, before Sir Sidney, it would be seen WHO he was; she imparted the secret to Mrs. Marlow; and, finally, through the proper and heroic feeling of that good woman, she now held him her captive, and was determined to give him up to that justice he had so studiously laboured to abuse.
This connexion of father and son will naturally account for the blended interest of Standfast and Gloss, and also for the congeniality of their sentiments: nay it will take off an imputation from me; for as I may be almost accused of representing nature in too odious a light, by bringing forward two characters so shockingly profligate, so the probability of their being so is considerably strengthened when it is found that the same blood ran in the veins of both; nay, such pains had been mutually

taken that the emulation of the son might be worthy the instruction of the sire—for vipers and doves are equally fond of their offspring—that it is not astonishing Mrs. Marlow should be so shocked with Gloss, at the time Charles was arrested, or express that detestation which was inspired by the remarkable resemblance of both his person and manner to those of Standfast.
But, says the reader, did it never occur to Mrs. Marlow that this very same Standfast was her betrayer? There is great singularity in this circumstance. Mrs. Marlow did not know Charles till he was nearly ruined, and it cannot be forgotten that Standfast, giving up his situation as an actor in this play of human life, had retired and become a prompter long before that period. Therefore, not seeing him on the stage, she did not know that there was any such person employed in the theatre. Charles never detailed his affairs, and though she knew the sum of them, she was ignorant of many of the particulars till she began to converse with Emma, who, after all, was extremely cautious of letting her into so much of them as might impede any of her measures. Therefore, it was not till after Charles went to France the second time, and she had had frequent conversations with Emma and Figgins, that she came at this truth, which, at

that time, Emma was the more anxious to investigate: finding it would be a matter of infinite import to ascertain that Mr. Gloss was the son of Mrs. Marlow, by Standfast. And, on the other hand, that I may make this matter perfectly clear, as Standfast went to Flanders before the good lady in question was
